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The Thin Place

How and Why Christians Fast

Fasting is one of the most under-taught spiritual disciplines in the Church today. Often, the teaching around fasting is vague at best and confusing at worst. But Jesus taught about fasting in the same passage He taught on prayer. He expected it to be a regular practice for His followers and it’s something that Christians need to embrace! 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught on fasting in the same passage He taught us the Lord’s Prayer. 

“And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” – Matthew 6: 16-18, RSVCE

Jesus said when you fast. Not if, but when. 

Fasting is an assumed part of the Christian life. This passage is directly after the Lord’s teaching on prayer – something we have regular teaching and encouragement on. 

Prayer and fasting are an assumed part of the Christian life. Spoken about by Christ in the same manner. 

Unfortunately, for many Christians fasting is not a regular part of their spiritual life. Either because they don’t understand it, were told it doesn’t apply outside of the Old Testament, have never learned how to fast, or simply don’t want to do something that stretches them. 

I can count on one hand the times I’ve heard a sermon or homily on fasting. I’ve heard countless on the importance of prayer and Bible study. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized the Lord spoke about prayer and fasting on equal terms and the importance of it in the life of a Christian. 

So as Christians, we need to understand the how and why of fasting and make it part of our faith practice. 

There are 2 things I want to clarify before we dig into the how and why of Christian fasting. 

When Jesus was fasting in Matthew 4, there were 2 Old Testament passages He quoted that I think give us insight into fasting: 

But he answered, “It is written,  ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” – Matthew 4:4 

I think this passage makes it clear that we should be fasting from food. There is a clear connection between fasting from food and reliance on God. 

The second verse I think we need to look at is when Satan encourages Jesus to test God. 

Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,

‘He will give his angels charge of you,’

and

‘On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” – Matthew 4:5-7 RSVCE

I think this passage makes it clear that fasting should not be a form of testing God. If there is a medical condition or season of life that prohibits us from safely fasting, we should not put God to the test! In this situation, I would encourage you to talk with your doctor about what your limits are, and seek alternatives. 

For example, there was a season in my life when I was unable to fast because I needed to take medication several times a day and couldn’t take it on an empty stomach. During this time, I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to fast on several occasions. I knew it would not be wise to totally fast so I looked at what mattered to my doctor; not having an empty stomach when I took my medication. 

I fasted not entirely from food, but from the typical foods I would have chosen. Instead of eating my preferred/normal meals, I had a green juice and small portions of raw vegetables on the days I was fasting. Was I totally fasting? No. Was I still making a sacrifice of what I ate and practicing abstention and reliance on God? Definitely!

If you have medical reasons that prohibit you from fasting, I encourage you to look at what your options are! Can you safely fast from certain types of food or for a portion of the day? Then consider fasting in this manner! 

How to Fast

There are three common teachings on how to fast that I found amount Christians today. The Orthodox and Catholic Churches seem to have the clearest unified guidelines on fasting. 

Orthodox/Eastern Churches fast on Wednesdays and Fridays (as well as during other seasons throughout the liturgical year). My understanding is that it varies slightly but generally, it means abstaining from animal products (meat, eggs, dairy), oils, wines throughout the day. 

For Roman Catholics, fasting typically looks like limiting the day’s eating to 1 meal and two small snacks that when combined are smaller than the meal. Typically, fasting is also accompanied by abstaining from meat. 

Traditional Jewish fasting was from sundown to sundown, which is still the mode of fasting practiced by many Christians today. For most, this looks like limiting their intake to only water from sundown to sundown then eating a small, simple meal after sundown on the second day.

If you haven’t fasted before, I encourage you to pick a Friday and fast. Because Christ suffered His passion and death on Friday, this has traditionally been a day Christians throughout history have fasted. The Didache, one of the oldest Christian texts, assumes the Christians fast both on Wednesdays, because of the betrayal of Christ by Judas, and Fridays, because of His crucifixion and death. 

If you haven’t fasted before, I encourage you to choose one of the methods above and start on a Friday!

The Benefits of Fasting

1. The most obvious is obedience. 

Jesus instructs us in the matter of how we should fast so presumably, He wanted us to fast. 

We should always trust that even if we don’t understand it, God doesn’t tell us something pointlessly. He doesn’t toy with us, His commands are always for our benefit.

When we ignore the command to fast, I fear we’re like Eve in the Garden, grabbing hold of the fruit and eating of it because we think God is holding out on us and there is not benefit to His command. 

If for no other reason, we should fast out of obedience to God.

2. The second benefit of fasting is that it’s a powerful tool in spiritual warfare. 

In Matthew 17, Jesus’s disciples try to cast a demon out of a suffering boy but are unable. After Jesus rescues the boy from this torment, they ask Jesus why they were unable to cast the demon out. He replies: 

“This kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting”

I don’t understand the how, but I believe that Jesus was trying to help us understand that fasting is an important weapon in spiritual warfare.

