© 24 Colin Melbourne
Abundant Life or Abundant Flesh?
Fasting is often mentioned in the Bible as an aspect of effective prayer under the Old Covenant, and a few times in the New Testament, so it’s not surprising that zealous, well-intentioned, believers occasionally get the wrong idea, and go overboard.
Fasting Under The Law
We see the Hebrews fasting to call on Jehovah God in various predicaments, notably; during calamities, 2 Samuel 1:12, trials, Psalms 35:13, repentance, 2 Sam. 12:16, supplications of Daniel 9:3, confessing sin, 1 Sam. 7:6; Neh. 9:1,2, and Moses’ 40 day fast, Deut. 9:9,18.
In the New Testament, before the New Covenant was ratified, John the Baptist’s disciples fasted habitually, Mtt. 9:14, so did Prophetess Anna, Luke 2:37, and the Pharisees, Mtt. 9:14; Mk. 2:18; Luke 18:12.
Remember that Christ’s 40 day fast in the wilderness, Mtt. 4:1,2; Mk. 1:12,13; Luke 4:1,2, was done under The Law.
Fasting is also mentioned under the New Covenant
Cornelius the Centurion whilst unsaved, Acts 10:30, Paul; 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:27, Jn. 3:5-10, Ac. 9:9, and the Disciples Ac. 13:2,3, 14:23.
Fasting was routine under the Old, but not nearly as significant for New Covenant believers. Nevertheless Christians can still get carried away with denying themselves food and drink for spiritual reasons.
I recall TL. Osborn saying he’s, seen people be driven crazy with that stuff!
TL was talking about believers making an idol out of prayer and fasting, especially in relation to casting out demons, falsely assuming they have to “press through” to get God interested in answering prayer. They’ve lost sight of the Gospel fact that our Heavenly Father wants to answer our prayers more than we want the answer. Understand the price He paid to do that.
God’s Chosen Fast
When Father leads you to fast, it will be pure joy.
Fasting is good when done for the correct reason, but grieves Father and the Holy Ghost if undertaken for the wrong purpose.
Fasting Basics
Gyroscope topple image courtesy of atpltheorynotes.com
We’re touching on subtle motives, and comprehension of our right-standing with Father God, so I don’t want to “topple any believer’s gyro”, but here follow six basic points about Christian fasting that I’ve gleaned so far in my walk with Christ.
Three Excellent Motives for Fasting
1) Because the LORD has led you to fast, either directly through the Holy Ghost in your heart, or through a genuine word of prophecy from a fellowship elder.
2) To remind your flesh that your spirit is in charge of your body and soul.
As a matter of voluntary self-discipline, it’s a good routine to fast for 24 hours once a month, or once a week.
If you find this self-test difficult, that’s an indication your flesh and soul are ruling you, instead of being under the control of your spirit: The real you.
Incidentally, if you’re a novice at distinguishing your spirit from your flesh and soul, fasting is an excellent way to discover which is which.
Try it and you’ll see for yourself what I’ve discovered.
3) To lose fat when over your target weight.
Eat less, exercise more. It always works.
Fat children and adults die sooner, suffer more physical and mental illness and infirmity, and waste funds on food, doctors, medication, and hospitals.
Obese Christians make poor witnesses of God’s Life in a believer: We enjoy abundant life: Not abundant flesh!
If you can pinch more than an inch thickness of skin around your waist; you need to fast, become more self-controlled, and eat a healthy diet.
Remember, greed is one form of covetousness, which is idolatry. (Col. 3:5 KJV)
Three Bad Grounds On Which to Fast
1) To ensure answered prayer.
I was guilty of this folly when I first got saved. Father was merciful, overlooked my misplaced zeal, and granted the requests nonetheless.
But there’s only one basis on which God answers prayer: Heart-faith in The Precious Blood Sacrifice of Christ, and His Righteousness.
Fasting in order to help get an answer to prayer is an insult to The Name and Blood of Christ: They are always, and entirely, sufficient.
Every believer has perfect eternal access to the glories of Heaven, and to everything Christ purchased for us with His Life, but doubters get nothing from God. James 1:7-8 KJV;
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
You are invited to ask Father for whatever you need, on the basis of Christ’s Name alone.
To fast is to ignore that invitation, and be a gate-crasher: Don’t do that.
2) To show God you mean business.
As a new believer, I was encouraged to fast “to show God I was serious” about the matter in hand. I read a little booklet on fasting which endorsed that error.
I was also deeply impressed when I heard a Korean lady testify about “Prayer Mountain” in Seoul, where sick Christians would go to pray, taking no food with them, just their Holy Bible, and not come down until they knew they were healed. Wonderful miracles happened there. If The LORD is leading you to do that, then obey Him.
However, there’s a difference between doing something to show your faith in God’s word, and doing what God has written (or said) and led you to do.
What is it?
Answer that, and you’ll get the point.
Almighty God always responds to faith in Him, and in His words put into action.
He’s not bound to move because of our faith in our ideas and actions.
3) Your Pastor calls you to fast.
If you don’t have The Inner Witness about the fast, then simply disregard it, but be sure to privately let the Pastor know why.
When Father is leading you to fast and pray about something, you’ll have no doubt about it.
And you’ll not make the blunder religious Jews made in Isaiah 58:3-12 KJV;
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.
Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
© 24 Colin Melbourne
You may also wish to read;
Why Christians Reject the Paleo Diet