Fasting

November 8, 2019

Jim Woodell・11/08/19

Fasting is not a command but a privilege. Perhaps the most familiar fast to the Bible student is that of Jesus in the wilderness. He went without food for 40 days. (Matthew 4:1-11) It was assumed by Jesus that his disciples would fast (Matthew 6:16-18). The disciples of John the Baptist engaged in fasting and so did the Pharisees (Matthew 9:14). They questioned why the disciple of Jesus were not fasting. Jesus answered them saying, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, then they will fast.” (Matthew 9:15) They will fast!

And, so they did fast. “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spiritsaid, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work for which I have called them. So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sentthem off.” (Acts 13:2-3) Paul andBarnabas went on a mission to appoint elders in each church they had plantedand did so “with prayer and fasting, committing them to the Lord.” (Acts 14:23)

Again, while Jesus was with his disciples they did notfast. Other religious groups, namely thePharisees and the disciples of John the Baptist, thought it strange that Jesus’disciples did not fast. It is alsointeresting that Jesus did not push fasting for his disciples. He was okay withthem not fasting. It seems however thatthe death of Jesus would motivate his disciples to fast and he expected them tofast after he died.

A take away from the scriptures shared in this article isthat there is a deep spiritual experience that can be found in worshiping theLord while fasting and praying. James4:8 states, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” Worshiping, fasting and praying withintentionality will draw God near to us and us near to God. Imagine a long rope with you on one end andGod on the other. You both are windingthe rope up and as you do you are drawn closer to each other. God is ready to start winding! Are we? AM I?

The circles I run in seldom practice fasting. A statement from Rick Atchley plays in myhead as I read these text on the practice of Jesus and those that he said wouldfast after he was no longer with them: “Is the Book of Acts a collection ofexceptions or a collection of examples?” There are other things in the Acts 14 text that are equally outside ofour normal practice:

Fasting
The Holy Spirit speaking to us
Experiencing a call from God
Fasting and praying as we commissionmissionaries
Placing hands on those we fast and pray for

Fasting has a long history with the people of God. Read Isaiah 58 to understand what a “truefast” is. What will we do with these truths?

Jim Woodell, Executive Director