by Derek Spink
“In a culture where the landscape is dotted with shrines to the Golden
Arches and an assortment of Pizza Temples, fasting seems out of place and out
of step with the times.” - Richard Foster
Many people in both the sacred and secular communities may be confused
by why Christians would fast, what fasting is, and what fasting is not. Let’s look at a quick breakdown of these
questions:
Why fast?
- To enjoy intimacy with
the presence of Jesus today (Mark 2:19-20)
- Jesus modeled it
(Matthew 4:2)
- A long history to
stand on (Acts 13:2-3; 14:23, plus the Patristics and later spiritual giants)
- For physical health
(even secular physicians commend its benefits)
- For spiritual
breakthrough (I Corinthians 6:12; 9:27; “When you take control of your physical
appetite, you develop strength to take control of your other appetites.” –
Elmer Towns)
- For the benefit others
(we intercede on others’ behalf—Ezra 8:21, and our deprivation develops within
us a new, acute awareness for others’ needs and hurts to which we can respond
tangibly)
What is fasting?
- An act of worship
(Luke 2:36-37)
- An act of humility
(John 4:32; we place ourselves in a vulnerable position before God, trusting he
will nourish us with spiritual food)
- A gift from God to
strengthen our spiritual vitality and victory
- An opportunity for us
to become more attentive to God (we recognize our inadequacies and his
adequacy)
What is fasting not?
- A legalistic adherence
to ritual (Isaiah 58:3-5)
- A way of ‘fixing’
problems in my life or convincing God (God will not be manipulated or cajoled)
- A way to demonstrate
piety/spirituality (not a public exhibition, as Jesus taught in Matthew 6)
- Mandatory/compulsory
(especially for salvation)
Having a healthier understanding of those basics, we can now embrace
two natural questions as follow-up:
What is a proper fast?
Biblically, we have no specific guidelines as to what a ‘proper fast’
should look like, which makes sense because we see such a variety of fasts
throughout scripture, each it seems with their own purpose. Jesus gave only one qualifier/rule for his
followers: Don’t be like the Pharisees.
In other words, don’t do it for show; don’t just put on a false
spiritual veneer. Do it unto God, not to
impress others. For both prayer and
fasting, Jesus instructs us not to make a scene (Matthew 6:5-6, 16-18).
How can I fast?
- A ‘normal’ fast—no
food; just water/juice
- An ‘absolute’
fast—nothing ingested at all; intended to be short-term, very serious health
risks possible
- A ‘partial’
fast—certain foods or certain times of day
- A ‘non-food’ fast—giving up time with
Facebook, TV, other habits, etc.
Remember: whether we forego food or entertainment, we must replace it
with something else. So, instead of
eating or playing a game or following social media, we spend time in prayer/meditation,
scripture reading, or even serving the needs of others.
DISCLAIMER:
Food fasts are not for everyone.
Depriving the body of food for any extended period can have serious
health risks for some people (e.g., expectant mothers, those with diabetes, or
others with a medical history). If that
is you, then you should consult with your doctor before beginning a
food-fast. Even though fasting is
healthful to many, God’s nature and character would never command a physical
exercise that would harm people either physically or emotionally. But, even if you are one for whom fasting may
not be physically possible, you can still enter into the spirit of fasting even
while remaining on your essential diets (as evidenced by the various types of
fasts described above).
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