What does the Bible say about fasting? Is Christian fasting Biblical?
For believers in Christ:
You are in Christ Jesus. How much closer to God can you be when God has made you one with Himself in Christ Jesus? He Himself says "I will never leave you nor forsake you." He is always there for us. But we tend to lose the SENSE of His presence when we listen to teachings that put up barriers (e.g. fasting or whatever works man thinks he can do in his own strength) to receiving God's Mercy and Grace in time of need.
Understand that receiving "Mercy" entails escaping the punishment that one truly deserves. And "Grace" is undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour. Any whiff of man's works and man cannot receive by Grace who is Christ Himself.
This is not to knock fasting or other good works. I probably fast (from food and much more,) pray, spend time in and spread the Word of Christ more than anyone reading this, and definitely not by my own effort; and fasting not from food alone as fasting is not limited to food. BUT FAR BE IT FROM ME to chalk down my fasting, witnessing, giving and other works as the foundation for why God blesses me, gives me victory over Satan or why He hears my prayers. That is akin to my own children thinking that I answer them, give them my authority and give them unnecessary gifts only because they fasted or gave some of their things away. Even when they misbehave, I help them. In fact, their good behaviour and "fasting" aka ability to do the needful at the right time in the way that makes me happy is a direct consequence of my training, care and love. How much more our Father in heaven who trains us up in the Way we should go and can never fail in whatever He sets out to do? The One of whom it is written in Psalm 103:13-
"The same way a loving father feels toward his children— that’s but a sample of Your tender feelings toward us, Your beloved children, who live in awe of You."
Good works such as fasting are the "Evidences" of our Salvation in Christ Jesus with whom God gives us all things freely. They are not "Conditions." So man cannot boast in them, impose them on others, wield the threat of punishment or God's withdrawal of His favour over believers who are lacking in certain areas or look down on/wonder why "other people" are not doing them. For every demand, Christ is the Supply.
Some reference the disciples’ inability to cast out a demon after Christ came down from the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James and John as why fasting is needed to achieve some things in life. But nobody was born-again at this time. No one was like Christ. For we who are born-again/begotten of God, 1 John 4:17 is our reality:
“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.”
I am yet to come across a passage in the Bible where an apostle of Christ had to go and fast in exchange for power to cast out demons. They were walking in the full measure of Christ and only because of His blood that was shed for us; pure Grace-- undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour. Whatever works proceed from human effort/flesh are like a menstrual rag in God's sight according to Isaiah 64:6-
"We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight."
That goes for whatever good deed man thinks he can do e.g. sowing his car or fasting to get God who gives us ALL things FREELY with Christ (Romans 8:32) to do anything for him.
Only in Christ the Beloved are we accepted-- forsaking all self-righteous works that man thinks he can do to get right with God apart from Christ and trusting utterly in Christ as our Righteousness, Strength and our Sole Basis for closeness with and acceptance by God. With this mindset (repentance from dead works,) we are free to live the life of Christ. No longer us who live but Christ lives is us, and this is what Christ came to do:
"He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds." Titus 2:14.
Being in Christ like the early apostles Paul and Barnabas (who fasted and did exploits) without manifesting good deeds (fruits of the Spirit) is as impossible as God Himself dipping you into the sea (Christ) with the aim of getting you wet (Christ-like) without you getting wet. What do you do to get wet when you are submerged in water (Christ) by the Almighty God Himself?
Fasting is the "wet."
Helping the needy is the "wet."
Tithing is the "wet."
Godly living is the "wet."
Every good work is the "wet."
We no longer live. Christ does it all so we cannot boast/glory in human effort/the flesh for being "wet," take credit for our good deeds such as fasting or use them as a basis to point fingers/condemn others who are yet to receive their immersion or for believers, their “wet” in certain areas. In the Holy Spirt-inspired writings for Paul in Philippians 3:12–14:
12 “I admit that I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into His abundance so that I may reach the purpose that Jesus Christ has called me to fulfill and wants me to discover. 13 I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. 14 I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus.”
The more we look and depend on the abundance of Christ alone, the more our “wet.” Even our being in Christ is a gift of Grace as we see in Christ's word in John 6:43-46 (MSG)-
"Jesus said, “Don’t bicker among yourselves over Me. You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent Me is in charge. He draws people to Me—that’s the only way you’ll ever come. Only then do I do My work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End...."
