In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, the practice of fasting often gets reduced to mere ritual. We check it off our spiritual to-do list, convinced that giving up a meal or two for a few days is enough to fulfill our obligations. But what if fasting was meant to be more than that? What if it was a powerful, transformative act that could change not just our circumstances, but our very hearts?
The Bridge Between Prayer and Fasting
In Matthew 6:13, as Jesus concludes the Lord’s Prayer, He teaches us to pray, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
This plea is a recognition of our need for divine intervention. It’s an acknowledgment that we cannot, by our strength, resist the temptations and trials that come our way. But there’s more to this passage than meets the eye.
Jesus, in His wisdom, follows this teaching on prayer with instructions on fasting. This sequence is not random; it’s a divine strategy. Fasting is not just about abstaining from food or other pleasures. It’s about positioning ourselves to receive deliverance from the evil that so easily entangles us. It’s about going beyond the surface and confronting the very things that keep us from fully experiencing God’s presence and power in our lives.
Kingdom Fasting: More Than Just Self-Denial
When we think of fasting, we often focus on what we’re giving up—food, social media, certain activities. But true kingdom fasting is about so much more. It’s about turning our hearts back to God and allowing Him to reveal the areas of our lives that need transformation.
Isaiah 58:3-4 illustrates the wrong approach to fasting: “Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice? In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure and exploit all your laborers.”
The people of Israel were fasting, but their hearts were far from God. They were going through the motions, expecting results, but God was not impressed. Their fasting was self-centered and hypocritical, focused on appearances rather than genuine repentance and seeking God’s will.
Jesus warns us of this same pitfall in Matthew 6:16-18 when He says, “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
The Autopilot Mode of Spiritual Life
One of the dangers of religious practices, including fasting, is the temptation to put our spiritual lives on autopilot. We go through the motions—attending church, participating in community activities, even fasting—without truly engaging with God. We might be physically present, but our hearts and minds are somewhere else.
The story of Adam Sandler’s movie Click serves as a poignant illustration. In the film, the main character is given a remote control that allows him to fast forward through the parts of life he finds unpleasant. But as he continues to use the remote, his life becomes an autopilot experience. He’s there, but he’s not really living. In the same way, we can become so accustomed to our spiritual routines that we miss out on the real, transformative work God wants to do in us.
Paul’s admonition in Ephesians 5:1, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children,” calls us to a higher standard.
We are called to be like Christ, not just in appearance or in rituals, but in the very essence of our being. This requires a deep, intentional engagement with God—a willingness to go beyond the superficial and allow Him to deal with the root issues in our lives.
The Challenge of True Fasting
True fasting is not just about denying ourselves for a season; it’s about surrendering our will to God and allowing Him to work in us. It’s about confronting the sins and strongholds that keep us from experiencing the fullness of His presence. As we fast, we must ask ourselves: Are we willing to give up not just food, but the things that consume our time and attention? Are we ready to lay down our pride, our desires, our very lives, in pursuit of God’s kingdom?
Fasting is a spiritual discipline that teaches us to conquer our flesh, to bring our bodies and desires under submission to the Holy Spirit. Jesus modeled this for us during His 40 days in the wilderness. His fast was not just about abstaining from food; it was about preparing His spirit to resist the temptations of the devil and to fulfill His mission on earth.
In Matthew 4:2-4, we read, “And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’ But He answered and said, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
Jesus’ response shows us the power of fasting: it strengthens our spirit to resist temptation and aligns our will with God’s.
A Call to Action
As we embark on this journey of kingdom fasting, let us not take it lightly. This is a call to radical obedience, to confront our flesh, and to seek God with all our hearts. Let us not treat fasting as a mere ritual, but as a powerful tool for spiritual growth and transformation.
James 4:8 exhorts us, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
Fasting is an opportunity to draw near to God, to cleanse our hearts, and to align our lives with His purposes.
So, are you ready to join in this fast? Are you willing to surrender your flesh, to give up your comfort, and to seek God with all your heart? The reward is not just in the discipline, but in the deeper relationship with God that it brings.
As Jesus said in Matthew 6:18, “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
The true reward of fasting is the transformation that happens within us, and the closer walk with God that we gain.
Let us commit to fasting with a purpose, to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness above all else. As we do, we will see His power and presence manifest in our lives in ways we never imagined.