What's All The Buzz About Fasting?

Churches all over the nation are involved in the first 21 day's fast of this year. Emphasis and encouragement has been sent out from the International Offices and State Offices of the Church of God of Prophecy along with many other church organizations. This discipline is vital to the ministry and growth of God's Kingdom but lets not turn fasting into a humanistic effort.

Christian television is emphasizing the 21 day fast. Books on fasting have been written and printed over the past couple years. We see many different suggestions, hints and details on fasting in books and articles. Has this been a lost discipline of the church over the past several decades with all the material emphasis in this nation? Have churches gone through the mechanics without the unction and anointing of the Lord?

Some blogs include details on fasting. One could surmise that the only way to fast is to get the latest book and articles so that one can do their fasting right. Of course, the indicated motive for these books, articles and blogs is to encourage people and not put on them something that is unnecessary and burdensome. Before someone thinks I am being too critical, let me continue.

Yes, the Scripture tells us to fast - especially when we read Christ's teaching in the Gospels. Yes, there are numerous examples of those who fasted in the Bible. Yes, we are admonished by our Lord and Savior, "when ye fast," and "when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then shall they fast in those days." (this part of this passage is included in Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:20, and Luke 5:35) Further, our Lord tells us that fasting should not be a somber, public show of perfunctory piety. He says, "be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward." Matthew 6:16 Fasting is more than doing without food and water (sustenance for physical life). It is more than detailing what to do on certain days and being overly mindful of the physical man. Godly fasting is born out of being "driven" by a divine burden from the Lord. It is "driven" by God's timetable. Fasting and prayer go hand in hand with God's burden.

So, we understand that fasting is a divine part of the Christian's discipline. Yet, why do we fast and why so are so many giving so many details about the fasting? Most of the fast's in the Scripture were "driven" by some great need or crisis in the work of the Lord or in the Kingdom of God. Nehemiah fasted when he received word that the walls of Jerusalem were razed to the ground. He mourned and wept over a divine burden to go back to Jerusalem and work on the walls. Daniel mourned and wept when he read the words of Jeremiah showing that the 70 years of Babylonian captivity were to be soon accomplished. He prayed and fasted to the Lord, confessing to the Lord, "we have sinned." (Daniel 9:2, notice he prayed, we have sinned and not they have sinned) The book of Joel declares "sanctify a fast" unto the Lord. The call to fast in Joel is driven by the lack of faithfulness and consecration of the people to God. Pending destruction of the land is inevitable. Some also believe it is a call to Israel not only in those days but also of the latter days to fast. (read Joel chapter 2 & 3) Fasting is more than doing without food and water but it does include doing without food and/or liquids. Fasting for selfish interests seems ridiculous but there were those types of fasts recorded in the Scriptures.

God chided those who fasted with the wrong motive and spirit. He says in Zechariah 7:5, "Tell all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these past 70 years, did you really do it for me?" GWV It is one thing to do without food and/or liquids and to have the best detailed instructions for praying and fasting (thank God He knows our hearts and motives) and another to have the right spirit about fasting. One can fast (without food or liquid) and be in the wrong spirit. One man stood in the temple and spoke these words, "I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." Luke 16:12 There was no commendation from Jesus for this type of spirit. The one who went home justified was the one who would not look up and smote on his chest and cried, "God be merciful to me a sinner." (v. 13)

Isaiah 58:1-4 tells us, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high." WOW, what an indictment! How can any fast be God's fast if there is no repentance, seeking His righteousness and focusing on what Jesus wants in these last days? God has a chosen fast. Read the rest of Isaiah 58 and also read the times of fasting in the New Testament (Matthew 17:21, Acts 10:30, Acts 14:23, 1 Corinthians 7:5, Acts 13:2)

Our Captain has admonished us that "in those days shall they fast." What are "those days"? He is gone into heaven and now we are in the "those days." The bridegroom is in heaven now but is coming back soon. The days of the fulfilment of the prophecies of the Scripture are upon us daily. The days of the completion of preaching of the Gospel into all the world are getting fulfilled. What could "drive" us more than His compassion to see the lost repent and come to Him as Lord and Savior. Our Lord was "driven" by the Spirit. Mark 1:12 say, "And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness." He was in the wilderness praying and fasting to the Father. The devil tempted Him. He came through victorious over the desires of his human nature. Angels were dispatched to minister to Him in His weakness. Are we "driven" by the same Spirit? Are we motivated by the compassion that He had. He is coming again. Do we "look on the fields that are ready to harvest." Do we see the souls that are crying for deliverance?

Could it be stressed that we are to pray and fast that we may hold fast to the Lord and what He wants for us and our ministry to others? O Heavenly Father, forgive this nation of many sins, forgive this church of many sins. Forgive our wrong motives and lack of contriteness before you. Forgive me Lord of wrong motives and lack of contriteness and brokenness. Give me your compassionate love for the lost. Let us fast and pray unto YOU. AMEN!