But those who claim to have fasted for 70 days in order to receive power, put themselves together, better position themselves to receive God's blessings, get God to give them a job or deliver them from Satan, such are still alive in themselves. Beloved, let's not be found here. If there is any good, even the good of fasting in anyone, it is by God's mercy and Grace- unmerited favour.
At different times, people have tried to give me credit for being a dedicated Christian, generous, a good parent or for being a hardworking employee and even tried to say that this is why God blesses me. But I know who I am of myself and apart from Christ in me- I am the worst of sinners. The most selfish! I would be utterly fast-less, wallowing in sins and utterly lacking in good deeds were it not for the Grace of God (undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour) - Christ Himself- who is eith me and is working in me. I cannot number the benefits that the Lord loads me with daily but by Grace and only by Grace, far be it from me to chalk any of His many benefits in my life down to my fasting, help that I gave to the needy, my bring a witness for Him, my non-existent self-effort at being a good person or my good deeds. None of these things would I be able to do by my own human effort (arm of flesh.) When your believing in Jesus is right, right living will follow.
If there is any good in anyone, it is by God's mercy and Grace- unmerited favour alone. But some among us are like pre-denial Peter-- unaware that the only reason why they are not wallowing in heinous sins and Job-type calamities and seem to be able to fast is because God is still preventing Satan from sifting them like wheat for the good they claim to be when Christ says:
“There is none good but God.”
Like Peter before his denials, many think that they have even as much as an atom of good in them so as to become anything before God much less get close to Him, unaware that God's mercy is the “skeleton” that keeps man from devolving into the helpless and sins-ridden mass of flesh that man is of himself.
Understand that “law” entails whatever man thinks he can or has to do IN HIS OWN MIGHT in order to be closer to God, get Him to bless or in a bid to “ not perish but have eternal life.” The flesh/human nature or man of himself cannot be improved upon. There is no good in it—
“For I know that nothing good lives within the flesh of my fallen humanity. The longings to do what is right are within me, but will-power is not enough to accomplish it.” Romans 7:18.
Under Grace, Christ Himself is our new identity and He is perfection. This is why we who believe Him sing:
“Tis no longer I that liveth but Christ that liveth in me.” Galatians 2:20.
And Christ is Perfection. We who utterly trust Him have the same perfection as a gift. The one who is fasting IN ORDER TO “cleanse” or better position himself (the flesh!) to get God who gives us all things freely with Christ (see Romans 8:32) to do anything for him after Christ died to make us one with Himself and perfect like Himself, that one is still alive in himself and is trying to improve the flesh/human effort in which he trusts.
Some try to twist the fasting of Paul and Barnabas (written in Acts) into a work that one has to do in order to get God to bless. But Paul was quick to tell us that he could not do any good work but for God's grace- unmerited favour. See what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:10--
"But because of God’s grace I am what I am. And His grace was not wasted on me. No, I have worked harder than all the other apostles. But I didn’t do the work. God’s grace was with me."
And how is God's Grace wasted on a person? God's word provides the answer in Galatians 2:21-
"I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!"
Another Bible version puts it thus: "I do not get rid of the grace of God. What if a person could become right with God by obeying the law? Then Christ died for nothing!"
Understand that Galatians 2:21 above was used by Paul to correct Peter who had resorted to doing what the law commands in a bid to seem "holy" after some Jews from Jerusalem arrived at their their location, even to the point of misleading Barnabas. Understand that "law" entails anything at all that man thinks he can do by his own strength in order to be godly, close to God, receive power from Him, earn His acceptance, be anything before God or to "not perish but have eternal life"-- all the things He gave His own Beloved Son up for us to freely have. To try to obey the law is to "set aside" God's Grace who is Christ Himself. Hold on to "set aside."--
It brings to mind a typology from the Old Testament where the people of Beth Shemesh set aside the mercy seat and looked into the Ark of the Covenant. Inside the Ark of the Covenant were the tablets of stone (the Ten Commandments representing man's rebellion against God's law;) Aaron's rod which sprouted (representing man's rejection of God's appointed leadership;) and the golden pot of manna (representing man's rejection of God's provision,) all representing man's rebellion against God.
