Most of us associate Fasting as an ancient practice or some call it religious extremism, all faiths have some form of Fasting. What is Fasting ? It is the denial of our flesh through abstinence. Although we sometimes toy with the idea of a television fast, or a coffee fast or whatever, in the Bible, fasting always relate to food.
There are three main types of Fasting
The absolute fast, where you neither eat food or drink water (and you can't really do this for more than three days).
A regular fast, like Jesus had in the wilderness when the devil tempted Him, where you eat no food, but allow yourself to drink water (you can do this for up to 40 days).
A partial fast which is more of a restriction of your diet, like Daniel did when he said: Daniel 10:3 'I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. '
After knowing all about Fasting, why is this fasting so important, why do we need to do it? what is the power of fasting ? how should a fasting be done accompanied by Praying ? what does Bible teach on Fasting, is what we will learn in this study.
To know this better Jesus was questioned about Fasting by the Pharisees (we read this in Matthew 9:14-17) and in Luke 5:33-35 'They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.” Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.” '
Here Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees on why he is not doing a fasting and praying like how the John’s disciples do. Jesus responded with a Illustration of Fasting on a marriage
Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? Jesus answered their question with an Illustration to the wedding practices of his day. A wedding feast was the most vivid picture of joy and happiness in that culture. During the weeklong wedding feast, it was understood that joy was more important than conformity to religious rituals. If any ceremonial observance would detract from the joy of a wedding feast, it was not required.
But the days will come - When Jesus was physically present with them, it was not the day for fasting, There would come a day when fasting is appropriate for Jesus’ followers. We live in the days where we need to fast.
Some theologians misinterpret this verse and say we don’t need to do Fasting, this verse has to be looked in Context of the Pharisee’s question.
What does Bible teach us ?
Fasting
' “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, 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 others 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. ' Matthew 6:16-18
What does fasting accomplish ?
We may say it’s an ancient tradition and Who would do anything like that?, but Bible teaches us that every follower of Jesus Christ is called to do fast. Read up on it: in all His teachings, Jesus did not say, "if you fast", He said, "when you fast".
What does it accomplish? There are several reasons, but the first and foremost is control over the flesh. The Bible says to... Galatians 5:16-17 'For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. '
We control our flesh to surrender to the Spirit of God
Fasting controls the spirit and when we pray in the spirit the soul also intercedes for us to request father for his help.
How should we Fast ?
Rule 1 : No showing off : You cannot Look dull and make up a big mess to show off you are doing a fasting, Bible Says “do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting”
Rules 2: It has to be in Secret : You have to be normal, how do you be normal when your hunger pranks you, thats for God to help you. “when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others 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”
Rule 3: Fasting has to be accompanied by Prayer : Fasting controls the Spirit to intersede with the soul requesting for help with the Father we need to Pray. Don’t Fast if you cannot Pray. There is no use only with Fasting.
Rule 4: Should I fast “n” number of Days ? : Fasting a set number of days is not for you to decide, it has to be directed by God to you. Its not directed by any one, its between you and God to decide how long you should fast, is this for 1 day or 21 days or 40 days ?
Fasting and praying
The first chapter of Nehemiah describes Nehemiah praying and fasting, because of his deep distress over the news that Jerusalem had been desolated. His many days of prayer were characterised by tears, fasting, confession on behalf of his people, and pleaded to God for mercy. So intense was the outpouring of his concerns that it’s almost inconceivable he could “take a break” in the middle of such prayer to eat and drink.
Nehemiah 1:4-11 'When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said: “ Lord , the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’ “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.'
Lessons to learn from Nehemiah’s Fasting and praying which we can practice in our life
“Mourned, Fasted and Prayed” -
Spirit of Mourning, here the Nehemiah was filled with Grief struck by the Sins of Isreal.
Same we have to have a huge burden (you can call it Hunger / grief or desperation) on the subject we have to pray.
Promise Jesus gives Matthew 5:4 ' Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. '
Praised God - “Lord , the God of heaven, the great and awesome God,”
He Praised God for the awesome nature of God, He did not jump directly to pour out his mourning and cried to God with his lamentation
Praise God - When you praise God, you worship his worthiness, you worship his power and authority. When you praise God it pleases God to turn his attention to you. God is worthy to be praised, no matter what your situation may look (Good or bad or ugly)
Pleaded for his attention - “let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel.”
We need to plead his holy spirit to hear our prayer. Remember when we fast, We control our flesh to surrender to the Spirit of God.
When we plead in prayer the spirit requests the soul to request father for his help.
Confessing your Sins - “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
Nehemiah was a prophet, he is confessing the Sins of himself and all the sins of all and his family / generation. when you confess ,God’s mercy overpowers the Power of Sin and breaks the bond of Sin.
Untill you confess your sins, the bondage of Sin is not released, the moment we confess we are freed from the Bonds of Sin thru his blood that he shed for us.
Once you confess you receive the mercy from God and he will remove the roots of the Sin, that’s preventing the blessing to come to you. Proverbs 28:13 'Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. '
Prayer of Petition - “Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man” I was cupbearer to the king.'
He finally prayed his prayer to grant him favor of his King. Similarly we need to place our request to God.
Some may wonder, if God knows our needs why should we pray and tell him. Bible Says we have to Ask him, like how a child asks to his father. We have to Ask Matthew 7:8-9,11 'For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! '
When you ask in this form, God’s Promise says “give good gifts to those who ask him”, he will give the good gift as a blessing to us
Prayer and fasting should not be a burden or a duty, but rather a celebration of God’s goodness and mercy to His children.
Power of Fasting and praying
Jesus Explained the Power of fasting with Luke 5:36-39
'And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’ ”'
Jesus’ point is clear. Jesus says, “I haven’t come to patch up your old practices. I come with a whole new set of clothes.”
Jesus formed a new institution — the church — that brought Jew and Gentile together into a completely new body.
Jesus reminds us that what is old and stagnant often cannot be renewed or reformed.
In Scripture, wine is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. And the Lord wants to continually pour new wine into us. But the problem is, religiosity makes people staunch and stiff like an old wineskin. They cannot and will not accept new things.
When we fast, we yield the old wineskins of us to pour out the new wineskins. The Self in us surrenders to the Spirit and asks the spirit to help get the new power of God.
Because the Spirit directly asks the Soul, the prayers are honoured more than our normal prayer and brings more power to our prayer.
Summary
Whatever your struggles are in life, Fast and pray with a great faith to break the struggles, like how Nehemiah fasted and prayed.
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