The Spiritual Discipline of Fasting

Why Fast?

To Re-set Our Priorities

Fasting is feasting on God, hungering for him alone. ~Brandon Hilgemann, “12 Spiritual Disciplines That Will Make Your Faith Strong”, ChurchLeaders.com, May 9, 2018

Fasting is “giving up what you want, to tap into what you need.” ~Pastor Levi Lusko, “Fasting: A Key to Spiritual Quickness”, Fresh Life Church, Podcast, Jan. 19, 2020

Matthew 5:6 NIV

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

“One of the best ways to get hungry, is to be hungry” ~Pastor Levi Lusko, “Fasting: A Key to Spiritual Quickness”, Fresh Life Church, Podcast, Jan. 19, 2020

Philippians 3:19 NIV

19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.

To Conscientiously Spend Time With God

Deuteronomy 9:9 NIV

9 When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the Lord had made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water.

To Prepare for Spiritual Battle

Matthew 4:2–4 NIV

2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

In Response to Grief

Matthew 6:16–18 NIV

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Luke 5:35 NIV

35 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”

As a Part of Repentance

Lk 5:35

Judges 20:26 NIV

26 Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the Lord. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord.

Jdg

Daniel 6:18–24 NIV

18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. 19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.” 23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

dan 6:

Acts 9:9 NIV

9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

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Deuteronomy 9:9 NIV

9 When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the Lord had made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water.

Acts 27:33–34 NIV

33 Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. 34 Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.”

2 Samuel 12:16–23 NIV

16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. 18 On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.” 19 David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” 20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate. 21 His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!” 22 He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ 23 But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

To Intercede with God

Fasting is feasting on God, hungering for him alone. ~Brandon Hilgemann, “12 Spiritual Disciplines That Will Make Your Faith Strong”, ChurchLeaders.com, May 9, 2018

To Intercede with God

To Intercede with God

2 Samuel 12:16–23 NIV

16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. 18 On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.” 19 David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” 20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate. 21 His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!” 22 He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ 23 But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

What the Spiritual Discipline of Fasting is NOT...

NOT to Show Off

Matthew 6:16–18 NIV

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

NOT Primarily About Health Benefits

NOT Primarily About Dealing with Addictions

NOT Generally a Good Idea for Those with Eating Disorders

NOT a Dieting Tool

How to Fast?

Be careful

Check with your doctor

Start small

Be intentional

prayerfully ask God what you should be fasting from:

Food?

Entertainment?

Coffee?

Snacks?

Music?

Work?

Replace what you’re fasting from with time with God—prayer and reading scriptures.

Remind yourself, as you “hunger” for whatever you’re fasting from, that we are called to live off of that which proceeds from the mouth of God.

Read and fast according to the guidelines of