Fasting

We live in a land of golden arches and supermarts, megaburgers and value meals. Firms research the best way to get us to buy more, eat more, indulge more. Milk and meat, the staples most people go into the supermarket to buy, are placed at the back of the store to get us to pass through the aisles and find something else we want. Value items are placed on top or bottom shelves where many people will not see or reach. High profit items are placed at eye and arm level to encourage buying.

Colors are used to make us hungry or thirsty. Look at most fast food places--reds, yellows, and oranges are used because they stimulate, producing hunger. The most popular brands of soda have red on the label.

Have you ever received a sweepstakes entry with a prize of a house or $250,000. Research shows the country style home delivers the best response. Actually, nobody ever picks the house, the picture just stimulates the person into thinking, "What could I do with the money?"

With all these saying more, more, more, how often do you hear, less, less, less? Paul in 1 Corinthians 9 wrote: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

The apostle understood that self-denial was the only way to walk the Christian walk. He, too, had to learn to keep the passions, cravings and desires of the body in check. If he didn't, then he'd be disqualified from all of the things he earnestly desired. As Jesus told His disciples sleeping in the garden, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Have you ever said to yourself, "Tomorrow morning I'm going to get up early and seek the Lord?" So, you set your alarm clock for 5:00 a.m. And you go to bed excited, "Praise God, I'm going to do it. I'm actually going to get up early and spend time with God!" Then, before you know it, the alarm clock goes off! It's 5:00 a.m. You open your eyes, look at the clock and...BINGO! That verse becomes REAL: "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Your inner man is saying, "Arise, get up, your whole day will be different if you meet with God this morning!" And you say, "Yea, O.K., just five more minutes - I know, I'll pray here under the covers." Have you ever done that? With your head on your pillow you say, "Yes, Lord, good morning God, praise your....zzzzz."

If you're interested in fighting effective spiritual warfare, but are not operating in the principles of self-denial, you're liable to be disappointed! In fact, you may not get off first base, spiritually. Fasting is the most powerful weapon we have as believers Yet there's very little teaching offered in this area. Most believers are unaware of the power and benefits found in the discipline of fasting.

Fasting is self-denial, not doing only what you want. The meaning of fasting lies in controlling one's desires, in submission to something other than yourself. Why Is this necessary? Why is it good for us to periodically tame and humble ourselves? Because this voluntary renunciation of the ties to this natural world is elevating, freeing us from the concerns of the physical to consider the spiritual. The practice of fasting was instituted in order to revitalize our nature. Fasting is the hygiene of the soul, a cleansing. In the physical sense alone fasting Is good for you, and medically beneficial.

Fasting gives us back our lost equilibrium and brings into harmony our mind, our soul and our body. Abstaining from excessive food results in the lightening of the capabilities of the mind and the soul. Food is conducive to sleep rather than mental or physical activity. Consider how you feel after Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner--do you want to go run a marathon or sleep? Eating is the second most energy draining activity you can do.

I believe fasting is understudied, because it is a powerful spiritual weapon. Satan seems to have done his homework in keeping believers from hearing these truths. However, the teaching of the New Testament assumes that fasting is already an important part of every believer's life. While there is no direct command to fast, Jesus says in Matthew 6:17-18: "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."

Did you see it? "When you fast" Jesus didn't say "if" you fast, or "on the off-chance you might possibly fast," He said "when!" Apparently, Jesus did not consider fasting optional.

Let's look at fasting in the Old Testament: "After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat. Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, 'A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in En Gedi.' Alarmed, Jehoshaphat inquired of the Lord, and he proclaimed a FAST for all Judah." (2 Chron 20:1-3)

In this scene we see King Jehoshaphat besieged by Israel's enemies: the Ammonites and the Moabites. For generations they were the plague of Israel. Jehoshaphat was understandably afraid. Israel was outnumbered in chariots, horses and men. So what did he do?

He set himself to seek the Lord by proclaiming a fast throughout all the land. He understood something that believers desperately need to know. He knew that fasting was the way to get God's special attention during desperate times. In fact, fasting is the way to obtain God's special attention anytime! As the chapter goes on, God did indeed come through in a dramatic way to rescue His people from their enemies.

