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by Sandy Shaw
In Matthew Chapter 6, Jesus addresses three areas of Jewish piety – giving and prayer and fasting, and it is interesting that He begins this whole section with “Be careful”!
When we come to fasting we are catapulted into an area which may be strange to many. It is something mentioned frequently throughout the Bible but it has not been part of our culture.
Saul of Tarsus fasted three days and three nights after he met the risen and living Lord Jesus Christ.
Fasting today is like a lost key. It has been set aside and misplaced by the church.
Jesus practised fasting – Luke Chapter 4. Jesus passed through two vital experiences before His public ministry began – baptism in the Holy Spirit and 40 days prayer and fasting. It would appear that Jesus had to fast to gain the victory.
When David the King had Nathan prophet point the finger and say “You are the man”, David wept and fasted. (2 Samuel 12:16f).
Esther (Chapter 4) was about to go in and see King Xerxes and she says to Mordecai her uncle – go and gather all the Jews in Susa and fast for me – and I will fast as well. If I die, then I die. What commitment! She was willing to risk all, and lay down her life. We too have come to royal positions. She could not hide away in some palace, and neither can we hide away. She took her rightful royal position and the victory was won through intercession. She did not go grovelling and begging. Esther’s intercession shaped the course of history.
Check out Ezra Chapter 8 and verses 21 to 23 – Ezra was carrying a large consignment of gold and silver for the Temple in Jerusalem along a route infested with bandits, and he prayed, with fasting, for a safe journey – very practical.
The Day of Atonement was a day of fasting – and still is.
Jesus did not speak about this as some ‘way out thing’ that certain religious people do. Jesus said ‘when’ not ‘if’.
It is the absence of food or the absence even of water – it is a matter of discipline – it is a matter of denying self – denying ourselves.
This is not just something outward. It is also inward and can involve repentance, as it can involve being sorry for sin – particularly in the Old Testament.
Fasting was something serious and momentous. It was a season of prayer.
Outwardly and inwardly, it is a matter of disciplining the body, and the will, and can be a sign of repentance – and can be a means of saying – “Dear God, I mean business with you”.
There the note of sacrifice, because we can become so preoccupied with ourselves and with our own interests. The times when we are really serious before God can be few and far between. We can become so busy.
Our own hopes and fears can dominate our thinking so much, and there comes a time when we place God right at the very centre of our lives in a new way – in a sacrificial way. We move certain things to the side so that we can be with God in a new or deeper way.
The leaders of that day had made it a matter of ritual and show, but Jesus does not throw it out because of that. He teaches how it should be among His disciples.
Jesus encourages His disciples to do it in secret – a secret sacrificial devotion to God – a secret discipline for spiritual reasons.
Nowhere is it commanded, but it is assumed – apart from the Day of Atonement.
To command fasting would be legalistic. Nor did Jesus say “if”, which would make it optional.
Fasting can be a way to reinforce prayer. It can be a sign of repentance and humility – as in Psalm 35 verse 13. People who pray with fasting are indicating to God that they are really in earnest.
Fasting can be a way of seeking guidance. Moses fasted before receiving the Ten Commandments, and in Acts Chapters 13,14, fasting appears to have been a routine part of seeking God’s guidance with regard to appointing elders.
It was taught and practised.
When the leaders of the church fasted, the Holy Spirit spoke and a wave of missionary outreach was birthed.
Fasting is a form of self discipline. Paul uses the analogy of the athlete training for a race.
Fasting helps to lessen the hold of material things upon us, and it can preserve us from becoming slaves to habits and it can help us learn and exercise self-control.
One of the reasons for fasting may be to share what we have with the undernourished.
We are told that fasting detoxifies the system – cleansing, healing, and resting vital organs such as the kidneys and the liver. It is like giving the body a good spring clean. We voluntarily abstain from food for spiritual purposes and reasons.
I came across the briefest practical advice from someone who did fast. Do it firstly for 24 hours – take water every 4 hours – do not do it if there might be medical complications – do it secretly – use a tooth brush – and pray!
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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