The Joy of Fasting

Jim Berge

I am in the middle of a huge personal crisis. I have been praying like I've never prayed before. A couple weeks ago, I had the notion that I should also fast while praying for this particular problem. But when the time for fasting came, I got lazy and thought up stupid excuses not to fast. Not surprisingly, my problem is not yet resolved.
     Three nights ago I thought again about fasting and praying after reading the account in Mark 9:14-29, the story of the demon-possessed boy whom the disciples could not help. Jesus cured the boy, casting out the demons, and stated that it was possible only by prayer and fasting (some manuscripts exclude the word “fasting”).
     There are a lot of examples in scripture about fasting. My studies reveal a number of purposes for fasting: as a part of worship; as a part of confession and repentance; as an accompaniment to mourning. But most often fasting is mentioned in the bible in its connection to seeking answers from God. It is this last purpose for fasting that I want to focus on.
     Esther asked Mordecai and the other Jews to fast for her before she approached the king. In Acts 13, Barnabus and Saul were sent off only after prayer and fasting. Paul and Barnabus fasted and prayed as they appointed elders in the churches (Acts 14:23). Judges 20:26 tells of the Israelites fasting and praying for guidance about going to battle. In Daniel 9, Daniel was fasting and praying for his sins and those of Israel, when Gabriel appeared and announced “As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you because you are highly esteemed.” The prophetess Anna, who “never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying” (Luke 2:37), prophesied about Jesus and God's plan of redemption. And of course Jesus fasted for 40 days before beginning his ministry, the most important ministry ever undertaken by anyone in the history of humanity.
     Fasting is the frosting on the cake of prayer. I don't claim to understand the difference between prayer alone and prayer combined with fasting, but I believe God has shown me one reason why he considers fasting to be an important practice for those who take their faith seriously. As I already mentioned, I was sitting here in my easy chair thinking specifically about fasting, when God gave me a message in my mind as clear as the night sky here in Colorado. He said:
     “How serious are you about the things you pray for? Will I be able to count on you to pray for big things in the future?”
     My eyes grew wide. He got my attention. Obviously, God wants people who pray continuously about all things, but he also appreciates it when his children are concerned enough about a particular issue to forego their routine and channel the energy spent worrying about their physical needs into prayer, fasting, reading his word, and meditating on his will. This would all be rather academic were it not for his promises specifically regarding the act of fasting:

When you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face so it will not be obvious to men 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).

Therefore, it is safe to assume that fasting and prayer is different from prayer only. But many promises in scripture guarantee answers to prayer with no mention in the text of fasting. So is fasting reserved for only the really tough issues? I have no idea how God works it all out. But Hebrews 11:6 states that “God rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Perhaps a good measure of our earnestness is whether we are willing to experience a little self-abnegation along the way. We know that there are those who practice religious self-denial as a way of life. Mother Theresa was a shining example. It is difficult to fathom all the good, the love, the hope and joy she cultivated by her selfless, sacrificial character. That frail little woman was stronger than nations. We too can appropriate the power of God in a special way by the practice of prayer combined with self-sacrifice. And what better sacrifice than to temporarily give up eating - America's favorite pastime?
There is something cleansing and purifying about controlling one's physical body in a spiritual gesture. Paul says “I beat my body and make it my slave” (1 Corinthians 9:27). Fasting demonstrates to the self and to God that the body is controllable, that this sinful body of flesh does not have the last word, that the spirit can actually be stronger than and can take control of the body. This has value in all areas of life. After all, sin itself is often an action of the body. If it is proven through fasting that the body can be controlled by our wills, then we have taken an important step toward becoming more like Christ.
The act of fasting has spiritual value and it has physical value, but it is most valuable when applied to the act of praying and petitioning God for a specific purpose. God is not vague in his promises to answer prayer. He wants to answer prayers accurately and tangibly which are prayed according to his will. He states that what we ask for we will receive, what we seek we will find, the door at which we knock will open. The only requirements are:

1. That the request is consistent with his will. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15).

2. That we ask in the name of Jesus. “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:13-14).

3. That we trust him for the answer. “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Matthew 21:22).

     It has come to my attention in this life that “The majority is always wrong.” I use this fact to help in much of my decision making, and it is a surprisingly reliable paradigm. In this case, referring to the act of fasting and praying, it is probably safe to assume that since it is a relatively uncommon practice among Christians, that it is probably a very valuable thing to do.
     God wants men and women who will obey him and fervently seek his will. He wants men and women that he can trust to be prayer warriors. When a particularly tough problem arises, or a situation with dire consequences rears its ugly head, God wants us to be truly serious about the things we pray for. He wants to be able to trust us to pray for the big issues he sends our way, after we prove to him that we can handle the “small” issues.
     So, am I going to fast and pray about this problem of mine, and am I going to share the results? I can't tell you. Then I would not be doing it “in secret.” I have fasted before for purely physical reasons. It just so happens that fasting is a good way of cleansing the body, and the practice is considered by many to be quite healthful. But I have also done a major fast in conjunction with prayer for a specific purpose. I can strongly recommend it. Is fasting a guarantee that your prayers will be answered, or that your tough problems will dissolve? Of course not. But I can assure you that there will be benefits, and these benefits will most likely not even remotely resemble what you thought was best for you.
     Therefore, I close with an invitation for anyone who takes God's will seriously; for anyone who is truly interested in learning what God can accomplish through a person who is fully surrendered to him; and to anyone who wants to see the power of God and the power of prayer come alive in their lives, to fast and pray and seriously seek God's will. Hebrews 11:6 says that “Anyone who comes to him [God] must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Fasting and praying might be the missing ingredient in your spiritual walk with Christ. There must be potent power behind the fasting/prayer combination. Let us learn to do God's will in God's way. Then he will bless us.

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