BASICS OF EFFECTUAL FASTING

By Venerable Dr. Ifechukwu U. Ibeme.

Websites: http://www.scribd.com/ifeogo ; http://priscaquila.6te.net ;
Comment on The Chapel of Grace Blog: http://thechapelofgrace.wordpress.com

CHRISTIAN FASTING is a voluntary form of penitential and sacrificial reverence to

God and so should be done NOT TO legally (reluctantly or pretentiously) meetup
with demands of mere institutional supervision before people, BUT TO loyally
(willingly and fervently) ensure the fulfilment of deeper spiritual submission
before God. Fasting is means of purposeful and volitional sober affliction
(deprivation and compunction) of soul (Isa 58:3-5).

The ancient Church was a fasting Church. Christians hold appointed fast (Act 13:2)
as well as occasional fast (Act 13:3), public fast (Act 14:23), family fasts (1Cor 7:5),
as well as private fast (Mat 6:17-18; 2Cor 11:27). There is no limit to how widely
or regularly the Christian and the Church should fast, because Christ gave the
Church full leave that after His resurrection, they should fast (Mat 9:14-15). The
same unlimited leave applies to how often and how widely the Christian and the
Church should engage in or appoint prayer moments and prayer meetings just as
with Holy Communion commemorative services “as often as … in remembrance
of me”. The ancient Church seems to have met daily for prayers, teachings and
serving tables (Act 2) but held evening communion weekly on Sundays (Act 20).

WE remember that the ancient Church began to observe 40-day fast (Origin-and-
Observance-of-Lent-Fast) during Springtide period between the Feast of Christ’s
Manifestation (called Epiphany) and the Feast of Christ’s Resurrection (called
Easter). This Lent Fast is done to imitate Christ Who fasted for 40 days in the
wilderness after He was Baptized, in order to prepare for His public ministry. All
mainline historic Churches are observing this Lent Fast now. So it is very pertinent
to discuss Christian Fasting.

1. MEANING AND FORMS OF FASTING

There are so many ideas on fasting and methods of fasting, but we shall focus on
teachings on fasting and practices about fasting as derived from the Scriptures of
God’s Word or as found in the Bible.
People may fast and feast for many reasons but Fasting as a form of worship
usually goes with prayer, while feasting as a form of worship goes with praises.
Feasting is indulgence in food and drink but Fasting is abstinence from food and
drink.

Apart from abstinence from food and drink which we specifically call Fasting, we
could together with/without fasting also practice other Abstinences to deprive
and deny ourselves of other personal conveniences such as:
 abstinence from pleasure and entertainment (Dan 6:18),
 abstinence from marital conjugal relations (1Cor 7:5),
 abstinence from sleep (i.e. vigil Luk 6:12) and comfort (Ezr 9:3f; Luk 2:37),
 abstinence from good clothes and cosmetics (1Kin 21:27; Isa 58:5; Dan 9:3),
 abstinence from socializing with people (Zec 7:3),
 abstinence from ostentation and exhibition (Mat 6:16), etc.
 abstinence from work or business (called Holiday of Sabbath Lev 23:35;
Num 29:1),
 abstinence from hateful thoughts of animosity (Mat 5:22; 1John 2:11), and
 abstinence from lustful thoughts of immorality and pomposity (Mat 5:28;
1John 2:15-16).

All these abstinences could also accompany our Fasting but Fasting is specifically
abstinence from food and drink. In effect therefore, abstinence is of a wider scope
than fasting. Abstinences also serve as means to formation of godly discipline and
overthrow of ungodly habit.

There are also different ways one fast:

 We may fast from both food and water called DRY or TOTAL or ABSOLUTE
or WHOLE fasting, like Jesus and Moses and Elijah did for up to 40 days!
But advised when fasting continuously for shorter than 3 days (Luk 4:1-2;
Deut 9:9-8; 1Kin 19:8).
 We may fast from food but may drink water especially (medically advised
to avoid dehydration) when fasting continuously for longer than 3 days
called COMPLETE or WET WHOLE fasting.
 We may fast from good food eating only fruits and vegetables called
PARTIAL fasting, like King Darius did (Dan 6:18).
  We may fast from evening to evening to eat only dinner daily for 1 day (Lev
23:32; 1Sam 7:5-6), 3 days (Esth 4:16), 7 days (2Sam 12:18), 21 days (Dan
10:3) or up to 40 days called FULL DAILY fasting.

2. BUT WHAT ARE SOLEMN FASTS AND ABSTINENCE INTENDED FOR?

Fasting is a serious form of intense penitential petition to God. Fasting is physical
abstinence but should serve as reminder and training for spiritual walk of
penitence and purity, as well as means of undistracted devotion to communion
with God.

Refusing physical food and conveniences during fasting should remind and train
us to refuse moral iniquity and all forms of spiritual evil.

It is important to know that Private Closet Fasting and Prayer meant to be done
alone in secret as taught by Christ in Mat 6:16-18 is of greater spiritual benefit
than Public Community Fasting and Prayer meant to be done commonly in the
open as prophesied in Joel 2:15-18.

When we decide or want to do private fasting and prayer, it should be secret to

obtain maximum blessings as Christ taught in Mat 6:6 & 18 and as Daniel did in
Dan 9.

However, a public fasting and prayer could also be appointed or proclaimed for a
people for a specific period of the year as historic Churches do during the
traditional 40 days of Lent Fast and as was done earlier in Israel (Zech 8:19).

