Purpose” is the aim of doing something. Is the reason for which something is being done and what is intended to achieve.
“Benefits” are advantages or help that one gets from something.
“Fasting” is abstinence from food and drink for religious reasons, or for medical and health reasons. It is to voluntarily reduce or eliminate one’s intake of food and drink for a period of time.
Purpose of fasting is a biblical way to truly humble oneself in the sight of God.
David said”I humbled my soul with fasting.” Ps35:13. It is to draw near to God and discern the divine sovereign will, and to develop spiritual strength, guidance and knowledge.
It is appropriate to fast when faced with temptations, trials or potentially dangerous situations. To seek the face of the Lord when preparing for a ministry, when major decisions need to be taken, like choice of career, choosing a life partner, embarking on projects, repenting of evil ways so as to avert God’s impending judgment, relocating or seeking healing and deliverance. In fact Jesus told his disciples that somethings can only be done by prayer and fasting.Matt 17: 21. God expects us to fast and that is why he talked about the kind of fasting he expects “The kind of fasting I have chosen :to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke, to share your food with the hungry, to provide the poor wanderer with shelter - when you see the naked to clothe him and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood.”Isa 58:6-7. The Lord also declares “ return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Joel2 :12. He expects us to be sober, therefore you are admonished to approach God with humility and sincerity. Since it is a spiritual exercise, it should be made personal and people don’t have to know you are fasting.
And Jesus even told his disciples “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. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but to your father, who is unseen, and your father , who sees what is done in secret , will reward you.”Matt 6:16-18. What Jesus told his disciples then is applicable to us as well.
Brethren , fasting is for a purpose, it is a spiritual powerful exercise that also involves prayer combined with faith and focusing on God alone.
Let us consider few things the Bible says about fasting.
Ezra 8:21,23 “There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayers.”
Nehemiah 9:1” On the twenty fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads.”
Psalm 35:13a “Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting.”
Daniel 9:3”So I returned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayers and petition, in fasting , and in sackcloth and ashes.”
Joel 2:12”Even now, declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
Matt 17:21” Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.”
Luke2:37” And then a widow until she was eighty- four. She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying.”
The above are evidences that fasting is needed to be able to get certain things done.
Let us also examine some characters who fasted in the Bible , why they did, and the outcome
Daniel.- Daniel1: 12-20, 10:11-12.
Daniel fasted for twenty - one days purposely to draw closer to God, to seek God in prayer and to have a more personal relationship with Him. The Lord answered his prayer but when the prince of Persia delayed the granted request by God,angel Michael had to come fight the prince of Persia. Daniel’s fasting was followed by answered prayer and spiritual insight. He was said to gain knowledge, wisdom, spiritual understanding,
and favour. He even had better appearance after the fasting.
Brethren fasting attracts spiritual understanding and strengthening of relationships with God and walking closer with him.
Moses-Ex 34:27-35; Deut9: 9-25.
Moses fasted severally as recorded in the Bible but notably are the two times of forty days and forty nights when he went to meet the Lord at different times on Mount Sinai to receive the Tablets of the Covenant. He fasted for cleansing, spiritual interface , for closer relationship with God and for pleading with God to forgive the sins of the people he left with Aaron for worshipping the created golden calf created for them by Aaron before he returned from Mount Sinai.
It was after the first forty days and forty nights of fasting on the mountain that the Lord gave him the two Stone tablets which contained the Ten Commandments. He came back to meet the people worshipping an idol and was very displeased and disappointed and had to break the stone tablets.He went back to meet the Lord on the mountain again. He pleaded with God for forgiveness of sins of the people and he went on another forty days and forty nights of fasting, and the merciful God listened to him and released to him the two Stone Tablets of the Ten Commandments as he did in the first time. Deu10:10. It was recorded that when Moses came down from the mountain his face shone brightly because he had been talking with God, that the people could not look at his face and were afraid to come near him.Ex34:30,35.
Brethren, from Moses’ example ,one can fast to be able to receive from God, to intercede on behalf of someone or a group of people or even a whole nation, for spiritual interface and closer relationship with God.
Queen Esther.-Esther4:16-5:1-12, 7:1-10.
When the information of Haman’s evil plan to annihilate all the Jews in the land of Susa got to the her, herself being a Jew, asked her maidens and the Jews in the land to fast with her for three days and night .She first decided to ask God who had greater power than the king for help and she went on fasting so that she could receive favour from the King so as to table her case and also to prevent annihilation of her people. She needed to call on God for help because anybody the King did not call for, who appears before him will face death penalty. After the fasting, she went to meet the King, and the Lord enabled the King to grant her favour. The King granted her audience and her request was granted, the annihilation order was nullified and the Jews in the land of Susa were completely set free. Queen Esther with her people’s fasting was followed by favour, freedom from oppression, safety and victory. The evil planner Haman received condemnation and he eventually lost his life.
Jesus Christ.-Matt3:13, 4:1-11.
He started his forty days and forty nights fasting immediately after his baptism when the Holy Spirit led him to the wilderness. He was there so that he could be alone with his Heavenly Father to receive power and to prepare for his public ministry. During the time of fasting he was tempted repeatedly by the devil, but he endured the temptation and he used the word of God to defeat the devil.
Jesus answered,”It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God .”Each temptation was conquered by the word of God and the devil left him, and the angels came and attended him.
Jesus left the wilderness victoriously after fasting and with more spiritual strength. From that time on he began to preach., chose his first disciples and started teaching in the synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Brethren, the purpose of Jesus fasting was to be close to his Heavenly Father and to receive power for his earthly ministry. These he got even before he left the wilderness as you read above how he conquered the devil who came to tempt him. Beloved, you need fasting and prayers to be spiritually empowered and be successful in your ministry and in all areas of life.
Brethren,from the above we have learnt that nothing is too little to fast for while seeking help from God and wanting intimacy with God. The purpose ranges
from requesting for journey mercies, safety and protection as Ezra did, wanting to receive from God and interceding for others as Moses did, asking for wisdom as Daniel did, staying in the house of the Lord and awaiting the second coming of Jesus Christ as Anna did, praying for healing ,empowerment to be able to do exploits for God, as our Lord Jesus Christ did. We can add fasting to our prayers from time to time to seek the face of God for favours, breakthroughs , success in career, business, in ministry, healing , to overcome challenges and for grace to do well in life and grace to end well.
Benefits of fasting
In addition to some of the benefits already mentioned above, fasting draws one closer to God, humbles one before God and helps to appreciate that there is a higher and greater authority. It also breaks one from strongholds and frees one from its limitations. It strengthens one faith especially when one sees the outcome. It helps one to focus and also activates the spiritual gift of self control discipline. It helps to break every yoke of heavy burdens and empowers one to do exploits. It also aids the release of prophecy.Joel 2:12, 28. and it is a powerful weapon of warfare.
Brethren, have you been praying over a particular issue for a long time without result? You are hereby admonished to add fasting to it and wait on the Lord for the manifestation.Matt17:21.
Prayer.
Heavenly Father,
Since fasting is a spiritual exercise that enables one to have a closer walk and relationship with you, grant me the grace and the wisdom to be doing so regularly.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
