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Fasting is 'voluntary denial for intense spiritual activity' (Richard Foster)
In an age and a society where our streets are full of takeaways and MacDonalds and we tend to eat whenever we feel like it and whatever we want, fasting can seem quite an odd concept to get our heads around.
It is but one of the many spiritual disciplines that are mentioned in the bible alongside prayer and reading the bible and yet for some of us we don’t have much of an idea of what it’s about.
Fasting involves voluntarily and deliberately abstaining from food for spiritual purposes. It is not about dieting or missing meals or forgetting to eat for physical reasons or to do with eating disorders. It can be fasting from all food (but not water), or it can be a partial fast of certain sorts of food. In Daniel 10 v 3, Daniel refers to a three week period where he “ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth”.
It is often a very private matter between you and God where you generally do life as normal and no-one else would know. In Matthew 6 it says -
”When you practice some appetite-denying discipline to better concentrate on God, don’t make a production out of it. It might turn you into a small-time celebrity but it won’t make you a saint. If you ‘go into training’ inwardly, act normal outwardly. Shampoo and comb your hair, brush your teeth, wash your face. God doesn’t require attention-getting devices. He won’t overlook what you are doing; he’ll reward you well.”
Matthew 6v16-18
Communal Activity
On the other hand, the bible also refers to group fasts – there are many referred to in the Old Testament - generally part of the laws of sacrificial lifestyle but also called in times of emergency or group need. Group fasting brings people into unity and focuses prayer. It is not however some sort of church legalism that we are commanded to do but more an opportunity to meet with God in a deeper way. Jesus says in the passage – “when you fast” implying that fasting should be as much part of our spiritual lives as praying or giving – in fact that’s the background of the passage itself – but He does not command it. It remains simply a way in which we can focus on God and depend on Him in a unique way to how we normally function.
Discovering more about ourselves
When we fast it reveals more than anything else the things that control us. If we desire to be changed and transformed by Jesus then fasting more than any other discipline will allow the things to surface that we are battling with inside. David refers to fasting “humbling his soul” (Psalm 69 v 10) – anger, bitterness, jealousy, greed – if they are issues for us they will rise to the surface when we fast. Fasting forces us to submit to God and quite literally allow him to sustain us and feed us spiritually instead of physically. It allows us to be purified - physically it is well known to de-tox the system. Spiritually, God can do the same – cleansing out the rubbish and enabling us to be more alert to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus fasted in the wilderness it became a place of battle for Jesus to work through and be challenged by. As he came out of that place he went into the next season with increased power and authority in the Holy Spirit. In this sense people give testimony to experiencing the intensifying of the impact of prayer when they fast and seeing breakthrough.
So how do I start?
- Start small – choose one day when you want to fast. With the current series on LifeChoices and for Lent one of the things we have suggested is to maybe look at the day your giving goes in through the bank and fast and pray on that day for church finances and kingdom growth. If you give weekly via the bag, why not choose one Sunday to fast. If you’ve never done it before you might want to start with just fasting one meal rather than a whole day. Then try perhaps half a day and then a full 24hr period.
- If you drink lots of caffeinated tea and coffee normally then be careful about suddenly cutting them out – it can cause headaches. Perhaps try to cut down and swap them for water and juices in the run up to fasting.
- Try not to focus on the physical aspects of the fast but to spend time as you go through the normal routine of the day praying and asking God what he wants to show you. Don’t give up if you get hunger pangs – this is normal as your stomach has been trained to expect food at certain times and makes itself known! Ignore it and drink some water – it’s all about the fruit of self-control!
- When you break the fast do so gently with juices, fruit and vegetables and simple foods.
- If it’s not suitable for you to fast from food due to pregnancy, a medical condition or an eating disorder then consider fasting from television or something else instead.
- If you want to read more about fasting there are some great books around on it. Try Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline Ch 4 or Roger Forster’s booklet on Explaining Fasting in the Sovereign World booklet series.
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Ali Summers, 06/03/2010 |
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