The Spiritual Benefits of Fasting
January 22, 2007
Dear Friends,
Last week we made the case that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should fast. There is New Testament evidence that Jesus expected that they would fast and that, in fact, the early ecclesias did fast. We didn’t consider the historical, non-Biblical evidence for fasting, however when these sources are considered there is evidence that the early ecclesias fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays.
As we know from experience and from Scriptures, rituals such as baptism, the breaking of bread and fasting are of little value if not properly understood. God does not want us simply going through the motions as if He was the beneficiary of the rite. There is no doubt that we are the receivers of the intended benefit if and only if we comprehend the Divine intent of the process. It is therefore proper to understand what benefits we derive from fasting.
I would suggest that fasting and the breaking of bread are like bookends to the work of Christ in the believer. The taking of the bread and the wine remind us of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. We are told to examine ourselves in light of his sacrifice. Similarly, fasting centers us on the work of Christ and morality but in a slightly different way.
Focus on the Return of Christ: While the bread and the wine focus us on the crucifixion of Jesus, fasting focuses us on his return. As we read last week, Jesus said “But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.†(Mark 2:20) Fasting has throughout Scripture been a symbol for both mourning and penitence. In fasting, the disciples of Christ mourn the fact that their master has not returned and to express their penitence for sin.
The symbol of fasting is in recognition that Jesus will eat and drink with his disciples in the great wedding feast in his Kingdom. “But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father‘s kingdom.†(Mt 26:29) In the meantime, the symbolism of fasting keeps this hope alive. Jesus alludes to this in Luke 12:45,46 when he tells his disciples,
if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
There is nothing morally wrong with eating and drinking. The above parable uses eating and drinking as a metaphor for apathy toward the coming of the Lord. Fasting is a tool to keep us vigilant in the hope of the coming Kingdom of God by focus on the coming feast.
We should be hungry for the coming of Jesus.
Focus on Denying the Flesh: As fasting is the denial of one of our most basic needs, the need for food (or drink, in the case of some types of fasting), fasting is representative of the denial of the flesh. As with most of our basic needs such as the need for sleep, the need for clothing and shelter and the need for procreation, the need for food can be abused. Fasting helps us not only focus our attention on the controlling our need for food but also controlling our other desires.
It is a well-documented physical effect that fasting cleans the body of impurities and other toxins that accumulate in our systems. It is a spiritual by- product of fasting if done correctly (that is in a spiritual manner) that our bodies may cleansed of spiritual impurities as well.
We need to be hungry for the righteousness of God.
Focus on Prayer: The actions of prayer and fasting are closely linked in the Bible. Fasting, coupled with prayer, is a highly effective tool. One of the side effects of fasting is that the mind becomes clear and sharp. When we couple this clear thinking with prayer, we can often find answers to the problems that present us in this life. It is for this reason that many times you will see people in the Bible couple fasting with the making of important decisions.
We need to be hungry for the wisdom of God and fellowship with Him.
Focus on God’s Word: Of course, the most famous analogy in Scripture to eating is the hunger for the word of God. Fasting should focus us on our need for God’s word and God’s Word made flesh—Jesus. The Bible states in Deut. 8:3:
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
We need to be hungry for the word (Word) of God.
There is much more to be said on the subject of fasting, but we will leave off here for the time being. If you have a desire to try fasting and would like some guidance on how to go about doing it, feel free to drop me a line.
Have a great week,
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