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The Spiritual Duty of Fasting With Prayer
A Call for a Day of Prayer & Fasting Regarding The Sanctity Of Life
By
Dr. Peter A. Lillback
Proclamation Presbyterian Church
November 15, 1999

Introduction: Fasting for many evokes the image of a medieval monk beating himself in the middle of the night in an isolated monastery as somber tones of a Gregorian chant waft to the angry skies. Indeed, fasting almost sounds un-American with all of the advertisements for sumptuous foods and gourmet restaurants that bombard us every day. Somehow we find feasting more natural (and more appealing) than fasting. The first time I was invited to a Christian gathering to pray and fast, I brought along a bag lunch just in case! Fasting with prayer is biblical! In fact, the Bible tells us that fasting with prayer is an important ingredient in our spiritual walk with God. Because it is almost a forgotten practice for many in modern American Christianity, I would like to offer a summary of the 50 or so passages in the Bible that address various aspects of this much neglected subject.

The People Who Fasted
1. Individuals: Moses, David, Elijah, Ahab, Jehoshaphat, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Jehoiakim, Darius, Daniel, Anna, Jesus, a Pharisee, Cornelius, Paul and Barnabas
2. Nations: Israel, Ninevites, Judah, exiles
3. Groups: Saul’s valiant men, David and his men, the Jews in Susa, the people and the priests, the prophets and teachers in Antioch, Paul’s newly established mission churches, married couples in Corinth
4. The participants of Biblical fasts include: Kings both good and bad, a queen, nobles, elders, priests, soldiers, political leaders, prophets, a prophetess, apostles, teachers, and even beasts, flocks and herds (Johah 3:7)! In fact, the Son of God Himself left us His own example and teaching regarding prayer and fasting. Could you add your name to that list as one who has ever prayed and fasted?
The Length, Frequency & Days of Public and Private Fasts
1. Length of fasts include: 40 days and nights (Moses, Elijah, Jesus); 3 weeks (Daniel); 2 weeks (Paul and sailors at sea); 1 week (David); 3 days (Esther & Paul); 1 full day (Israel); daylight (David); night without food and sleep (Darius). Many examples are left unspecified in terms of length (David, Ahab, Jehosaphat, Ezra.
2. The Frequency of Fasts include: Continual (Anna); annual (Day of Atonement); specific months (Israel in 4th, 5th, 7th, 10th months); twice per week (Pharisee); definite agreed upon time (married couple)
3. Generally speaking, fasting is inappropriate for days where the Word of God is emphasized in celebration since the joy of the Lord is our strength. See Nehemiah 8:1-12. Sundays are normally not days of fasting since they are usually days of Scriptural celebration in light of the resurrection of Christ on the first day of the week, the administration of the Lord’s Supper in the worship service, and the common practice of agape or fellowship meals on the Lord’s Day.
4. Public fasts were officially called in biblical times (Ezra 8:21; 2 Chron 20:3; Joel 1:14; Jonah 3:5-10). We are calling for a ONE day fast. Will you consider participating. You can fast alone or in a group setting as seen above.
The Occasions And Purposes for Fasting
1. There are many reasons for fasting:
  1. Moses receiving the Law from God (Ex. 24:18; 34:28; Dt. 9:9)
  2. Repentance and intercession for sin (Dt. 9:18; 1 Sam 7:6; Ezra 10:6; Neh. 9:1-2; Dan. 9:3; 10:1-3)
  3. War (Judg. 20:26; 2 Chron 20:3)
  4. Mourning a death (1 Sam. 31:13; 2 Sam. 3:35; 1 Chron. 10:12)
  5. Intercessory or personal prayer for recovery from an illness (2 Sam. 12:16-22; Ps. 69:10)
  6. Accomplishing God’s will instead of eating (1 Kg. 19:8; Jn. 4:31-32; 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:27)
  7. Humiliation and grief at a message or remembrance of judgment (1 Kg 21:20-29; Neh. 1:4; Jer. 36:9; Jonah 3:5-10; Zec. 7:5)
  8. Petitioning God for safety in the face of imminent danger (Ezra 8:21-23; Esther 4:16; Dan. 6:18; Joel 1:14, 2:12-13)9.
  9. Preparation for spiritual service or conflict (Mt. 4:1-2; 17:21; Lk. 4:2; Acts 13:2)
  10. Consciousness of the absence of the incarnate Christ (Mt. 9:14-15; Mk. 2:18)
