Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. James 4:8

Devotion

What does the Bible say about fasting? Am I required to do it? Is it the missing piece to an answered prayer?

What Fasting Is Not

Fasting is not merely a physical exercise, nor is it a means to manipulate God into fulfilling our desires. Rather, it is a sacred time of coming before God in humility, seeking his face, and aligning our will with his. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus placed fasting on the same level of spiritual discipline as giving and praying. He said, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16-18 CSB). Here, Jesus emphasizes that fasting is a deeply personal act of seeking the Lord, not a public display of virtue.

Fasting in Spiritual Warfare

Fasting serves as a powerful weapon for believers engaging in spiritual warfare. In the wilderness, Jesus fasted for forty days and nights before being tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-2). Through fasting and the power of God's Word, Jesus overcame temptation, demonstrating that when combined with prayer, it equips us for victory in spiritual warfare against the enemy’s attacks. Another example of fasting against the schemes of the enemy is told in the book of Esther, where Queen Esther encourages her people to fast for God’s mercy and favor against their enemy who wanted to annihilate her people. God answered their prayer in the most incredible way! God loves to fight for us, and he loves when we draw near to him with a broken and contrite heart (Psalms 51).

Fasting for Direction

Fasting is also a means through which God’s guidance can be sought with complete clarity of mind. We have beautiful examples of this in the Book of Acts when the early church fasted during pivotal moments for God’s direction. One example of fasting before commissioning Barnabas and Saul for missionary work. "As they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off" (Acts 13:2-3 CSB). Fasting was integral in their decision-making process, ensuring that the church moved in accordance with God’s will. Fasting helped them remain sober-minded to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. We are faced with thousands of small decisions every day. Isn't it deeply convicting to think we could be making the majority of our decisions without being filled with the Holy Spirit as we are called to be at all times (Jeremiah 17:9, John 15).

Fasting to Surrender

Fasting is an act of humility before the Lord, acknowledging our frailty and total dependence on him. David expressed this when he fasted and prayed for his child, saying, "While the baby was alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let him live’” (2 Samuel 12:22 CSB). David recognized all life and mercy come from God, and in his time of grief, he sought the Lord through fasting. Even though God did not give David his plea, he supplied David with the strength needed to move from grief to worship to loving and comforting his wife. Because of David’s submissive heart before the Lord in fasting, he quickly gave his wife their second child, Solomon, who God later used to write Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. Isn’t it beautiful what can happen when we surrender to the Lord and believe his thoughts and ways are truly higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9)?

Fasting to Feast

In the Christian walk, fasting is not an obligation but an invitation. It leads to spiritual breakthroughs, causes our selfish hearts to align with the heart of our Creator, and gives us strength to follow his will. It’s an invitation to draw near to the fountain of Living Water, himself. It is not merely a denial of physical nourishment, but a feast upon his Word and his presence. “Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4 CSB).

May we then approach fasting with a sincere heart, seeking not the applause of men, but the face of our Heavenly Father who longs for us to understand how great his love is for us. Embark on this journey with the promise of James 4:8 in your heart: "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you." Let each hunger pang during fasting remind you to seek closeness with the Lord, knowing that in your hunger for him, you shall indeed be filled.

PRAYER

Lord, I come to you with my heart open. Help me to approach this time with honesty, looking for your presence rather than any earthly recognition. I hold onto the truth that when I draw near to you, you will draw near to me (James 4:8). Let every hunger pang be a gentle reminder to seek you, knowing that my spiritual hunger will be satisfied in your love. Teach me to truly understand the depths of your love for me as I seek your face. Amen.

Matthew Stevens
Software Developer

Resources

• Watch the sermon Something's Gotta Give from Senior Pastor Marty Grubbs.
• Listen to Song of Surrender by Crossing Venue Worship.

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