Jesus and Fasting

“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, and at the end of them he was hungry.” Luke 4:1-2 (NIV)

God has blessed us with an appetite for food. Food fuels our body so that we cannot only survive, but thrive in this life God has for us. We crave food because our bodies need the nutrients food provides. We hunger for food and thirst for water. Our appetite drives us to eat and drink.

Jesus had an appetite for food. He ate and drank to provide His body with the nutrients necessary to sustain life. Yet, Jesus was led by the Spirit to go on a forty day fast in the wilderness. During this time, Jesus did not eat anything. This type of fasting is considered the normal type of fasting in the Bible. Fasting for forty days is not normal, but abstaining from food for a season is normal for the follower of Jesus Christ.

Have you ever gone on a fast? What was your experience like? What was the purpose behind the fast? God will call you to a fast so that you can draw near to Him. You choose to forego your desire for food in order to spend that time concentrating on praying, reading the Bible, and consecrating your life before the Lord. Instead of hungering for food, you re-direct your appetite to feasting on God. As you fast, you deliberately pursue God’s presence and yield to His prompting.

If you sense God calling you to a normal fast, be sure to drink lots of water and consider a consistent intake of pure juices. Abstaining from food will challenge your self-control and test your faith. Rely on God’s strength to enable you to fast and to seek His face.

Pursuing God,

Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell