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Notes
by Rev David D. Hunte
Introduction
John
Wesley - "Some have exalted religious fasting beyond all
Scripture and reason; and others have utterly disregarded it."
Fasting
has developed a bad reputation as a result of the excessive ascetic
practices of the Middle Ages. With the decline of the inward reality
of the Christian faith, the outward forms were stressed. These,
devoid of spiritual power became physically, mentally, and
spiritually abusive.
Fasting
is not injurious to your health, will not sap your strength so you
can't work, won't destroy healthy body tissue. The body can go
for days without food before starvation begins. If done
correctly, fasting can have beneficial physical effects.
Who
fasted in the Bible: Moses, David, Elijah, Esther, Daniel,
Anna, Paul, and Jesus.
Who
fasted in history: Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, John
Wesley, and Jonathan Edwards.
Non-Christian
Fasters: Confucius, Yogis of India, Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, &
Hippocrates (father of Medicine).
Fasting
in the Bible
Definition
- Abstaining from food for spiritual purposes. It is not a
hunger strike, which has a purpose to gain political power or attract
attention to a good cause. It is also not the same as dieting to lose weight.
In
Scripture normal fasting means abstain from all food (solid or
liquid), but not from water. Luke 4:2 - Jesus "ate
nothing." And at the end we are told "he was
hungry." No mention of being thirsty.
A
partial fast is a restriction of diet but not total abstention.
Daniel normally did a regular full fast, but in Daniel 10:3 we are
told: "I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth."
Esther
4:16 - Esther who learned that she and her people would be executed
said to Mordecai, "Go, gather all the Jews&ldots; and hold a
fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or
day. I and my maids will also fast as you do."
Acts
9:9 - Paul engaged in a three day absolute fast after he met the
living Christ.
Deut
9:9; 1 Kings 19:8 - both Moses and Elijah engage in
supernatural absolute fasts for forty days. Since humans can't
go without water for more than three days, this should never be
undertaken without a very clear command from God, and then for not
more than three days.
Fasting
is a private matter between you and God.
Leviticus
23:27 is the only annual public fast required by Mosaic Law, it's
the Day of Atonement when the public asked for forgiveness from their sins.
Fasts
were also called for times of a group or national emergency.
2
Chronicles 20:1-4 King Jehoshaphat called the nation to prayer when
Judah was invaded.
Jonah
(?) In response to his preaching the entire city fasted (including
the animals).
Ezra
8:21-23 Ezra had the exiles fast and pray for safety while
travelling on a bandit infested
road.
King
of Britain called for a day of solemn prayer and fasting because of
a threatened invasion from France. On February 6, 1756 John
Wesley wrote, "The fast day was a glorious day, such as London
has scarce seen since the Restoration. Every church in the city
was more than full, and a solemn seiousness sat on every face.
Surely God heareth prayer, and there will yet be a lengthening of our
tranquillity. Humility was turned into national rejoicing for
the threatened invasion by the French was averted."
In
Jesus day the pharasee in Jesus' parable says "I fast twice a
week." This was a common practise on Mondays and Thursdays
because those were market days and there were bigger audiences to see
and admire their piety.
Later,
the Didache prescribed two days of fasting - Wednesdays and
Fridays. This was revived by John Wesley who so strongly
encouraged Methodists to fast on these two days, that he wouldn't
ordain anyone who didn't do that.
There
is no Biblical command to fast on a regular basis.
Paul
though was engaged in "fastings often" (2 Corinthians
11:27 kjv).
Is
Fasting a Commandment
No,
but it is mentioned by Jesus.
First
- Fasting is connected to His teaching about giving and praying in
the Sermon on the Mount.
Second
- Jesus states, "When you fast&ldots;" (Matthew 6:16), so
it is not If, but When, in His mind.
Martin
Luther said, "It was not Christ's intention to reject or
despise fasting&ldots; it was His intention to restore proper fasting."
Matt
9:15 "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the
bridegroom is with them? The days will come, when the
bridegroom is taken away from the, and then they will
fast." This is why the disciples did not fast, but now
that Jesus has left, we are to fast. It was Christ's
expectation that we do so.
The
Purpose of Fasting
Matt
6:16-18 - Jesus' first statement about fasting deals with the
question of motive. We can't use to to try to get God to do
what we want. It is not a bribe.
God
questioned the people in Zechariah's day, "When ye fasted&ldots;
did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?" (Zech 7:5).
John
Wesley, "First, let fasting be done unto the Lord with our eye
singly fixed on Him. Let our intention herein be this, and this
alone, to glorify our Father which is in heaven."
That
is the primary purpose of fasting!
The
secondary purposes are:
1.
Fasting reveals the things that control us. Pride, jealousy,
anger, bitterness, fear - if they are within us, then fasting will
bring them to the surface.
2.
Fasting reminds us that we are sustained "by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God." Food does not sustain us,
God's Word does.
The
Practice of Fasting
Begin
easy with a partial fast of 24 hours. Lunch-lunch is the best time.
Drink fresh fruit juices during the fast. Attempt once a week
for several weeks. Outwardly you can still perform your duties,
inwardly be in prayer, song, and worship. Break fast with a
light meal of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Next
go to a normal 24 hour fast. Drink only water (lots of it)
with lemon if you wish. Hunger pangs are false hunger, like a
spoiled child. Ignore the signals and sip more water.
They will quiet down. You are to be the master of your stomach,
not its slave. Devote your eating time to prayer and meditation.
Remember
Jesus' words not to call attention to your fasting. You are
fasting for a far greater reward. In the beginning you may be
focused upon the physical aspects of fasting, but eventually, you
will become more spiritual in your outlook.
Move
then to a 36 hour fast (three meals).
Then
to 3-7 days. The first 3 days are the most difficult
(physically). Headaches and bad breathe occur as the body gives
up its toxins. Day 4 may bring days of slight dizziness and
weakness. Rest is best remedy. On days 6 & 7 you feel
stronger and more alert.
On
longer fasts, hunger pains begin to diminish and are almost gone by
days 9 & 10. You feel as if you can go on
indefinitely. Physically this is most enjoyable time.
Anytime
between 21 & 40 days hunger pains will return. This is the
first step of starvation. The pains signify that the body has
used up its reserves and is beginning to drawn on the living tissue.
The fast should be broken at this time.
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