What happens we fast? 

20th August 2024
 
It was only just over a week ago (believe it or not), that we were fasting and praying together as a fellowship that God would:

• Build His Church (Acts 2.41),
• Meet our Needs (Phil 4.19), and
• Break the Damn (Mal 3.10) 

We are seeking to set aside another day of fasting and prayer on this coming Saturday (24th August) – with a simple Church Breakfast together in the church lounge to literally break-the-fast together the following morning (9:30am, Sun 25th August).
 
Whether you’re able to fast with us or not this weekend, do come and join us as we begin the day in fellowship together!
 
As we’ve said throughout, fasting means abstaining from things (usually food, but others things are of course valid too!) in order to create space in our lives for God - and also to add an element of sacrifice, urgency and intensity to our prayers.
 
For this to be sacrificial - no-one can demand that we do this. Please don’t under any pressure from anyone – it must be our own choice as and when we feel the Lord calling us to so it. If for any health, family or personal reasons going without food would be unwise, there might be another distraction or demand that you can lay aside to create time, space and focus for God.
 
For more on this you can head here for all the links to our teaching on the spiritual discipline of fasting.
  


So as we prepare for another day of focused prayer together, I thought it might be good to reflect on our experience of it. We’ve said that fasting is not about trying to impress others, God (or the devil!) – in order to curry favour. Neither it is a protest – fasting isn’t some sort of spiritual hunger strike to force God’s hand… So, what actually happens when we fast?
 
I’d like to briefly highlight these results that we see biblically:
Fasting:

• Humbles us
• Reveals what’s in our Hearts
• Heightens our Spiritual Awareness
• Is good for our Spiritual Health
• Opens us up to Hear God
• Helps us Identify with the Hungry

Firstly,

1) Fasting Humbles us:

In Psalm 35:13 King David writes: “I humbled myself with fasting.”
 
We live in a culture that encourages what Jim Collins calls “the undisciplined pursuit of more.” The constant message that our success or security is dependent on "this-new-thing" can leave our souls feels discontent and restless.
 
Saying “no” to the flesh is an important part of strengthening our spiritual muscles. Fasting grounds us in the reality that before anything else – we need God; that He alone is our Source and Sustainer and Saviour. We “know” this, but fasting is a way of showing how serious we are about it.
 

2) Fasting Reveals what’s in our Hearts:

In the Old Testament fasting was often associated with mourning – a way of aligning ourselves outwardly with an inner reality.  Fasting starts with a heart cry that ripples out into behaviour. Fasting simply for the sake of it – or the sake of appearances – has no spiritual benefits at all. It has got to be a heart thing.
 
Interestingly, I find that fasting can often be quite revealing and indicate my true level of spiritual hunger. Despite what I might say or even think - fasting always show me what’s really happening in my heart.
 

3) Fasting Heightens our Spiritual Awareness:

As we fast, we are offered more space in our day, more time in our schedule, and more opportunity to offer that focus to God! As our bodies crave food (or whatever it is we are abstaining from), we can use those pangs as prompts to pray. This can be hugely helpful and massively powerful.
 
The Apostle Paul calls us to “pray unceasingly”…  I’m not sure how humanly possible it is to achieve that perfectly, but I recognise that it should be my desire! However, fasting can heighten our awareness of our spiritual life, our spiritual needs, and the spiritual power that is always available to us when we pause and pray!
 

4) Fasting is good for our Spiritual Health:

When the city of Ninevah heard Jonah’s message they repented and fasted before God – and they were blessed with an incredible city-wide revival!
 
When Jesus fasted in the wilderness, the battle highlighted a deeper understanding of both His identity and purpose. His power against temptation only increased as He deliberately set Himself apart for ministry!
 
Fasting is good for us in ways we see and ways we don’t see!
 

5) Fasting Opens us up to Hear God:

In Isaiah’s great treatise on true fasting, God makes promises to the people about the kind of benefits they will experience – the first being: “The Lord will guide you continually!” (Isaiah 58.11)
 
One of the first people to recognise Jesus as the Messiah was Anna the Prophetess – she recognised it when the Lord was still a baby! It can’t be for no reason that Luke tells us that she “never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” (Luke 2.37)
 
The early church experienced this when looking for the Lord’s guidance in appointing leaders: Acts 13:2-3 and Acts 14:23.
 
Jesus tells that the Word of God is more essential to us than food (Matthew 4.4) – fasting proves this principle and radically realigns our priorities.
 
And finally,

6) Fasting Helps us Identify with the Hungry:

Returning to the Magna Carta of True Fasting – Isaiah 58… God seems absolutely incredulous that as the people’s stomachs shrink their hearts don’t grow for the needs of the hungry.
 
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”

(Isaiah 58.6-7)

 
The real question might not be – "what am I willing to give up"… but "what am I willing to give away?"

We might consider offering some of the uneaten food for this Saturday to the Free Food Market, or to allow our deeper empathy for those who have to go without food to inspire us in other unexpected ways.
 
 
When we fast “to the Lord” (Zechariah 7:5, i.e. – when He is the focus of our fasting) there is so much that is gained from the practise of fasting than what is lost.

May God
   strengthen you,
      speak to you,
         sharpen you,
             satisfy you
                  and inspire you
       as we seek Him in prayer and fasting this weekend!