There are many churches throughout the country that do not practice or teach fasting based on its roots in the Old Testament. For some fasting is just too impractical for the modern age and liable to turn people away from Christ instead of toward Him. It is considered by others to be a discipline reserved for zealots or fringe denominations of radical Christians. Regardless of the reasons to write off the practice of fasting, there is a clear blueprint for Biblical fasting laid out in scripture for the New Testament Christian who wants to follow Jesus Christ. The expectation is on us as believers to leverage this tool in our fight against evil and our pursuit of God’s will in our life.
Before Jesus began His ministry, he fasted. “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”” (Matt 4:1-4) So, the Spirit of God led Jesus into the desert too fast. It prepared Him for the temptation that was to come from Satan. As followers of Christ, we need to be open to the Spirit’s lead in this area as well, because if Christ needed it, we most certainly need this in our life as well.
Later, Jesus is talking about fasting and says, “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” (Matt 6:16-18) Jesus says “whenever” you fast, not “if you fast.” This is a clear indication that there is an expectation of His followers to fast. Not only is the expectation there, but Jesus makes a strong declaration regarding the decision to fast. If you fast with the right heart, our Father in Heaven will reward us. He did not say “may” reward us. He said “will”. God responds to fasting, each and every time we choose to fast, when we do it as Jesus prescribes. If you want rewards from your Father in Heaven, fast.
When Jesus’ disciples asked if they should be fasting, Jesus answers them “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.” (Matt 9:15) He makes it clear that fasting will resume for His followers after His death. Again, this is an expectation that Jesus has for His future followers, and we should live up to that expectation.
So how did the early Christians view fasting? They used it to hear from God when clarity was a must. In Acts, the first missionary journey was established through fasting. “While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.'” (Acts 13:2) The Holy Spirit chose to speak while the disciples were fasting. From then on, Elders of the early church were appointed with prayer and fasting. (Acts 14:23) It is clear that the tradition of fasting was strong in the church after Christ’s death and resurrection. It was a tool to engage God at a deeper level, empowering his disciples to do the work of the Holy Spirit. By denying ourselves our physical desires, fasting heightens our connection to the Spirit inside of us by decluttering our minds and lives from the noise that normally weakens the sound of His voice. The disciples knew this and took advantage of it in their ministry.
Along with the New Testament examples of fasting, the Old Testament is filled with stories of God responding to people who have committed themselves to fasting. The evil and corrupt city of Nineveh turned away God’s wrath through repentance and fasting. Esther unleashed God’s power to move the heart of her king by fasting. On the Day of Atonement, God’s people yearly prepared themselves for the sacrifice by fasting, humbling their hearts before their God in light of their sin and His grace. With a long history of powerful testimonies to its effectiveness, fasting should be a regular part of the Christian walk. When we need clear direction from God, when we seek His blessings, when we need his power to manifest itself in our struggles, we should fast with an open heart. The Bible is clear that this spiritual discipline can bring about supernatural spiritual fruit in our life that will enable us to be better disciples of Christ.