“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
– Matthew 6:16-18, NKJV
Introduction
Many churches (including RCC) start the New Year off with prayer and fasting. What is fasting? To fast simply means to abstain from certain foods for a specific length of time. Fasting was a vital part of the success of the early church, and they placed a much greater emphasis on it than we do today.
Fasting In The Early Church
Fasting was observed on Wednesdays and Fridays, when they would abstain from food and water until mid-afternoon: Wednesday in memory of the betrayal of the Lord, and Friday in remembrance of His Passion and death upon the Cross. Christians were also encouraged to undertake personal fasts on their own.
At first this practice was voluntary, but like many areas of spiritual life, it gradually became obligatory as church authorities added more and more rules and regulations over time. We don’t need another religious obligation burdening our lives, so the real question is what does the Bible say about fasting? That’s what we really need to know.
Notice in the scripture above, Jesus speaking to His disciples said, “when you fast...” He didn’t say IF you fast. Jesus simply assumed that His followers would fast from time to time. The word disciple literally means “a disciplined follower,” and fasting is one of those spiritual disciplines.
“Notice in the scripture above, Jesus speaking to His disciples said, “when you fast...” He didn’t say IF you fast. Jesus simply assumed that His followers would fast from time to time.
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Reasons For Fasting
However, in all the Epistles (the books of the New Testament written specifically to the Church) not one time is the Church told to fast. Fasting is definitely mentioned, but no rules are laid down, nor is the Church even encouraged to fast. This is because fasting is something that is done as the occasion arises.
The Bible lists three major reasons for fasting:
- To minister to the Lord.
- To lay hands on ministers to send them forth.
- To draw close to God in times of danger.
These are the scriptural reasons for fasting. You don’t need to fast to defeat the devil in your life. Jesus already won that victory for us when He rose from the dead. Keeping that in mind, we’re going to take an in-depth look at prayer and fasting over the next few weeks.
About the Author
Michael Dorsey is a credentialed minister in the Church of God and very actively involved in ministry at Riverside Community Church. He is a graduate of Rhema Bible Training Center.
Michael and his wife, Katherine, live in Aberdeen, MD with their two children, Robbie and Kirsten. He views the internet as a method to reach people on a massive scale, a tool for outreach to the true seeker, a way to build up and strengthen new believers, and a resource to train Christians for effective service.
You can read more articles by Michael on his website, Threads Unraveled.
