Is Fasting Biblical? (Part 6)

Today, I want to mention 4 more reasons that God expects Christian to fast. And then on Monday, I plan on leaving all my readers (whoever you are) with one warning.

5.  Fasting Demonstrates Humility before God.

King Ahab was one of the most wicked men in history. Jezebel – Ahab’s wife – proclaims in Kings 21 because Ahab wanted this vineyard that didn’t belong to Him. So she began to fast and pray that he would get it, which of course was selfish. Ahab eventually humbled himself before God when Elijah came to pay a visit to Ahab to confront him on his wickedness and his response was not one of anger but of humility – “So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body (a sign of genuine repentance), and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning. And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house’” (I Kings 21:27-29).  Ahab knew God would judge him. But, God acknowledges the humility of an unsaved man. And he laid there in sackcloth all night long, which no one in Scripture ever did.

Remember this too. Fasting does not mean that we are humble. Anyone can fast with wrong motives looking to draw attention to themselves, like the Pharisee in Luke 18:12. He was fasting and making a scene outwardly so people would look at him as a spiritual example, when in reality he was filled with hypocrisy.

But if done with pure motives, fasting can be an expression of our deep humility toward God.

6.  Fasting Can Be a Ministry to the Needs of Others

In Isaiah 58 the people were complaining they had humbled themselves before the Lord and fasted, but He never answered. The reason for silence to their prayers was because of their disobedience – hypocritical lives. We read in vs. 3-4, “‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’ ‘In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exploit all your laborers. Indeed you fast for strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, to make your voice heard on high.”

God did not bless their fasting because hypocrisy. They were oppressive, unforgiving, debating with others, causing much strife, and fasting selfishly – and all this was done on the day of fasting. Then God outlines what he was expecting of them – “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?” (vs. 6-7). God is saying, “The kind of fasting that pleases Me is the type that results from concern for others and not for your arrogant selves.

Maybe we should do this. Maybe we should commit one meal per week to the fasting for others. How do we do that? Take a Saturday lunch, don’t eat and meet the need of an elderly person in our church or clean the house of someone in our church. Maybe take whatever money you would spend on lunch and but someone else’s lunch for once. Fasting can be about ministering to others.

7.   Fasting Aids in Overcoming Temptation

Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights (Matt 4:2). What was God preparing Him for during that time? Do you remember what happens in Matthew 4? One of the things that the Father was preparing His Son for was temptation. This would be the strongest onslaught He would face until His crucifixion.

What do we learn from that temptation? Fasting empowers us to face temptation. There are times in life when you know temptation is coming. And no matter how strong you think you are, there will be temptation to compromise. Whatever it is, there are going to be times where your faith is going to especially challenged and tempted because it is going to be a time when your guard is most down.

I know when I am most vulnerable when I am alone for an extended period of time. That is when I feel like I am most tempted to compromise my faith. That is one of the reasons I love people so much; they given me an outlet to fighting that temptation. But when I am alone is when I am most vulnerable and my guard is down. What should we do when we know those times are coming? Why not spend time fasting? This is a Christ-like response. Fasting aids in overcoming temptation.

8.  Fasting Glorifies God.

Fasting seems to only be applicable to when we are in trouble or sin is lurking at our doorstep, but fasting is a way we demonstrate pure devotion to God. John Piper has said that fasting shows our homesickness for God. We should fast because we long and hunger for God more than any other thing.

There is a woman in Luke 2 named Anna we see as an illustration of this. Her life biography is summarized for us in vs. 37 – “And this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.”

Why did she fast and pray in the temple? That was the place of worshipping God. Fasting is worshipping God. It creates a greater hunger for God just like abstaining from food makes you hungrier.

How does fasting demonstrate your devotion and worship of God? Because you are demonstrate that you love Him more than food or water or other physical pleasures or enjoyments. It demonstrates that your stomach is not your god but the servant of Him.  Fasting draw us closer to God.

This should be one of the goals of our fasting. It is easy to squander those other spiritual benefits and be self-centered. “Well, I fast because I want God’s protection or I am sorrowful over my sin or I want to be humble or I want to see God work or I want to overcome temptation.” When really the goal of our fasting should be to one of putting God in display.

If you fast, ask yourself this question God poses: “… When you fasted and mourned…did you really fast for Me?” (Zech 7:5). If fasting is to become a discipline, we must start with our motive for creating such a discipline. Is it for ourselves or for the glory of God? Fasting worships God.