In the midst of all the posts on fasting, a few people have asked me if fasting is really all about abstinence from food, or is it broader than that. I think this is an important question for us to consider within this whole topic.
In an earlier post, I defined fasting as “voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes.” If we were to do a biblical study on fasting (see my Old Testament and New Testament studies on the topic), we would find that fasting is always connected with physical abstinence from food.
Scot McKnight, in his excellent book Fasting, describes fasting as ‘body language’. It is a physical way of responding to a sacred moment; of communicating to God our desire, grief, repentance, etc. The very physicality of skipping a meal, or meals, is a means of expressing to God our spiritual longing for Him.
Thus, as Kari McIntyre, a friend and earlier commentator on my posts on fasting wrote:
The physical response from my body when fasting from food reminds me of the purpose of my fast, that I need God. So if I’m to abstain from food, the only thing that can satisfy my need is God. Therefore I spend more time praying to God for the reason why I am fasting.
At the same time, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a renowned British pastor and teacher of the Bible from the 20th century, defined fasting in a much broader sense:
Fasting, if we conceive of it truly, must not only be confined to the question of food and drink; fasting should really be made to include abstinence from anything which is legitimate in and of itself for the sake of some special spiritual purpose.
So, is fasting just related to food, or is it a broader self-denying “abstinence which is legitimate sin and of itself”?
Although I agree with the direction of Lloyd-Jones’ thought, I would define what he calls fasting as self-denial or even simplicity. My view is that fasting has to do with food, not other things. I have not seen any connection between the term fasting and anything but food or liquids in the Bible. (The one exception to this is Isaiah 58 where fasting is connected with justice & righteousness.)
It is worth saying, though, that stepping back from other things that we give much time or energy to (e.g., TV, Facebook, work, shopping) can be helpful for our spiritual growth. However we categorize this (self-denial or a form of simplicity), I do not think of it strictly as fasting.
That being said, there are some folks for whom fasting as traditionally understood is not a realistic option because of health issues (e.g., diabetes, pregnancy). In cases like this, other forms of self-denial can be viewed as a viable substitute for fasting.
In the midst of these discussions, we do well not to get overly concerned with definitions and categories, but with the heart of the matter: putting ourselves in a place where God can truly transform us to be more like Jesus.
- Leviticus 23:27 – “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves [or fast], and present a food offering to the Lord.” – This is an example of regularly scheduled (annual) days of fasting for God’s people corporately.
- Ezra 8:21-23 – “There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions…we fasted and petitioned our God about this [need for protection on the journey] and He answered our prayer.” – Corporate fast called by Ezra, leader of the Israelite envoy back to the homeland, for help from God in the face of desperate need.
- Judges 20:26 – “Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the Lord. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings of the Lord. And the Israelites inquired of the Lord.” – In response to terrible wrongs down by the tribe of Benjamin, the remainder of the tribes gathered in grief to fast and pray and seek God’s guidance as to how they should respond.
- 1 Samuel 31:13 – “Then they took their bones [Saul and his sons] and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.” – King Saul and his sons had been brutally killed. They people of a nearby town, Jabesh Gilead, grieved in response with fasting.
- Esther 4:16 – “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for m e. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law.” – This is an example of an absolute fast Keep reading →
March 30, 2010
Types of Fasting
In his book Spiritual Disciplines of the Christian Life, Donald Whitney offers a helpful list of different types of fasting that I found particularly helpful. I have distilled Whitney’s comments down here in hopes of giving a basic framework for understanding the variety of fasting seen in the Scriptures.
- Normal fast – abstaining from all food, but not water (Matt 4:2; Luke 4:2)
- Partial fast – abstaining from some food; a limitation of diet (Daniel 1:12; Matt 3:4)
- Absolute fast – abstaining from all food and water (Ezra 10:6; Esther 4:16; Acts 9:9)
- Supernatural fast – an absolute fast that surpasses normal human limitations; this requires God’s supernatural intervention (Deut 9:9; 1 Kings 19:8)
- Private fast – a personal pursuit of God that is hidden from or not noticed by others (Matt 6:16-18)
- Congregational fasts – gathering as a local group of believers in order to see God (Joel 2:15; Acts 13:2)
- National fasts – gathering as an entire nation to seek God (2 Chron. 20:3; Jonah 3:5-8)
- Regular fasts – specific days scheduled at regular times, such as the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:29-31) or monthly fasts (Zech 8:19); Lent (the 40-day period from Ash Wednesday to Easter) is traditionally seen as a time for fasting for Christians
- Occasional fasts – seasons of fasting established by leaders in response to specific situations or cataclysmic events (see Esther 4:16 and 2 Chron 20:3)
The bottom-line is that while fasting is, as Whitney says, “a Christian’s voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual reasons,” there are a variety of ways that this is worked out.
[This is part of a series of posts related to our week of prayer and fasting at Brooklife Church from March 28 to April 4, 2010.]
March 30, 2010
Fasting: Why Do We Do It?
Throughout the Bible, there are many reasons given for fasting, from personal spiritual renewal to community repentance before God.
In this week of prayer and fasting at Brooklife Church, we are specifically connecting with times in the Bible where God’s people pray and fast in order to express deep needs before God. As a community, we are standing together by praying and fasting to say to God in a very tangible way that we need to hear from Him.
In the Old Testament, we see this when Ezra, the spiritual leader of the people, gathered the entire nation together to pray and fast in the face of a desperate need. They were returning to their homeland after an extended exile in Babylon. “There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children …we fasted and petitioned our God about this [need for protection on the journey] and He answered our prayer” (Ezra 8:21-23).
[This is part of a series of posts related to our week of prayer and fasting at Brooklife Church from March 28 to April 4, 2010.]
March 29, 2010
Fasting: Some practical guidelines
Here are some very practical guidelines on fasting that have been helpful for me from Adele Calhoun’s book Spiritual Disciplines Handbook:
- Don’t fast when you are sick, traveling, pregnant or nursing. People with diabetes, gout, liver disease, kidney disease, ulcers, hypoglycemia, cancer and blood diseases should not fast.
- Don’t fast if you are in a hurry and are fasting for immediate results regarding some decision. Fasting is not magic.
- Listen for a nudging from God to fast.
- Stay hydrated. Always drink plenty of water and fluids.
- If you are new to fasting, begin by fasting for one meal. Spend time with God that you would normally be eating.
- Work up to longer fasts. Don’t attempt prolonged fasts without guidance. Check with your doctor before attempting long periods of fasting.
- If you decide to fast regularly, give your body time to adjust to new rhythms of eating. You may feel more tired on days you fast. Adjust your responsibilities appropriately. (Expect your tongue to feel coated, and expect to have bad breath.)
- Begin a fast after supper. Fast until supper the next day. This way you miss two, rather than three, meals.
- Don’t break your fast with a huge meal. Eat small portions of food. The longer the fast, the more you need to break the fast gently.
[This is part of a series of posts related to our week of prayer and fasting at Brooklife Church from March 28 to April 4, 2010.]
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Matthew Erickson 
G’day Matt,
doing some research on fasting and came across your site — quite excellent and giving excellent balance.
But one non-food related fast appears in 1 Cor 7 where Paul is speaking of marriage relationships. First he warns against marriage partners withholding themselves from each other but then gives one exception.
5Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
Can I suggest this is a really powerful fast — so long as Paul’s guidelines are adhered to. “Mutual consent, short time frame.”
regards and blessings
geoff
Geoff, thanks for pointing this out. You are right that Paul talks about this sort of fast and it is worthwhile when approached in the right sort of manner.