Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.” Isaiah 1:16–19
“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.” Matthew 17:20–21
When we combine these two scriptures, we find cleansing, spiritually, when we put away evil and learn to do well. Also, we have help for our unbelief and relief for our lack of faith by prayer and fasting.
Prayer, when it becomes a reality and we carry burdens on our hearts for those we love—our family, friends and acquaintances—opens our eyes and directs them to the Unseen. The secrets of the Lord become ours. When we think of fervent prayer, we should also think of fasting, because the true fast is the denial of ourselves for the good of others, as well as to reap a spiritual blessing.
The Bible defines fasting as abstaining from certain kinds of foods, especially harmful or stimulating foods, or abstaining from food altogether. It can be the denial of oneself of a certain pleasure or gratification in order to gain spiritual victories for oneself or for the purpose of pleading intercession for others.
“Jesus taught his disciples that a humble and contrite spirit is an inward principle; that the austere, gloomy countenance is not an index to a humble, submissive spirit. While the heart should have the grace of humility, the countenance should be cheerful, not gloomy and repulsive. His words of instruction to them were: ‘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.’” –Signs of the Times, December 3, 1896
What is interesting here is that Jesus does not say “if” you fast, but “when” you fast. Fasting needs to be a part of every Christian’s life.
Immediately after Jesus’ baptism, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil. Matthew 4:1. The first temptation that Jesus was presented with, which was the same that the pair in Eden failed to overcome, was the indulgence of appetite. Fasting for 40 days and nights, Jesus was weak with hunger, and Satan came to Him, telling him to use His divine power to change the stones into bread. Jesus’ response to Satan was, “It is written, man shall not live by bread alone.” We read, “That long fast in the wilderness was to be a lesson to fallen man for all time. Christ was not overcome by the strong temptations of the enemy. . . That long fast of the Saviour strengthened Him to endure. . . When Christ was the most fiercely beset by temptation, He ate nothing.” –Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 186
Christ gained strength through prayer and fasting, and we must follow His example and do the same. When our physical strength is weakened, when we deny our appetite, we are the strongest through prayer, and through our communion with God.
“If the indulgence of appetite was so strong upon the race that in order to break its power, the divine Son of God, in behalf of man, was required to fast nearly six weeks, what a work is before the Christian in order that he may overcome even as Christ overcame! The strength of the temptation to indulge perverted appetite can be measured only by the inexpressible anguish of Christ in that long fast in the wilderness.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol.3, p. 486
Many of the world’s diseases are caused by perverted appetites. Cancers, heart disease, strokes, diabetes—all have, as significant contributing factors, the foods that people eat, and in the use of alcohol, flesh meats, and other stimulating substances.
Many people feel that they must follow Christ’s example in performing a 40-day fast. However, The Spirit of Prophecy tells us differently. “All the fasting in the world will not take the place of simple trust in the word of God. ‘Ask,’ He says, ‘and ye shall receive.’ You are not called upon to fast forty days. The Lord bore that fast for you in the wilderness of temptation. There would be no virtue in such a fast; but there is virtue in the blood of Christ.” –Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 189
Especially when should we fast?
The Bible provides us with many examples as to the purpose for fasting. Men of God fasted in repentance for sin, to overcome temptation, for deliverance, in humbling oneself before God, or when in deep sorrow.
“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.” Acts 14:23
Some sins are only overcome by prayer and fasting. “For certain things, fasting and prayer are recommended and appropriate. In the hand of God they are a means of cleansing the heart and promoting a receptive frame of mind. We obtain answers to our prayers because we humble our souls before God.” –Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 187. However, “Fasting and prayer will accomplish nothing while the heart is estranged from God by a wrong course of action.” –Counsels on Health, p. 377. We need to be ready to accept God’s leading in overcoming sin.
Any time that we have something important in front of us—especially when it comes to supplicating the throne of God’s mercy for His mighty hand to move on our behalf should be a reason to fast.
What kind of fasting is best?
The Bible speaks much about fasting and prayer, but what do these fasts consist of? In most references to fasting, the Bible mentions many different individuals and groups of people who fasted, but no further details are given other than that.