All of these items were put inside the Ark of God and covered with the mercy seat. As long as God's eyes saw the mercy seat with blood that the high priest sprinkled on it to make atonement for Israel, He did not execute well-deserved judgment on the Israelites. Moses tells us in Deuteronomy that the Israelites were a stiff-necked and rebellious people throughout their journey in the wilderness so Balaam's lack of success was not the result of their good behaviour. This is the reason why Balaam could not curse but bless Israel: the blood on the mercy seat.
As long as blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat year on year, God's eyes did not see the Israelite’s rebellion, all because of the blood of atonement. The people were made right with God, albeit temporarily. Remove the mercy seat/stop the sprinkling with blood as at when due and God's eyes would see the items of man's rebellion against Him and remember their sins (even the tiniest one and "all have sinned.") Judgment must follow. The mercy seat, sprinkled with the sacrificial blood, was what stood between God's wrath and His people. Guess who the reality of the "mercy seat" is:
"Jesus’ God-given destiny was to be the sacrifice to take away sins, and now He is our mercy seat[t] because of His death on the cross. We come to Him for mercy, for God has made a provision for us to be forgiven by faith in the sacred blood of Jesus." Romans 3:25.
And this is God's promise to us in Jesus Christ Grace-personified who is the true Mercy Seat--
"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God." Romans 5:9
Removing the mercy seat and beholding the Ten Commandments has dire repercussions as seen in 1 Samuel 6:19 which tells us what happened when the people of Beth Shemesh set aside the mercy seat and looked inside the Ark of the Covenant-
"Then He struck the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. He struck fifty thousand and seventy men of the people, and the people lamented because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter."
Law and Grace don’t mix. The law demands fasts, obedience, good behaviour, etc to get God to bless or move in one's favour. But Grace who is Christ Himself the Mercy Seat freely supplies. The one who is fasting or doing anything in order to receive power/blessings from God has to set aside the Mercy Seat to in order to give the law what it demands in exchange for God's blessings and favour. The letter (law) kills but the Spirit gives life, and with the Spirit of the Lord it is neither by might nor by power. Recall Galatians 2:21-
"I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!"
In order to get to the law inside the Ark of the Lord, the mercy seat (Christ- Grace Himself) has to be "set aside." The mercy seat (Christ) is all we need to look unto, beloved. Just beholding the law was what killed so many Beth Shemesh men in one fell swoop! They set aside/moved the mercy seat away and the law cried out against them because none can be made righteous by law-keeping! No wonder God's word says in Galatians 5:4 -
"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace."
What is being practiced in many churches today is a mixture doctrine that glorifies human effort/flesh: what man can do (e.g. fast) to get God to reward or bless him; claiming to be Christ's yet setting aside the "Mercy Seat" to behold the Ten Commandments and what man can DO to guide, sustain or receive power for himself. Such works which many churchgoers wave about as godly credentials usually lead to disaster. This is why the world wonders "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Christ says:
"There is none good but God."
But some disagree, like pre-denial Peter, until he lied thrice. And like Adam and Eve who tried to be good (like God) by themselves. Beloved, the end is sin having dominion and death reigning.
"There is none righteous..." Only the one who sees himself as utterly helpless to even fast for a second, has surrendered his will to Christ and has Christ as his Righteousness and Strength, only that one is good/righteous in God's sight. Romans 5:9-
"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."
One with Christ the Vine, He Himself says you the branch will bear much fruit (John 15:5.) But like Uzzah who put out his hand (human strength/arm of flesh) to steady the Ark of God (a picture of the message of Christ-Grace Himself) to keep its contents (the law and its works) from being broken, many are yet to see the futility and danger in trying to bring God's declaration in John 15:5 (one with Christ, you will bear much fruit) to pass in their lives by human effort/arm of flesh that will fail. E.g. God's promise to us in Christ is:
"He shall call upon me and I will answer Him."
And He gives this gift and all others freely with Christ-
"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Romans 8:32.
Freely. Including power to cast out demons. Yet we are "fasting" to "cleanse" ourselves or to trade God for His closeness, answered prayers and His freely-given blessings in Christ? The same cleansing that Christ died for us to have as it is written in Titus 2:14?-
"He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."
God gave up His Son for us to give us eternal life which begins here on earth for the believer. Eternal life is the life that God Himself lives- free of sin and death and full of His power. Whatever one is doing in his own strength in order to be anything before God is works of the law, and by the deeds of the law shall no man be justified in God's sight (Romans 3:20.)
