The When, What, Why, and How of Fasting

WHEN?

Matthew 6:16–18 ““And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

During Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, He was teaching the disciples and others present about prayer and fasting.

He had just spent time telling them about prayer and that…

WHEN you pray, don’t just do it for the attention of the public.

WHEN you pray, go by yourself and pray in private and God will reward you

WHEN you pray, don’t just babble a bunch of churchy words

Jesus taught them how to pray.

Everyone knows that it is expected of a person to have a prayer life if they are a believer. Jesus Himself made no separation between the believer and prayer because the believer prays! They cannot be separated!

Just as much as prayer cannot be separated from a true believer’s habits, fasting is considered in the same manner.

Fasting was always meant to be a regular habit of the believer.

Jesus said, “WHEN you fast…” in the same way as He said, “WHEN you pray…”

Its not a matter of IF you should fast, but WHEN you should fast.

So when should you fast? Regularly

How do I know when to fast? Follow the Spirit’s leading

Regular for you might be once a year at the beginning of each year, it might be one day per month, one day a week. It could also be a couple weeks throughout the year. It could also be whenever you feel the Lord leading you.

WHAT?

I gotta correct some beliefs here. I see people all the time saying that they are going on a social media fast. They are fasting IG, TikTok, etc. Technically, you can fast social media.

HOWEVER, the only biblical fasting (for non-married people) is food and drinks.

In Daniel 1, Daniel (the Daniel of the Lions Den) and his friends who would later be named Shadrach, Meeshach, and Abednego, declared they weren’t going to be defiled by King Nebuchadnezzar food so they challenged their boss that they wouldn’t starve and look frail if they only lived on vegetables and water for 10 days. Their boss was scared what the king would say, but allowed them to do this anyway. Look what happened:

Daniel 1:15 “At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king.”

This is where we get the term “Daniel Fast” from. This fast consists only of eating vegetables, fruits, and the like. This means you would have no meats, no sweets, no other drinks, and more.

We also find in Exodus 34 that Moses had no bread or water for 40 days and nights while he was writing the Ten Commandments from God.

So biblical fasting has to do with abstaining from food or drinks.

TAKE NOTE: this doesn’t mean jeopordize your health. Do what is healthy for you, with the Spirit’s leading. (Ex. pregnant woman needs to eat)

Should I still step away from social media, video games, tv, etc. during the fast? It wouldn’t be a bad idea!

During the time of fasting, it is a time where the goal is to consecrate (set aside, set apart) time to devote yourself to God. This means that you can fast food/drinks and consecrate this time to be away from social media, tv, and video games.

Those things can easily distract us from hearing from God and keep us away from worship, the Bible, and prayer.

TIP: When you normally would watch a Netflix show, listen to a sermon or read the Bible. When you would normally play video games, take some time to worship and pray. When you would normally scroll on social media, grab your Bible first.

WHY?

There are many benefits to fasting, but here are some key reasons to why we fast:

TO REPENT AND REFOCUS ON WHAT TRULY MATTERS

Joel 2:12–14 “That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse. Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the Lord your God as before.”

It is so easy to get distracted from what is most important. Sin can be so easy to fall into because it is what comes natural to us outside of God and His presence and power.

The Prophet Joel was calling Israel, God’s chosen and dearly loved people, to repent (change their mind, turn from their ways) and come back to God.

Joel says to “come with fasting, weeping and mourning…”

Joel was calling God’s people to turn away from everything that wasn’t of God or keeping them from God. He calls for them to not just physically show repentance, but to truly repent and come back.

Students, I want you to know today, that just what God said through Joel about His people in Israel, He thinks the same about you today.

He wants you to return to Him if you are far away today.

His love toward you is unfailing.

He is not angry at you. He is full of mercy and compassion towards you and your situation.

He doesn’t want to punish you, but He wants to bless you.

You just have to make the turn toward Him. Call on Him for help. Be honest about where you so He can take you farther and deeper in Him than you could ever imagine.

Fasting takes dependence on God. Hunger, thirst, and the desires for certain foods and drinks are natural human desires. You are saying “No” to those natural desires as you fast from those things. This isn’t supposed to be a diet where you depend on your strength, but you fast to depend on God’s strength.

Saying “No” to those natural desires and saying “Yes” in place of those things to the things of God can only happen through dependence on Him

That dependence can lead you into deeper places and experiences in God than ever before because God honors obedience and we are less distracted by the things of this world.

TO RECEIVE CLARITY FROM GOD

Acts 13:2–3 “One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.”

Acts 14:23 “Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.”

You can hear from God about the situations going on in your life.

Just as the Lord gave direction to these church leaders and Paul and Barnabas about issues they needed to address, God can give you the same direction in your life.

If you need to make a decision and you are unsure of what to do, the Holy Spirit can give you an answer.

Though you can receive answers by prayer alone, sometimes life’s distractions can be so clouding that it is hard to hear the voice of God for a situation.

Fasting and consecrating can help clear out the noise and clear out the clutter of the things of this world and by God’s supernatural strength, you can receive answers as you are obedient through fasting and consecrating what God asks of you. God honors obedience.

TO FIGHT FOR BREAKTHROUGH

Esther 4:16 ““Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.””

Esther was Queen at the time that her people, the Jews, were facing death by the decree of a law.

Esther had to make a choice about whether or not she would stay silent as the Queen or try to save her people. Those two options had the possibility to end in death either way.

Esther chose to go before the King, which was against the law. She knew it would take much courage and strength to go against the law on behalf of her people and risk her own life.

She asked Mordecai, her adoptive father, to fast along with other Jews. She said her and her maids would do the same. Were they fasting just for fun? No. They were fasting for a breakthrough. They were fighting for a cause through fasting, and though it is not said, that fasting would’ve included prayer.

We see in Esther 5 that she finds favor with the King and isn’t killed coming before him uninvited. Instead, her favor with the king, that God allowed her to have, brought down the enemy that was trying to annihilate the Jewish people.

The situation was out of their hands and they needed God to move so out of their desperation for a miracle, they fasted. God honored their obedience.

Students, if you don’t get anything from this message but this, understand this:

Fasting is not us giving up something to earn a reward. Fasting is obedience to God’s Word and He blesses obedience.

HOW?

How should you begin to fast? First, ask the Holy Spirit how He wants you to fast.

There are different ways you can fast:

Some people fast a meal a day

Some people fast sun-up to sun-down

Some people do the Daniel Fast

Some people do a complete fast with water only

Some people that cannot miss meals cut out sweets, soda, processed foods, etc.

KEY: The Holy Spirit knows what will work for you, but what will also challenge you.

This isn’t a competition to see what we can do, but it is a surrendering to see what God wants to do in us.

You can also include in a fast as a way to further consecrate (set apart) yourself by…

Cutting out social media

Not watching Netflix, Hulu, etc.

Not playing video games

Only reading Scripture

Only listening to worship music

As your Pastor, I would encourage you consecrate something else during this time if you are going to participate in the fast. It will help you further focus on what God wants to do in your life.

Make sure whatever the Holy Spirit leads you to do you COMMIT to it. Remain OBEDIENT to it. Watch God move in this time. Make sure your heart is right. God takes fasting serious. God speaks of a people who didn’t take it serious and He tells what a real fast is in Isaiah

Isaiah 58:3–12 (NLT)

‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’ “I will tell you why!” I respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers. What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the Lord? “No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. Then when you call, the Lord will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply. “Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors! Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes.