Yesterday Nick Norelli wrote about a corporate fast that he is participating in with his church that has led to some weight loss as a side benefit. I thought that it was great that his spiritual discipline could have positive physical benefits, but it got me to thinking about my own engagement with fasting. Fasting is a spiritual discipline which I almost never engage. I think part of my problem is I cannot get my head wrapped around its purpose. I know there are several motivations for others:
(1) Discipline it and of itself.
(2) Solidarity with the poor and suffering of the world who do not have the same abundance.
(3) As a means of showing seriousness about one’s prayer.
(4) As a “weapon” of spiritual warfare.
(5) As a means of mourning, especially as regards the delay of the parousia.
Maybe I am trying to rationalize away something that makes me tired and grouchy and therefore seems to lack any benefit, but I cannot understand discipline in and of itself unless one has a serious addiction to food. I do understand showing solidarity, but then it seems to me to be the equivalent to short terms missions trips. You go, you partake, you go back to normal. As far as prayer and spiritual warfare are concerned I am not sure how not eating contributes. As a means of mourning, I guess my problem is that I have little to mourn or if I observe global problems too much to mourn and after two-thousand years I feel like I lack the same motivation as the early disciples to fast while their Master is away because I guess I don’t have the same sense of the immanency of his return as they did.
So my question is this: “Why do you fast?” What motivates you to do so? What are you “theological” reasons for doing so (e.g. the above list)?
the archives near Emmaus 
From my own personal experience (and many others I’ve spoken with have had the same experience) fasting brings me closer to God because I realize more than ever just how dependent upon him I am. I hear God better, I feel God more, and my praise, worship, and prayer rise to another level. It’s not that God is doing anything differently than he’s ever done, it’s that I’m in a better position to hear/feel him because I need him to sustain me even more than usual.
For my life, I think that fasting is a great way to discipline the flesh in a non-mutilating sort of way. It is taking your carnal desires or needs and placing them in a position of less importance to the spiritual side.
Fasting, biblically, (as I understand it) was about going without food and giving what you would normally eat to the poor. Most in the US don’t do that. But Jesus indicates that there is some sort of spiritual power to fasting when He tells His disciples that they could not cast the devil out because it can only happen by prayer and fasting. This only makes sense to me if fasting is part of a spiritual life that works to control and subdue fleshly desires, making one more spiritual, less carnal.
But, that’s all conjecture, and I have absolutely no Greek study to support it.
I think it probably takes a few attempts at it for some. Usually, when I fast, I think about food all day. When it is not intentional I can go for a long time without food without feeling hungry and without thinking about it. The minute I try to be intentional all I think about is food.
Once this is conquered I assume that the experience you speak of becomes more frequent.
@Brad,
I agree with your first paragraph as well as your statement about giving to the poor. The only problem with the ‘prayer and fasting’ argument is that it seems that “and fasting” is a later interpolation. See my post here: https://nearemmaus.wordpress.com/2009/10/25/exorcism-by-prayer-and-fasting/
Brian,
I’m with you on this one. While I know Jesus expected His disciples to fast, his teaching indicates that the fast he desired was different than the fasts His disciples had been accustomed to. But when I look at the NT I don’t see any clear reason given for fasting.
I posted an article on this to onenesspentecostal.com not too long ago (“Not So Fast: Is This the Fast the Lord Has Chosen?”). In that article I examine the NT data, and explore the common reasons given for fasting (reasons not found in the Bible).
As one who engages in the discipline of fasting myself, I concur with Nick on the sensitivity to God and with Brad on the discipline of the flesh. I also agree with Jason that many reasons for fasting are not found in the Bible (although I haven’t read Jason’s article yet). I agree with Brian that the textual variant of fasting and exorcism means that one should not necessarily use that text to build a doctrine. Personally, I fast (as in not eat for periods of time) to devote more time to my relationship with God. I don’t believe that fasting moves one up on the spiritual ladder but that it does free one’s time up to spend to get to know Jesus better.
I am with Nick on this one – but you’re not going to get much out of one day, one time. Also, I think the fact that intentional fasting causes yo to think about food makse the case that regular occurances of fasting are needed. As I see it, it isn’t to make one more spiritual (Isa 58 rebukes that idea) but it is a spiritual exercise and it has spiritual benefits – regular fasting will bring about spiritual benefits for those who practice it such as greater resistance to temptation, clearer thinking and hearing from God, release from various spiritual bondages and addictions, greater levels of godliness and ability to flow in the gifts of the Spirit, and on and on and on.
I realize some of these things are subjective, but many people testify to these kinds of things happening.
Also, in addition to regular one day fasts, one needs to go on longer fasts such as longer than 4 days or even something like the Daniel fast (21 days). You can’t just fast once and say it didn’t work, yo have to give it time, such as consistently once a week for a few months to really begin experiecing breakthrough.
