Fasting and Prayer Guide

CHAPTER 6

Fast and Pray

FASTING HAS long played a significant role in the prayer ministry of the effective spiritual leader. Great leaders know what it is to feel the burden of the Lord and hear him call them away into extended seasons of fasting and prayer. The Bible and history are littered with examples of the power of prayer and fasting to turn the tide and make the difference.

It was after forty days of fasting that Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments and a face that radiated the glory of the Lord (Exodus 34:27–29).

Samuel fasted and cried out to the Lord, and God gave Israel a thunderous (literally) victory over the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:5–11).

Jehoshaphat led his nation in fasting and prayer, and as a result they experienced a complete deliverance and miraculous victory (2 Chronicles 20:2–26).

God promised to reverse the plight of his people if they would repent (Joel 2:12–27). In response, King Josiah proclaimed a fast (Jeremiah 36:9).

Ezra called a fast, and as a result the pilgrims were able to travel safely from Babylon to Jerusalem (Ezra 8:21–23).

As a result of Esther’s instructions to fast, the Jews living under Persian rule had their fortunes wonderfully reversed as they were unexpectedly delivered and prospered (Esther 4:16–10:3).

Even the wicked city of Nineveh received deliverance when they turned to God with fasting (Jonah 3:1–10).

Other leaders such as David, Elijah, Ezra, and Daniel discovered the power available to those who cry out to God through fasting. They are not alone.

After having fasted forty days, Jesus resisted the devil’s temptations and launched his ministry in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:1–14).

Frequent fasting marked the powerful prayer life of the apostle Paul (Acts 9:9; 2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:27).

For centuries early church leaders fasted twice every week. Epiphanius (c. 315–403), who authored what could be considered the first Christian encyclopedia, asked rhetorically, “Who does not know that the fast of the fourth and sixth days of the week (Wednesday and Friday) are observed by Christians throughout the world?”1

Augustine (354–430), the seminal theologian whose views deeply etched Christian thought, had a simple, yet significant, opinion of fasting: “Fasting is a Christian duty.”2

The giants towering over church history were leaders who have practiced the spiritual discipline of prayer with fasting. Martin Luther, the father of the Protestant Reformation, learned fasting during his formative years as a monk. Later he taught that while fasting is no substitute for saving faith in Christ, it is a powerful tool for sanctification and a godly weapon in spiritual warfare.3

John Calvin, long considered one of the most influential leaders and theologians in history, habitually fasted. He viewed fasting as a necessary aid to the earnestness and fervency of his prayers.4

Other influential leaders such as John Knox, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, D. L. Moody, Charles Finney, Bill Bright, and Billy Graham were all practicing proponents of prayer and fasting.

A Glorious Day

History views John Wesley as an inspiring preacher, wise organizer, relentless social activist, challenging writer, historic church builder, and world-shaking reviver. The man rode 250,000 miles on horseback, preached 40,000 sermons, gave away £30,000, and left a legacy of 132,000 followers. He also was a strong advocate for fasting.

As a young man, leading the Holy Club, or Methodists, of Oxford, Wesley followed the pattern of the early church and fasted two days a week, Wednesdays and Fridays. Later in life, his Friday fast was conducted according to the Jewish “day,” which stretched from sundown to sundown. Therefore, from the end of each Thursday evening meal until late afternoon Friday, Wesley gave himself to fasting and prayer.

As a leader, he expected all his “preachers” to participate in fasting. In fact, he wanted all the Methodist leaders and people to follow this discipline.

Wesley also observed fasting on other days as situations dictated. He tells us in his journal of national deliverance in England in 1756 that the king of Britain called for a day of solemn prayer and fasting because of a threatened invasion by the French. Wesley wrote, “The fast day was a glorious day, such as London has scarce seen since the Restoration. Every church in the city was more than full, and a solemn seriousness sat on every face. Surely God hears prayer, and there will yet be a lengthening of our tranquility.”5

In a footnote in his journal, Wesley later added, “Humility was turned into national rejoicing for the threatened invasion by the French was averted.”

