Biblical Fasting - Reflections during the month of Ramadan

Have you ever gone a day without food? Gone straight through your work day, with no pause for breakfast, lunch, or dinner? No coffee, no snacks…nothing to propel you through hectic moments or the sleepy stretches of the afternoon? It’s tough. You can’t rely on your physical body for energy or focus. You have to find another source.

That’s why as Christians, we often fast when we pray – we are longing to intentionally and entirely focus ourselves on God as the source of our existence. When we fast, we are constantly aware of our hunger – of our frailty as humans, of our dependence on food. Our weakness brings into sharp focus how “in control” we really are, and reminds us to repent from self-sufficiency and instead cry out to God.

Scripture is full of examples of men and women who sought God through fasting and prayer (list adapted from http://www.angelfire.com/wa/msministries/bible.html):

• Moses fasted for 40 days…twice. The first time, God gave him the Law. The second time, God spared Israel for their sin with the golden calf. (Deuteronomy 9)

• Hannah fasted and prayed for a child. God gave her Samuel, who grew up to be a mighty prophet. (1 Samuel 1)

• Elijah fasted for 40 days while fleeing in fear from wicked Jezebel, who threatened to have him killed. God gave him comfort, boldness and instructions to go back the way he came and anoint new prophets. (1 Kings 19)

• King David fasted for seven days, that God might heal his baby son (conceived illegitimately with Bathsheba). The baby died, yet David experienced God's wonderful peace through this incredible trauma. (2 Samuel 12)

• Nehemiah fasted while he prayed for the restoration of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 1:4)

• Queen Esther fasted when her people were on the brink of annihilation. She also asked her entire nation to join her for three days without food or water. (Esther 4)

• Daniel prayed and fasted for 21 days, repenting of the sins of his people, and crying out to God to heal Israel and act on their behalf. He received a vision and revelation of end times. (Daniel 9)

•  John the Baptist and his disciples fasted often, as they prayed for deliverance and salvation. (Matthew 9:14,15)

• Anna, a godly woman whose husband had died devoted herself to prayer and fasting. She is honored in the Bible as one of the first women to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. (Luke 2:37)

• The Apostle Paul fasted for three days after meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:9). He tells us 2 Corinthians 11 that he fasted often as he prayed for strength and unity in the Body of Christ.

• Jesus fasted for 40 days, and Satan tried to use this time of “weakness” to tempt Jesus. Yet even when weakened from lack of physical nourishment, Jesus proved that in man’s weakness, God’s strength is perfect. If God in human flesh fasted, how much more ought we? (Matthew 4) 

The thing about fasting, though, is that it will not save us. God does not forgive us of sin because of what we do, but on the merit of Christ alone. Salvation is God’s gift (Romans 6:23).

 Said another way: if fasting is done to impress others of our own holiness, or because we are trying to ‘be good enough’ for heaven, it is a ritual, done in the flesh. (The Pharisees of Jesus’ day fasted in this manner –and Jesus called them “a brood of vipers.”) In fact, the point of fasting for a Christian is saying, “Hey, I’m humbling myself because I’m not holy. I’m not strong. But you are holy, God, and you are strong. I want to know you.”

As you probably know, right now Muslims are observing Ramadan – the month of fasting. However, in Islam, fasting is required for the forgiveness of sins, salvation from Hell fire, the reward of Paradise, among other things. As Abu Huraira reported, Muhammad said, "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained." [Bukhari]

Muslims all over the world are fasting to earn Allah’s forgiveness, attempting to expiate their sins, and earn entrance into one of the eight doors of Paradise while the devils are chained. Please keep them in your prayers – they don’t know that in Jesus Christ, we have access to the throne of God in heaven 365 days a year (Hebrews 4:16). They don’t have a relationship with the God who promises that all the powers of Hell will not be able to separate us from His love in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38).

Please spend some time this month praying for the Muslim world – they don’t have the Bread of Life, and are going spiritually hungry. Pray for God to touch their hearts with His Word, that they would learn what true fasting is (Isaiah 58).

(you can learn more about what Islam teaches about Ramadan here: http://www.qss.org/articles/ramadan/7.html).