SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 12/15/2020 10:50 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-4 “Proper
Fasting”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matt.
6:17-18
Message of the verses: “17 "But you,
when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 "so that you do not
appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place;
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
We
want to look at the next item in which fasting is the proper thing to do and
that would be that fasting often accompanied the beginning of an important task
or ministry, and an example of that would be from our Lord Jesus Christ who
fasted for forty days before He began His ministry of preaching and
teaching. MacArthur writes “Intensity
and zeal over proclaiming God’s Word can so consume the mind and heart that
food has no appeal and no place. Through
abstaining from food has absolutely no spiritual value in itself, when eating
is an intrusion on that which is immeasurably more important, it will be
willingly, gladly, and unobtrusively forsaken.”
I have mentioned before that I don’t usually disagree with John
MacArthur, but in this case I have to say that I do as I do think that from my
study on fasting that I do believe that when a person fasts for a spiritual reason
that it can cause you to think more clearly.
The digestion of food in our bodies takes a lot of energy and so when a
person fast the body can rest from that process of digestion, thus helping our
minds think for clearly that when our bodies are digesting food. The first time that I was on a fast I
prepared by going from three meals a day, to two meals a day, and then one meal
a day which made it very easy to begin my fast as I was not at all hungry while
fasting. My mind was clearer that it was
while I was eating and this is why I believe that there is some spiritual
benefit in going on a water only fast.
Now
another time we find in the Scriptures of men beginning a ministry is found in
the 13th chapter of the book of Acts and we will look at verses 2-3 “2
While they were ministering
to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas
and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 Then, when
they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” Later on in chapter 14 and verse 23 we read “When
they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting,
they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”
MacArthur
writes “Only the Lord knows how much the leadership of the church today could
be strengthened if congregations were that determined to find and follow the
Lord’s will. The early church did not
choose or send out leaders carelessly or by popular vote. Above all they sought and followed God’s
will. Fasting has no more power to
assure godly leadership than it has to assure forgiveness, protection, or any
other good thing from God. But it is
likely to be a part of sincere dedication that is determined to know the Lord’s
will and have His power before decisions are made, plans are laid, or actions
are taken. People who are consumed with
concern before God do not take a lunch break.”
As
we search the Scriptures we find that fasting goes along with praying, one can
pray without fasting, but one cannot fast without praying as seen in the
Scriptures. “Fasting is an affirmation
of intense prayer, a corollary of deep spiritual struggle before God. It is never an isolated act or a ceremony or spiritually
that has some inherent efficacy or merit.
It has no value at all—in fact becomes a spiritual hindrance and a sin—when
done for any reason apart from knowing and following the Lord’s will” writes
MacArthur.
It
is my desire to finish this section in our next SD. Before that I do believe that a believer can
go on a fast to help him deal with physical problems as I have learned that
this will work for certain physical issues like losing weight. The second time I fasted it was for 22 days
and it was not really to seek direction from the Lord, but for physical
reasons. If I decide to do another fast
it would have to be by the leading of the Lord and it would have to be for
spiritual reasons and it would have to include prayer as the Scripture teaches.
12/15/2020 11:17 AM
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