Many believers today would like to have sufficient power in their lives to be free from Satan's power. But, in order to fight and win any battle of the Spirit, you must be willing to pay the price. Christ fasted often. Paul fasted often.The early church fasted.

Jesus said that all who follow Him must take up their cross and deny themselves. Paul tells us repeatedly in the books of Galatians and Romans that we're called to be crucified with Christ. Quite frankly, the most effective and practical way to be crucified is to fast: to periodically deny your flesh the basic sustenance of food. Fasting weakens you physically, and opens you proportionally to the things of the spiritual realm. In fact, fasting actually sharpens your senses. Nothing clears the hazy clouds of the flesh better than fasting. Where before you experienced "partly cloudy" days in your spiritual life, fasting can bring about beautiful "blue sky" days Let's look at another story:

I Kings 16 "In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of the others before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the same sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him."

Needless to say, Ahab was one bad king. He seemed to go out of his way to provoke the Lord. Now look what happens. The prophet Elijah came to Ahab and pronounced severe judgment against him, to the effect that he would die a violent death and that all of his descendants would be cut off! "When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and FASTED. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 'Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.'" (1 Kings 21:27-29)

Can you believe this? Ahab was one of the most evil kings in the Old Testament. But when God's Word came, he fasted. He humbled himself. He put teeth into his repentance. And what happened? God was impressed! So impressed, in fact, that He delayed all judgment against Ahab until the next generation!

Have you ever said to God, "I'm sorry for what I did, Lord; I repent," knowing full well that you're going to do it again, probably within hours? Many believers have a "revolving door" relationship with God: "I'm sorry God, I'll never do it again, never!" Then, they do it again. "Sorry, God - this time I really mean it!" Yet, after a while, they're right back into the same old sin. Eventually, it'll get to the point where you don't even want to say "I repent," knowing full well the shallowness of the words.

Can you relate to this? Fasting lets God know that you're serious about repentance. In fact, fasting will help break the cycle of sin. When Ahab fasted to show God that he meant business, God chose to grant him an extraordinary measure of mercy and grace. He'll do the same for you!

Consider these verses. After the prophet Samuel admonished the Jews to return to the ways of the Lord: "So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only. Then Samuel said, 'Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the Lord for you.' When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they FASTED and they confessed, 'We have sinned against the Lord.' And Samuel was leader of Israel at Mizpah." (1 Samuel 7)

Here again we see the principle plainly laid out. The Jews saw their sin and bondage and desperately wanted to be free. So, what did they do? They put teeth in their repentance. It's one thing to say, "Lord I will not sin again. I'm tired of it. I want to stop." It's another to prove what you say by denying yourself and choosing to enter a period of fasting! If you'll do the same, you'll be amazed at how quickly even a 24 hour fast will bring peace.

Fasting is a powerful re-connector with God. By denying yourself through fasting you're showing Him that you love Him. Satan doesn't want you to know anything about the discipline of fasting. Unfortunately, however, most believers today are far more into "feasting" than "fasting." The only difference between fasting and feasting is the letter "e." There's nothing wrong with feasting, mind you. Paraphrasing Paul "Whatever you do, do it with all your might!" When it's time to feast, feast; but when it's time to fast, fast!

Speaking of feasting, it's a fact that there's no better way to break a compulsive problem with gluttony or over-eating than fasting. Many people say "I've tried this diet and I've tried that diet and nothing seems to help me get my weight off! " Let me tell you about the ultimate diet - the fast! It's the best diet you can find and pretty uncomplicated. Not only do you benefit physically, but spiritually as well. The degree to which you're willing to deny yourself and take up the "cross of fasting," to that degree will you experience liberty. Freedom is not hard to find, it's just that there's a price to pay. In other words, you get what you pay for. That's true in the world and it's true in the spirit.

