What does the scripture say about fasting?
What Is Biblical fasting?
– essentially giving up food (or something else ie social media) for a period of time in order to focus your thoughts on God.
– While fasting, it is expected for you to read the Bible, pray, or worship
– The goal is to fast for a limited time while focusing your thoughts on God, the God of heaven.
– Fasting is not a gift but a discipline
– Fasting is a spiritual activity
Why do we fast ?
1. We fast to seek to seeks God’s direction –
– [ ] – Exodus 34:28 Moses fasted 40 days and forty nights in the presence of God for the 10 commandments. God sustained Moses during the fast and also gave him wisdom and direction.
– [ ] – Matthew 4:1-11. Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to fast for 40 days and 40 nights
”Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.“
Matthew 4:1-11 KJV
2. We fast to humble ourselves before God
– [ ] Ezra 8:21-23 I proclaimed a fast so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for safe journey
Here fasting is a means to humility
”Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.“
Ezra 8:21-23 KJV
3. We fast for freedom
– [ ] Isaiah 58:6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and to untie the cords of the yoke to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
– [ ] Matthew 17:20-21 …However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
The purpose of fasting is more than just giving up food, the spiritual implications are great.
4. We fast to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit
– [ ] Acts 13:3 so after they fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
5. We fast to grow in spiritual strength
– [ ] Matthew 4:2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry
Jesus fasted and God strengthened him by sending his angels to minister to him. To grow in authority in the spirit requires prayer and fasting. May our sovereign Lord grant us the grace to seek His face through the sacrifice of fasting in Jesus’ Name.
Shalom! Rev. Ron.
Virtuous Living 