In a few places there is more detail. Daniel, in his fast, gave up all pleasant food. “In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.” Daniel 10:2–3
David fasted after his sin against Uriah, for the life of his child. “David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.” 2 Samuel 12:16–17
As Nineveh repented of their sins, the king called a fast. “And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.” Jonah 3:7–8
The Spirit of Prophecy also provides guidelines for fasting:
“Now and onward till the close of time the people of God should be more earnest, more wide-awake, not trusting in their own wisdom, but in the wisdom of the Leader. They should set aside days for fasting and prayer. Entire abstinence from food may not be required, but they should eat sparingly of the most simple food.” –Last Day Events, p. 82
In situations when someone is physically ill she gives this counsel, “In many cases of sickness, the very best remedy is for the patient to fast for a meal or two, that the overworked organs of digestion may have an opportunity to rest. A fruit diet for a few days has often brought great relief to brain workers. Many times a short period of entire abstinence from food, followed by simple, moderate eating, has led to recovery through nature’s own recuperative effort. An abstemious diet for a month or two would convince many sufferers that the path of self-
denial is the path to health.” –Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 189
Fasting is also a way to overcome the sin of appetite. “Indulgence in eating too frequently, and in too large quantities, overtaxes the digestive organs, and produces a feverish state of the system. The blood becomes impure, and then diseases of various kinds occur. . . In such cases the sufferers can do for themselves that which others can not do as well for them. They should begin to relieve nature of the load they have forced upon her. They should remove the cause by fasting a short time, and giving the stomach time to rest. The feverish state of the system should be reduced by a careful and understanding application of water.” –The Review and Herald, September 5, 1899
At the end of every year, during the Week of Prayer the whole church, worldwide, joins in a day of fasting and prayer. During this day there is a total abstinence from food, where water is only consumed. Water fasts are healthy to relieve the pressure of an overtaxed digestive system. However, fasting while only consuming water is not recommended for a prolonged period of time. Lengthy water fasts can cause electrolyte imbalances, which create significant health risks, and could lead to death. The result of the body’s attempt to maintain its balance will result in physical symptoms such as weakness, dizziness, tremors, nausea. Despite claims, water fasting does not detoxify one’s body, nor is it effective in helping one lose weight.
There are healthy alternatives to a water fast. Juice fasting is a recommended form of fasting that can be done anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Vegetable juices are cleansing and also strengthening. The nutrition in solid food takes more of the body’s energy to digest, but with a juice fast there is no need for the body to break down all the fibre, fats, etc. Raw vegetable juices contain most of the enzymes, vitamins and minerals that you need for your nutrition. The lack of fibre in a juice fast can cause a slowing down of the bowels. To counteract this effect, psyllium husks can be added to the juice. You can juice almost anything that you can eat raw. Some good choices for vegetable juices include celery, cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce, sprouts, cabbage. Beets and carrots should be used in half strength as they contain a lot of natural sugar. Fruit juices have too much concentrated sweetness when you are fasting.
For every three days that you fast, you should take one day of breaking the fast as a necessary step in getting your bodies back into digesting solid food. This is done so as not to overburden your digestive system. The stomach needs to slowly return to full functioning by the gentle reintroduction of foods, beginning with the simplest and most-easily digested. Begin by eating small amounts of food. Overeating following a fast is worse than overeating at any other time. Many people wonder why they don’t feel better after they have fasted. This is because they didn’t break their fast in the correct way. They ate way too much, and of the wrong kinds of foods when they broke their fast.
Steps for breaking your fast:
- Fruit and vegetable juices (with a water fast)
- Fresh, raw fruits
- Raw vegetables
- Lightly steamed vegetables
- Brown Rice (no oil, or other condiments allowed)
People with certain health conditions should avoid fasting, e.g. kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, cancer, states of malnutrition, pregnant or breast-feeding women. Young children and the elderly should not fast without supervision. A fast of wholesome, simple food is the preferred method of fasting with these groups, rather than a total abstinence of food.
Besides specific periods of fasting, Sister Whites states that “The true fasting which should be recommended to all, is abstinence from every stimulating kind of food, and the proper use of wholesome, simple food, which God has provided in abundance.” –Medical Ministry, p. 283. This is the type of fasting that needs to be incorporated in our lives daily, as we come closer to Christ’s second coming.
“We are living in the most solemn period of this world’s history. The destiny of earth’s teeming multitudes is about to be decided. Our own future well-being and also the salvation of other souls depend upon the course which we now pursue. We need to be guided by the Spirit of truth. Every follower of Christ should earnestly inquire: “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” We need to humble ourselves before the Lord, with fasting and prayer, and to meditate much upon His Word, especially upon the scenes of the judgment. We should now seek a deep and living experience in the things of God.” —A Call to Stand Apart, p. 69