Search
Christians are very familiar with the matter of fasting in prayer, but unfortunately, many misunderstand its meaning and treat it as a common thing. I am afraid that there are not many who really know what it means to fast and pray. Now let us come to the Bible and take a good look into this matter.
When the Bible first mentions prayer, it does not speak of the need to fast. You do not see either Noah or Abraham praying with fasting. The case of Moses is somewhat different. The Bible does not explicitly say that he fasted and prayed, but it seems certain that he did when he went up to God on Mount Sinai. From that time onward, the Bible frequently mentions the matter of fasting in prayer. Especially in the New Testament, it is very evident that fasting is greatly related to prayer. The first man who fasted in the New Testament was John the Baptist. Matthew 11:18 says, “John came neither eating nor drinking.” Of course, that does not mean that John fasted absolutely. It means that he took no part in the worldly enjoyment. On the one hand, John neither ate nor drank, and on the other hand, he still ate “locusts and wild honey” (3:4). In any case, he should be listed among those who fasted.
In the New Testament record, the second person who fasted was the Lord Jesus. When the Lord first came forth to minister, He fasted before God for forty days. Later, in His teaching, He also spoke something about fasting. He said that while He was with the disciples, they did not need to fast, but when He would be taken away from them, they would have to fast (Mark 2:18-20). He also said that some demons cannot be cast out by prayer alone (Matt. 17:21). So by the example of the Lord Jesus, we can see that He was a real fasting One. At the same time, His teachings show what fasting actually is. Later on, the Bible shows that during the apostolic age, the apostles often fasted and prayed. Acts 13 gives a very clear record of five prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch who fasted and prayed while they ministered to the Lord. In particular, when two among them were to be sent to the Gentiles, they fasted and prayed before sending them away. We may say that the record of fasting reaches its climax in Acts 13.
I have very briefly pointed out the relationship between fasting and prayer. From these records we can actually see what the relationship is between fasting and prayer, or what is the meaning of fasting in prayer.
First, fasting is a spontaneous expression as man receives a great responsibility before God. At such a time, man will spontaneously fast. The experiences in our human life also substantiate this point. Often when we encounter an important matter in the course of our human living, we become unable to eat. True, some matters can make us happy and cause us to eat more, but other matters may press us to a point that we simply cannot eat. Because the matter that we encounter is so great and the responsibility so heavy, we spontaneously lose our appetite for food. However, when the matter is taken care of and the responsibility discharged, we feel relieved, and our appetite returns for normal eating. Likewise, as we receive a great matter from God, we are so burdened within that we fast without purposing to do so. Because Moses received a great responsibility from God on Mount Sinai, he was unable to eat for forty days. Later on, as the Lord Jesus came forth to minister, having received great responsibility, He was also unable to eat. This does not mean that He actually could not eat. It means that He had no heart to eat. It was as if there was no room in Him to contain food. In Acts 13 a tremendous responsibility was placed upon the prophets and teachers in Antioch. Therefore, they spontaneously fasted and prayed in order to spare their whole being any distraction from that responsibility. This is the first meaning of fasting.
Second, fasting is man’s indication that he stands absolutely on God’s side. In the chapter concerning the prayer of warfare we said that prayer is man declaring in the universe that he is standing on God’s side to oppose Satan. Fasting is a sign of the absoluteness of such prayer. Today, in order to show his absoluteness concerning a certain matter, a man may fast a long time. If you can be praying for a certain matter and can also be eating, it reveals that you are not absolutely standing on God’s side. It demonstrates that your attitude is still not firm enough. So, brothers and sisters, as you pray, do not fast lightly. Always keep in mind that in fasting you are saying, “Here is a great and important matter, and in this matter, my attitude, my intention, is one hundred percent absolutely standing on God’s side to oppose God’s enemy.”
