The Purpose of Fasting
What is fasting? Fasting is going without food or drink for some particular reason. Some people prescribe that you can fast from anything, but I disagree. Some people feel you can fast from TikTok, or soda, or what have you but that’s not how the Bible prescribes fasting. The biblical prescription for fasting is going thirsty or hungry because something else is more important than food and drink. It’s giving up a necessity, not a luxury like Television or Starbucks.
Fasting, when done properly, is always accompanied by prayer, and seeks to transform the heart of the person fasting.
1. Fasting reminds us who God is.
Fasting puts us in a position to recount the goodness and faithfulness of God. Going without, actually reminds us how blessed we’ve been by God. It’s in the willingly not having, that we see how awesome our God truly is.
2. Fasting calls for God’s intervention.
Fasting reminds our hearts that we need God to move in our lives. It is a testimony to God of our seriousness in needing him. When we fast we are saying “God, I need your divine direction and intervention more than I need my next meal, please come, and move. I hunger for your will”
3. Fasting promotes true confession.
Fasting creates a natural window of time where we can pray and recount the ways we have grieved God. Choosing to spend time in prayer while fasting, helps us to be honest about where we have fallen short of who and what God has commanded of us and to bring that to God to receive his mercy.
4. Fasting weakens the flesh and empowers the spirit.
Fasting is nothing less than a willing breaking of our physical being so that our spirits might be more attuned to God’s direction. Fasting lessens the pull of our flesh upon us and places us in a posture of dependence upon God’s spirit in us. Fasting teaches us that we need to be dependent upon God and not our own flesh or natural wisdom.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes – Proverbs 3:5-7 ESV
It’s really hard to lean on your own understanding when you can barely stand because you’re starving. Your body will naturally cry out for something to lean on, and God will be there holding you up. Fasting forces us to depend on God and enter into his plans for us.
