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According to Isaiah 58:4, the purpose
of fasting is to “make your voice heard on high.” When
we fast with proper motivation, our voices are heard in heaven,
that is, we come into God’s presence in a powerful way.
Think of the effort we make to eat when we are hungry. Most of us
make a way when there is no way when it’s mealtime. We will
make a sandwich out of stuff in the fridge that is “unsandwichable.”
Why? Because we are desperate to satisfy our hunger. Likewise, when
you fast, you are desperate to satisfy a need in your soul. You
are desperate to be completely focused on God.
Fasting, must forever center on God. Religious practices such as
fasting are less important then doing God’s will. Fasting
is not an end itself; it is a means by which we can worship the
Lord and submit ourselves in humility to Him. Even if we wanted
to, we could not manipulate God. We fast and pray, but the results
are in God’s hands.
One of the greatest spiritual benefits of fasting is becoming more
attentive to God - being aware of our own inadequacies compared
to His adequacy - and listening to what He wants us to be and do.
Christian fasting, therefore, is totally different to, say Hindu
fasting. Both seek results; however Hindu fasting focuses on self
and tries to get something for a perceived sacrifice. Christian
fasting focuses on results that glorify God.
Fasting focuses us on God. It must be God initiated and God ordained.
Once the primary purpose of fasting is firmly fixed in our hearts,
we are at liberty to understand that there are also secondary purposes
in fasting. More than any other discipline, fasting reveals what
controls us.
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