Get More from Fasting! | Te pou

In times of trial, God’s servants in the Old Testament had a go-to reaction: fasting. The Bible records numerous accounts of people abstaining from food and water. Daniel fasted three weeks after witnessing a terrifying vision (Dan. 10:3). Moses fasted 40 days and 40 nights on Mount Sinai (Ex. 34:28). In II Samuel 12:16, David fasted to seek God’s mercy for his sick child.

Christians in the New Testament age should be no different. Fasting is one of the five tools of Christian growth. It should be used regularly to draw closer to God.

Fasting on the Day of Atonement is vital. Yet we all understand that God’s people should fast more than just once per year on that Holy Day. Look at Jesus Christ’s words: “Moreover when you fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance…when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face” (Matt. 6:16-17).

Notice He did not say “if you fast.” He said “when you fast.” The obvious message is that we must fast!

Yet when should Christians do this? And why? These two concerns are not often thought about.

There are various recorded examples in the Bible of a fast being called and the circumstances differ widely. God’s Word is clear on both when and why you should use this powerful spiritual tool.

Seeking God

Fasting is an effective way to draw close to God—to, as the Day of Atonement pictures, be “at one” with Him—especially when things go awry. The physical act of going without food and drink for an extended period helps get our minds off the physical and onto the spiritual. Humbling ourselves in this way can help God show us how to set our courses straight. You might say fasting is the main tool for seeking our Father when emergencies arise.

Here are some examples of when a fast was determined to be the best way to reach out to God.

Forgiveness (Dan. 9:3): Daniel asked for forgiveness of sins during a difficult time: “We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and from Your judgments” (vs. 5).

If we find a sin difficult to overcome, fasting is the right course of action. It can help us cut through human reasoning and more fully live God’s Way.

For God’s Protection in Difficult Situations (Ezra 8:21): Ezra the priest and a group of Israelite families fasted to “seek of Him [God] a right way” as they traveled from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. God heard and answered their prayers by delivering this traveling group from dangers along the way (vs. 31).

When faced with difficult situations and decisions, fasting can help us better understand God’s mind or will on a specific subject.

When Things Go Wrong (Judges 20:26): There was civil war in the nation of Israel and confusion was breaking out as to why so many were dying. The children of Israel wept and fasted to determine God’s will and get answers. They eventually realized they had taken matters into their own hands when dealing with their brethren from the tribe of Benjamin.

Sometimes we will realize we have gotten deep into a trial and have not fully or correctly sought God. When this happens, fasting to help humble ourselves and properly beseech Him can be exactly what is needed.

Fear of an Attack (II Chron. 20:3): Moab and Ammon came against Judah to invade. When Jehoshaphat saw their armies approaching, he feared and proclaimed a fast. We can apply this principle as we see difficulties or problems approaching. Read Proverbs 22:3.

Pending Destruction (Jonah 3:4-5): The people of Nineveh received a message from the prophet Jonah that their nation was going to be overthrown. Even though they were a gentile nation, they believed Jonah’s warning and proclaimed a fast. Because the entire nation sought God to relent from His plan to destroy the city, the people were spared.

More Instances

As we have just seen, when we face troubles in our personal lives, it is wise to humble ourselves and reach out to God for help. Yet there are times when we can be emotionally distraught, and fasting may be needed to get us back to a proper mindset.

To Approach a Difficult Situation (Ezra 10:6): Ezra “did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.” The people of Israel had married foreigners in the land and recognized they had done wrong in God’s eyes.

Note that Ezra mourned because of Israel’s sins. As a priest, he was a leader who had to help show the people their transgressions. Humanly, he may have thought, “How can I get through to this sinful nation?” His response was to draw close to God before approaching the people (vs. 10-11).

Death: King David also fasted when mourning. After the death of King Saul and Jonathan, David’s grief drove him to go without food or drink (II Sam. 1:12).

We too can fast after the death of a loved one. It can help us to process the loss and remember that this life is temporary—to see the spiritual over the physical.

Sore Trials (Neh. 1:3-4): The royal cup-bearer Nehemiah received bad news regarding the remnant of Jews who had escaped the Babylonian captivity. These people were in “great affliction and reproach,” including the fact that Jerusalem’s wall was broken down and its gates burnt.

Nehemiah was beside himself when he heard about Israel’s problems, and he mourned. He fasted to work through these feelings and draw close to God. He then powerfully prayed for God’s deliverance.

When Bad Attitudes Arise (Psa. 35:11-13): David fasted when his enemies were sick. This is a moment when it would be easy to gloat and exhibit a haughty attitude. The king knew this could happen and instead fasted to help himself remain humble.

Build Your Relationship with God

We have seen examples of fasting during times of difficulty, but crises are not necessary to use this spiritual tool. The following example is of fasting for no other reason besides wanting to be close to God.

Notice the New Testament account of Anna, who was 84 years old: “And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser…And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day” (Luke 2:36-37).

This would seem to be the ultimate goal of a servant of God—fasting just for the sake of developing a closer relationship with our Father and ultimately serving others.

In fasting regularly to draw closer to God, be careful of self-righteousness. Remember Christ’s parable of the two men praying, in which the Pharisee proclaimed that he fasted “twice in the week” among other good deeds that he supposed would give him automatic favor with God (18:9-14).

