The word “fasting” is in the Bible more than “Born again” “new birth” and “regeneration”combined. Fasting is a wonderful tool whereby we can humble ourselves by the denying something good (food) and receive something even better, spiritual power, blessings, and answers to prayer.
Believers should be thrilled to have this God given tool in our arsenal.
Biblical examples of the blessings associated with fasting:
Israel would fast on the Day of Atonement and “afflict themselves” for their sin on the seventh month and tenth day from morning until evening. They received atonement for their sins and blessings from heaven. Moses fasted for forty days when he received the Ten Commandments. Hannah fasted when she prayed for children and she received Samuel. The wicked King, Ahab fasted for mercy from God and received it. Elijah fasted for forty days and was given encouragement and a co-worker named Elisha. David fasted when his son was sick, and Solomon was later born to Bathsheba. Esther fasted for three days before she sought for deliverance for Israel in the court of king Artaxerxes. Ezra fasted before rebuilding the temple. Jehoshaphat fasted when faced with the armies of Moab and Ammon and Judah was delivered. Jeremiah proclaimed a nationwide fast and God preserved a remnant of people. Jonah fasted in the whale’s belly, the city of Nineveh fasted for a day, and God spared the city. Daniel fasted for three weeks full weeks and received an answer to his prayer concerning Israel. Anna prophetess fasted often when serving in the temple and the Christ child was revealed to her by the Holy Ghost. Jesus fasted for forty days before starting His public ministry. Jesus said that upon his departure His disciples as well would “fast in those days.” John the Baptist disciples fasted often. The church in Antioch fasted to before sending out Barnabas and Saul on their first missionary journey. The Apostle Paul was “in fastings off” during his fruitful ministry. The husbands and wives fasted in the Corinthian church fasted.
Christian History is full of examples of people who fasted. Martin Luther, Girolamo Savonarola, John Knox, John Calvin, Matthew Henry, John Wesley, David Brainerd, Charles Finney, George Fox, and many, many others fasted as well. Jonathan Edwards would fast before he preached “sinners in the hands of an Angry God.” The pilgrims fasted the day before entering the Mayflower. During the laymen’s prayer revival of 1859 men fasted on their lunch breaks. The Southern Baptist evangelist J Harold Smith fasted for forty days and God gave him his famous sermon, “God’s three deadlines.” The evangelists of yesteryear likewise fasted John Rice, Lester Roloff, and many others.
There have been times in our country when presidents have called for national days of fasting and prayer. The Presidents George Washington, James Madison John Quincy Adams called for national days of prayer and fasting during their administrations. Four times during his presidency, Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of fasting and prayer.
Christ taught that there are hard spiritual battles are only won only by prayer and fasting:
In Matthew 17 nine of Christ’s disciples of were failing in their ministry and Jesus told them why:
“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:21)
Christ taught that when we fast secretly before the Father, He rewards us:
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. (Matthew 6:16-18)
Jesus instructed his disciples not too fast to be seen of men. It is ok if people know you are fasting, but never fast for the attention of man but rather for the attention of God.
“The first links us to heaven the second separates us from earth.” – Charles Spurgeon on prayer and fasting
True Biblical fasting is when humble ourselves before the Father and He lifts us up. When we fast correctly there is a spiritual purpose behind our effort. Fasting should be done for a cause not just for a religious exercise or ritual. Fasting is a voluntary physical means for spiritual ends.
“I humbled my soul with fasting…” (Psalm 35:13a) “When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting…” (Psalm 69:10). “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”(James 4:10)
The prophet Isaiah along with Christ warned of the danger to fast for religion and attention of man. At the same time, he also stated the five things that fasting accomplishes.
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To (1) loose the bands of wickedness, (2) to undo the heavy burdens, and (3) to let the oppressed go free, and (4) that ye break every yoke? (5) Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? (Isaiah 58:3-7)
We do not fast to be “seen of men” like the hypocrites in Matthew 6 or like those in Isaiah 58 “for strife and debate,” instead we should seek the Lords face with fasting. When we do these wonderful things happen: The bands of wickedness are loosed, heavy burdens are gone, the oppressed go free, the yoke gets broken, and the hungry get bread!
It is thrilling to know we have the strategy and avenue of fasting! May it not go unused. Let us humble ourselves with fasting and seek God’s face in prayer!