Biblical Fasting

Fasting as used in the Bible means “not to eat” or “self-denial.” In the Old Testament the word fast is derived from the Hebrew term tsom, which refers to the practice of self-denial. In the New Testament, the Greek word is nestia, which also refers to self-denial. A summary of the biblical teaching on fasting reveals it to be choosing not to partake of food because spiritual hunger is so deep, determination in intercession is so intense, or spiritual warfare is so demanding that you temporarily set aside even fleshly needs to give yourself more wholly to prayer.6

A normal fast involves fasting from all food, but not from water (Matthew 4:2). An absolute fast is very rare, and involves abstaining from food and water in the face of extreme spiritual emergency (Acts 9:9; Ezra 10:6; Esther 4:16; Deuteronomy 9:9, 18; Exodus 34:28; 1 Kings 19:8). Because the body needs fluids to survive, one would need to be very sure of the leading of God to undertake such a fast for any period longer than three days. A partial fast is the restriction of one’s diet as opposed to complete abstention (Daniel 10:3). Fasting may also include skipping a meal consistently or abstaining from certain foods or other activities. Many of us would benefit from a media fast from television, movies, and the Internet.

Typically, biblical fasting went for one complete twenty-four-hour period, usually from sundown to sundown. As we previously mentioned, the early church fasted two days every week, Wednesday and Friday. Pharisees fasted Tuesday and Thursday. Other biblical fasts went from three to forty days.

In the Bible, there are both individual and corporate fasts. Corporate fasts could involve the whole church (Acts 13:1–4) or even the entire nation (Jonah 3; Esther 4; 2 Chronicles 20).

The early church also practiced fasting for several days prior to Easter. Later, this fast took the form of a series of one-day fasts each week for the weeks leading up to Easter. It was also customary for Christians in the post-apostolic period to fast in preparation for their baptism.7

Why Fast?

Several years ago I read through the Bible, studying every passage regarding fasting. I started out looking for benefits of fasting. But, soon the question in my mind changed from “Why fast?” to “Why don’t I fast more often?”

Working chronologically, I discovered twenty significant blessings gained by those who fasted in the Bible:

1. Fasting held back God’s judgment. Moses fasted forty days to be able to intercede with God on behalf of the Israelites after they had sinned with the golden calf. God heard and spared the nation of Israel (Deuteronomy 9:18–26).

2. Fasting gave Hannah a stunning answer to prayer (1 Samuel 1:7). Even though she had long been barren, she conceived a special son, Samuel, who would shake a nation with his prayers.

3. Fasting brought about unexpected victories. For example, Israel was being pummeled by the Benjamites at Gibeah, losing twenty-two thousand men one day and eighteen thousand the next. Then they fasted, the Lord fought on their side, and the next day they lost only thirty men, while their enemies suffered 25,100 casualties (Judges 20:26, 35)! Years later, Israel was surrounded by the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites and faced certain defeat. The whole nation fasted and prayed and defeated them all without losing a man (2 Chronicles 20:3, 4, 12, 15).

4. David humbled himself through fasting. He advocated fasting as a means to empathize with a sufferer and develop humility (Psalm 35:13; 69:10).

5. Fasting provided God’s protection. Ezra and the rest of the remnant who returned from exile to rebuild the temple had no one to protect them as they traveled. They fasted and prayed, and God protected them (Ezra 8:21–23).

6. Fasting yielded a plan and provision. Jerusalem lay in ruin and reproach. She desperately needed her walls repaired so the rest of the city could be protected and rebuilt. Nehemiah fasted and prayed, and God gave him the plan for accomplishing the seemingly impossible job (Nehemiah 1:4).