Fasting enhances your spiritual senses. We know the natural senses of feeling, sight, hearing, smell and taste. But there are counterparts in the spirit. "Taste and see that the Lord is good," it says in the Psalms and, "He that has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says," we're told in Revelations. Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God," and Paul speaks of, "The eyes of your understanding that will be enlightened." We have spiritual counterparts to our natural senses. When you fast, your spiritual senses become sharper and you're more able to perceive and grasp the things of the Lord. Fasting is the only way to go when you need clear guidance and direction in your life.

Now, let's look at another principle of fasting, this one found in the New Testament:

"The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer and FASTING. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." (1 Corinthians 7:4-5)

There's an important principle of fasting found in these passages concerning the marriage relationship. Paul instructs couples to not deprive one another in the marriage bed. He says that sexual abstinence might be a very good thing at times when both partners agree to it and will spend the time together seeking the Lord in fasting and prayer.

This illustrates a little known spiritual fact in marital unions. When couples intentionally refrain from having relations in order to spend time fasting together, the Holy Spirit can then come in to the relationship in a special way to expose and repair areas of hurt, mistrust and judgment.

The fundamental fasting principle in this is that fasting breaks the trappings of self indulgence and opens you to sensitivity and awareness of other's needs. Many people tend to walk around with self-indulgent attitudes most of the time, like: "I want what I want when I want it." However, when a couple agrees to fast and pray this way, they create an atmosphere of self-denial where the woman feels more cherished and the man learns self-control.

There are 54 mentions of fasting in the bible, 13 instances in the New Testament. There are at least thirty-five different references in Scripture where God moved supernaturally when His people came to Him with fasting. This morning we've looked at just a few. But, the pattern for all of the others is the same. If you want to experience God's power more fully, here's the key. Be willing to commit yourself to the discipline of fasting, and you'll find a level of spiritual consecration that will not only deepen your Christian life, but will bring you the joys of the Spirit that you've always wanted but have never quite obtained.

A major benefit of fasting is that it will help you physically. Fasting gives your body a break. In fact just a three day fast can help cleanse your digestive system from toxins and poisons Much of the food eaten in our culture is instant or microwaved and loaded with all kinds of chemicals and junk. Have you ever read the ingredients on coffee sweetener, non-dairy creamer, or cereal? How about those "instant" TV dinners? After a while, those chemicals accumulate in your body and can cause many physical maladies.

During a long fast the body will cleanse itself of residual toxins and poisons that tend to accumulate within the body. While you're fasting, your tongue may accumulate a white, fuzzy substance on the surface. Or, you may develop sores on the tongue and in other parts of your mouth. These symptoms indicate that, since you've halted your stomach's digestive system during the fast, your body is now naturally purging out the toxins and poisins within. When the tongue turns pink and clean, that means your body has been substantially cleansed.

In an extended fast, it takes a little over a week for things to start breaking loose inside. Don't end the fast just as things are beginning to loosen up. Remember, the longer the fast the stronger the fast. Here's a few different types of fasts:

One final thing about fasting. When you go on one of the longer fasts, use wisdom when you come off of it. If you're ending an extended fast, drink juices and eat fruit in increasing amounts for a few days. This allows your digestive system the time to adapt to the process of food assimilation after inactivity . It is very important that you DON'T eat any foods that are difficult to digest, and that you DON'T eat large portions immediately after the fast. Your digestive system needs time to "get up to speed" to handle the food amounts you were eating prior to the fast.

The same thing holds true even for the shorter fasts. Use wisdom in the "tapering off" period. Take one whole day after the fast and eat a moderate portion of fruit. Take a couple of days before you resume your normal eating pattern. However, you really don't need to do this for a one day fast, and hardly ever after a three day fast, unless you've never fasted before.

One more note. It's also a good idea to "ease into" a fast before you start. Lay off meat and foods that are tougher to digest a couple of days before you begin the fast. Begin eating more vegetables and fruit. In doing this, you are gradually slowing down your digestive system and thus will make the tough "early part of the fast" easier to go through.

Here's a few more benefits of fasting in the New Testament:

Thanks to Mark Copeland for much of this material!