Fasting By the Book
The Bible teaches us that fasting plays an important part of our relationship with God. The Bible presents fasting as something that is beneficial to Christians, and especially to those who are in great need of God’s intervention in their life, which we all are in varying degrees at different times during our lives. Further, the Bible does not command Christians to fast. It is not a commandment, a law, nor did Jesus teach that we must fast. Yet, the Bible does clearly teach that fasting is beneficial and in some cases necessary.
What is Fasting?
Fasting is almost always found in scripture to be abstinence from food and this should be considered the primary form of fasting, but there are times when God may desire you to abstain from other activities. The purpose is the same in either case – food or activities:
- Become stronger by learning to deny yourself of fleshly desires for a time.
- Dedicated focus upon God as evidenced by your abstinence from earthly needs and desires.
Fasting is not the permanent giving up of food or other earthly desires, but it is sacrifice for a time to show your dedication to God. God honors us when we honor Him by giving up something for Him for a time.
1 Corinthians 7:3-6 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
The abstinence described here by Paul is under consent of both parties and for a short time to devote yourself to prayer and fasting. Fasting of any type without prayer is not Biblical and at best is merely an exercise in self control. Fasting without prayer to God is of no spiritual value.
Fasting was done for many reasons in the Bible and with specific purposes. The Bible teaches us many things about fasting if we search the scriptures as in the following list:
- before making important decisions
- fasting and prayer are always linked
- to take your eyes off of the world and place them on God
- for a reasonable short time not a way of life
- not for dietary reasons
- fasting should be done so not to draw attention to ourselves – in private
- we can fast for mercy, deliverance, healing, and for God to answer our prayer
- Jesus teaches that some of God’s work requires fasting to be successful
- fasting may be total or partial – minimal food or completely without food
- There are times when a cooperate fast is appropriate – the entire congregation – but otherwise fasting is personal and in privacy
- fasting without the heart for God, in the right attitude, is of no spiritual value
- fasting may be a partial day, a whole day, several days, or many days as Jesus fasted for 40 days, but we should fast so we can focus on God – but be mindful of physically harming yourself. God never asks for that.
Learn to listen to God through His Holy Spirit, which resides in you, so that He will guide you in your need to fast. Learn to listen to God through His Holy Bible, so that you will be able to determine scripturally when fasting is appropriate.
This has just been an overview of fasting. More articles on fasting will be coming that will give you greater depth of knowledge.
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Author: Jeff Harris
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