7. Fasting rescued a nation. The Jews faced extinction as a plan was hatched and the king of Persia was being coerced to exterminate the Jews. Yet, Esther and her people fasted and prayed. God not only spared the Jews, he elevated their leaders (including Esther) and destroyed the ones seeking their slaughter (Esther 4:3–16).

8. Fasting has the power to please God by loosing the chains of injustice, setting the oppressed free, and providing for the hungry, the homeless, and the naked; it causes righteousness to shine, healing to come, and God’s glory to surround you. It leads to answered prayer (Isaiah 58:6–14).

9. Fasting purifies soul and body. Daniel fasted from pagan delicacies and was rewarded with better health and increased favor (Daniel 1).

10. Fasting made it possible to receive revelation from the Lord. For Daniel, fasting brought the revelation of the great prophecy of the seventy weeks. For us, it can aid in the understanding of such prophecies (Daniel 10:2, 3).

11. Fasting brought a nation back to God (Joel 2:12).

12. Fasting prepares for the return of Jesus, the Bridegroom (Joel 2:15–18; Luke 2:57; 5:33–35).

13. Fasting is a powerful expression of repentance. The wicked city of Nineveh would have been destroyed without her repentance and fasting (Jonah 3:5–9).

14. Fasting is a secret service to God, often where deep heart desires are expressed. God, who sees in secret, promises to reward it openly (Matthew 6:4, 6, 18).

15. Fasting is a spiritual service. Anna, a widow in her eighties, served the Lord with fasting day and night (Luke 2:23, 37).

16. Fasting obeys the implied command of Jesus. In Matthew 6, he was correcting external acts of righteousness performed with wrong motives. When he came to the subject of fasting, he began by saying, “When you fast . . .” (Matthew 6:16–18). He did not say, “If you fast.” For the serious follower of Jesus, fasting was not an option; it was an expectation. As we have already mentioned, the early church fasted two days a week and turned the world upside down. If we want their power, we need to follow their practices.

17. Fasting is a powerful aid in spiritual warfare. After his disciples failed to cast out a demon, Jesus did so easily. Then he explained, “This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21). The validity of verse 21 is questioned by textual critics as possibly not having been in the original book of Matthew. Even if that is the case, it does not lessen the fact that it was the understanding of the early Christians that the bonds of oppression (Isaiah 58) placed on souls by demons are broken by prayer and fasting.

18. Fasting increases spiritual power and prepares for greater impact. Jesus experienced forty days of prayer and fasting. Immediately after that we see him preaching with the power of the Holy Spirit. Even though he was God, this power was not present in this way prior to his time of prayer and fasting for forty days in the wilderness (Luke 4:1–14).

19. Fasting aids decision making. The church at Antioch fasted and prayed prior to selecting Paul and Barnabas as missionaries (Acts 13:1–4). Later, Paul and Barnabas returned to places where they had previously started churches and selected leaders for those churches with prayer and fasting (Acts 14:23).

20. Daniel’s twenty-one days of fasting and prayer were needed to aid the angel Gabriel in his assignment to deliver the answer to Daniel’s prayers (Daniel 9:3–10:3). If answers seem slow in coming without fasting, start praying with fasting.

Fasting Is . . .

Fasting is a great aid in building the spiritual life of a leader. After a forty-day fast, Liberty University cofounder and Vice President Elmer Towns (1932–) encountered God on a much deeper level. In his little book Knowing God through Fasting, Towns describes the spiritual benefits of fasting. For him, fasting was a means of:

1. Emptying yourself of every barrier to God so you can be filled with His presence.

2. Creating an appetite for the good things to follow.

3. Waiting in God’s presence to become like Him and to do His will.

4. Coming to the Lord to enjoy His presence and find spiritual rest.

5. Drinking from God’s presence to get spiritual satisfaction.

6. Disciplining yourself even as Jesus did.

7. Growing spiritually into the image of Jesus.

8. Gaining spiritual perception of God’s world.

9. More than cessation of our activity, entering into God’s rest.

10. Knowing God and becoming more like Him.8