3. Throughout the Bible, fasting used as a sign of repentance from sin. 

“Yet even now,” says the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;  and rend your hearts and not your garments.” – Joel 2:12-13

Fasting is an appropriate response to our sin. Fasting is an outward obedience and symbol of our sorrow over sin and desire to depend wholly on our God.

Whether over general grief of sin on a day like Good Friday or in response to awareness and repentance of a specific sin in your life, fasting is always an appropriate response.

4. Fasting is an opportunity to live in solidarity with those who are suffering and to give from our resources on their behalf. 

When we go without, we have more to give. Especially during the season of Lent when we fast in some form or another for an extended period of time, we have more resources to divert from our typical food budget and to share with the poor. 

The pang of hunger is a reminder of those who do not fast voluntarily and an opportunity to both pray and give on their behalf. Choosing to go without on behalf of others is always virtuous. 

5. Fasting is training

When we fast, we practice denial of self. It is an opportunity to practice denying our flesh and relying on the Spirit as St. Paul spoke of in 1st Corinthians 9:27. When we willingly deny our flesh, it helps prepare us for the time we need to unwillingly deny ourselves as we take up the crosses in our life and continue to deny our sinful nature. 

An Overview of How to Fast as a Christian and the Spiritual Benefits of Fasting! #christianpractices #christianliving #catholic #fasting

The spiritual benefits of fasting and how to make it a regular part of your Christian faith #christianliving #Jesus #spiritualpractices #fasting #christianfasting

Whether you’ve been fasting for years or this is the first time you’ve encountered this spiritual discipline, I hope that it’s encouraged you to make this a more regular part of your faith!

You May Also Like:

Disciplines of the Faith: Fasting to Cultivate a Hunger for God

Training for Righteousness

Feeling Spiritually Stagnant? Here Are 5 Things You Need To Do

7 Spiritual Disciplines To Implement To Make Your Faith a Priority This Year

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Hello, I’m Bailey

The Thin Place was born out of a season of struggle. A season where I felt stretched thin and desperately longed to see the goodness of God in the land of the living. The goodness of God showed up in unexpected ways. During that season, the spiritual disciplines laid out in Scripture, the traditions of the Church, and the reminders of His faithfulness seen in liturgial living and the feasts and seasons of the Church calendar all opened my eyes to the hope we have in Christ.

