|
|
|
Why Starve Yourself?
By Anika Sandy-Hanson
For believers who observe God’s Holy Days, fasting is often viewed as something to suffer through on the Day of Atonement. Yet, denying ourselves food and/or beverage can have benefits. To confirm fasting is a worthy practice we only need to look at the habits of some of the heavy weights in the Bible: Moses, Jesus, and Elisha all used fasting to 1) overcome great trials they were facing, 2) cleanse themselves from negative emotions and prior events, and 3) gather strength to begin difficult tasks. In addition, Esther, David, and others used fasting to fortify their actions.
In the case of Moses, the account of his fast can be found in Exodus 34:28, “And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.” After breaking the Ten Commandment tables in fury, confronting the children of Israel for their sin of idolatry, making them repent of their sins, and convincing God not to destroy the people, Moses then went back to God’s presence for the Father to replace the commandment tables.
Elijah’s account is told in 1 Kings 19:8, “And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.” Again, we see a man of God who had faced the children of Israel for the sin of idolatry; while he showed tremendous power in confronting Ahab and killing the false priests, Elijah was mentally and physically drained. By reading the entire account of his trial, we see that this prophet felt isolated and persecuted; therefore, God sent nourishment, encouragement, and fortified Elijah so that he could finish the job of ending Jezebel’s idolatrous empire.
In the case of Jesus, we can read the account of His fast in all three gospels (Matthew 4:2, Mark 1:13, and Luke 4:2). Matthew 4:2, “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungry.” Jesus showed His inner strength by refusing to focus on His hunger and instead placing His mind on obeying his Father and denying Satan.
Although these three accounts are the longest fasts recorded in the Bible, there are also many occasions when men and women of God chose to afflict their bodies by denying the physical food to concentrate more fully on spiritual nourishment. In Judges 20:26 the other tribes of Israel humbled themselves, fasted, prayed, and offered sacrifices unto God in order to request God’s favor in defeating Benjamin in battle. Similarly, the Israelites in 1 Samuel 7:6 fasted for strength in war.
Fasting is also used to pray for God’s intervention and to repent for sins we have committed. In 2 Samuel 12:16, David prayed God would save the life of his son born through adultery with Bathsheba. His habit of fasting for forgiveness is seen here and throughout the book of Psalms. In Esther 4:6, Esther proclaims a fast among the captive Israelites in order for God’s favor to help them overcome Haman’s scheme to kill them all.
Throughout the Bible, there are many accounts of believers fasting in order to get strength. In most cases, we see fasting as a powerful tool to be accompanied by prayer and worship. In Isaiah 58:6 God gives us the purpose for which He sanctified fasting, “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?” Thus, we see that fasting is another weapon in our spiritual toolbox. When we are constantly being attacked by Satan’s schemes, we can respond by fasting to strengthen us spiritually and emotionally. In addition, we should not view fasting as a form of defense; it can also be our greatest offense. Building our armor prior to attack can help us emerge victorious when our enemies (whether spiritual or physical) try to bring us down. i
|
|
|
|
 |
|
