“In fasting, we learn how to suffer happily as we feast on God.”1 — Dallas Willard
I realize that people can fast for weight loss or health benefits, but the fasting we find in Scripture is for the purpose of seeking God in a deeper way. Biblical fasting is also specifically about going without food and possibly drink for a set amount of time. We may say we're going to "fast" from television or social media or some form of entertainment we really enjoy, and while highly beneficial, this is abstaining, not fasting. Fasting always has to do with abstaining from food. (See note at the end of this article.*)
I'll admit I was hesitant to include this discipline for fear of scaring someone away. Please don't flee the premises clutching a cheeseburger, which was absolutely my gut reaction when first learning about what felt like the most treacherous of all the disciplines. I have often wondered, Why on earth would anyone ever voluntarily skip a pancake? I can't tell you how deeply I've searched the Scriptures for the spiritual discipline of eating—it's the one I've been training for all my life.
I learned about and practiced fasting at an early age. My earliest memory of this discipline is fasting with my youth group in junior high. I'm grateful for those earlier experiences because they exposed me to this lesser-practiced discipline at a young age. For me, fasting was part of the Christian landscape, even if the people who traveled to its territory were few and far between.
This still seems to be the case. Out of all the spiritual disciplines, fasting may be the one we practice the least. So the question is: Why should we fast? One simple reason is that Jesus and His disciples fasted.
John 4:31-34 says:
"In the meantime the disciples kept urging him, 'Rabbi, eat something.' But he said, 'I have food to eat that you don’t know about.' The disciples said to one another, 'Could someone have brought him something to eat?' 'My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work,' Jesus told them."
I love what Dallas Willard said about fasting: “Fasting confirms our utter dependence upon God by finding in him a source of sustenance beyond food.”2
I don’t believe the reasons for fasting under the old covenant are obsolete under the new, but I do believe Jesus changes our experience of fasting. I believe we can and should fast for guidance, healing, direction, on behalf of others (intercession), in pursuit of spiritual breakthroughs, and more. But I believe one of the greatest reasons we can fast is simply in pursuit of a deeper experience of Christ. I would love to share with you some of the benefits I’ve received and lessons I’ve learned from fasting over the years.
Dependence on God
Fasting is not a way to manipulate God to do what you want Him to do (Isa. 58). When we fast, we’re voluntarily putting ourselves in a place of weakness and dependence upon God, trusting Him with the results of our fast.
Pursuit of the Supernatural
When we fast, we’re forgoing something natural in pursuit of the supernatural. Jesus feasted on bread that was not of this world. Fasting has helped me become more aware of the spiritual realm that is often obscured by my earthly yearnings.
Saying No to Ourselves and Yes to God
When we fast, we’re practicing the needed discipline of saying no to ourselves and yes to God. In a culture that prizes the ideas of on-demand, you deserve it, and don’t go without, we desperately need to tell ourselves no on occasion. While this may seem inhibiting at first, it’s paradoxically liberating. When I have control over my body, when I’m not “hangry” several times a week, when my temperament isn’t ruled by my next meal, there is freedom.
Focus on God and Others
Fasting is a great way of taking the focus off myself and placing it on God and others. Our Justice & Mercy International staff fasts sunset to sunset once a month. When all I want is a piece of pizza, there’s something good and powerful about interceding for those in the Amazon who may not have eaten for days or for our vulnerable children in Moldova who often live in abusive homes. Fasting puts life in perspective and aligns our hearts with the Lord’s.
"In a culture that prizes the ideas of on-demand, you deserve it, and don’t go without, we desperately need to tell ourselves no on occasion. While this may seem inhibiting at first, it’s paradoxically liberating."
Kelly Minter
Learning Contentment
Fasting teaches me contentment. When my body isn’t immediately satisfied or life deals me a series of disappointments, fasting helps me practice the habit of going to the Lord and seeking satisfaction from Him instead of what is readily available to me (like my prized stash of dark chocolate peanut butter cups that solve a multitude of ailments).
I’m sure there are more reasons, but here’s the bottom line: fasting is worth it, my dear friends. I pray you will incorporate it into your semi-regular rhythm of life. Plan to fast with some friends. Start small if you’ve never fasted before, maybe by skipping one or two meals only. Drink plenty of water and don’t overexert yourself. Gather with others to pray during your fasting. Plan times to be with the Lord or with others in fellowship. And most of all, feast.
*Important note about fasting: If you have any health issues, consult your doctor about whether fasting is safe for you. Also, if you have a history of eating disorders or if fasting is a negative trigger for you, I would encourage you to abstain from something other than food that you really enjoy (social media, television, a certain drink, or an activity.) In summary, if you can healthily fast from food, I encourage you to practice this discipline. But if fasting is not healthy for you physically, emotionally, or psychologically, simply abstain for a time from something you enjoy for the sake of feasting on the Bread of life.
1. Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1991), 167.2. Ibid., 166.
Excerpted from Encountering God: Cultivating Habits of Faith Through the Spiritual Disciplines. Published by Lifeway Press®. © 2021 Kelly Minter.
Join Kelly Minter in this 7-session Bible study as she unpacks the biblical foundation for spiritual disciplines with approachable ways to practice these sacred habits. You’ll find that these habits of faith can actually create more margin in your life — providing peace and rest as you walk closer with Jesus.