Other appointed Special Fasts are also practiced by all Churches today similar to
the fasting in Nineveh under Jonah (Jona 3:5-10) and in Israel under Ezra and
Nehemiah (Ezr 8:21; Neh 9:1-2).

Participation in Christian Public Fasting should be done as privately as possible

without ostentatious show-off though it cannot really be done secretly.

3. CHRISTIAN BIBLICAL FASTING FOR PERSONAL WALK WITH GOD

Never forget this, Prayerful Fasting for Christians is a submissive reverential
exercise meant to train and equip the Christian for closer personal walk with
God. Fasting and Prayer is combined physical cum spiritual exercise which shall
always be found to be profitable for every believer (1Tim 4:7-8).

Christ did not only fast for 40 days before facing the Devil and commencing His
public ministry, but also fasted and prayed to choose his Disciples (Luk 6:12).
Christ taught His Disciples that spiritual ministry succeeds better with fasting and
prayer whether for ministrations (Mat 17:21) or for missions (Act 13:1-4).

No wander Moses fasted prayerfully for 40 days to receive the first written tablets
of the Law (Exod 24:18; 34:28) and Daniel also fasted prayerfully for 21 days to
receive revelation of the End Times (Dan 10:2-5).

In Isa 58:3-10, 600 years before the coming of Christ, the prophet Isaiah told
God’s people that God was not answering their prayers because they fasted their
own chosen way (for pleasure, exploitation of workers, strife, wickedness and
show-off which puts God off) but did not fast God’s own chosen way (with self-
denial, repentance, charity, amnesty and relief for workers which turns God on).
Isaiah 58:3-10
(3) They lament, 'Why don't you notice when we fast?
Why don't you pay attention when we humble ourselves?'
Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish
desires,
you oppress your workers.
(4) Look, your fasting is accompanied by arguments, brawls,
and fistfights.
Do not fast as you do today,
trying to make your voice heard in heaven.
(5) Is this really the kind of fasting I want?
Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves,
bowing their heads like a reed
and stretching out on sackcloth and ashes?
Is this really what you call a fast,
a day that is pleasing to the LORD?
(6) No, this is the kind of fast I want.
I want you to remove the sinful chains,
to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke,
to set free the oppressed,
and to break every burdensome yoke.
(7) I want you to share your food with the hungry
and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people.
When you see someone naked, clothe him!
Don't turn your back on your own flesh and blood!
(8) Then your light will shine like the sunrise;
your restoration will quickly arrive;
your godly behavior will go before you,
and the LORD's splendor will be your rear guard.
(9) Then you will call out, and the LORD will respond;
you will cry out, and he will reply, 'Here I am.'
You must remove the burdensome yoke from among you
and stop pointing fingers and speaking sinfully.
(10) You must actively help the hungry
and feed the oppressed.
Then your light will dispel the darkness,
and your darkness will be transformed into noonday.
In Mat 6:5-18, Christ pointed out to His Disciples how to fast and pray (as personal
walk with God which brings reward from God) as well as how not to fast and pray
(as ostentatious show-off for men which brings reward from men).
Matthew 6:5-18
(5) And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites
are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the
corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto
you, They have their reward.
(6) But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when
thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and
thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
(7) But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:
for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
(8) Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth
what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
(9) After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in
heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
(10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
(11) Give us this day our daily bread.
(12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
(13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For
thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
(14) For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you:
(15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your
Father forgive your trespasses.
(16) Moreover when ye fast, 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.
(17) But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy
face;
(18) That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father
which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall
reward thee openly.

Beware! Not all fasting and prayer which easily please people ultimately please
God.
Christians should fast reverentially NOT TO legally meetup merely with demands
of INSTITUTIONAL SUPERVISION before people, BUT TO loyally ensure deeper
SPIRITUAL SUBMISSION before God. Like prayer, Fasting is a means to extra grace
for the fulfilment of God’s good pleasure according to His will.

Though He fasted after His baptism and fullness of the Holy Spirit before
beginning His ministry (Mat 3:13 – 4:2), Jesus taught that Christian fasting should
not be done while He was yet to die and rise from the dead, but should begin
after baptized believers in the risen Christ are filled with the Holy Spirit (Mark
2:19-20).

The Apostles did not only fast to seek deeper dip with the Lord on occasions of
common special concern as ministrations (Act 13:1-2), but also for ordinations of
ministers and missionaries (Act 13:3; 14:23). In whatever situation, Saint Paul was
a man who constantly drew power from Grace to remain tireless and steadfast in
labour, watching and fastings (2Cor 6:5 and 11:27); he also taught us to make
time to fast (1Cor 7:5).

4. BENEFITS OF FASTING AND ABSTINENCE TO NOTE

 Fasting is means of purposeful and volitional affliction (deprivation and
compunction) of soul (Isa 58:3-5).
 Like prayer, Fasting is a means to extra grace for the fulfilment of God’s good
pleasure according to His will.
 Fasting serves as reminder and training for spiritual walk of penitence and
purity, as well as means of undistracted devotion to communion with God.
 Abstinences also serve as means to formation of godly discipline and
overthrow of ungodly habit.
 Fasting helps us enhance our prayer-life and focus on intensifying our walk
with God.

Updated March 22, 2017

by Ven. Dr. I. U. Ibeme
Copyright © PriscAquila Publishing, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Click here for
PriscAquila Christian Resource Centre
http://priscaquila.6te.net