Third, the basic meaning of fasting is to renounce one’s lawful rights. There is nothing in our human life that is more legitimate than eating. Following the creation of man, the first thing God did for man was to arrange the matter of eating. In Genesis 1, after He created man according to His image, God immediately ordained the herbs and fruits as food for man. Therefore, man’s eating is lawful. By his fasting, man indicates that in order to receive and bear an important matter, he renounces his most legitimate right.
Since fasting is the renunciation of our lawful right, we also must learn to give up our legitimate rights in many other matters. If we are not willing to put aside the enjoyments of our life as we fast, then such fasting is meaningless. The Lord Jesus’ life matched His fasting, because while living as a man on the earth, He gave up many lawful rights. The entire life of the Lord Jesus was based on the principle of fasting. He renounced His lawful rights and forsook His reasonable enjoyments so that although He did not fast daily, He lived every day in the principle of fasting.
Fourth, fasting also indicates that man does not care for himself, not even for his life. Eating is most crucial to human existence. Without eating, man will starve to death. Hence, to fast is to use your life as a pledge. In fasting you are saying, “I want this matter to be fulfilled even at the cost of my life. I am fighting for it with my life.” Sometimes people working in an organization may argue about something and use their staying or leaving as a pledge. In essence, they say, “If you agree with me, I will stay; if not, I will leave.” Keep in mind that fasting is fighting for something with your life. You are, in effect, maintaining the attitude that you would rather die than let this matter pass by. You would die in order that this matter might be carried out. Thus, if we pray for a certain burden, and within our heart we still consider our future, our destiny, or our life, then we may pray, but we do not need to fast. If you really want to fast and pray for a certain matter, you need to maintain the attitude that you are putting your life aside. This is in accordance with what the apostle Paul said: “I consider my life of no account as if precious to myself” (Acts 20:24). When Paul was on his way to Jerusalem for the last time, all along the way believers warned him, saying, “When you get there, you will surely be bound with chains and encounter danger.” They besought him to such an extent that Paul, being unable to bear it, answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (21:13). This is the principle of fasting. In fasting, you not only renounce your rights, but you also give up your life. Therefore, when we sometimes feel that our fasting is meaningless, it is because we are merely manifesting an outward indication, while inwardly we are still the same. Fasting means that a certain matter is pressing upon you to such an extent that you have to fight with your life and that you would rather die than allow this matter to go by lightly. You will prove this matter to God even unto death. When you have such a strong feeling, your fasting is meaningful.
Fifth, fasting is for God’s will to be accomplished and for Satan to be defeated. The instances of fasting and prayer that are recorded in the Bible are either for the accomplishment of God’s will or for the driving out of the devil. It is difficult to find even one example that is for man’s own benefit. Hence, we may conclude that real fasting is, on one hand, to accomplish God’s will and, on the other hand, to get rid of Satan. Perhaps you will ask, “When we fast and pray for the healing of our sickness, can we say that this is also for God’s will to be accomplished and for Satan to be removed?” The issue is this: if your concept and viewpoint are purely for God’s healing, then your fasting is useless. You need to receive mercy, become enlightened, and be led to such an extent that even though your sickness may be so serious that there is no hope for recovery, you will still say to God, “O God, if You keep me on this earth, all my days henceforth shall be absolutely for You; if not, may You allow me to die quickly. I don’t want to live for myself on this earth. O God, I am asking You to do one thing here today, that I may be healed and that I may live henceforth wholly for You.” If you have such a condition, such a heart, and such a thought, you are already fasting. I believe that most sickness will be healed at such a point.
