Prayer and fasting

In December I called the church to a season of fasting and prayer for the next three months. The season will come to an end in February.

I have had several inquiries about fasting since calling the church to a season of prayer and fasting. I have started to realize that people have not been exposed to it very much and that in large measure, most are unsure how it fits into the Christian walk. Many have expressed to me that they are not sure that it needs to be a regular part of their relationship with God. I therefore am going to spend some time writing about prayer and fasting on this blog as a matter of information.

Let me start by laying a foundation for the practice of the discipline of fasting. I must offer that I believe that this is sad, that there is a need to do this. It shows me how far we have drifted away from biblical Christianity in America. Please do not feel guilty if you have had a less than favorable attitude toward fasting. But please realize that if it is not a discipline that you have practiced or are really open to practicing, you are more a product of your culture than you may realize. It is indicative of the drift away from biblical Christianity that has been occurring for a long time in America. I have noticed the practice of fasting more when I have gone over seas on mission trips more than I have seen it mentioned or practiced in America. Many in the modern church particularly in America are not familiar with fasting, and are not convinced that it is something that they need to consider doing. In a culture that is dotted with shrines to the Golden Arches, and Pizza Temples on every street corner, fasting seems out of touch with the times. But it is a discipline that the Christian would do well to rediscover as a vital and useful part of their Christian experience and their walk with Christ.

I will begin making a case for fasting from the life and teachings of Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

Jesus said, "When you fast......" and then started to give instructions about what to do and what not to do when you are fasting. Notice that Christ did not say, "If you fast....", Jesus said, "When you fast..." Christ teaches on fasting as if it were a foregone conclusion that those who desire to follow God would practice it. It was such a part of their experience that Jesus makes no attempt to "make a case for fasting." Jesus fasted, this is very clear in the bible, and He just assumed that it was something that those who wanted to know the Father were going to do.

Consider also that Jesus' instructions on fasting were part of what we know as "The Sermon on the Mount". His teaching on fasting is in the context of His teaching on prayer, and giving. It is clear that there is an assumption that fasting, prayer, and giving are all disciplines that need to be practiced in the life of the believer, and therefore Jesus was teaching on them. Now I am not convinced that a single one of you reading this would deny that prayer and giving are two Christian disciplines that are vital elements to the walk of the believer. So let me ask this question, "Why would we exclude fasting when Jesus puts it on the same level in his teaching with prayer and giving?" I sincerely hope the answer is clear in your thinking.....the inescapable conclusion if we are going to be intellectually honest in regards to the teaching of Jesus is this: We should not exclude fasting, but should put it on par with praying and giving as disciplines of the Christian life because Jesus did.

More to come....I will talk in more detail in regards to Jesus' teaching on fasting, how we see fasting portrayed in the bible, what fasting is intended to accomplish in the life of believer, some practical considerations in regards to fasting, and much much more on the topic in future posts. Stay tuned.