What is fasting

    A friend and I wrote a chapter on the basics of fasting and what it means within the Christian tradition.  There are even questions to ponder at the end.


The Lesson



Introduction – Within Christianity, there are several things that people do to express their faith and to help themselves grow. These practices or disciples guide us when we are interacting with God and it is a way for God to mold us and to shape our character. One of these disciplines we see in the Bible is called fasting. Let’s take a look at what fasting is and isn’t.



What Fasting is not – Fasting is not a diet program or way to lose weight. Even though one can fast meals the end goal is not about losing weight, but it is to hear from God. Fasting is setting aside extra time so that we can spend time in the presence of God and to be changed by Him. Fasting is also not a way to earn God’s grace or favor. We already have that in Jesus. This is simply a way of showing our dependence of God and desire to draw close to him.

What Fasting is –

Learning to Depend on God – Fasting is several things, and the first one is that it reveals what controls us. With a society that values and even promotes gluttony, fasting gives us a chance to break this habit or even character defining trait. The most common fast is from food but we can also fast from technology, entertainment, or any other thing that we feel the urge to do and if we don’t do it we are missing out. Fasting is about letting go of our control (and the things that control us) so that we can rely and trust on God and His grace. One of the popular ways we can do this is by taking time we would either be spending eating a meal or on the computer and spending it in a time of prayer and listening.
Learning Humility Before God – The second part of fating is that it helps us check our motivation. Psalms 69:10 states that fasting humbles the soul. Fasting allows us look at ourselves for who we are. Humility is learning that as broken as we might be we are loved greatly by God and He won’t let us stay incomplete and on the path of self-destruction. Humility is reaching out to God for Him to transform our lives.
Listening to God – The third part of fasting is that it is a chance for us to hear from God. When faced with a life decision fasting allows us to minimize the distractions so that we can hear from God. Whether it is about a job move, relational issues, or just finding out what the next step is, fasting allows us to focus on God and puts us into a position to hear what He has to say.
　

Application

1. Think through what takes a priority in your life over God. Consider the consequences of keeping these things in your life as a priority over Him.

2. Think through the things in your life you need to learn to depend on God for. Consider the consequences of depending on yourself instead of Him.

3. Create a fasting plan with your discipler that you two will do together. You can fast a meal, a type of food, social media, TV, or anything else as long as you use that time to focus on God. Decide what each of you will fast and pick a time period for the fast to last (a week, maybe 40 days). Review how the fast is going as you meet together and schedule some extra time to pray together this week during your fasting.


Discussion Questions


1. Are there things that we treat as more important that God? How can fasting us help us redirect our focus to Him?

2. What does it mean it be humble? How does fasting increase our humility?

3. Have you fasted before? If so, how did the experience go and what was your motivation behind it?




Homework

Read Matthew 4:1-17. What does it mean to live on every word that comes from Gods mouth?

What are the things we do that does not satisfy?

Read Matthew 6:16-18. What are our intentions when we do fast?