Fasting | Institute of Love

Biblical Christian fasting is going without food, as Jesus demonstrated when He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the Devil, whom He resisted and ultimately caused to flee from Him. During this time, Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. (See Matthew 4:1-2) Fasting and prayer are often linked together, as we can read in Luke 2:36-37 where a prophetess and a widow named Anna never left the Temple, but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. In the book of Acts 13:2-3, the believers were fasting and praying to make an important decision, and as they were doing so, the Holy Spirit told them to dedicate Barnabas and Paul for the special work to which God had called them. After more fasting and prayer, they laid their hands on them, and sent them on their way. In turn, Paul and Barnabas, with prayer and fasting, appointed elders in every church, and turned them over to the care of the Lord. (See Acts 4:23) In another passage, Jesus told His disciples that the kind of demon that was in the boy He cured, doesn't go out except by prayer and fasting. (See Matthew 17:14-21) Fasting is also recommended as part of our spiritual growth. We deny our flesh to glorify God! Fasting takes our eyes off the things of this world and makes us focus on God. Fasting gives us a deeper prayer life, and it is a way to demonstrate to God that we are serious about our relationship with Him. In closing, Jesus said that when we fast though, we should not make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. But when we fast, we comb our hair and wash our face. Then no one will notice that we are fasting, except our Father, who knows what we do in private. And our Father, who sees everything, will reward us!!! (See Matthew 6:16-18)