And when you fast, do not look as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. Matthew 6:16 NLT
The key point in this scripture I want to look at is the fact that Jesus said "WHEN you fast". He did not say IF you fast, but WHEN you fast! "But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then THEY WILL FAST in those days." Luke 5:35 This scripture is speaking of us! In years past I used to think that fasting was such a horrible dirge and I had to inflict self punishment upon myself as the men of the Old Testament would sit in sackcloth and ashes and would pain and punish themselves. The enemy had made it so hard and difficult in my mind that I rarely ever did it! But these men in the Old Testament were under the old covenant and the law, they would beat themselves up for their sins, they didn't have the provision we have. We today have Jesus our High Priest and advocate that has already done the work of the cross and lifted us to be seated with Christ in the heavenlies! Eph 2:6 Therefore we are not to be about punishing ourselves with a beating of the chest kind of fast. And not many will God call to a complete 40 day fast like what Jesus did. But if He does, you had better know it is the voice of your Creator calling you to do it because you will need His divine grace to fulfil such a calling.
But Jesus said "when you fast". Every believer is called to fast. In the church today some people like to fast different things like TV, internet, movies, or sports to show devotion to the Lord and this is honourable, but the fast that Jesus is talking about here is definitely a fast that involves not eating. Otherwise why would the pharisees disfigure their faces? They were hungry! In fasting FOOD in particular which was what Jesus was talking about, its the act of denying ones self, putting yourself in a place of submission, saying no to your flesh, telling your body I need Spirit more than I need food and setting apart time to seek God. He will honour this in your life. Also in quoting another preacher he said, "if you don't pray and read your Bible while you fast you might as well call it a diet, because thats just about all you'll get out of it is losing a few pounds" When you fast you need to set aside time to read His Word and pray and not going about doing other things. Give the Lord your time or your fast will be useless.
Most believers in our day have lost sight of the needfulness as a follower of Christ to fasting and this kind of submission to our God. We are a society of self gratification and the lies of Satan himself to perpetuate this self gratification to the the very core of our desire. You see it way back in the garden when Adam and Eve took the very first bite they believed the lie that they could better themselves and it would be good for them to taste the apple, a completely selfish act drove them to disobedience and out of the garden. They believed the lie. Just fast TV for 40 days and then turn it back on again and you will be shocked in just a few commercials the constant lie of me, myself and I, sitting on my throne. The world screams I am the king/queen of my own kingdom. But fasting slams this thinking of self being king/queen in the head (or stomach), with the fact that Jesus is Lord and Head of my body, I'm not ruling, He is! denying your flesh this food puts your flesh down to the point of being able to hear the Spirit speaking more clearly.
Fasting is the dying to self that we so desperately need in our culture of constant self glory. Hell trembles when a child of God grabs a hold of the truth of fasting and applies the truth of it to their lives.
The key point in this scripture I want to look at is the fact that Jesus said "WHEN you fast". He did not say IF you fast, but WHEN you fast! "But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then THEY WILL FAST in those days." Luke 5:35 This scripture is speaking of us! In years past I used to think that fasting was such a horrible dirge and I had to inflict self punishment upon myself as the men of the Old Testament would sit in sackcloth and ashes and would pain and punish themselves. The enemy had made it so hard and difficult in my mind that I rarely ever did it! But these men in the Old Testament were under the old covenant and the law, they would beat themselves up for their sins, they didn't have the provision we have. We today have Jesus our High Priest and advocate that has already done the work of the cross and lifted us to be seated with Christ in the heavenlies! Eph 2:6 Therefore we are not to be about punishing ourselves with a beating of the chest kind of fast. And not many will God call to a complete 40 day fast like what Jesus did. But if He does, you had better know it is the voice of your Creator calling you to do it because you will need His divine grace to fulfil such a calling.
But Jesus said "when you fast". Every believer is called to fast. In the church today some people like to fast different things like TV, internet, movies, or sports to show devotion to the Lord and this is honourable, but the fast that Jesus is talking about here is definitely a fast that involves not eating. Otherwise why would the pharisees disfigure their faces? They were hungry! In fasting FOOD in particular which was what Jesus was talking about, its the act of denying ones self, putting yourself in a place of submission, saying no to your flesh, telling your body I need Spirit more than I need food and setting apart time to seek God. He will honour this in your life. Also in quoting another preacher he said, "if you don't pray and read your Bible while you fast you might as well call it a diet, because thats just about all you'll get out of it is losing a few pounds" When you fast you need to set aside time to read His Word and pray and not going about doing other things. Give the Lord your time or your fast will be useless.
Most believers in our day have lost sight of the needfulness as a follower of Christ to fasting and this kind of submission to our God. We are a society of self gratification and the lies of Satan himself to perpetuate this self gratification to the the very core of our desire. You see it way back in the garden when Adam and Eve took the very first bite they believed the lie that they could better themselves and it would be good for them to taste the apple, a completely selfish act drove them to disobedience and out of the garden. They believed the lie. Just fast TV for 40 days and then turn it back on again and you will be shocked in just a few commercials the constant lie of me, myself and I, sitting on my throne. The world screams I am the king/queen of my own kingdom. But fasting slams this thinking of self being king/queen in the head (or stomach), with the fact that Jesus is Lord and Head of my body, I'm not ruling, He is! denying your flesh this food puts your flesh down to the point of being able to hear the Spirit speaking more clearly.
Fasting is the dying to self that we so desperately need in our culture of constant self glory. Hell trembles when a child of God grabs a hold of the truth of fasting and applies the truth of it to their lives.