FASTING - "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
If there is one spiritual discipline that has fallen out of fashion in the Christian church, it would be fasting. It is not that people struggle understanding what fasting is, but rather many possess a lack of trust that fasting produces a substantial benefit worth the effort. Fasting helps a Christian's spiritual walk in many ways. It brings clarity of mind and builds discipline of the mind, body and soul. In many ways, it places us in a position of necessity by voluntarily withholding ourselves from basic, dietary needs for survival. What we crave is intentionally avoided in order to shift our attention toward a greater purpose, but fasting is not merely an abstention from food. Fasting involves prayer and meditation in an intimate, private setting where we communicate freely with God. In Old Testament times, fasting was not a suggestion, but a command straight from the mouth of God. "And it shall be a statute to you forever that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict yourselves and shall do no work, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you. For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. You shall be clean before the LORD from all your sins. It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict yourselves; it is a statute forever" (Leviticus 16:29-31). It is interesting to note that "affliction" is used to describe fasting. God commanded the nation of Israel on the Day of Atonement to not only abstain from work, but to intentionally deny fleshly cravings by afflicting themselves for the purpose of purity. We would classify it today as a spiritual holiday reserved for those who proclaim themselves as sons and daughters of the Most High God, because it has become a blueprint for future generations to emulate and institute within their spiritual disciplines. However, fasting is no longer a once-a-year mandate, but a privilege we can take advantage of as frequently as we prefer.
We must not overlook in Matthew 6:16-18 that Jesus expects us to fast. His words, "When you fast," cannot be misinterpreted as "If you fast." For many this command brings conviction, because fasting is not something we practice—ever! This should compel us to examine why we avoid fasting. Perhaps it is not taught from the pulpits of our churches or emphasized within Bible study classes and small groups. Perhaps we have avoided the topic because we have no construct of personal application experience to elevate its importance. Perhaps we view it as archaic and outdated. Or perhaps we simply do not practice fasting because we lack understanding. Be encouraged! Not everything we read in our Bibles is easy to wrap our heads around. But if we are willing to humble ourselves and allow the Spirit to guide our actions, we will begin to witness the fruits of our labor if we submit to the expectation Jesus has for us to make fasting relevant and applicable in our lives. The real key is not to distort or minimize Jesus' command under the justification of ignorance. We do not have the right to ignore or even twist it under compulsion of guilt or self-glorification. That is why Noah Webster defines fasting as a "voluntary abstinence from food, as a religious mortification or humiliation; either total or partial abstinence from customary food, with a view to mortify the appetites, or to express grief and affliction on account of some calamity, or to deprecate an expected evil." If fasting was originally instituted by God as a tool to invoke cleansing and purification, we should embrace humility and self-mortification to remind us who we are as sinners, and how desperately we need reconciliation with our Father in heaven.
Self-mortification cannot be misconstrued though. Jesus pointedly judges those who use fasting as a public expression to garner attention from others as to how righteous they think they are. When we do this, all the focus shifts off God and onto ourselves. Fasting is twisted into a weapon of manipulation rather than a pathway to purity, and we who practice this level of deviance will be punished by God. That is the reward Jesus promises in this passage, but how seriously do we heed His warning? Jesus once said to those who doubted His authority, "If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood" (John 7:17-18). Glory is not something God is willing to barter with, and those who attempt to negotiate personal glory at the expense of God's glory are foolish. Yet perhaps some wonder if there is truly anything wrong with publicly proclaiming to others when we fast. Keep in mind, fasting is a discipline of the heart. When we fast privately, outside distractions are kept at bay from influencing our intentions. In many ways, people can ridicule or mock us when we choose to live counter-culture in order to lessen the conviction they feel for not following the same example. Or plainly stated, Satan can leverage the opinions of others to condemn or distract our efforts to obey God's command. That is why we must maintain the same perspective King David had when he said, "Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD accepts my prayer. All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment" (Psalm 6:8-10).
Praise God that Jesus offers specific advice regarding how we should fast. The instruction of "anointing our heads" and "washing our faces" is in stark contrast to the unrighteous mockery of fasting He condemns. In order to garner attention and sympathy, hypocrites would dress themselves in sackcloth and leave their faces unwashed and dirty with ashes to convey publicly that they were intentionally fasting and in communion with God. However, Jesus offers no such command for the righteous, but instructs us to cleanse ourselves outwardly in order to prepare our hearts internally. It is no different than how we dress ourselves for attending church on Sundays. We prepare our bodies physically, but we must be vigilant to not become legalistic and judgmental of others in the process. The heart's intent must be our primary focus, which cannot be limited by personal preference. Consider Peter's encouragement to wives as a guide to what truly matters to God: "Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious" (1 Peter 3:3-4). Let us be clear. Is Peter condemning cosmetology or wearing jewelry? No. Is Peter stating that there is only one acceptable fashion style that is acceptable to wear? No. Is Peter even saying that what we look like on the outside even matters at all? No. What Peter is emphasizing though is that the condition of our character and countenance far exceeds the outward adornment we wear and portray. For if our hearts and souls are pure, we will allow the Spirit who dwells in us to shine forth as the most important outward adornment we convey publicly; because that is beauty which is imperishable and pleasing to God, and one that honors the true intent of what fasting was instituted to illicit within the hearts of the Lord's beloved children.
The reasons why we fast are just as important as how we fast. Fasting allows us the opportunity to express our hearts to God, but in a more intense and focused manner. It is first bathed in humility with a reverence to God's holiness, that He may expose the condition of our hearts. It is an opportunity for clarity and discernment, healing and transformation, conviction and reconciliation. Even more so, it is a period of time when we turn from our love of self and allow the Lord to embrace us with His grace, mercy and love. "'Yet even now,' declares the LORD, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.' Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster'" (Joel 2:12-13). Yet perhaps our greatest reason for fasting is simply for strength and fortitude to live on mission to accomplish God's will, despite the spiritual warfare which opposes us. Before Jesus' ministry began, He departed alone into the wilderness and fasted for forty days and forty nights (Matthew 4:1-11). And when He was physically weary and exhausted, Satan used the opportunity to tempt Jesus to abandon His mission and reject His Father's will. Even the discipline of fasting itself placed Jesus into a position where His lack of physical nourishment left Him weak and vulnerable, but it would not deter Him from rebuking each of Satan's temptations by reciting God's Word. This should help direct our attention when we fast to not only prayer and supplication, but meditation and memorization of Scripture. Without God's Word, Satan would not have relented his attack on Jesus, because Scripture is the only offensive weapon available that is adequate enough to combat the forces of evil. "In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:16-18).
The reward that awaits every follower of Christ who implements the discipline of fasting is truly dependent on the individual. Like any quality relationship or practice, we get out what we put in. If we are unwilling to relinquish the time and effort needed to properly fast, we are missing out on incredible blessings God has in store for those who prioritize this practice. Therefore, let us not feel guilted by compulsion, but inspired to fast according to Jesus' instruction. It is a shift in perspective that takes a spiritual discipline rarely spoken of and turns it into an opportunity to grow closer to the Lord. For just as Paul said, "But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified" (1 Corinthians 9:27), we must be prepared to discipline our faith walk by leveraging fasting as a means to an end for God's glory. No doubt, it may be difficult to get accustomed to if we have never done it, but repetition and consistency breed discipline if we apply ourselves accordingly. For just as we learned studying the book of James, surrendering our lives to God means taking a step back and acknowledging who we are as sinners compared to the holiness of God—and fasting allows us the intimate time needed with the Lord to mourn over our sin, that we may find our joy again in the love of our Savior whose eternal sacrifice cleanses us. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you" (James 4:7-10).
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