How Often should I Fast as a Believer under Grace (As well as the Rich Benefits of Doing so) - A Daily Devotional

How Often should I Fast as a Believer under Grace (As well as the Rich Benefits of Doing so) - A Daily Devotional

In this daily devotional, you will learn how to determine when you should fast as well as the benefits that you will enjoy from this powerful spiritual activity.

This is an original daily devotional. You can read more devotionals, eBooks and sermon notes when you become our patron on Patreon here.  You will also receive my ebook "How to Fast Under Grace" as a limited-time offer if you join us by the end of January 2019. 

Nowadays fasting is even being embraced by the secular world in the name of health. Terms like “intermittent fasting” are coined but these fasts are not done with God in mind.

In the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and Mark it records Jesus alluding to the fact that His believers will fast after His ascension to heaven:

“Then the disciples of John [the Baptist] came to Jesus, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees often fast [as a religious exercise], but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus replied to them, “Can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. But no one puts a piece of unshrunk (new) cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. Nor is new wine put into old wineskins [that have lost their elasticity]; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the [fermenting] wine spills and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, so both are preserved.”” (MATTHEW 9:14-17 AMP)

“But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” (Mark 2:20 NKJV)

“But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”” (Luke 5:35 NKJV)

In Jesus’ allegory, the bridegroom represents Himself and the guests of the bridegroom represent Christians. 

After which, He uses the examples of old versus new wineskins, and old versus new wine. 
Jesus is saying that the reasons for fasting under the New Covenant of Grace are different from the reasons for fasting under the Law, and that we cannot approach the things of Grace with an Old Covenant, Law-based mindset. 
Attempting to fast legalistically will lead to fruitlessness - it’ll just be voluntary starvation.

There is no legalistic, fixed routine to follow when fasting ​

​Take a look at this example that Jesus gave: 

“He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves and were confident that they were righteous [posing outwardly as upright and in right standing with God], and who viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple [enclosure] to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood [ostentatiously] and began praying to himself [in a self-righteous way, saying]: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men--swindlers, unjust (dishonest), adulterers--or even like this tax collector. ~‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’” (LUKE 18:9-12 AMP)

In the passage above, the Pharisee practices a legalistic way of fasting: he does it twice a week, but the motivation is to have an outward appearance of holiness. 

That’s not how God wants us to fast under Grace. 
Under Grace, the general rule of thumb is that we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit:

“For all who are allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (ROMANS 8:14 AMP)

“But if you are guided and led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the Law.” (GALATIANS 5:18 AMP)

When we #fast under grace, it should be as led by the Lord and not as a ritual. Fast secretly & make sure to groom ourselves such that no one can guess it. If not you’re just starving yourself for a empty praises of how ‘holy’ you are. God who sees in secret will #reward openly!

— Milton Goh (@MiltonGohBlog) September 22, 2018

​Be led by the Holy Spirit - when the desire comes, fast! ​

Similarly, under Grace we should fast only when led by the Holy Spirit. 

This is how you can recognize the leading: When out of nowhere you feel the desire to dedicate a fast to the Lord. 
If such a feeling comes, you should just do it without any second thoughts -
don’t worry about being hungry on a day where you have lots of tasks to complete which require you to be in optimal physical and mental shape. 

If God has led you to fast, He will definitely provide you with the grace to do it restfully:

“For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure. Do everything without murmuring or questioning [the providence of God],” (PHILIPPIANS 2:13-14 AMP)

As the passage above says, God will give you both the desire and the ability to fast - you don’t have to worry whether you can do it or not. 
You will be surprised at how ‘non-hungry’ you feel throughout the day when you’re fasting (as led by the Spirit). 

I felt this way the last time I fasted: Usually I would be very hungry by mid-morning, but I lasted the entire day without eating or drinking anything and surprisingly I wasn’t hungry at all. 
However the grace disappeared soon after the day was over: I was having a crazy craving for MacDonald’s which I pre-ordered for breakfast the next morning! 
​

Benefits of Fasting

The word of God reveals to us that fasting has many benefits. I'm sure that if God is leading you to fast, He is preparing you to receive a blessing! 

When the disciples in the early church fasted, it seems like they became more sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. They were able to receive God’s instructions and leading easier.
It also helped them to make the right decision when faced with a big task. 
For example: If you are at a crossroads in life and need to make an important decision, the Holy Spirit may lead you to fast to seek God for His guidance. 
I believe that fasting makes one’s spirit more in tune with the frequency of God so we're able to hear from Him with greater clarity. 

“While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them [in approval and dedication] and sent them away [on their first journey]. So then, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.” (ACTS 13:2-4 AMP)

Fasting also helps to strengthen one’s faith by casting out unbelief from the heart. 
I believe that the reliance on God to sustain one during fasting is a process of training that increases the faith and closeness with God. 
It also releases faith, allowing God to work in a believer’s life. 

“And I brought him to Your disciples, and they were not able to heal him.” And Jesus answered, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed at once. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why could we not drive it out?” He answered, “Because of your little faith [your lack of trust and confidence in the power of God]; for I assure you and most solemnly say to you, if you have [living] faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and [if it is God’s will] it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. [But this kind of demon does not go out except by prayer and fasting.]”” (MATTHEW 17:16-21 AMP)

Fasting also has the added benefits of breaking of bondages in one’s life, divine healing, peace, prosperity and protection. It is truly a powerful spiritual training activity that is full of benefits. 
No wonder Jesus wants believers to fast. He wants us to enjoy the rich benefits of this spiritual activity. 

““[Rather] is this not the fast which I choose, To undo the bonds of wickedness, To tear to pieces the ropes of the yoke, To let the oppressed go free And break apart every [enslaving] yoke? “Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not to hide yourself from [the needs of] your own flesh and blood? “Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your healing (restoration, new life) will quickly spring forth; Your righteousness will go before you [leading you to peace and prosperity], The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.” (ISAIAH 58:6-8 AMP)

I pray that the next time you have the desire to fast, you will follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and reap the huge benefits of this blessed activity - get excited, because a huge blessing is coming your way! ​​

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Did fasting for the Lord produce any noticable beneficial effects in your life before? Let me know in the comments below! 

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I hope that you have been blessed by reading this post on "How Often should I Fast as a Believer under Grace (As well as the Rich Benefits of Doing so) - A Daily Devotional".
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