To think that it is our fasting, obedience or other works that brings us closer to God or makes God bless us or to even think that we can produce any good by ourselves when Christ says “There is none good but God" is nothing but pride in self. There is no Christ our Wisdom from God is such reasoning. But when Christ our Wisdom from God is our all, we begin to see reality like God does, hence His word in Proverbs 8:13--
"Wisdom pours into you when you begin to hate every form of evil in your life, for that’s what worship and fearing God is all about. Then you will discover that your pompous pride and perverse speech are the very ways of wickedness that I hate!”
Beloved, let's not put the cart before the horse with that mindset and false teaching that promotes the doing of useless works in order to move God to act on our behalf. That confidence is self/arm of flesh aka thinking that one can produce even an atom of good by oneself is what God detests; the mindset challenges His Word who says "There is none good but God" and leads to sins increasing. I too was full of such self-righteous works before God opened my eyes to see Grace. This is how God sees them according to Isaiah 64:6-
"We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight."
They are dead works and their effects come with sorrow. Recall Proverbs 10:22-
"The blessing of the Lord—it makes [truly] rich, and He adds no sorrow with it [neither does toiling increase it]."
The word "blessing" is from the Old English word "bledsian" which means:
to "mark or consecrate with blood."
It is because we have been marked/consecrated by the blood of Jesus whom we are utterly dependent on for righteousness, strength, God's blessings as well as the doing of every good work that we are blessed, saved and delivered; not our silly efforts to save ourselves as we see in God's counsel in Isaiah 30--
Like I said earlier, I fast, not to get closer to God (I am one with Christ) or achieve anything which Christ has done for me 100%. All the time, I am unaware of my fasting even, until the season has passed. Same goes with night prayers and all those deeds which "holy" men think should make God hear them "faster" and claim as the reason why God was moved to save them or why they can cast out demons. The only reason He hears us at all is Jesus Christ whom, in His love for us, He gave to die for us to make us one with Himself. Such works that man can take credit for as why they have power to do anything are “Christ-less" dead works as evidenced by its doers claiming that those works are why God did xyz for them. Christ has been replaced with works/deeds of the law which cannot justify anyone before God. It is impossible for the one whose works is driven by the flesh/human effort aka dead works to deceive himself in this matter:
if we knew and believed that it is Christ in us doing the godly living and good works (fasting, giving, evangelising, etc) and not our own human might and power, it would be difficult for us to bandy such works about as why God did anything for us, point accusing fingers at those who are still struggling with sin or lack of fasting, come out to boast about how we can fast, levy anyone with such demands and worse, threaten them with judgment or disfavour from God if they don't change. Rather, we would see how helpless man is to fast, overcome sins or produce good works. As Peter saw after he denied Christ, we would see that of ourselves, we cannot do any good much less fast but for God's mercy and grace. And like Moses who pointed the suffering Israelites to the bronze serpent, we point all who are lacking in any area to Christ who saves from sins and transforms the fast-less or the sinner who truly believes to live right and bear much fruit/do good deeds, as it is written of Him in Titus 2:14-
"He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."
When you're hearing True Grace, when your believing in Jesus is right, nobody will need to tell you to fast or produce good deeds just as no one needs to tell boys born to hairy parents to grow a beard like their Father. It will be your way of life, for you no longer live. Christ does it all. As He shows us in John 15:5, our good deeds manifest the same way good fruit grows on a branch. The branch does nothing but utterly depend on Christ the Vine to bear fruit. The Vine does it all. So it becomes impossible to say things like "God answered me and I was able to cast out demons because I fasted" or "fasting works" as if that is why our heavenly Father blesses or helps us. Only Jesus works. And with Him in us and none of ourselves— as branches of the Vine — we cannot but produce good deeds (bear much fruit) in abundance. As born again children of God, our works bloom the same way a child born to a heavily-bearded man eventually grows a beard like his dad— effortlessly, so we cannot boast. Christ gets all the glory.
So ask beloved of God, you whom God so loved that He gave up His own Son to die for your salvation from sins and those earthly ills that you struggle with. Why continue to scavenge for scraps in the pig pen of human effort at getting provision like the prodigal son; or continue to have a slave mindset like his older brother who was in lack amid plenty because he thought that his works should earn him the Father's blessings? By His Grace, trust utterly in Christ as your Righteousness and Strength. Stop your silly efforts to become anything before Him and He will be your Everything.
When your believing is right, right living will follow.
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