Why Fast?

Words from an old song came to me recently: “You must fight if you would win.” It’s not only soldiers on the battlefield who must fight. A spiritual battle is going on for each one we care about, and the battle will be lost unless we fight. One of those ways to fight is to fast—desiring God more than food.

In his book, The Coming Revival, Dr. Bill Bright tells that while seeking guidance after sensing the Lord calling him to a 40-day fast, he distinctly sensed a sobbing in his spirit and, he knew the Lord was weeping. He was startled at first. And although he didn’t know why He was weeping, Dr. Bright began to sob, too.

Then he sensed the Spirit saying, “My people have forgotten one of the most important disciplines of the Christian life, the major key to revival.” He knew the Lord meant prayer with fasting.

John Wesley gave the following wise counsel: “Let us beware of fancying we merit anything of God by our fasting.” Fasting does not earn us a reward, but can help us express our deep desire for God’s intervention. 

Oswald Chambers stated that fasting is much more than doing without food, but that it is fasting from everything that manifests self-indulgence. Setting aside our own agenda in any way, whether we are fasting sleep, food, or favorite pastime, is an excellent way to draw near the Lord.  

Self-denial that pleases the Lord most is that done out of love. I believe God would say, “Deny yourself, not so I will do great things for you, but simply out of a longing for Me and to tell Me you want Me more than you want anything else.”

Dear Lord, teach us the value of fasting.

“My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods (Psalm 63: 5).