Why Should I Fast?
We’re inviting our entire church to join our leaders in a three-week season of prayer and fasting. During this time we are collectively seeking to receive clarity from God on how we should make decisions for the future as well as pursuing unity as a church family. For the full update on why we’re doing this and what we’re inviting you into, watch the video here.
Prayer and fasting are powerful practices that posture our hearts to receive from God. Through prayer and fasting, we partner with God’s Spirit by intentionally creating space for him to give us more of his powerful presence.
Simply put, fasting is a voluntary abstinence from food and/ or drink for a period of time. Jesus both taught and modeled fasting and even assumed his followers would fast, so he gave specific instructions on how to fast (Matthew 6:16-18).
“Fasting confirms our utter dependence upon God by finding in him a source of sustenance beyond food. Through it, we learn by experience that God’s word to us is a life substance, that is not food (“bread”) alone that gives life, but also the words that proceed from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). We learn that we too have meat to eat that the world does not know about (John 4:32, 34). Fasting unto our Lord is therefore feasting – feasting on Him and doing His will.”
- Dallas Willard
The focus should be on longing for closeness with God and living in his eternal kingdom. As we physically feel weak and hungry, we are reminded of our dependence upon God alone. Fasting also helps shift our perspective from things of the flesh to things of the Spirit (Romans 8:12, Philippians 4:8) and equips us to face spiritual battles (as modeled by Jesus before being tempted by Satan in Matthew 4:1-11).
It’s important to remember that practicing spiritual disciplines (like fasting) does not make us more loved by God but helps us experience God’s love and power in tangible ways.