Living in the Kingdom 15
Scripture: Matthew 6:16-18; 17:14-21; Isaiah 58:2-6; Psalms 35:13
This is a continuation of my series, “Living in the Kingdom.” This morning we will examine what Jesus says about fasting and riches in His Sermon on the Mount. We will look at verses sixteen through twenty-four which read, “Moreover when you fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. 17. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; 18. that you appear not unto men to fast, but unto your Father Who is in secret: and your Father, Who sees in secret, shall reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:16-18)
In the first three verses Jesus tells His followers how they are to fast. The point He is making is that fasting is personal and private and should not be done as a means to demonstrate to others how “holy” you are. First and foremost, fasting, from a Scriptural viewpoint means to “abstain from food and/or water (fast) for the period in which the abstinence takes place (fasting).” I know it is common today to say we are fasting from watching TV, playing video games, etc., but this type of fast, while useful, is not what scripture is talking about. And to be perfectly honest, it is not scriptural. In the Bible, fasting always deals with bringing the body into subjection by depraving it of food. To understand why Jesus gave this instruction we must take a step back and examine how fasting was done when Jesus walked the earth. Fasting in Scripture was often accompanied by the putting on of sackcloth and ashes. This self-affliction (wearing sackcloth and ashes was not easy on the skin) and said to God, “I am repenting; I am not high and mighty. You need not afflict me further.”
The word “fast” literally signifies to abstain from food and drink, whether from necessity or as a religious observance. The first meal of the day is call “breakfast” which means to break a fast. In the Bible fasting was an expression of grief or sorrow and we all know when people are in deep despair they often tend to eat very little, and sometimes they begin to lose weight and become sickly if the despair is not addressed quickly. Fasting, then, is the natural expression of grief. It is not random; it is what every person in sorrow naturally does. Therefore it was natural during biblical times to demonstrate the appropriate grief and/or despair when one chose to fast and this is what Jesus was addressing. The Jews had multiple occasions in which they were commanded to fast and it was customary for the Pharisees to fast twice a week. Fasting became a show of religious grieving with the desire for others to witness their commitment to God. Traditionally some of the Jews would disfigure their faces when they fasted. They would not anoint or wash themselves as usual and they were uncombed, filthy, and tired looking. It is said that they were often in the habit of throwing ashes on their heads and faces; and this mixing with their tears, seemed still farther to disfigure their faces. While it was common to make a show of it, Jesus said the disciple’s fasting was to be private. He instructed them not to be like the hypocrites who were seeking the praise of men in their outward show of fasting. The hypocrites were known to fast when there was nothing of that contrition or humiliation of soul motivated the fast – it was all for show. What is important to understand is this: Jesus does not tell us how often we must fast, but how to do it appropriately when we do fast. Jesus said, “…when you fast” which tells us that we are to fast and there is a real purpose for fasting.
Do you remember the story the story where Jesus’ disciples could not cast out a demonic spirit? Matthew 17:14-21 records the following, “And when they came to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15. ‘Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is epileptic, and is very ill: for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.’ 17. Then Jesus answered and said, ‘O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I endure you? Bring him here to Me.’ 18. And Jesus rebuked the demon; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, ‘Why could not we cast him out?’ 20. And Jesus said unto them, ‘Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, remove from here to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21. But this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting.” In this story the disciples could not cast out a demonic spirit and asked Jesus why they could not do it. Jesus said it was because of their lack of faith and then He added in what really clinches it – that “this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting.” In these verses we often focus on the faith as a grain of mustard seed, but the true reason as to why they could not cast this demon out is because they were not “prayed” up or had fasted. And not just prayed up and fasted for this instance, but as a lifestyle. This story tells us that there are different kinds of demonic spirits and different degrees of power to cast them out. I want you to see that in this story the fasting had nothing to do with sin and grief per se, but one of the most important reasons why Christians today should fast – to build their faith so that they can walk in a level of power needed to handle God’s business here on earth. Turn with me to Isaiah 58 and we will begin reading at verse two.