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Baruch, as you may recall from the book of Jeremiah, was the scribe of Jeremiah. This is a prophetic book written by Baruch calling the people of Jerusalem to repent of their idol worship and return to the Lord. 
Baruch is a great reminder of the importance of confession. The book opens with a call to make respond.
Then they wept, and fasted, and prayed before the Lord; and they collected money, each giving what he could – Baruch 1:5-6 RSVCE 
Baruch is a collection of the response to sin – both the acknowledgment of sin and the call to God’s mercy. 
#christianwoman #graceupongrace #jesusgirl #inspiredfaith #womenlivingwell #jesuscalling #faithfilledcaptions #catholicblogger #Catholicconvert #CatholicWoman #chasingsacred #christianwomenleaders #bibleverse #biblestudy  #christianblogger #faithinhim #proverbs31woman #faithful #Godisgood #encouragementgallery #godslove #christianposts #christianquote #prayer #prayertime 
#biblequotes #bibleinspiration
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Baruch, as you may recall from the book of Jeremiah, was the scribe of Jeremiah. This is a prophetic book written by Baruch calling the people of Jerusalem to repent of their idol worship and return to the Lord. Baruch is a great reminder of the importance of confession. The book opens with a call to make respond. Then they wept, and fasted, and prayed before the Lord; and they collected money, each giving what he could – Baruch 1:5-6 RSVCE Baruch is a collection of the response to sin – both the acknowledgment of sin and the call to God’s mercy. #christianwoman #graceupongrace #jesusgirl #inspiredfaith #womenlivingwell #jesuscalling #faithfilledcaptions #catholicblogger #Catholicconvert #CatholicWoman #chasingsacred #christianwomenleaders #bibleverse #biblestudy #christianblogger #faithinhim #proverbs31woman #faithful #Godisgood #encouragementgallery #godslove #christianposts #christianquote #prayer #prayertime #biblequotes #bibleinspiration
4 weeks ago
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The Book of Sirach is part of the Wisdom literature of the Bible. It was also written during the Maccabean revolt to encourage the people to hold fast to their Jewish faith and not to neglect the traditions and commandments handed down to them. 
Sirach is one of the books of the Bible found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in the late 1940s. It is also found in every copy of the Septuagint suggesting that is was considered to be Scripture by the Greek speaking Jews of that period.
It is full of practical, clear wisdom that is incredibly applicable to our lives today such as: 
The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord. - Sirach 3:18
The higher your position, the more you have to actively seek humility. When you are in a low position, when you rely on others, humility is a more natural disposition and you recognize your dependence on God. When you are great, you need to actively seek humility. 
Do not say, “Because of the Lord I left the right way”; for he will not do what he hates. - Sirach 15:11
This is pretty straightforward. We cannot blame the Lord when we choose sin. The Lord does not do what He hates. He will always provide a way for us to choose good and it adds to our shame when we choose sin and blame God for it. 
A slip on the pavement is better than a slip of the tongue; so the downfall of the wicked will occur speedily. - Sirach 20:18
As the Book of James expands upon the importance of bridling your tongue but more abut consistently in the Book of Sirach we are exhorted to keep charge over our tongues. Ironically, this is much easier said than done. 
Whether you’re new to the wisdom literature or have spent years pouring over proverbs, Sirach is a great place to begin in living a wiser, more biblical life. 
#bibletime #biblereading #readyourbible #proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword #savedbygrace #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #givemejesus #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #biblescripture
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The Book of Sirach is part of the Wisdom literature of the Bible. It was also written during the Maccabean revolt to encourage the people to hold fast to their Jewish faith and not to neglect the traditions and commandments handed down to them. Sirach is one of the books of the Bible found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in the late 1940s. It is also found in every copy of the Septuagint suggesting that is was considered to be Scripture by the Greek speaking Jews of that period. It is full of practical, clear wisdom that is incredibly applicable to our lives today such as: The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord. - Sirach 3:18 The higher your position, the more you have to actively seek humility. When you are in a low position, when you rely on others, humility is a more natural disposition and you recognize your dependence on God. When you are great, you need to actively seek humility. Do not say, “Because of the Lord I left the right way”; for he will not do what he hates. - Sirach 15:11 This is pretty straightforward. We cannot blame the Lord when we choose sin. The Lord does not do what He hates. He will always provide a way for us to choose good and it adds to our shame when we choose sin and blame God for it. A slip on the pavement is better than a slip of the tongue; so the downfall of the wicked will occur speedily. - Sirach 20:18 As the Book of James expands upon the importance of bridling your tongue but more abut consistently in the Book of Sirach we are exhorted to keep charge over our tongues. Ironically, this is much easier said than done. Whether you’re new to the wisdom literature or have spent years pouring over proverbs, Sirach is a great place to begin in living a wiser, more biblical life. #bibletime #biblereading #readyourbible #proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword #savedbygrace #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #givemejesus #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #biblescripture
1 month ago
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The Book of Wisdom full of poetic principles and outlines how to live life well. Written around the time of the Maccabean revolt, it is written in the style of Solomon (and is sometimes referred to as “The Wisdom of Solomon”) but was written by later authors.
While this book was not accepted in the Jewish cannon, it is in every copy of the Greek Septuagint but it was quote by St Augustine over 800 times and, most importantly, was declared Scripture at the Councils of Hippo and Carthage. 
It focuses on Wisdom guiding the lives of the faithful, the follies of the wicked, and focuses heavily on our future home with God and the life to come. 
For those of you familiar with the Nicene Creed, the Book of Wisdom is one of the sources of inspiration of our description of Jesus Christ. The reference to Christ being “Light from Light” is taken from Wisdom 7:26 which refers to Wisdom as being a “reflection of eternal light.” 
There are also several passages in Wisdom which foretell the death of Christ. One of my favorite passages is Wisdom 14:7, “Blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes,” which reminds me how truly blessed is the cross which held the Savior of the world, our perfect Sacrifice. 
Wisdom is very similar to the book of Proverbs in length and style. It points constantly to the Lord who, as James tells us, is ready to give wisdom to those who ask.
#proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword  #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #blessedandhighlyfavored #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #daughterofaking #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #wordbeforworld
