Fast and Pray

Fasting is growing in popularity. People today fast for a wide variety of reasons that are not necessarily connected to following Jesus. A doctor might recommend a fast as a means of cleansing the body. Someone might fast to lose weight. Most religions emphasize fasting in some form. I’ve even heard of secular people fasting from things like technology, the internet or various devices for a week just to see what life is like without them. What then, makes a fast distinctly Christian — the kind of fast Jesus referred to when he said,

When you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you (Matthew 6:17-18).

I love Lynne Baab’s definition. She wrote,

“Christian fasting is the voluntary denial of something for a specific time, for a spiritual purpose, by an individual, family, community, or nation.” ~ Lynne Baab

Part of the impact of fasting comes from doing something different from what we would normally do. But it’s not just doing something differently or abstaining from something; it’s abstaining from something for a spiritual purpose, an abstinence that helps us grow in faith and enables us to keep company with Jesus. A Christian fast differs from other kinds of fasting because it has a spiritual goal; it comes from a desire to draw near to God. He is the object of every spiritual discipline and practice. We don’t fast for fasting's sake; we fast for God’s sake, to press more deeply into him and abide with him.

Did you know that God himself is the greatest gift you could ever receive? As William Meninger wrote,

“I remember, as a child…praying for a new bicycle. Then I heard a sermon that we do not ask enough from God, that God was willing to give us much more than we can conceive. Immediately, I began to pray for two bicycles! Little did I realize that I was supposed to pray for God [Himself], and that in possessing God I would possess everything…The ultimate answer to every prayer is God’s response: ‘Here I am.’” ~ William A. Meninger

The object of every spiritual discipline, habit or practice is God himself. That is the spiritual purpose that lies behind Christian fasting.

Here’s what the Bible says about fasting. There are a number of stories in the Bible, spread throughout the Old and New Testaments, about people who fasted. Some fasted alone, some with others. Kings, queens and ordinary people fasted. And fasting is regularly accompanied by prayer. The two go together. People fasted and prayed…

For forgiveness

The Jewish Day of Atonement, detailed in Leviticus 16, centered around asking God for forgiveness, and even today, Jews fast on that day. Theologian Scot McKnight points out that deep sadness, as a result of sin or mourning a loss, always seems to evoke a response in the form of fasting in the Bible. For example, David and his friends fasted when Saul and Jonathan were killed in 2 Samuel 1:12. Fasting is often a response to times of loss, deprivation and pain. People also fasted and prayed…

For intervention

David fasted to plead with God for the life of his unborn son. Queen Esther and the Jews in Susa fasted when they heard of the decree to put them to death and again when Esther appealed directly to the King. Ezra and the group of people traveling with him from Persia to Judah fasted as they prayed for protection on the journey. Fasting and prayer invites God’s power into our own lives and the lives of those we love. And people fasted and prayed…

For wisdom and direction

Fasting was a normal part of prayer and worship in the early church. Acts 13:2 says,

While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

A good time to fast and pray is when you’re contemplating a major directional change. For example, you may be thinking about getting married, or moving to another city, or shifting careers, or choosing a business partner, or appointing new leaders. Major directional changes demand wisdom from God. So many of the blunders and mistakes people made in the Bible resulted from not seeking God’s wisdom first. So, Samson hooked up with Delilah because she looked good. Seemed like a good idea at the time. It turned out to be disastrous. The Gibeonites deceived Joshua. They seemed like they were telling the truth. But they lied. He didn’t seek God first. David numbered the people of Israel. It seemed like a good idea. God hated it.

Think about this principle in your own life. How many have made unfortunate decisions that resulted in years of unhappiness because you didn’t seek the wisdom of God first? How many churches in America have laid their hands on the wrong people because they didn’t do what the apostles did — fast and pray for wisdom from above? We don’t know the future! We’re easily deceived. Why fast when you need wisdom? Very often during a fast, God purifies our hearts! When you fast and pray, seeking God for wisdom, God will often deal with issues that are clouding your judgment, preventing you from making good decisions.

For example, a typical bad reason people get married is that they don’t like living at home. I can’t tell you how many couples I’ve talked with who got married young just because they wanted to get out of the house. Bad idea! If you need to get out of the house, join a bowling league, get a second job, but don’t get married. When you fast and pray before you decide to get married, God will bring that to the surface. Is this a good reason to get married?

Or maybe your thinking is clouded by greed. As you pray and fast about accepting a job, God may show you the real reason you’re going after this job is simply because they’re offering more money. God may reveal to you, as you fast and pray, that the reason you’re moving from church to church is because you’re unwilling to engage in the hard work of reconciling a relationship. God promises wisdom. He promises to respond to your willingness to fast and pray.