Fasting is not eating for a specific amount of duration. The practice is not specifically Christian or particularly spiritual, but it could be purely physical. Therefore, Pastor John asks us frequently asked questions about Christian fasting. What exactly is it, and why should we do it? What are the best ways to explain this topic to present Christian fasting?
Fasting Defined
Let’s first define the term “fasting”. There is a widely accepted definition of fasting by Christians across the years. The act of fasting is a brief renunciation of things that are in themselves healthy, such as food, to increase our awareness of a greater need — specifically, God and his work in our lives.
“Jesus insisted that our fasting not be for the sake of impressing other people.”
As of now, when it is defined that way, it is not required by the Bible for Christians. Fasting isn’t given the same significance in Christianity like it does as an example or in Islam. Fasting, which Muslims perform in the months of Ramadan in Islam is the norm for each and every Muslim. It’s not really possible to claim to be a Muslim by saying, “I am just not going to do Ramadan.”
Fasting isn’t given that sort of significance in Christianity. Although there’s no requirement to fast within the New Testament, nevertheless there are signs that it was a common practice and that Jesus anticipated it would occur in the lives of his followers.
Secrets to Fasting
For instance, in Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus says,
If you are fasting make sure you don’t appear gloomy like hypocrites, as they make their faces look ugly and their fasting might be observed by other people. Indeed, I am telling you that they have already earned their reward. When you fast make sure you anoint your head with oil as well as wash it off so that your fasting will not be noticed by anyone else, but only by your God who is hidden. The Father who watches the secret of your fast will reward you.
A few things are evident in the passage. One of them is that Jesus states, ” When you fast” – rather than ” If you fast.” That’s what I am referring to when I say that Jesus expects his followers will be fasting.
The most important thing to remember from this verse is the fact that Jesus demanded that we fast should not be done for the purpose of impressing people. Indeed, we must be able to do according to him, to the extent that we can washing our face and combing our hair in order to stop other people from noticing that we’re fasting. Fasting is for Christians the utmost God-centered approach in that fasting can be a wonderful test to prove of the fact that God really is there for us. This is because in most situations God can be the sole one who is aware that you are fasting. This discipline won’t be able to impress anyone but all it can accomplish is to determine if both you and God are actually doing business together.
Impacts from The New Covenant
Another significant passage that explains the significance to Christian Fasting can be found in Matthew 9:14-17. Jesus is comparing the ancient pre-Christian fasting with the older wineskins, and also the fasting his disciples will be doing will be as new wine that doesn’t fit in the wine bottles of the past. They explode. That’s why there’s something unique in Christian fasting that makes it different when compared to Old Testament fasting. They’re not the exact identical. Here’s what he says:
Then the followers of John approached Jesus and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Then Jesus told them “Can the wedding party members mourn for as long as the bridegroom is there? It will be the time that the bridegroom has been removed from them and they’ll fast. There is no way to place a piece of uncut cloth over an old shirt because the patch tears off the garment and a larger tear can be caused. It is also not recommended to put new wine in old wine bottles. If it does then, the skins explode and the wine spills out and the skins destroyed. The new wine is then placed in new wineskins which means that both are preserved.”
Jesus states that his followers aren’t fasting when Jesus is present. Jesus is the bridegroom in attendance. It is not a time to fast while the bridegroom is in attendance. When he’s gone and he declares (which does he have, since the Lord has returned to the heavens), then the disciples will be fasting.
Hungering for Christ
What it seems to mean could be that Christian Fasting has been a means to express our desire for the Bridegroom Jesus Christ our King, to come back. This is the link between the practice of fasting and the appearance of Christ.
One of the purposes of Christian Fasting can be that we’re expressing our longing for Jesus to return to assume the throne of Christ in the world. What makes Christian fasting apart from other types of fasting and fresh wine that doesn’t fit in the wine bottles of old — is the fact that Christ is already here. The King, the Bridegroom has already arrived. We’ve seen him and met him. We are grateful for him because we have tasted his presence. We’ve already experienced the reign of the Kingship of Jesus.
Therefore, Christian fasting is not just a matter of longing, hoping and craving for something that is not yet. It is based on something that has happened already and not only a now. The King is here. He has paid the price to pay for our wrongs. He has been raised out of the grave. He is now in heaven.
We have the deposit in our hearts, a reminder of his presence and the spirit, however we yearn and yearn for the date of the return and his appearance and reign.
Therefore, Christian fasting is unique from all the other fasts in the world. It’s unique because it expresses more than just a desire for Christ or the desire to be in Christ’s presence. It’s a longing that is rooted in it is based on the actual, present real-life experience of Christ throughout history and within our hearts.
Speak Up for Our Needs
Let me share a further passage that explores the purpose of fasting and what it means for Christians. The passage is found in Acts 13:1-3 There is this amazing illustration of how the practice of fasting was instrumental in taking hold of God in the development of the world-changing ministry. The following is the text:
There were now in the church of Antioch scholars and prophets Barnabas, Simeon who was known as Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the Tetrarch and Saul. As they were worshipping with the Lord and fasting and fasting, they were prompted by the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” After praying and fasting they put their hands on them and left them.
The leaders of congregations were fasting according to the scriptures, to communicate to God their own needs and desire and longing with their bodies for guidance from God in the missionary breakthroughs. And God answered with a response that completely changed the world. The work that was undertaken by Barnabas as well as Saul (or Paul) was one of the most significant missionary efforts throughout the course of humanity. The gospel’s spread brought about the transformation of Western Roman Empire and since then, nothing has been the same since that day.
The Meaning of Praise God
Let me summarize the essence of Christian fasting and what makes Christians practice it. One way to describe it is that the fast can be described as the hunger-stricken handmaid of faith for the Christian. Fasting isn’t a substitute of faith Jesus. It is a sign of belief in Jesus.
Fasting is the act to tell our stomach and the rest of our body that we are in need and desire and believe in Jesus. It’s a method to affirm that we’re not going to be controlled with food and its sole source of our happiness. We’ll use the practice of abstaining from food occasionally to show the fact that Jesus is more valuable than food. Jesus is more necessary than food.
“Fasting is a way of saying with our stomach and our whole body how much we need and want and trust Jesus.”
Food is delicious. There is no doubt regarding this. We are not ascetic because we don’t believe in God’s goodness in his creation. Food is delicious. It’s a gift from God and we praise God by eating the food we eat in more ways than in one method. We enjoy it in gratitude to God’s goodness, and give up food due to desire for God himself.
If we eat at a table, we savor the symbol of our heavenly food that is the Bread of Life, Jesus himself. When you fast, declare, “I love the reality more than I love the emblem.” Both feasting and fasting is an act of worship to the Christian. Both magnify Christ. Both come with their own risks. The risk of feasting is that we are prone to fall in love with the gift while the risk when we fast are it makes us devalue the gift and brag about our strength, discipline, and willpower.
In its purest form, Christian fasting isn’t an attempt to diminish the wonderful food that God has provided. It’s a simple emotional, body-felt exclamation point at the end of the phrase “I am in love with God.” God. I’m in need of you more than I require food more than I want to live my life.”