The purpose of fasting

Fasting is abstaining from food, from certain types of food, or from both food and water. There are several reasons why people fast, but the most common is for religious purposes. A period of fasting for religious purposes is a period dedicated to keeping the physical body subdued so that the individual concerned can pay closer attention to things of the soul and spirit. It is generally believed that when our natural appetites are fully satiated, they can get in the way of the spiritual. That, for example, is the reason why Apostle Paul made the statement:

1 Corinthians 9:26-27  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Paul understood that to gain the ultimate prize of the Christian race,his body (or his natural appetites) must be kept in check. In the same way, Christians today ought to keep our natural appetites in check so that we can be more sensitive to the Spirit. A good way to do this is to fast regularly.

Fasting can communicate our repentance to God. When we feel sorry for what we have done, beyond the simple prayer of repentance, a Christian can declare a fast to humble his spirit before God. The Israelites declared such fasts several times in the Old Testament (e.g. 1Sam 7:6). Even the unbelieving king of Nineveh declared such a fast when Jonah prophesied against his city (Jonah 3:5); and God forgave Nineveh.

Fasting helps in the pursuit of spiritual power. Anyone who desires the power of God must cultivate the habit of fasting often. Our Lord impressed this upon his disciples when they failed to overcome the challenge in the life of one of those who came to them while Jesus was away from them (Mark 9:14–29). In one word, the Lord Jesus dealt with the problem that they had grappled with all day. Marvelled, they asked him why they could not do what he did. The Bible says:

Mark 9:29  And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

Most importantly, a time of fasting is a time to draw nearer to God. The mundane activities of day-to-day life have a way of beclouding our eyes from the spiritual. However, when we truly fast, our attention is taken away from many of these earthly things, and it becomes easier to focus on the Lord. Thus focused, we become more sensitive and are thus positioned to hear from God more clearly and accurately (Habakkuk 2:1).

Thus, every Christian who desires the fullness of the Christian life must not shy away from fasting. Fasting regularly will help a Christian to make faster progress in the Christian journey, and God’s glory will shine brighter in the life of the person.

Are you fasting?

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