“I have food to eat that you don’t know about.” (John 4:32) - Jesus
The Practice: A 24 hour fast
Our sixth practice is fasting. It is a choice to take your emotions and hungers and direct them towards their ultimate goal, God.
Josh reminded us in his sermon:
Biblical fasting is not
About your health
A way to make God accept us
A way to force God’s hand to action
Biblical fasting is
A proper posturing of our hearts
A proper positioning of our hearts
A spiritual feast for our souls
Practically, we encourage you to:
Make a plan. As with every week, having a plan will help you put your intentions into practice. As you plan to engage with a discipline of abstinence (fasting), also plan a discipline of engagement (reading, prayer, worship, service) to engage with as well.
Have a good attitude. Jesus rarely taught on fasting, but one of his clearest instructions is “Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy (read: hangry) like the hypocrites. ... But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:16-18 (CSB)
Consider wisely. If you have had or currently do have an unhealthy relationship with food, I strongly suggest listening to this interview from Bridgetown Church in Portland. In this case, abstention from food specifically may not be the best choice for your fast.
Books
Fasting by Scot McKnight
Celebration of Discipline - Chapter 4 on the Discipline of Fasting by Richard Foster