#thinplaces #encouragingquotes #christianlife #christianencouragement
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The Book of Wisdom full of poetic principles and outlines how to live life well. Written around the time of the Maccabean revolt, it is written in the style of Solomon (and is sometimes referred to as “The Wisdom of Solomon”) but was written by later authors. While this book was not accepted in the Jewish cannon, it is in every copy of the Greek Septuagint but it was quote by St Augustine over 800 times and, most importantly, was declared Scripture at the Councils of Hippo and Carthage. It focuses on Wisdom guiding the lives of the faithful, the follies of the wicked, and focuses heavily on our future home with God and the life to come. For those of you familiar with the Nicene Creed, the Book of Wisdom is one of the sources of inspiration of our description of Jesus Christ. The reference to Christ being “Light from Light” is taken from Wisdom 7:26 which refers to Wisdom as being a “reflection of eternal light.” There are also several passages in Wisdom which foretell the death of Christ. One of my favorite passages is Wisdom 14:7, “Blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes,” which reminds me how truly blessed is the cross which held the Savior of the world, our perfect Sacrifice. Wisdom is very similar to the book of Proverbs in length and style. It points constantly to the Lord who, as James tells us, is ready to give wisdom to those who ask. #proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #blessedandhighlyfavored #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #daughterofaking #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #wordbeforworld #thinplaces #encouragingquotes #christianlife #christianencouragement
1 month ago
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Chances are, the Books of Maccabees are probably the deuterocanonical books you are most familiar with!  It is in these books that we find the origins of Hanukkah.
To be honest, they are a rough read. A really rough read. They detail the suffering the people of God endured while their enemies attempted to control their land and wipe out their religion. 
It is a set of books filled with great suffering as many of the faithful are killed but it is also a book of great bravery and trust in the Lord in the midst of trials.
In Maccabees, two of the theological principles used today are clearly seen. The first, that God created the world out of nothing. 2 Maccabees 7:28 details how God did not make the world out of things already created, but out of nothing. 
The second principle is that of praying for the dead. While there are references throughout Scripture and it is a clear practice of the Early Church, it is most clearly referenced in 2 Maccabees 12. 
#christianwoman #graceupongrace #jesusgirl #inspiredfaith #womenlivingwell #jesuscalling #faithfilledcaptions #catholicblogger #Catholicconvert #CatholicWoman #chasingsacred #christianwomenleaders #bibleverse #biblestudy  #christianblogger #faithinhim #proverbs31woman #faithful #Godisgood #encouragementgallery #godslove #christianposts #christianquote #prayer #prayertime
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Chances are, the Books of Maccabees are probably the deuterocanonical books you are most familiar with! It is in these books that we find the origins of Hanukkah. To be honest, they are a rough read. A really rough read. They detail the suffering the people of God endured while their enemies attempted to control their land and wipe out their religion. It is a set of books filled with great suffering as many of the faithful are killed but it is also a book of great bravery and trust in the Lord in the midst of trials. In Maccabees, two of the theological principles used today are clearly seen. The first, that God created the world out of nothing. 2 Maccabees 7:28 details how God did not make the world out of things already created, but out of nothing. The second principle is that of praying for the dead. While there are references throughout Scripture and it is a clear practice of the Early Church, it is most clearly referenced in 2 Maccabees 12. #christianwoman #graceupongrace #jesusgirl #inspiredfaith #womenlivingwell #jesuscalling #faithfilledcaptions #catholicblogger #Catholicconvert #CatholicWoman #chasingsacred #christianwomenleaders #bibleverse #biblestudy #christianblogger #faithinhim #proverbs31woman #faithful #Godisgood #encouragementgallery #godslove #christianposts #christianquote #prayer #prayertime
1 month ago
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Judith is another archetypal story of the battle being won at the hand of a woman, seen also in Judges and Esther. 
During the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, an army is sent to destroy the mountain town that Judith lives in. The people are greatly distressed and death seems to be the only option. Judith, a wealthy widow, trusts in the Lord and ultimately, kills the opposing military leader and brings peace to the people.
It is a story of God’s provision for His people in their exile through an unlikely source, a widow. In Judith, we see an archetype pointing to Mary and to the Church, waiting for her true Bridegroom. 
But it is also a story that points to the Lord’s desire to draw all nations to Himself! One of my favorite parts of the book of Judith is that it tells us of the conversion of a man who initially sets out to fight the Jewish people coming to believe in the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. 
“And when Achior saw all that the God of Israel had done, he believed firmly in God, and was circumcised, and joined the house of Israel.” - Judith 14:10
It beautiful reminder that God’s deliverance is for all mankind. 
#proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword  #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #blessedandhighlyfavored #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #daughterofaking #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #wordbeforworld #encouragingquotes #christianlife #christianencouragement
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Judith is another archetypal story of the battle being won at the hand of a woman, seen also in Judges and Esther. During the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, an army is sent to destroy the mountain town that Judith lives in. The people are greatly distressed and death seems to be the only option. Judith, a wealthy widow, trusts in the Lord and ultimately, kills the opposing military leader and brings peace to the people. It is a story of God’s provision for His people in their exile through an unlikely source, a widow. In Judith, we see an archetype pointing to Mary and to the Church, waiting for her true Bridegroom. But it is also a story that points to the Lord’s desire to draw all nations to Himself! One of my favorite parts of the book of Judith is that it tells us of the conversion of a man who initially sets out to fight the Jewish people coming to believe in the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. “And when Achior saw all that the God of Israel had done, he believed firmly in God, and was circumcised, and joined the house of Israel.” - Judith 14:10 It beautiful reminder that God’s deliverance is for all mankind. #proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #blessedandhighlyfavored #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #daughterofaking #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #wordbeforworld #encouragingquotes #christianlife #christianencouragement
1 month ago
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