Rob Gaschler’s College Ministry Equipping Blog

Fasting: Make Space for God in your Life December 17, 2011

In our busy lives where we often make much of food and much of entertainment, one goal of fasting is to create space in our lives for God to speak through His Word and prayer. Fasting is an opportunity to make space for God in our lives.

It is important that fasting is done with right motives. It is about the spiritual life of the person fasting and praying in the will of God. Going with or without food has no spiritual value in and of itself. 1 Corinthians 8:8 says, “Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.”

Also, if you are the type who skips lunch often or never eats breakfast, you cannot count that as fasting. Going without food is not fasting. But when you make sacrifices and give up things that maybe you have become more in love with than God, or depend more on than you depend on God, that is where fasting is.

Let’s give up the things we love more than God at times so that we might seek, know and love God more. During a lunch instead of eating go and pray.

Scripture References for Fasting:

1 TIMOTHY 2:1-2
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”

ROMANS 12:1
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.”

MATTHEW 6:33
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

ISAIAH 58:6
“[Is] not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?”

Matthew 6:16-18, Matthew 9:14-15, Luke 18:9-14

Relation to Prayer and Reading of the Word:
1 Samuel 1:6-8, 17-18, Nehemiah 1:4, Daniel 9:3, 20, Joel 2:12, Luke 2:37, Acts 10:30, Acts 13:2

Corporate Fasting:
1 Samuel 7:5-6, Ezra 8:21-23, Nehemiah 9:1-3, Joel 2:15-16, Jonah 3:5-10, Acts 27:33-37

Remember that it is the attitude of a heart sincerely seeking Him to which God responds with a blessing (Isaiah 58, Jeremiah 14:12, 1 Corinthians 8:8). May God greatly bless you as you fast!