God is not impressed by physical feats. Instead, He looks at your mindset while fasting. Recall Isaiah 66:2, where God states, “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My word.”

Fasting regularly with a sincere desire to draw closer to God, not to have God draw closer to us, helps us develop a humble mindset.

Keys to Effective Fasting

Fast often: Read II Corinthians 11:27. The more you fast, the easier it will be. Your body will grow accustomed to it. In one sense, practice makes perfect. The more you fast, the more effective it will be. But keep in mind that attitude, not frequency, is what counts.

Take it one day at a time: An effective fast would usually last about 24 hours, causing you to miss at least three meals. Sometimes, however, a longer fast—two or three days—may be necessary. In these rare cases, do not focus on the length of the fast—it will only make it seem longer. And use wisdom. Only fast beyond a three-day period if it follows sound professional advice. Your fast may start at any time, but it is natural to go from sunset to sunset. Also, remember that fasting for multiple days does not necessarily make you more spiritual than someone who only fasted for one day.

Make the time: Fasting is rarely convenient. You must set aside the time to do it. At times, it may be necessary to perform your daily duties during a fast. You may have to work. But the most profitable fast would occur during free time. Occasionally, the Sabbath may be used as a fast day. But this is not ideal, because the Sabbath is a feast day.

Use the other tools with fasting: Wasting the time you spend fasting—by not studying, praying or meditating—reduces the fast to a mere hunger strike. Remember to at least double the amount of prayer, Bible study and meditation normally done. Tripling them can be better. If fasting for a particular reason, be sure to review all scriptures that apply.

Prepare properly: A day or so before beginning your fast, cut back on the amount of food you eat. Gorging yourself before a fast is unwise. You may experience headaches due to a lack of caffeine, especially if you are a heavy coffee drinker. Cut back on these beverages ahead of time. You may also experience light-headedness and bad breath. Keep in mind that your body will be eliminating built-up poisons. Drinking plenty of water before beginning will help. When you resume eating, start with light foods. Do not eat heavily right away.

Have the proper appearance: Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 6:16-18. Bathe or shower as you usually would. Comb your hair. Dress and act normally. Brushing teeth is permissible. No one should be able to tell by your appearance that you are fasting—only God should know.

Another Purpose

We have seen there is a wide range of reasons to fast. But there is another overarching purpose for fasting you may not have considered: outgoing concern for others.

How can your personal fasting impact others? Well, by humbling yourself—getting yourself out of the way—God can more effectively use you. Going without food and drink reminds us we are physical and helps us rely more on our Creator. It also allows us to see our true selves more fully so we can change for the better.

Isaiah 58 illustrates these points. In this chapter, God admonishes Israel, whose people chose to fast for selfish reasons: “for strife and debate,” to “smite with the hand of wickedness,” and to make their “voice to be heard on high” (vs. 4).

We should never fast for self-righteous reasons. Going without physical nourishment is utterly useless without the right attitude, coupled with sincerely seeking God and studying His Word.

In this passage, God tells the people of Israel to fast to see where they are wrong and make changes in their lives. In verses 6-7, He commands them “to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke.” He also tells them to help those who are poor and hungry, and to especially not neglect our loved ones who are in need.

God will help you see your true self and where you can improve. Fasting helps intensify and focus this process.

Beautiful, serving attitudes—exhibiting real love by giving, caring and serving others—is what God desires to see in His Family. This is a tall order and takes time to perfect, making it another essential reason to fast properly and more often!

Open Rewards

There is another way to ensure we do not fast in vain. Read Matthew 6: “But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; that you appear not unto men to fast, but unto your Father which is in secret: and your Father, which sees in secret, shall reward you openly” (vs. 17-18).

Almost always, we will be fasting as individuals—no one else should know. While we do this “in secret,” the Father sees what we are doing and will reward us openly.

Return to Isaiah 58, verses 8-11. Here are the benefits God promises from proper fasting:

Your light will break forth as the morning
Your health will spring forth speedily
Your righteousness shall go before you
The glory of the Lord shall be your reward
You shall call and the Lord shall answer, you shall cry and He shall say, “Here I am”
Your light shall rise in obscurity and your darkness be as the noon day
The Lord shall guide you continually
He will satisfy your soul in drought
You shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not

In summary, God is saying that our physical and spiritual lives will “break forth as the morning.” He will answer our prayers, guide us continually, feed us (even in difficult times)—and overall bless our lives!

In II Peter 1:3, we are told that God, “according as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.” Fasting certainly falls in the category of life and godliness.

Going without food and drink—coupled with extra focus on prayer, Bible study and meditation—is vital for drawing closer to our Creator. It helps us beseech Him for many different needs. Used properly, it will help us more deeply love our Father and better understand His nature of compassion, mercy and kindness. Read our article “What You Need to Know About Fasting” for more information.

Consider how blessed we are: We understand how dynamic and powerful fasting can be.

A loving God has given us this tool of Christian growth to afflict our physical bodies so that we can grow spiritually and be ready for the return of Jesus Christ and our change to spirit bodies.

Work to make fasting an integral part of your life!