The Discipline of Fasting
A Feast for the Soul
Matthew 6:4-21 October 6, 2002
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. [6] But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. [7] And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. [8] Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
[9] "This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
[10] your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
[11] Give us today our daily bread.
[12] Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
[13] And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.'
[14] For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. [15] But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
[16] "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. [17] But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, [18] so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
[19] "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. [20] But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. [21] For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Intro: I want to begin this morning by telling you in advance, that perhaps what I have to share will be of no meaning to you. If you are here today because you want to go to heaven when you die, and you will obey whatever rules are established for that to happen, but you are not too concerned with what that may have to do with your life today, then I would invite you to go to sleep right now.
However, if your desire is to Know Christ and the power of his resurrection; if you long to know victory over temptation; if your goal is to become the person God is calling you to be in every area of your life, then sit up and get ready for a feast.
The Discipline that we will be studying today is one which has been central to lives of God’s people from the time of Abraham until today. The benefits to the spirit will only be revealed in eternity. Having said that, I must tell you, no where in scripture is this commanded. It is described, it is assumed, it is encouraged, it is illustrated, but it is not commanded as prayer or giving, or service is commanded. I am speaking, of course, of the discipline of fasting.
The spiritual disciplines that we have been studying, and I pray seeking to exercise, are tools God provides to establish new patterns in our lives. CS Lewis, in the marvelous little book The Screwtape Letters has written a series of letters from a senior demon to his young assistant that reveals the methods of temptation. Early in the book the man they are tempting comes to faith in Christ. In the second letter Screwtape writes, “My dear Wormwood, I note with grave displeasure that your patient has become a Christian. . . But there is no need to despair; hundereds of these adult converts have been reclaimed after a brief sojourn in the Enemy’s camp and are now with us. All the habits of the patient, both mental and bodily are still in our favor.”
And that is true, when we come to Christ, our habits do not magically change, but with Christ’s provision, we are able to change them. This is the role of the spiritual disciplines. It is these practices and exercises that God uses in our lives to establish new habits.
In a culture where restaurants are more numerous than grocery stores and fast food is being called an epidemic, it seems strange to speak of fasting. Many in our society are convinced that if they do not have three large meals a day, they will become weak and sick. Certainly, it said, fasting will destroy healthy tissue and leave us vulnerable to disease. And yet, through the centuries men and women have recognized a benefit in disciplining the body through the Fast. When the Bible speaks of fasting, it is referring to a person willingly abstaining from food for a spiritual purpose. It is very different from the hunger strike that is seeking political power, or the dietary fast that is taken on for physical benefits. That does not mean these things are wrong, they are simply different than spiritual fasting.
Moses, David, Elijah, Esther, Daniel, Hanna the prophetess, Paul and Jesus all are examples of people who fasted in the Bible. The text we read this morning is taken from the sermon on the mount, here we find Jesus teaching his followers about life under God’s reign. After calling them to love their enemies and to rejoice even in persecution, he began teaching them about those things which were important for life in the Kingdom. First he taught us to pray without drawing attention to ourselves. He called us to forgive when we pray and to bring all our cares to Him. Later he insisted that when you give to God, that you must be giving to God. He said, “Store treasures in heaven, not on earth so you will have a lasting reward.” And sandwiched between the teachings on prayer and giving, Jesus gives instructions for fasting.
Now fasting was not a regular practice of the disciples during Jesus’ ministry, in fact that was one of the criticisms of his disciples, they did not fast like John’s disciples or the pharisees. However, it was not unknown to them, and following Jesus’ ascension his disciples did fast.
The instructions Jesus gave were very simple. He said, “When you fast,” not if you fast, but when, “don’t try to make people feel sorry for you.” Don’t make a big deal out of it, if you do, you have your reward. Instead, make your fast between you and God. Don’t tell the world, don’t make yourself look miserable, just do it for the benefit of knowing God. Did you hear that?
Why fast? It is not so you can try to get God to do what you want. Fasting is not about manipulating God or impressing people. Rather the focus of fasting must be the worship of God. It is to know Him. Richard Foster points out that In Zechariah’s day God questioned the people this way: “'When you fasted, . . . did you really do it for me?” All other goals of fasting must take second place to worshiping God. While there may be physical benefits, while you may find greater power in prayer, while there may be spiritual insights, these must be second in our motives. John Wesley wrote, “First, let it be done unto te Lord with our eye singly fixed on Him. Let out intention herein be this, and this alone, to glorify our Father which is in heaven. . . this is the only way we will be saved from loving the blessing more than the Blesser.”
