Today we want to continue our series by looking at what the Bible has to say about fasting. Last week, we kicked off this series by focusing on prayer as a way of keeping company with God. And it’s fitting that we follow that up by talking about the discipline of fasting.

• Historically, fasting has been understood as abstaining from food and / or drink for a predetermined period of time. The time and energy ordinarily devoted to eating is directed toward prayer and communion with God.
• The author Gerald May refers to fasting as “body prayer.” It’s a way of using our body to pray to God, to honor God. I think that’s a helpful way to think about biblical fasting — as “body prayer.”
• Another author, Adele Calhoun, says that when we fast, we lay down our appetite – either an appetite for food or media or shopping, whatever it might be. That may not seem like much: it’s just a meal or a trip to the thrift store. But fasting brings us face to face with the hunger in our souls. So we lay down an appetite in order to keep company with God.

Jesus teaches about fasting in the greatest sermon ever preached, the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 6:16-18

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men 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.

A couple of things stand out to me about this teaching:

1. When you fast.
   • Jesus doesn’t “if you fast.” Instead, He says “when you fast.” Jesus seems to assume that His followers will participate in fasting.
   • Fasting is not commanded anywhere in the New Testament. This would be the closest thing to a “command” you can find regarding fasting in the NT.
   • But it was a common feature of Jewish life. Jesus implies that His people will participate in fasting.
   • Context: in the flow of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about praying and giving. We know that these are important, so why wouldn’t we assume the same thing about fasting?
   • The Bible is full of examples of people whose faith prompted them to fast. That list includes: Moses, David, Elijah, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Anna, Jesus, Paul, and the shepherds over the church at Antioch, just to name a few.
   • The Didache is a collection of teachings dating back to the late first century. It gives us incredible insight into the faith of second-generation Christians. It shows us that Christians in the late first century were observing fast days every Wednesday and Friday. Those days were specifically chosen to differentiate themselves from the practice of non-Christian Jews.
   • Fasting has been a part of the Christian faith from the beginning.

2. Why you fast.
   • The emphasis here really isn’t even on the act of fasting itself. Instead, it’s on the “why” of fasting. Specifically it’s a contrast between “showy” spirituality and private communion with God.
     • In Jesus’s day, the Pharisees were big on showing their piety through long prayers and giving in a way that drew attention to themselves. One commentary refers to it as “showmanship piety.” Jesus calls them hypocrites. These Pharisees wanted everyone to know that they were fasting. Jesus says that if we practice our spirituality to be seen by men, then we’ve already received our reward.
     • Instead, Jesus encourages us to fast in secret — just as He tells us to pray in secret and to give in secret.
     • Fasting is not for show. It is about cultivating deeper communion with God, not about showing off one’s spirituality.
   • In the Bible, you find examples of people fasting for a variety of reasons:
     • As a way of demonstrating repentance.
     • As a sign of grief.
     • As a way of seeking God’s guidance.
     • As part of worship.
     • But in every case, the “why” of fasting is focused upon God.

Fasting is important because it’s about self-denial — and self-denial is at the heart of the Gospel. Jesus says, Anyone who wishes to follow me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me (Matt. 16:24). Fasting helps us to “mortify the flesh” — to put to death our fleshly desires, at least to a certain degree. It’s a way of setting limits on ourselves, which really goes against the grain of our consumeristic culture. But we don’t worship the culture and its demands — we worship God.

Paul says that we are easily tempted to make an idol out of our own earthly and fleshly desires. But to do so is to make ourselves enemies of the cross.

Philippians 3:18-21

For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven – and we also eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself.

God uses fasting to teach us self-control. He uses it as a safeguard against our temptation to make the belly our “god.” Fasting is a momentary renouncement of those desires which anticipates our future transformation and declares that our citizenship is in heaven. It is a subversive denial of our flesh. It’s saying “No” to one area of your life so you can say, “Yes,” to God.

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I was speaking with one of our brothers recently and he told me how fasting had become an essential part of his spiritual life. I asked him if I could share his comments in this sermon. He agreed on one condition: he asked that I share these comments without mentioning him by name. Here is what our brother said about his experience with fasting:

While studying Dallas Willard’s “Divine Conspiracy” with a men’s group, I was convicted to make fasting part of my weekly routine. Study, prayer, giving and serving were familiar and already lifestyle habits, but I had ignored the practice of fasting for the entirety of my walk with Jesus. I simply did not see the need. How could going hungry on a regular basis improve my relationship with God and those around me? Surely He doesn’t want a hangry Christian walking around giving others a bad impression of a life with Christ. I had studied fasting on several occasions and even tried it once or twice, but to quote Dallas Willard, “The disciplines do not confirm their value to those who only talk about them or study them ‘academically’ or hear others talk about them. One has to enter them with Jesus as teacher to find the incredible power they have to change one’s world and character.”

So I committed to fasting once a week, skipping supper followed by skipping breakfast and lunch the next day and then breaking my fast that evening. Yes I got hungry, sometimes accompanied by a headache, but I decided to respond to these moments by singing “Lord I need you oh I need you. Every hour I need you. You’re my one defense, my righteousness, oh God how I need you “. (In my head of course—it sounds better that way). The results were not immediate and even after a year and a half, I can still sense improvement. Denying the flesh and acknowledging God as my only true sustenance has opened the door for the Spirit to work on my patience, helping me to respond to others in a more Christ-like way, even when I am “stressed out“ or “too busy to deal with you right now “. That is, the Spirit has replaced my anger with love and kindness. I suspect it wouldn’t take long for my bad habits to resurface if I stopped the practice of fasting. 

As our brother testifies, fasting is simply one method God uses to grow his soul. God is using this regular practice to produce fruit in this brother’s life — particularly the good fruit of love and kindness in place of aggravation and frustration.

Do you believe God could use something like fasting to draw you closer to Himself?

I want to close with a few practical guidelines for fasting. The materials produced by our Education Team covers this at a more in-depth level — you should be hearing more about that in Bible class this morning. But since we’ve already covered the when and why of fasting, I wanted to close with some guidelines on how to fast:

• Don’t fast if you are chronically ill, pregnant or nursing.
• A normal fast is to abstain from all food and drink except water. Be sure to stay hydrated when you fast.
• If you’re new to fasting, begin by fasting for one meal. Don’t bite off more than you can chew (haha – sorry).
• Work up to longer fasts. Be gracious with yourself as you grow in this discipline.
• When fasting, you may need to moderate your activity level.
• Have scriptures and prayers ready. Focus on these during the time you usually spend eating and drinking.
• Don’t break your fast with a huge meal. Eat smaller portions and break your fast gently.

When we fast, we are living out what the Bible says: Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:4). He is our true sustenance.

Would you deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus today?