Why We Fast.
The word “fasting”, or “to fast”, in the bible - quite literally means “to shut the mouth.”
Often Christians talk about things like media fasting or fasting certain activities, but abstinence is not the same thing as fasting. Fasting is a cry for Jesus (Matthew 9:15, Luke 5:35). Fasting is humbling the soul (Psalm 35:13). Fasting is a means of getting low before God. We need to fast because it’s a tool we can use to access a certain type of harvest, a harvest of humility. God gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5-6, James 4:6-7), and pride can stop us from receiving the grace we need – the supernatural favour and empowerment from God. Abstaining from things is good, but shutting the mouth to food is what God wants from us if we’re wanting to see a wave of answered prayer. Prayers often can go unanswered, because of pride and selfish ambition. Fasting deals with these barriers in powerful ways.
We fast because we are seeking Christ - his presence, will, and pleasure, made known to us by the Holy Spirit. We fast because fasting is the will of God and because it pleases God when he sees us humbling ourselves. In other words, it pleases God when we don’t approach God from on high, but when we approach God low – recognising who He is.
At the core, we fast because we are seeking God’s face. When we have God himself. His ears hear us, his eyes are on us, and his hand moves towards us, to strengthen us as we wait on him.
“From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts (works) for those who wait for him.” – Isaiah 64:4
A profound thought. As we’re waiting on the Lord, God works for us, on our behalf. Think about a waiter who is waiting to take an order, his eyes are towards the one about to order; to see what he might do, to hear what he might say, to act when he motions; to carry out the desire or order of the one who is being served by the one who waits. Amazing, that when we do this and our heart is set on carrying out God’s desire, to do what he wills and not what we will, that He strengthens us. When we wait upon the Lord like that, God works on our behalf, moving things in our favour in the unseen realm, whilst we’re seeking to discover his will and purpose.
God works for those who wait. That should encourage you to wait. Waiting requires setting aside time. Waiting means giving attention in a particular direction. Waiting means to stop and wait. Simply that, to pause from our go, go, go, and to hold until we discern, not what we’d like to do next, but what God wants us to do next. The flesh hates waiting, the demonic entices you away from it with a list of many other good things. God wants us to humble ourselves by waiting – by fasting.
“Which way from here Lord?”
“What do you want your servant to do Lord?”
“Lord Jesus, would you visit me again?”
“Father, would you help me see what pleases you?”
The key words are “not my will, but yours be done.”
When You Fast It’s Good to Pray For:
· Spiritual Growth: Deepen your relationship with God.
· Repentance: Seek forgiveness and turn away from sin.
· Guidance: Seek God’s direction in your life.
· Intercession: Pray for others in need.
· Affections: That we would have a deeper love for God.
What do we do when we’re not eating?
· Regular eating times should be replaced with time in additional prayer and time in the Word. If you have a normal
lunch break at 12:30-1:00pm for example, take that time and go and sit somewhere for 30 minutes and pray/read
scripture.
· Ask God for strength.
· Intentionally focus on waiting for the Lord, telling him you/we need him, and fixing our eyes upon Jesus.
· Pray, Pray, Pray! Increase your prayer life. If you pray for 30 minutes per day (focused – not sporadic prayer), then
lift it to 1 hour per day. Get up early and pray from 4-5am, or 5am-6am. Tell God He’s first by how you start your
day. If you pray 1 hour per day, raise it to 2 hours per day; if 2 hours – then lift to 4 hours.
Increasing time in his presence is the Key.
· Journal - make a list of what God is saying to you; things to get rid of from your home or family, things to leave
behind and not go back to after the fast.
Scripture References
Matthew 6:16-18 – Jesus teaches about fasting.
Isaiah 58:6-7 – The kind of fasting God desires.
Joel 2:12 – A call to return to God with fasting.
Exodus 34:28 – Moses fasting.
2 Samuel 12:16-17 – David fasting.
Esther 4:16 – Esther fasting.
Matthew 4:2 – Jesus fasting.
2 Corinthians 6:5 – Paul’s fasting.
Ezra 8:21-23 – Ezra calls for a fast for protection on their journey.
Ezra 10:6 – Ezra’s prayer and fasting in response to the people's sin.
Acts 9:9 – Saul’s (Paul's) fast after his conversion.
Acts 13:2-3 – The church in Antioch fasts before sending out missionaries.
Acts 14:23 – Paul and Barnabas appoint elders with prayer and fasting.