The very fact that we are laying aside something as central to our lives as nourishment means that fasting will reveal the things that control us. If it is pride, we will take pride in the fast itself. If it is anger, our tempers will become short as we continue to fast. If our controlling sin is jealousy or lust, these will be uncovered almost at once. Bitterness, fear and envy will come to surface when we refuse to answer the call of our stomachs.
But this is a good thing. When you go through this time of fasting, the Spirit of God will reveal to you the sin that is present. And then he will guide you to take steps to overcome that sin.
Another blessing of fasting is the fact that when we fast we are reminded that we are not sustained by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. When we fast we are taking the opportunity to feast on the word of God. Remember what Jesus said to his disciples when they found him talking to the woman at the well? They offered him food and he turned them down because he had learned that his food, what sustained him, was to do the will of His Father and accomplish His work. To fast with our focus on the Worship of God is to provide a feast for our souls.
A third blessing is found in the fact that fasting helps keep balance in our lives. Paul wrote, “All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything.” Our cravings and desires are like rivers that flow through our lives. When we become enslaved by these cravings and desires, the rivers overflow their banks and cause destruction as surely as a flood causes destruction. When we deny ourselves in fasting, we are keeping those rivers within their banks so they can be healthful to our lives. Paul spoke of greedy people (quote)“whose god is their stomach.” When we deny the stomach god that we each live with, the God of the universe is able to take control.
So how do we do this? How do we fast? First, in prayer we ask God if this is something he would have us do at this time, and then listen with our hearts. If he is leading you this way, you will know, if he is not, continue to seek his leading in other ways.
Then prayerfully select a period of time for your fast. If this is new to you, may I suggest a period of sun-up to sun-set, or noon to noon. Take these hours and through your regular activities let your heart be focused on your Redeemer and the one who sustains you. Use your mealtimes, if you can, as times for special devotion and meditation. Listen to your heart and the rebellion that is going on in your Spirit. Drink plenty of water and even clear fruit juices. Let this time be used by God to redirect your life.
Many have found setting one day a week aside for a year or more tremendously beneficial. Through this extended commitment your response to God’s work will change. Initially you will be proud at the accomplishment. In time you will discover areas of your life where you are compulsive, and may learn contentment. As time goes by, it will become more difficult, but you will also understand more of what God wants to do in your life. A discipline is something that needs to be practiced and will only develop with time.
I want to warn you of something. The greatest time of spiritual danger is at the close of a fast. There is a tendency to relax and that opens to door to temptation. Satan approached Jesus after 40 days when Jesus was hungry. For us there can be a feeling of “look what I have done” which will lead to pride and self sufficiency. Keep your spiritual armor on as you close this time. It is a time for reflection and worship.
There are people who for medical reasons should not enter total fasts, however, there are ways of pulling away from your regular habits to worship God. If you watch Television compulsively, turn it off for a week, or even a day and spend that time with God. Perhaps it is time to take a fast from the computer or the telephone. Let God lead you as you seek ways to worship Him.
Foster writes: Fasting can bring breakthroughs in the spiritual realm that will never happen any other way. It is a means of God’s grace and blessing that should be neglected no longer. Men and women in the past found this an important discipline, their reasons are just as important to us today as they were then. If you are hearing the voice of God calling you to this discipline today, then I urge you to obey. This week, consider partaking of a feast for the soul.
Let us pray.
This morning we will be sharing in another feast for the soul. The gift of the Lord’s Supper.
Let us Pray
In your wisdom, you made all things
and sustain them by your power.
You formed us in your image,
Setting us in this world to love and serve you,
and to live in peace with your whole creation.
When we rebelled against you
refusing to trust and obey you,
you did not reject us,
but still claimed us as your own.
You sent prophets to call us back to your way.
Then in the fullness of time,
out of your great love for the world,
you sent your only Son to be one of us,
to redeem us and heal our brokenness.
You formed the universe in your wisdom
and created all things by your power.
You set us in families on the earth
to live with you in faith.
We praise you for good gifts of bread and wine,
and for the table you spread in the world
as a sign of your love for all people in Christ
* The Great Thanksgiving taken from the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, copied from website:
http://www.presbyterian.org.nz/resources/ministryresources/celcomchap4a.html
