Fasting?!?

Most Christians know what it means to pray, serve, give, read the Bible, and memorize Scripture, even if they don’t practice these spiritual disciplines as faithfully as they should/would like to.  But most Christians do not even understand what it means to fast. Sure, they know that it means to not eat for a period of time, but that’s about it.  What should we be doing during a fast?  Why should we fast?

Last Sunday, January 22nd, the elders of PRC called on the church to fast from breakfast and lunch on Wednesday, January 25th.  What is the point and purpose of doing this?

What to fast from: The meaning of the word “fasting” has the root idea of “holding firmly” or “firmly controlling one’s self”.  (1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Galatians 5:22-23; Titus 2:2, 5-6; 11-15)

1. Food is the most common, and usually the most practically beneficial thing to fast from.
2. Media (including TV, movies, radio, video games, and internet (Yes, that includes Facebook and Twitter, too) is another very good thing to fast from.
3. Other than these things, one can fast from nearly anything that they usually spend time consuming (shopping, reading books, talking on the telephone, etc).

Why to fast: What we fast from can most often be determined by the purpose and focus of a fast.  All fasts are meant to create and/or further develop a focused hunger for something.  (Deuteronomy 8:3; Psalm 34:8; 119:103; Matthew 5:6; John 6:35)

1. Fasting should be to honor God by denying ourselves of one thing (e.g, food) in order to fill ourselves with something else (i.e., more knowledge of, submission to, trust in, and love for God).
2. Fasting can be done in order to help us feel the weight of and to humbly confess our sin with all seriousness.
3. Fasting can be done in the face of a big decision that has to be made, helping us to focus and intensify our prayers and Bible reading.  But be careful to not think that your fasting will obligate or even impress God.  Fasting is more for us to be changed and focused and filled with what is best, than anything else.  Don’t fast in order to manipulate God.  It won’t work, and it’s not good.
4. Fasting can be done in order to reveal an unhealthy dependence on and/or help release the grip that material things have on us and so create and/or further develop a hunger for spiritual and eternal things (e.g, prayer, the Bible, evangelism, etc).

How to fast: Too many people waste their time “fasting” because they really don’t know what they should be doing during their fast.  (Nehemiah 1:4; Psalm 35:13; Jeremiah 36:6; Daniel 9:3; Luke 2:37; Acts 13:3; 14:23)

1. Plan & Commit.  Think through the what and why of your fast and for how long it will be observed.  Then commit to it, asking another person hold you accountable with it.  (Note: When fasting from food, it is wise to start off with a set time of a day or two max until you know how you will react in both body and soul.  If your fast causes you to pass out or to cuss out your neighbor, then it isn’t exactly working.)  Fasting can be done for short periods (i.e., breakfast and lunch) or for longer periods (days or even weeks).  And we don’t have to wait to be challenged or convicted to fast.  We can fast one meal or one day every week.  But the issue here is, without intentionality and focus, it isn’t fasting, it’s merely not eating.  The difference is huge!
2. Pray & Read.  A fast without prayer and time in the Word of God is like trying to make mud with lots of dirt but no liquid.  Remember, fasting is replacing one thing with something else.  We should replace all of the time spent on food (thinking about, planning for, purchasing, preparing, eating, and cleaning up) with time on our knees in prayer and feasting upon the Word of God.  We should fast from lesser things in order to fill ourselves with greater things.
3. Focus on God & Others.  Don’t make your fast about how holy and spiritual and disciplined you are (Matthew 6:16-18).  Some fasts are going to be short and spent mostly in prayer and the Word.  Other fasts will have some time of prayer and Bible reading, with much more time devoted to serving others and/or purposefully and proactively seeking to share the gospel with others (Isaiah 58:3-7).  This can either be an act of repentance or an act of growth.  Either way, fasting should be for our growth, should result in good for others, and should always be for the glory of God, not the glory self.