by Pastor Dani Castillo
Is “fasting” the forgotten grace in the New Testament Church? Is fasting still relevant in our times? The discipline of fasting has fallen into the cracks of the church so that people do not know its value and power. If we desire a closer walk with God, then this spiritual discipline should not be neglected.
The “what, when, where and “how” of fasting would entail more pages if we were to discuss this in detail. In this article, I will attempt to stimulate your curiosity on fasting by tackling the “why” of it. Hopefully in the future, this will bring us to a classroom where we can learn the kinds of fasting that pleases God, the kinds of meals and ways of fasting, how to start and end a fast, etc.
It is important to understand that God does not need our fast. He is Almighty God who can do mighty things, whether we fast or not. We cannot make God love us any more than He already does if we fast, or if we fast longer. We cannot manipulate God and say: “I’m going to miss lunch and dinner today, God, so by tomorrow I wish to see my husband come with me to church.” We pray and fast for results, but the results are still in God’s hands. God does not need our fast, but He surely honors the one who does it with the right heart. Joel 2:12 tells us: “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting.” Fasting fosters humility and humility fosters us to the Father’s blessings. As Micah 6:8 points out, what the Lord truly requires of us is devotion to Himself: “To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
Author Elmer Towns, in his book, Fasting For Spiritual Breakthrough, says, “One of the greatest spiritual benefits of fasting is becoming more attentive to God – becoming aware of our own inadequacies and His adequacy, our own contingencies and His self-sufficiency and listening to what He wants us to be and to do.” God is more interested in who we truly are than in what we do for Him. He is more interested in the contents of the heart than in the contents of our stomachs. God is spirit and He desires intimacy with us in the spiritual level. And many times, the physical gets in the way.
Of course, there are physical benefits of fasting. Our bodies are designed to respond to sickness, not only by food, but likewise by fasting. When we are sick with gastrointestinal symptoms, or with fever, we usually do not want to think about eating. We want to be left alone and lie down. Rest and fasting are God’s design to give our bodies a break, so it can heal. Rex Russell, MD notes that one of the many benefits of a good night’s sleep includes rest for our digestive system, a fast. And the first meal of the day breaks the fast, hence break-fast. The spirit and the body are so interrelated in God’s creative design that fasting has both spiritual and physical benefits.
Not only is fasting a spiritual discipline, it is also a physical discipline. But not everyone is physically able to fast. It is important to consult your physician before beginning a fast. A fast is simply a tool that may be used to draw a person to a more intimate fellowship with the Lord. Wondrous things happen when we fast, things that only God does – revivals, physical, emotional and relational healing occur, hardened hearts soften, complex problems and threatening situations are solved, sinful and destructive habits are overcome. God honors the person with a right motive in his heart, that is, to bring pleasure to Him and to glorify Jesus in his life. Imagine if we, as a church fasted and prayed, God would pour His presence upon His people and we would move forward in reaching out and helping others.