But I beleive crucial to this is prayer (be it personal praying or reading liturgical prayers or what ever suits ones needs) prayer is key.
Also, I think fasting is one of those things that because it is a spiritual exercise, it can only really be understood experientially. You have to experience it.
I also wanted to point out there are lots of ways to fast, not just no food and no water. For example you can eat just veggies and nothing else. The Daniel fast is another way.
brianfulthorp, Isn’t the “Daniel fast” eating just veggies and nothing else?
John. I think it is mainly vegitarian. no meat. See here for the food list: http://danielfast.wordpress.com/daniel-fast-food-list/
@Jason,
I will have to take a look at your article.
@ Brian,
Great insight. It does seem that things like prayer and fasting are defined by experience more than theory.
I question the exegetical basis for the so-called Daniel fast. The basis for the Daniel fast is found in Daniel 1:8-16. Three things stand out about this text. First, it does not describe Daniel’s actions as a fast. Secondly, Daniel’s abstention from the king’s meat and drink was morally motivated, not spiritually motivated. He was not abstaining for reasons of spiritual growth, but because participation would have been immoral according to the Law of Moses. Thirdly, Daniel had no intention of abstaining for a mere ten days, but for the rest of his life.
Daniel 10:2 has been cited as evidence for a Daniel fast. This is a much better prospect since it limits the period to three weeks, but even here, it is not described as a fast. Daniel’s change in diet was due to a time of mourning.
I cannot exegete anyone’s experience, but I can exegete Scripture, and I have a hard time finding a Biblical basis for some of the benefits you attribute to fasting. I will just focus on one example: greater resistance to temptation. This notion seems to contradict Scripture. As I wrote in the article I referenced before:
“In Colossians 2:20-23 Paul wrote, “If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world? ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’ These are all destined to perish with use, founded as they are on human commands and teachings. They have the appearance of wisdom with their self-imposed worship and false humility, by an unsparing treatment of the body, but they are thoroughly useless when it comes to restraining the indulgences of the flesh. (NET Bible)
“Notice what Paul said. Things such as commanding people not to eat certain things (although the general principle of eating nothing at all principally follows) appears to have a lot of wisdom attached to it, but in reality it is just self-imposed worship and false humility. How are these things manifested? They are manifested in the ill-treatment of the body (excessive fasting would qualify as such). Those who advocated the man-made rules Paul spoke of taught that by abstaining from (certain) foods the believer would become more spiritual, gaining an upper-hand over the sinful desires of the flesh. Paul flatly contradicted this claim saying that these practices were ‘thoroughly useless when it comes to restraining the indulgences of the flesh.’ How much clearer could Paul have been? Fasting, even with good intentions, cannot restrain the desires of the flesh.
“Paul’s point is straightforward: one cannot control the lusts of the flesh by abstaining from eating or touching certain things. Why? It is because material objects and food are not the source of our sinfulness. If they are not the source/cause of our sinfulness, removing them from our lives cannot aid us in overcoming our sinfulness. Sinfulness is a problem with our very nature, not with what we eat or touch, and thus our fight against our own sinfulness requires a different sort of weapon. Romans 6-8 is clear that our only weapon against our sinfulness and temptation is the Spirit of God. Not even our minds (will-power) are able to overcome sin.
“Some claim that they experience a lack of desire for sinful things when they are fasting. I agree that this can be true. I have been on extended fasts in which I did little desire for sin. I would argue that the reason for this, however, was not because fasting helps overcome the sin nature, but because fasting often depletes one’s energy. They simply do not have the desire to sin, to exercise, to work, or much of anything! On a practical level the decreased temptation on a fast is not due to increased spirituality, but increased desire for food. Your normal temptation is simply overridden by your new temptation (desire) for food. Everything else takes a backseat! What is most revealing is that when the fast is over those sinful desires that were supposedly killed during the fast come back again. They are like weeds: you can pull them out but they come back again. Fasting cannot overcome the sinful desires of the heart. At best, it can only temporarily divert them until we resume our normal diet.
…
“The idea that we can be spiritually strengthened if we stop feeding our physical body is not Christian, but pagan. It comes from Platonic Dualism, not Scripture. Platonic Dualism teaches that all matter (including the body) is inherently evil, while the human spirit/soul is good. It is believed that when you withdraw from those things that bring gratification to your physical body (food, water, comfort, etc.) we can transcend our evil body and get in touch with our true spirit man (good). Scripture does not root sin in the body. Sin is rooted in the very spirit of man. No harsh treatment of the body can help our spiritual condition-only Christ.”
Brian, thanks for that link. I would agree with Jason in that what is commonly known as the “Daniel fast” isn’t technically a fast. But from my perspective, if it helps someone in their relationship with God then it does have a benefit.
I agree. While I’m not convinced it is a fast, nevertheless it is a sacrifice that someone is making for God, and God will honor it.