  11. Worship (Lk. 2:37; Zec. 8:19; Acts 13:2)
  12. Conversion (Acts 9:9)
  13. Personal Devotion with God (Acts 10:30)
  14. Ordination of missionaries and elders (Acts 13:3; 14:23)
2. The most important reason to fast is that it is a training course in the school of the necessary Christian quality of self-denial. We must learn to say “no” to ourselves if we will truly serve Christ as our Lord and Savior (Mt. 16:24; Lk. 14:26, 27; Rom. 8:13, 15:1; Gal. 5:24). It is God’s grace that teaches us such self-denial (Titus 2:11,12) as we take up our cross daily to follow Christ (Lk. 9:23-26).
3. If you are involved in any of the above activities, fasting is appropriate for you!
How to Fast
1. Abstaining from food and drink entirely or partially for a set period of time.
  1. Both food and water (Ex. 34:28; Ezra 10:6; Acts 9:9)
  2. Just food (2 Sam. 12:17; Lk. 4:2)
  3. Plain food “no choice food, meat or wine” (Dan 10:3)
  4. You may choose the length, I recommend starting with only one day
  5. You may determine the method
2. Sensitivity to one’s health and constitution
  1. Jesus desires “mercy not sacrifice” (Mt. 9:13)
  2. He is gentle to the “bruised reed” and “smoldering wick” (Mt. 12:20)
  3. He is opposed to the “rules” taught by men (Mt. 15:9)
  4. God’s fast is described by Isaiah: “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke to set the oppressed free and break every yoke: Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
  5. You may fast in ways other than simply denying yourself food, such as by sharing your food or your clothes or meeting the needs of others from your own bounty.
3. Some aspects of fasting in biblical times included certain bodily concerns
  1. No lotions (Dan. 10:3; 2 Sam. 12:20)
  2. Tearing of clothes, not changing clothes (2 Sam. 1:11, 12; 12:20; 1 Kg. 21:27)
  3. Use of sack cloth (1 Kg 21:27; Neh. 9:1; Ps. 35:13)
  4. Application of dust and ashes (Neh. 9:1; Isa. 58:5; Jonah 3:5-10; Dan. 9:3)
  5. Denial of sleep (Dan. 6:18)
  6. Hunger to the point of physical weakness and thinness (Ps. 109:24)
  7. The postures: lying (Deut. 9:18; 2 Sam. 12:17), sitting (Jonah 3:6), and standing (Neh. 9:1-2)
  8. While all of these are biblical expressions of fasting, none of them are mandated in Scripture. Joel 2:13 says, “Rend your heart and not your garments.” And it appears that Jesus changed the model of fasting for the NT Christian when He declared, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Mt. 6:16-18)
  9. It is clear that Jesus expects His disciples to fast with the joy of the Lord predominating as in the promise of Zec. 8:19, “The fasts...will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.”
4. The seriousness of fasting--David took an oath (2 Sam. 3:35)
5. The inwardness and spirituality of fasting--the heart is key (Joel 2:13). It touches the emotions: weep and mourn (Joel 2:12), meekness, humbleness (1 Kg 12:27, 29). It is especially concerned with repentance: deny oneself (Lev. 16:29); confession of sin (Judg. 20:26; 1 Sam. 7:6; Neh 9:1; Dan. 9:3), return to the Lord (Joel 2:13), give up evil ways and violence (Jonah 3:8), and worship in the power of His Holy Spirit (Mt. 4:1, Lk. 2:37; Acts 13:2-3).
6. Believing prayer is the blossom and fruit of the tree of fasting: (Ezra 8:23; Neh. 1:4; Ps. 109:4, 24; Jonah 3:5; Dan. 9:3; Mt. 6:5-18, 17:21; Acts 9:9, 11; 10:30; 13:3; 14:23; 1 Cor. 7:5)
7. The confidence and motivation of fasting with prayer is the nature of God--compassion, grace, slow to anger, love, forgiveness (Ezra 8:21-23; Joel 2:13, Jonah 3:9-10)
8. Avoid the abuses of fasting: self-interest (Zec. 7:5); hypocrisy (Jer. 14:12; 36:6, 9; Mt. 6:16), unrepented sins of commission or omission (Isa. 58:3-7); and seeking justification and forgiveness by it as a means of human merit before God (Lk. 18:12)

Conclusion: Why are we so slow to fast and so fast to feast? It is because we have yet much to learn about denying ourselves to follow Christ. Let each of us in the Presbyterian Church in America choose to become more of a disciple of Christ as we worship, repent, pray and fast together regarding the sanctity of human life.

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