Bringing Your Faith Into Focus - Day 5

Today's devotional is adapted from the Life Development Sermon Series at Lifechurch.tv by Craig Groeshel.

After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Matthew 4:2

As a Christ follower, one of the most awesome disciplines we can implement is the discipline of fasting. The Bible Encyclopedia defines fasting this way: “To afflict the soul or self, the practice of self-denial.” The Bible describes many types of fasts, as well as many different purposes for them.

In the Old Testament, fasts were observed before certain feasts. People undertook fasts as a part of the mourning process after the death of a loved one. Fasting was also used when seeking divine favor, protection, or as evidence of sorrow for sin. The fast could have been abstaining from a certain food, total abstinence from all food and/or washing, anointing, and sleeping. The length of time could vary from one day, from sunrise to sunrise (Judges 20), seven days (1 Samuel 31), to as many as 40 days (Exodus 34).

Although fasting is often recommended as a modern means of improving health, the foundation of this discipline was spiritual. As a person who loves food, I’ve never been a big fan of fasting. To go two or three hours without a snack is like torture. For years I’ve heard different ministers speak about the spiritual benefits of fasting, and although I agreed with the principles in scripture, it wasn’t until I actually practiced the discipline of fasting that I began to experience great spiritual benefits.

How do you fast? I’ve known people who simply fasted one meal and devoted that time to pray, rather than eating. I know others who have fasted from certain kinds of food, like chocolate. Every time they would desire this food, they would be reminded to seek God in prayer about a certain subject instead. I’ve known some who have had what they call “media” fasts, denying themselves TV viewing or listening to the radio, investing that time instead with God. Essentially, in a fast, we deny ourselves something we’re accustomed to, in exchange for intimacy with God, increased ability to hear from Him and to discern His will. That’s a sweet deal!

In the times that I fast, I abstain from food, drink lots of water, and occasionally, juice. At times I’ll do a bread and water fast, denying myself foods that I generally enjoy. I’ve fasted for loved ones’ marriages, direction for personal decisions, and for major decisions within the church.

Every time I’ve fasted, I’ve been amazed at what God has done. In our self-indulgent, microwave, fast food world, most of us desire instant gratification. We want what we want now. Fasting is a tremendous discipline that denies self.

The first principle in following Christ is that we deny ourselves. Then we’re to pick up our cross and follow Him. As I learn to deny myself, occasionally, for a spiritual fast, this discipline transfers into other areas of my life. It becomes easier for me to deny sin, rebuke Satan, and reject selfishness. If you’re seeking God’s direction, desiring an answer from God, or simply wanting to grow closer to Him, make fasting a part of your relationship with God. Even Jesus, the Son of the living God, fasted for forty days and forty nights. If it was an important discipline in Jesus’ life, then it should be important enough for me.


Next Steps For Today:

• List three things that might require prayerful fasting. A decision? A prayer request for someone else? For deeper intimacy with God?
• Spend some time today seeking the Lord to determine if He’s calling you to fast about any of these things, and what He’s calling you to fast from.
• Consider how this area of your relationship with God could become an important discipline in your life.

Prayer For Today:
Lord, we desire You above all else. Give us wisdom and direction in fasting, so that we can draw closer to You. Please provide us with a clear path, and give us energy, focus, and resolve as we fast. We pray that as we are obedient to You, we would experience You in ways we never have before.