Allow me to add a few words here concerning healing. Never believe that divine healing is absolutely unconditional and unlimited. As far as God’s power is concerned, it is indeed unlimited, but as far as men who receive the divine healing are concerned, there is still a limit. Brothers and sisters, I would like to tell you that those who have received divine healing in the past have eventually still died. Even Lazarus, after having been raised from death, eventually died. We have to wait until the coming day of resurrection to receive the unlimited divine healing. Today there is no sickness that is absolutely and completely healed. Tens of thousands in the church have received divine healing in the last two thousand years, but where are they today? They are all in tombs; they are in death waiting for the ultimate healing. Hence, Brother Darby wrote, “Waiting for Him who takes us up / Beyond the pow’r of death” (Hymns, #47). Although you and I have not entered into tombs, we are in death. All sicknesses are factors of death. Actually, before resurrection comes, everyone who is healed receives but a temporary healing. Today in times of necessity, God gives us limited healing. He allows us to live a few more years on this earth, but it is not for our health or for our longevity but for His will.
Brothers, this does not mean, therefore, that when you are sick and you fast and pray, God will necessarily heal you. What fasting means is that you are here absolutely for God’s will to be done and for God’s enemy to be cast out. As to whether or not you will be healed, that is another matter. Having realized that you were altogether living for yourself in the past, you repent to God and ask Him that, if it pleases Him, He keep you on this earth for another period of time. You tell Him that you desire to have His will fully accomplished in you and to give Satan no ground whatsoever in you. I repeat, however, this healing is temporary. It is so that His will may be accomplished in you. Otherwise, no matter how you fast and pray, it is still futile. Never think that as long as you fast and pray, your prayer will be answered by God. The basic principle of fasting in prayer is to indicate that you absolutely care for God’s will to be accomplished and for Satan to be removed. You cannot find an illustration in the Bible showing that when man fasts and prays for his personal interest, God answers that prayer. Never imagine that if your business is losing money and your whole family fasts and prays, tomorrow your business will prosper. This is absolutely not the case. This is superstition. Fasting in prayer in the Bible is always this: either man on earth has touched God’s desire and asks God to fulfill it, or he has encountered God’s enemy and desires to cast him out.
Since the meaning of fasting is so serious, I would advise you, brothers and sisters, not to fast lightly. We cannot find in the Gospels that the Lord Jesus frequently fasted. Never consider fasting a trifling matter. Only the hypocritical Pharisees would say that they fasted twice a week. They considered fasting very common. In the Old Testament the prophet Isaiah severely rebuked such fasting. God does not accept such fasting in prayer. Do not regard fasting as a religious form nor treat it as a superstitious requirement. The fasting in prayer that God accepts occurs when one receives a commission from God that is very great. Because he loves God and cares so much for His purpose, he is willing to give up his right to legitimate enjoyment. He also is willing to struggle for that commission to the death. In that instance, such a person would spontaneously fast.
On the one hand, a Christian should not fast lightly, but on the other hand, he needs to fast. If a Christian has never fasted, there is certainly something wrong with him. Either God has never committed any matter to him, or he has refused God’s commission. If you have never sensed that there is a great responsibility coming from God to you, it simply means that you have never indicated to God with a firm attitude that you want His will and want to stand on His side. You regard the things of God as unimportant. Whether the gospel is preached or not, and whether or not sinners are saved are of no consequence to you. After all, you have already prayed for them. So after your prayer you are still able to eat and drink in merriment. Brothers and sisters, if such is your attitude, you are indeed a poor Christian. You do not care at all whether or not the church is in desolation. You care never to miss a meal. Since you do not have the life-and-death attitude toward the things of God, this proves that your Christian life is very lacking. If you would care a little for God’s heart, the burden for the gospel would press upon you, and you would struggle in life and death. You would pray, “O God, the gospel must be powerful. You must save some; otherwise, I can’t eat or drink.” This is what it means to fast and pray. You may also be so concerned for the house of God that you can say to God, “O God, it is all right for me to die, but it is not all right for the church to be in such a desolate state. Unless You solve the problem of the desolation of the church, I would rather die.” I can tell you, brothers and sisters, at this point you will surely fast. It is an awful thing if God’s children have never had such an experience, for it proves that they do not care for God’s purpose or sense how fierce God’s enemy is. So, what does fasting mean? Fasting means that you care very much for God’s purpose, and you deeply sense the fierceness of God’s enemy. Such sensation presses and compels you to such an extent that you simply cannot eat, drink, and be merry like other men, but you must fast.
