The Evangelist Speaks

by Evangelist Carolyn Griffin

Taking A Look At Fasting

At the beginning of every year I receive numerous e-mails about fasting to begin the New Year. Different ministries will give their reasons for fasting and ask me and others to join them. Often people join the fast, but don’t receive the teaching that helps one to understand what they are doing and why. Fasting should be regular part of the Christian lifestyle throughout the year and not just in January. It is wonderful to be a part of a corporate fast at the beginning of the year, but we must fast with the right motives and in accordance with the principles of scripture to experience the power that is released by fasting along with prayer. We will devote some time in our next few articles to subject of fasting.   

We must first understand that fasting, like prayer, is not an option for the believer who wants to experience the fullness of God and release His power in their lives. Jesus teaches on fasting in Matthew 6:16-18. 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. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.  KJV This indicates that this is something that Christians are expected to do. He promises a reward to those who practice fasting in the right way and with the right motives. Jesus said, “When you fast,” He did not say, “If you fast”. If leaves fasting as an option. When lets us know that it is a practice that Jesus expects us to follow.   

Jesus didn’t just teach on fasting, but He was also an example to us. Before He began His earthly ministry, He fasted forty days and nights. Through His fasting, He was victorious over Satan. Fasting is essential in our lives if we are to be victorious over Satan. If Jesus had to practice fasting for victory, how can we claim to achieve victory without the same practice? We will discuss the results of fasting in the life of Jesus and others in the Bible in a future article. These results include humble lifestyles and powerful victories that should encourage all of us to study more about fasting and make it a regular practice in our Christian walk. Derek Prince, a well known author, defines fasting as “voluntarily abstaining from food for spiritual purposes.”  I also look at fasting as a means of denying my flesh of things that it desires and I abstain from other things that I normally enjoy doing. There are different types of fasts and we will also devote a future article to that subject.

We will conclude today by saying that fasting is an important part of the life of victorious Christians. It is a scriptural means ordained by God for us to humble ourselves before Him. As we humble ourselves before Him and seek His face; we obtain victory over Satan, we receive guidance and direction for our lives, and we see God intervene and show Himself strong and powerful on our behalf. I pray that at the end of this series of articles, we will be able to touch the heart of God through effective fasting along with fervent prayers and be able to change and impact our homes, families, schools, communities, regions and nations. Until next time, I encourage all of us to study the biblical principles of fasting and incorporate it as a regular practice in our lives.