The Discipline of Fasting

10 January 2022

Biblical fasting always centers on the abstaining from food for spiritual purposes. This invariably involves abstaining from all food, solid or liquid, but not from water [1]. This is in variance with hunger strike, the purpose of which is to gain political power or attract attention to a good cause. It is also distinct from health dieting which stresses abstinence from food for physical, not spiritual, purposes [2]. However, there are also several examples of fasting in Scripture where there was abstinence from both food and water. This appeared to be a desperate measure to meet a dire emergency.

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One of the prevailing questions in the Church today is whether fasting is a commandment from God. That is whether it is an obligation or an optional act. Although many passages of Scripture deal with this subject, two stand out in importance.

The first is Jesus’ startling teaching about fasting in the Sermon on the Mount. Two factors bear directly on the issue at hand. His teaching on fasting is directly in the context of his teaching on giving and praying. It is as if there is an almost unconscious assumption that giving, praying, and fasting are all part of Christian devotion. We have no more reason to exclude fasting from the teaching than we do giving or praying. Second, Jesus states, “When you fast …” (Matt. 6:16). He seems to make the assumption that people will fast, and is giving instruction on how to do it properly. Martin Luther said, “It was not Christ’s intention to reject or despise fasting…it was His intention to restore proper fasting. [3]”

Needless to say that these words of Jesus do not constitute a command, but rather a divine instruction on the proper exercise of fasting. Much us believers are not under a divine obligation to fast, it is a necessary requirement to their spiritual growth. However, care must be taken so that this spiritual necessity does not become a religious orthodoxy. Tragically, many believers fast just to purge their religious conscience. It is sobering to realise that the very first statement Jesus made about fasting dealt with the question of motive (Matt. 6:16–18). To use good things to our own ends is always the sign of false religion [4].

Moreover, fasting alone without praying amounts to starvation. It must as a matter of necessity be missed with prayer.

One of the primary ways we believers experience spiritual breakthrough and growth is through prayer mixed with fasting [4a].

Fasting appropriately accompanies prayer in many situations: in times of intensive intercession, repentance, worship, and seeking of guidance. In each of these situations, several benefits come from fasting [5]. Few of which are discussed below.

1. Fasting reveals what is in us

We often have the predisposition to cover up what is inside us with food, sex and other things. But in fasting these things surface. If pride controls us, it will be revealed almost immediately. David writes, ”I humbled my soul with fasting“ [6]. Anger, bitterness, jealousy, strife, fear—if they are within us, they will surface during fasting. At first we will rationalise that our anger is due to our hunger; then we will realise that we are angry because the spirit of anger is within us. We can rejoice in this knowledge because we know that healing is available through the power of Christ [7].

2. Fasting helps us keep our balance in life

It is intriguing how easily we allow nonessentials to take precedence in our lives. We have an unexplainable tendencies of craving things we do not need until we are completely enslaved by them. Paul writes, “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be enslaved by anything” [8].

Our human cravings and desires are like rivers that tend to overflow their banks; fasting helps keep them in their proper channels. “I pommel my body and subdue it,” says Paul (1 Cor. 9:27). Likewise, David writes, “I afflicted myself with fasting” (Ps. 35:13). This is not excessive asceticism; it is discipline and discipline brings freedom [9].

3. Fasting reminds us that we are sustained by the word of God

Jesus, when he was being tempted by the devil said, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God ’” [10]. Food does not sustain us, God does. Therefore, when we fast, we are not abstaining from food but rather we are feasting on the word of God. As our body is afflicted, our soul and spirit are nourished. We must understand that the spirit and the body are antagonistic to one another.

For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want [11].

When the disciples brought lunch to Jesus, assuming that he would be starving, he declared, “I have food to eat of which you do not know…. My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work” (John 4:32, 34). This was not a clever metaphor, but a genuine reality. Jesus was, in fact, being nourished and sustained by the power of God.

4. Detoxification of the body

Fasting is one of the most effective ways to detoxify our bodies. Whenever you fast, particularly, long fast, the body rids itself of the toxins that have built up over years of poor eating habits. This is somewhat uncomfortable process. This may accounts for the coating on the tongue and bad breath. But eventually, the body gets rid of every toxins [12].

5. Fasting helps us in self-discipline

It is a good exercise in self-discipline, for as to refrain from eating food, which we would ordinarily desire, it also strengthens our ability to refrain from sin, to which we might otherwise be tempted to yield. If we train ourselves to accept the small “suffering” of fasting willingly, we will be better able to accept other suffering for the sake of righteousness [13]. Galatians 5:16 says “Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Fasting enables us to live by the Spirit.

The Centrality of fasting

God must be the center of every fasting activity. God and his glory must be the priority, our needs and wants and other supplications must come as secondly.

It must be God-initiated and God-ordained. Like the prophetess Anna, we need to be “worshiping with fasting” (Luke 2:37). Every other purpose must be subservient to God. Like that apostolic band at Antioch, “fasting” and “worshiping the Lord” must be said in the same breath (Acts 13:2). Charles Spurgeon writes, “Our seasons of fasting and prayer at the Tabernacle have been high days indeed; never has Heaven’s gate stood wider; never have our hearts been nearer the central Glory.” It must be done unto the Lord with our eye singly fixed on Him. Let our intention herein be this, and this alone, to glorify our Father which is in heaven… [14]

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References

[1] Richard, J. Foster. Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth. (International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions

, 1983), 48.

[2] Richard, Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth, 49

[3] Richard, Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth, 52

[4] Richard, Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth, 54

[4a] Cindy, Jacobs, The Power of Persistent Prayer: Praying with Greater Purpose and Passion, (Kaduna, Nigeria: Evangel Publishers Ltd. 2010), 84

[5] Wayne, Grudem, Systematic Theology an Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, (Michigan: Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1994), 402

[6] Ps. 69:10

[7] Richard, Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth, 55

[8] 1 Cor. 6:12

[9] Richard, Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth, 56

[10] Matthew 4:4

[11] Galatians 5:17

[12] Richard, Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth, 58

[13] Wayne, Systematic Theology an Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, 402

[14] Richard, Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth, 55

Fasting & Prayer

Samuel Daniels