To Fast, Or Not To Fast?

People talk about fasting, and they hear about fasting, but how many understand how to properly go about it? We see again and again in scripture, mention of this practice. David fasted. Daniel fasted. John the Baptist fasted. Jesus Himself fasted. This is only a small fraction of the many references throughout scripture mentioning this. Considering the significance of this practice in the spiritual lives of those in the Bible, it would suggest that it would have a significant effect on our own spiritual lives, as well.

The basic idea of a fast, as I understand it, is to deny yourself and humble yourself before God. When we make sacrifices in our lives to God, this will aide in our spiritual growth. It will also add spiritual power to our prayers. Notice, for example, how in the King James version of both Matthew 17 and Mark 9, when the disciples were not able to cast out a demon from an afflicted child, this child was brought to Jesus, and He cast it out without a problem. Then, when the disciples asked why they couldn't, He told them that it was because of their unbelief, and that this kind could only be cast out by prayer and fasting.

So, how do we go about fasting? Well, the first thing you want to keep in mind, is when you fast, you need to pray and delve into the word of God during this time as well. There's no point to fasting if you don't do this. Fasting by itself is not where the power lies. The power is in prayer and in God's word. Fasting is an aide to this, it gives you a boost. It's more than just the physical sacrifice that we make. It's what we do during this time.

What is it that we do physically to fast, after we've made the decision to take the spiritual steps as well? Really, there's no short answer, or specific answer on this. There's any number of ways to go about fasting. People usually think of fasting in the traditional sense of going one or more days without food. This is one manner. You can also fast when going from sunrise to sunset, or going a specific amount of time, be it one day or two days, a week, or however long you may choose. Maybe you will fast by having only one certain type of food to eat for however long this fast may go on.

One example I read about involves a man from a country where Christians are persecuted, and Bibles are illegal. His great desire from the time he was a teenager was to have a Bible. He'd never seen one, and was never even in the same room with one or anything like that, but his great desire was to have his own Bible. And so, what he did was, first he prayed about it for a long time, and when he wasn't seeing any answer or result to this prayer, he was told by a local pastor to fast as well. So, what he began to do in addition to his prayers was he would eat only one bowl of rice in the evening time each day, and he did that every day for about a month. He kept doing this until his prayer was answered.

Another way you may choose to fast is to have only specific types of foods, and give up other types. You will find this most beneficial if the types of foods you're giving up are the ones that you regularly enjoy and indulge in. For instance, do you go out to eat on a regular basis, or are you used to having the hearty, filling, home-cooked meals every day? You could choose, while fasting, to have only fruit and vegetables, maybe a few nuts, for however long you choose to go for. A milder fast even would be giving up one certain type of food or even a beverage, especially if it's something you tend to enjoy daily. For example, are you a daily soda or coffee drinker? You could set aside a certain amount of time to give this up as a fast to God. Even looking beyond that, you can have a similar spiritual benefit by giving up non-food items as a type of fast. Again, the idea is that whatever it is you're sacrificing during this time of fasting is something you enjoy on a regular basis. Do you watch t.v. or play video games everyday? Do you go shopping for leisure frequently? There are so many manners in which you can go about this, so long as you choose something that means something to you. Remember, if it matters to you, then it matters to God.

What might be particularly beneficial for one person may not quite have the same effect for another. For instance, let's say you have one person who loves meat. They eat it every day at every meal. Then you have another person who could take it or leave it, and as a matter of fact have gone for a while in the past living like a vegetarian, so living without meat for a while isn't a big deal for them. Let's say they've both decided to go on a fast by giving up meat for two weeks. In this particular situation it would be the first person that would have the greater benefit, because the sacrifice they'd be making would mean more to them than to the second person. So, whatever you decide on, make sure it's something that's significant to you.

Another manner of fasting, which I actually had been unaware of as being a fast until recently, can be found in Isaiah 58.

¹Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

²Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.

³Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

⁴Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

⁵Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

⁶Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

⁷Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

⁸Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.

⁹Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

¹⁰And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:

¹¹And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

¹²And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

¹³If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

¹⁴Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.


So we see again, there's more to it than just the physical act. In the above scriptures we just read, we see that it involves treating people well, helping and giving to those without, providing for both strangers and family. It means keeping the Sabbath and not just going about and doing however you like. The Bible stresses the point that we are to be humble servants. Whatever we do to the least, or don't do for the least, we've also done unto Christ. If we make it a point to live our lives honoring God, helping when help is needed, and giving when giving is needed, then we are living a fasted lifestyle. We'll be continuing to make a sacrifice of ourselves that will aide in our spiritual prayer lives, and at the same time, God will be working through us to provide in some manner to those around us.

I believe that fasting is very important to our prayer lives, and has been greatly neglected by many Christians today. However, I believe that if we understood it better, understood how to fast and why, we'd be more willing to introduce it as a regular part of our lives and of our walk with Christ.

¹⁶Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

¹⁷But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

¹⁸That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

~ Matthew 6:16-18 (KJV)


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