Fasting

Matthew 6:16–18 ESV

16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

When you fast

Fasting is an expected spiritual practice.

It is not a time for us to brag about how spiritual we are or to compare how difficult our fast is. We are supposed to make the decision on our own and keep it to ourselves. This next 21 days for us as a church is for us to make the individual decision about how we are to fast, and to seek after God. This is not a diet plan or a competition. We are consecrating ourselves to God and giving him the first fruits of the year.

For Strengthened Prayers

Fasting and prayer are often connected with each other throughout the Bible. One example is:

Ezra 8:23 ESV

23 So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

It is not that fasting affects the way God hears our prayers but what it does, is it intensifies our prayer on our end.

It heightens our intensity, and clarity in focus in our prayer time.

To seek God’s Guidance

It does not change God’s mind on situations but rather we become more receptive to what he says. There is medical science that says our senses become sharpened when we fast.

When we are seeking answers from God we are more aware of his voice. Our brain is also purged of toxins during a fast.

I find that interesting especially if you are fasting social media as part of your fast. Your brain is being filled with all kinds of garbage every day while you scroll through the different pages. When you take that away your brain gets cleared of those things and allows you to focus on God’s word instead.

Repentance

We seen throughout scripture people fasting as a form of repentance. One example is found in Jonah 3.

It is an expression of seriousness in denying our fleshly desires to turn back to God.

Repenting means “to turn away from”. The truth is we all fall short everyday. We all need a clean slate and repentance. Repentance is not just a one time thing. Maybe for you, it is time to purge yourself of some fleshly desires and repent.

Humility

Fasting is an expression of humbling yourself before God.

Sacrifice is a humbling experience. Food for example, gives us a a sense of strength. When we deny ourselves of that strength we are saying “God I empty myself of this strength that comes from flesh, and make room for you to be the provider of strength.”.

Strengthen Self Control and Discipline Over the Flesh

1 Corinthians 9:27 ESV

27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

The practice of fasting, denying your flesh what it wants, builds your strength to defeat sin.

Your flesh is always at war against the spirit in you. When you fast you are preparing for battle. When you can deny your flesh of simple things like food, it becomes easier to deny the more complicated sin.

It all Leads to a Deeper Intimacy and Closeness to God

In Matthew 4, Jesus has fasted 40 days and nights and the Bible says he was hungry. Satan tempts him to turn stones into bread. Jesus tells him:

“Man does not live on bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”. You see, we have become very intimate with bread. But we lack the “word”relationship.

This 40 days and nights was Jesus getting closer to God and hearing from him.

Types of Fasts

1. Total fast

a. All food

2. Partial fast

a. Certain foods

b. Or certain meals

3. Social media fast

4. TV fast

The Physical Mirrors the Spiritual

When we fast there are physical changes that take place. I believe that the physical reveals things that are happening in the spiritual. When we fast the body actually sheds toxic and dead tissues. The body purges itself of toxins while clinging to the vitamins and nutrients. The body begins to burn extra fats. Your mental health increases, your cognitive ability increases and you have a heightening of your senses.

In the spiritual. We purge ourselves of the garbage that we have come so attached to. Our comfort foods. Our time wasting social media. And now, our spirit clings tighter to the word of God, simply because it is the only thing we are feeding it. Our mental health increases because we are no longer filling our heads with the garbage that is going on in the world around us but rather the peace that is found in His word. Our cognitive ability increases allowing us to get a greater quality of scripture. And our senses as to what God is speaking to us increases.