Fasting In The New Testament

 

INTRODUCTION

 

When we examine the subject of "Fasting In The Old Testament".

 

1.     Here is what we find:

 

       a.   Only one fast was specifically commanded in the 0. T. (on the Day of Atonement)

 

       b.   But people often fasted when they wanted God to hear their prayers:

 

               1) In times of war or at the threat of it

 

               2) When loved ones were sick

 

               3) When seeking God's forgiveness

 

               4) When faced with impending danger

 

               5) When seeking God's will

 

       c.   The purpose of such fasting:

 

              1) To humble themselves by "afflicting their souls"

 

              2) Believing that such humiliation would be pleasing in God's  sight (and it often was)

 

       d.   However, fasting was fruitless when:

 

              1) It was done ceremonially

 

              2) It was done without true repentance

 

       e.  There were also no set principles governing the length or nature of fasting

 

2.   In this lesson, we shall take a look at "Fasting In The New Testament", as taught and              exemplified by:

 

       a.  Jesus

 

       b.  His church

 

       c.  The apostle Paul in an effort to determine whether Christians can or should fast today!

 

I. FASTING IN THE LIFE OF JESUS

 

       A.   JESUS FASTED FORTY DAYS IN THE WILDERNESS ‑ Mt 4:1‑9; Lk 4:1‑2

              1.  He was led into the wilderness "to be tempted" (Mt)

 

              2.  He was "tempted for forty days by the devil" (Lk)

 

              3.  "in those days He ate nothing" (Lk) 

              

 Throughout this forty day period of temptation, Jesus felt it appropriate to fast

 

       B.   JESUS TAUGHT ON FASTING IN HIS "SERMON ON THE MOUNT" ‑ Mt 6:16‑18

 

              1.  Jesus said "when", not "if"; assuming his disciples WOULD fast

 

              2.  When done properly a person would be rewarded by the Father...

 

                 a.  Suggesting that fasting was like prayer and giving alms

 

                 b.  I.e., an act of righteousness done to please the Father

 

Fasting appears to have a place in the righteousness expected of those who would be citizens of the kingdom of heaven

  

     C.  WHEN QUESTIONED BY JOHN'S DISCIPLES ‑ Mt 9:14‑17 (Mk 2:18‑99;Lk 5:33‑39)

 

              1.  Jesus described a time when his disciples would fast

 

              2.  But it is inappropriate to fast when the occasion does not call for it

 

Fasting would have a place in the disciples' lives, but only on appropriate occasions (not as ceremonial rite)

 

    D.  THE COMBINED POWER OF PRAYER AND FASTING ‑ Mt 17:14‑21 (Mk 9:14‑29)

 

              1.  There are times when faith alone is not enough

 

              2.  At these times prayer joined with fasting is necessary

 

Fasting joined with prayer may accomplish things which normal faith may not

 

II. FASTING IN THE LORD'S CHURCH

 

   A.  THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH ‑ Ac 13:1‑3

 

          1.  They were fasting as a group while ministering to the Lord

 

          2.  They fasted and prayed in preparation to sending out Barnabas and Saul

 

Fasting, when accompanied with prayer, and done as a group when involved in serving the Lord

   B.  THE CHURCHES IN GALATIA ‑ Ac 14:21‑23

 

1.    Again, an example of fasting and prayer as a group; this time, in conjunction with the serious task of appointing elders

 

2.    Notice that this was done "in every church"

 

a.  Not just in one or two churches

 

b. Not just in what might be consider "Jewish" churches where fasting might be considered "just a Jewish custom"

 

Again, fasting can be a group activity in the work of a local church

 

III. FASTING IN THE MINISTRY OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

 

   A.  FASTING WAS A MARK OF HIS MINISTRY...

 

          1.   We have already noticed where he fasted with several churches

 

          2. But notice also:

 

             a.  2 Co 6:4‑10 (cf. verse 5)

 

            b.  2 Co 11:23‑28 (cf. verse 27 where fasting is mentioned separately from normal                 hunger and thirst) both of these passages, Paul mentioned fasting as a mark of his ministry and of his good standing as a minister of Christ!

 

   B.  HE ALSO TAUGHT THAT FASTING MIGHT HAVE A PLACE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS...

     

1.   1 Co 7:5

 

2.   The only time husbands and wives may deprive one another is when by consent they devote themselves to fasting and prayer for a specific period of time

 

CONCLUSION

 

1.   Though not actually Christians at the time, we also have other  examples of those who fasted and were blessed by God...

     

a. Anna ‑ Lk 2:36‑38

     

b. Saul ‑ Ac 9:9

     

c. Cornelius ‑ Ac 10:30‑31

 

2.   In summary, here is what we have seen in this study:

 

         a.  That our Lord fasted in time of temptation

 

b.  That He taught His disciples about fasting on several occasions

 

         c.  That He foretold of a time in which His disciples would fast

 

       d.   That there are times when the combination of fasting and prayer might be more efficacious than prayer alone

 

         e.   That the early church fasted in their service to the Lord

 

         f.    That Paul regarded fasting as a mark of his ministry

 

g.  That prayer and fasting often go hand in hand, utilized whenever there was a strong desire for God's blessing and guidance

 

3.   In view of such things, I can only conclude that fasting does indeed have a place in the lives of Christians today.

 

Scriptures dealing with fasting: Matthew 6:16-18  Moreover when ye 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.

 

Matthew 9:14-17 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?  And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride chamber 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.  No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.  Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

 

Luke 5:33-39  And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise [the disciples] of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?  And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bride chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?  But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.   And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was [taken] out of the new agreeth not with the old.  And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.  But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.  No man also having drunk old [wine] straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

 

Matthew 17:14-21 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a [certain] man, kneeling down to him, and saying,  Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for oft times he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.  And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.  Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.  And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.  Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?  And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.  Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

 

Acts 13:1-3 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.  As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.  And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid [their] hands on them, they sent [them] away.

 

Acts 14:21-23 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and [to] Iconium, and Antioch,  Confirming the souls of the disciples, [and] exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.  And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

 

II Corinthians 6:4-10 But in all [things] approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,  In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;  By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,  By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,  By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and [yet] true;  As unknown, and [yet] well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;  As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and [yet] possessing all things.

 

II Corinthians 11:23-28 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I [am] more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.  Of the Jews five times received I forty [stripes] save one.  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;  [In] journeyings often, [in] perils of waters, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils by [mine own] countrymen, [in] perils by the heathen, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren;  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.