Renouncing the Natural to Invoke the Supernatural

In my introductory talk yesterday, I described fasting as a lost key, one that is found all through the pages of the Bible. And yet, somehow, it has been set aside and misplaced by the Christian church.

I began with a simple definition of fasting. It is voluntarily abstaining from food for spiritual purposes. Sometimes from water also, but generally, only from food. Let me repeat that definition. Fasting is voluntarily abstaining from food for spiritual purposes.

The primary purpose, as revealed in the Bible, is self-humbling. Fasting is a scriptural way to humble ourselves. I pointed out that all through the Bible, God requires His people to humble themselves before Him, and that God has also revealed for us a simple, practical way to do it. That is, by fasting.

I gave some historical examples from the Old Testament: the example of David, of Ezra and the exiles returning from Babylon, of Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah, and then the Day of Atonement, the most sacred day in the Jewish religious calendar where every believing Jew was required to practice fasting. The essential nature of fasting, I believe, is renouncing the natural to invoke the supernatural.

The most natural thing for us to do, in a sense, is to eat. When we give up eating, we’re deliberately turning away from the natural and turning to God and to the supernatural. And it has a deep significance.

Today, I’m going to deal with the place of fasting in the life and ministry of Jesus and of the New Testament church. First of all, I want to point out to you that the Lord Jesus Himself practiced fasting.

Here’s the account in Luke chapter 4, verses 1 and 2:

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days.”

In other words, He fasted. “And at the end of them he was hungry.” I pointed out the words indicate that probably He did drink, but He did not eat.

Before Jesus entered His public ministry, there were two critical experiences through which He passed. First of all, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and He was endued with the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit for His ministry. But He still did not immediately go out and begin to minister. The second experience was this 40 days of fasting in the desert, when He abstained from food and, I would say, focused on the spiritual.

And in that time, apparently, He had a direct, person-to-person conflict with Satan. And through His fasting, He emerged victorious from that first conflict with Satan. To me, that would seem to indicate that fasting is essential in our lives if we’re to be victorious over Satan. If Jesus had to practice fasting for victory, I don’t see how any of us can claim to achieve victory without the same thing that Jesus did.

Now, I want you to notice the result of the fasting in the life of Jesus. It’s stated in Luke chapter 4, verse 14:

“Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.”

There’s a very significant difference in the two phrases used. When Jesus went into the desert, it says, “He was full of the Holy Spirit.” But when He returned from the desert after 40 days of fasting, it says He went “in the power of the Spirit.” In other words, it’s one thing to be full of the Spirit; it’s another thing to be *in the power* of the Spirit. The Spirit was there from the time of His baptism onwards, but it was His fasting that released the power of the Holy Spirit to flow without hindrance through His life and ministry. Again, I believe this is a pattern for us.

Let me remind you of the words that Jesus Himself said later in John 14, verse 12:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to the Father.”

I want to point out to you that the works that Jesus did began with fasting. If we want to follow in the other works that He did, it seems logical to me that we’ll begin where Jesus began, with fasting. Jesus also taught His disciples to fast.

In the Sermon on the Mount, right in the middle of it, in Matthew chapter 6, verses 17 and 18, this is what He says to His disciples:

“But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men 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.”

You see, Jesus promises a reward to those who practice fasting in the right way and for the right motives.

I want to point out to you one very important little word. Jesus said, “*When* you fast.” He did not say, “*If* you fast.” If He had said “if,” He would have left open the possibility that they might not practice fasting. But when He said, “When you fast,” He obviously assumed that they *would* practice fasting.

The theme of the sixth chapter of Matthew is three main Christian duties: giving to the poor, praying, and fasting. And in connection with all three of them, Jesus uses the same word: “when.” He never says “if.” In Matthew 6:2, He says, “When you give to the needy.” In Matthew 6:5, He says, “When you pray.” And in Matthew 6:17, He says, “When you fast.” He never left open the option that they would not do those three things. He put them on the same level, precisely: giving, praying, and fasting.

Most Christians would accept without much question that it’s our obligation to give and to pray. But on that basis, it’s equally our obligation to fast. Jesus put those three things on precisely the same level.