Now we come to the test for fasting. How do you know that you need to fast? This is determined by whether or not you feel hungry when you do not eat. If when you do not eat you feel hungry and desire food, it proves that you should not have fasted. If you do not feel hungry when you do not eat or thirsty when you do not drink, then you ought to fast. Sometimes the brothers and sisters would say, “Let us all fast.” But having fasted only that morning, at eleven o’clock someone may say, “Oh, I am really hungry.” Let me tell you, your fasting that morning was wrong, and you should not have done it. All who truly fast will not feel hungry. Suppose one day a sister who is a widow should lose her only son. Undoubtedly, she could go without eating for three days without feeling hungry. Others might be concerned for her and say, “Sister, you have not eaten for three days. How can this be?” She would say, “I am not hungry at all. I simply cannot take food.”
Therefore, while fasting, if the brothers and sisters feel hungry, it is better for them to go quickly and get something to eat than to be hypocritical and sin against God. You should fast because you are so fully occupied with the problem and burden that at that moment you have no appetite and feel there is no room in you for food. Therefore, whether you should fast depends on whether you feel hungry. If you feel hungry, then do not fast; otherwise, fast.
Finally, let us look at a few things that we must heed in the matter of fasting and prayer. First, if a burden truly presses you to such an extent that you cannot help but fast, then remember this: never fast without praying. You must fast and pray. Try your best to turn your fasting time, your fasting attitude, and your burden in fasting into prayer. All the experienced ones know that this kind of fasting in prayer is altogether outside any kind of form. It does not require thinking or memorizing but issues entirely from within. Fasting without prayer is a great loss. Your body will suffer harm, your mind will be damaged, and even your spirit will suffer loss. Furthermore, without prayer it is hard for your burden to be carried out. Therefore, whenever you have a heavy burden that presses you to the extent that you cannot help but fast, you must do your best to pray. Such prayer will become food to your spirit. It will afford you a considerable amount of mental comfort and will supply strength to your body. Fasting without prayer consumes you, but fasting with prayer supplies you.
Next, while you fast in prayer, always beware of having too many things as your burden. Do not pray for things apart from your burden. You do well just to pray specifically for that one matter. Why are you so heavy laden? Why can you not eat? Why are you not hungry? You should pray specifically for that one matter. It may be for the gospel, it may be for the church, or it may be for someone’s soul to be saved. Our mistake is that while fasting, we still have our mind on many other things. If you come to the Lord with so many things to pray for, then you should not fast, because you have not reached the point where you can neither eat nor drink but can only pray before God.
Real fasting in prayer is this: because a person loves God, lives before God, and touches God’s heart, the Spirit of God will heavily burden him with one thing that God desires to do. He will become burdened to such an extent that he can neither eat nor drink. Then he will spontaneously fast and go before God to pray. Consequently, such prayer will accomplish God’s purpose, drive out the devil, and usher in God’s authority.
Last, you need to take heed that when you really have the burden to fast, you do not overdo it. Learn to be balanced before God. Never think this way: “Did not the Lord Jesus fast for forty days? Did not Moses also spend forty days on the mountain? So it does not matter if I fast for eight or ten days.” Over twenty years ago I saw a sister who fasted too much. As a result, her body became extremely weak, and her mind became very weary. Satan thus took the opportunity to attack her. No one was able to help her. Eventually, she fasted unto death. Therefore, on one hand, we should not fast lightly, but on the other hand, we should not overdo it. Rather, we should stop at a certain point and thus be balanced.
Finally, I hope that among us, at every place and every moment, there are some who are praying with fasting. During the course of our service to the Lord, we should always come to a point where we are unable to get through some matters, and at that time we must fast and pray to deal with them.