“Yet they seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of Me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching God. 3. ‘Why have we fasted’, they say, ‘and You see not? Why have we afflicted our soul, and You take no knowledge?” Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exploit all your laborers. 4. Behold, you fast for strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness: you shall not fast as you do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 5. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? 6. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:2-6)
Remember what Jesus said about how the hypocrites fasted – to be seen of men? Remember that He said that we were to fast privately? In these verses we get an idea of the type of fast that God desires of us. In verse two God says that the people sought Him daily as if they were a nation that truly loved their God and lived by His ordinances. Because they had this mentality, when they fasted they believed that God would see their fast and immediately respond to them, but He didn’t. Now we see in verse three what we often see today. The people questioned God by saying, “Why have we fasted….and You see not? Why have we afflicted our soul, and You take no knowledge?” They had fasted and afflicted their souls but God took no notice of it so they did what many do today – they complained. How many times have you fasted and saw nothing change in your life except that you were hungry during the process and planning for that next meal once the fast was over. This is not the fast that changes a life leading to power. Fasting to get God’s attention in order to “motivate” Him to do something for you is the wrong reason to fast. In verse four God talks more about the reasons they fasted.
They fasted “for strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness…” Pay close attention to what I am about to say. While they were fasting they were guilty of strife and personal combats. In other words, their fasting did not quench their passions and thus they still acted disgracefully in personal encounters. Can you imagine a situation where someone is fasting as a means to get their body and soul into subjection and during the fast they are still arguing and being irritable with their fellow man for whatever reason? First they complained about having to fast in general and then while they were fasting they were so irritable and hateful that their actions made their fast null and void. God lets them know in no uncertain terms that this is not the fast that He desires. God says “…you shall not fast as you do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.” They thought that their fast would make God hear their pleas, but God wanted something different from them. God wanted a fast that was motivated by a pure heart seeking a change. God wanted a fast that was sincere. In verse five He says, “Is it such a fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?” God asks “Do you think that is the fast commanded by Me in the Law - a fast which is expressly called ‘a day for a man to afflict his soul?’ Is afflicting one's soul simply bowing down one’s head as a bulrush, and making one’s couch on sackcloth and ashes? Surely it is much more than this.” They had the “processes” for fasting locked down, but this is not what God was seeking. God tells them in verse six what He is looking for which confirms once again what Jesus said.
He said, “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?” This, my friends, is why we should fast, not just every now and then or when we are stress, but routinely. Fasting is not to move God, it’s to move us. It’s to loose the bonds of wickedness that attempts to strangle us. It’s to loose the heavy burdens that we carry because we are yielding ourselves to God. It is to set free the oppressed and this is important, to break every yoke. This is why we fast, so that God can work on us and we yield to Him. Consider these verses,
Psalm 35:13: “But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.” Psalm 69:10 which says, “When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.” David said that he humbled and chastened his soul with fasting. His fasting was focused on him being changed, not God doing something for him.
First Corinthians 7:5: “Deprive not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your lack of self-control.” Paul, in understanding that prayer and fasting was important, recommended that this would be one exception when married couples could refrain from physical intimacy – so they could devote themselves for a short period of time to prayer and fasting.
Let me go back to the disciples when they could not cast out the demonic spirit. Jesus told them, “But this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting.” When the disciples asked why they could not cast the spirit out, Jesus said that specific kind only goes out by prayer and fasting. Faith needs prayer for its development and full growth and prayer needs fasting for the same reason. Biblically, fasting has done wonders when combined with prayer and faith. I have not called or instituted a lot of routine fasting occasions as pastor of this Church, however, I hope that you have found the need to fast throughout your spiritual growth. Fasting is biblical and is a necessity for spiritual growth. As David wrote, it humbles the soul before God. Fasting, physically, allows our digestive tracks a rest, but more importantly it demonstrates the mastery of man over appetites, physical, emotional and spiritual. The fact that Jesus fasted should demonstrate to us how important it is for our spiritual maturity.
All believers are supposed to fast, but no regulations or set rules are given as to how long or how often it is to be done. Fasting is individualized based on the person and the individual desire and need. Jesus was once asked by John’s disciples, “…..Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples fast not?” and Jesus replied, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.” (Matthew 9:14-15) Fasting is individualized. Our fasts are to be sincere and private and then God. Who knows our hearts, will reward us because we are seeking Him and not the reward and/or recognition, praise of men. Jesus said that they were not be “of a sad countenance” to show others they were fasting. He instructs us not to be sour, morose, or showing other emotions, facial expressions of unfelt sorrow. The fast that God desires of us is a day to afflict the soul, but not with our heads hanging down or doing anything else to let people know that we are fasting. We are not to proclaim our fasting and managed it so that all who see us might take notice that we are fasting.
Fasting and prayer are mentioned often in the Bible so it makes sense that it should be represented in our lives. There are spiritual forces that we will never conquer without prayer and fasting and for some people that is okay. I hope that this is not okay with each of you and I am not talking about the fasting we do as part of our dieting program or medical procedures. I am talking about abstaining from food so that you can give yourself over to prayer and seeking change in your life.
Until next time, “The Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
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