Spiritual Discipline: Fasting

‘“Yet even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;’” Joel 22:12

“So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.” Ezra 8:23

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts….” Zechariah 8:19

“And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.” Matt 4:2

“And when you fast…” Matt 6:16

Jesus fasted and expected His disciples to do so as well. Mars Hill Church teaches “Fasting is a spiritual discipline. Simply put, it means not eating. Instead of using mealtime for food, you use it to spend time with God. Some fasts last for one meal, one day, multiple days, or even weeks. Fasting may begin at sunrise and end at sunset or extend 24 hours per day. There are many ways and reasons to fast, but the basic idea is to set aside the time you would usually spend eating and focus that time on God instead, praying, reading the Bible, and worshiping.” This is a wonderful and concise explanation of the discipline of fasting. I am aware that, in modern times, we often practice fasting from other things such as television or technology or sweets but for the purposes of this series, we are going to keep it simple and in line with the food fasting practice referred to in these scriptures. As you continue in your faith journey with the Lord, He will reveal to you just how this discipline can be incorporated into your life.