Fasting is Not for Show
Matthew 6:16-18 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
Matthew 6:16-18(NLT) “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get.
But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Introduction: Welcome again to the Mountain with Jesus Christ away from the Multitudes, where we receive the Word of life.
🙏 May we receive revelational knowledge from His words in Jesus name .
What is fasting? Why do we need to fast? Is fasting an indication of righteousness? These and any other arising questions will help us as we look at our text today.
What is fasting?
Fasting is denial of self.
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Self is attributable to Adamic nature, Human nature or Sinful nature we all inherited from Adam. Activities of Self can be lawful but not expedient for disciples of Christ that want to finish well.
1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Fasting is abstinence from what is lawful but does not edify, that is; what does not build or improve moral standards or intellectual pertaining to spiritual knowledge.
🛑 For example, nobody will question a disciple that loves worldly music and movies, addiction to social media, clubs associations, and many others that Flesh, Self or Human nature loves to do.
Hear Apostle Paul addressing the Corinthians Church
1 Corinthians 10:21-23 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
Please note, nobody is qualified to question your participation in fleshly or pleasurable activities of human nature such as worldly music and movies, addiction to social media, clubs associations, and many others that give pleasures to Human nature as mentioned earlier. In fact, years back, a man of God who tried to convince his members that watching television is sinful can no longer substantiate that now because he now uses same medium to preach the gospel of Christ.
❓The question is; can you bring those human activities into subjection or under the control of the Spirit of God that dwells in you through the word of God? THIS IS FASTING OR DENIAL OF SELF.
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body,(human nature) and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Ability not to be controlled or brought under the power of any of these fleshly desires at anytime is FASTING.
We are only familiar with abstinence from food and sex during Fasting. Fasting includes refusal to be slave to pleasurable human nature activities even though it is lawful.
1 Corinthians 6:12(NLT) You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.
Why do we need to Fast?
1️⃣. Fasting humbles disciples before God as he/she seeks the right way in life
Ezra 8:21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
2️⃣. Fasting suspends natural law to bring to pass the will of God in the lives of disciples.
Esther 4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
3️⃣. Fasting is an indication of believe in God with desire to do away with sins.
Jonah 3:5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
4️⃣. Fasting energizes prayers to overcome evil spirits in operations.
Matthew 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
5️⃣. Fasting gives revelations in the place of prayer.
Acts 10:30-31 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
6️⃣. Fasting helps to embark in the service of God in the place of prayer.
Acts 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Is fasting an indication of righteousness?
Fasting CANNOT be substituted for righteousness. If you fast and wallow in sins or wander away from God’s word, God will not hear or respond to prayers.
Hear God’s message to His people through prophet Jeremiah
Jeremiah 14:10-12(NLT) So this is what the lord says to his people: “You love to wander far from me and do not restrain yourselves. Therefore, I will no longer accept you as my people. Now I will remember all your wickedness and will punish you for your sins.” Then the lord said to me, “Do not pray for these people anymore. When they fast, I will pay no attention. When they present their burnt offerings and grain offerings to me, I will not accept them. Instead, I will devour them with war, famine, and disease.”
🛑 We are not justified before God by Fasting but by Mercy. This is shown through the prayer of a Pharisee and a Publican.
Luke 18:12-14 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
We cannot impress God with Fasting while displeasing God through oppression, fighting and quarreling.
Hear God’s response to His people complaining of unproductive Fasting.
Isaiah 58:3-4(NLT) ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’ “I will tell you why!” I respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers. What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me.
What God accept as Fasting includes good works and right standing with God through Christ. Denials of food and looking morose with sanctimonious dressing does not move God.
Isaiah 58:5-6(NLT) You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the lord? “No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people.
✍ Finally brethren, Fasting is Not limited to denial of food but also to subject our human nature to the obedience of the words of God. Fasting is private and not for Show. This is for our own good to humble us before God and casting down any obstacle against the knowledge of God.
2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
✋ Maranatha
