When you fast, your Father will reward you...

Why is fasting so effective? There are no easy answers, but it is something believers should do, says retired Elim minister and long-time medic Nik Howarth

The logic of physics, the most logical of sciences, leads you to a mystery. Small wonder Nobel laureate Richard Feynman is thought to have said: “If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don’t understand quantum mechanics.” There are some things that you just have to accept – there is no explanation. And some Scripture teaching is like this.

Why is fasting so effective. Should I fast? Using biblical precepts and precedence I would love to give you a nice, detailed exegesis as to why there is power in fasting, but I can’t. I can see no logic or reason why fasting should be so blessed, save one: God expects it. And, as a reason, that is enough for me.

The Bible is full of references to fasting, and to different ways of fasting but I only need two references for this discussion. Firstly, it was the expectation of Jesus.

In Matthew 6:16-18 he says “When you fast... your Father will reward you.” Secondly, the numerous examples of the leaders of the early church. Here is just one: In Acts 13:2 we read, “While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said…” There is an implication here that worship with fasting was a regular occurrence.

So I should fast because Jesus expects it, and because God blesses it. This is enough of an explanation for me. The questions that I need answering are more about when, how, and for what reason. It’s the practicalities rather than the if or why.

It’s personal
One of the most important considerations of our faith is that we are in a covenant with God – a relationship. A relationship is between people. God is a person and so are you. Your relationship with him is just that, a relationship, and he knows who you are.

It is clear from Matthew 6:16 ‘When you fast’, that your heavenly Father expects you to fast and will bless you for doing so. He, though, also knows your personal circumstances and will only expect you to fast in a way that is fitting for you. You are never going to miss blessing from God because you could not take part in a particular fast for personal reasons.

A call to fasting is a call to blessing, not a call to asceticism or endurance for its own sake. Fasting is not a proof of determination to impress God, it is done from humility and obedience. Fasting for the wrong reason and in the wrong attitude can be spiritually detrimental (see Luke 18:12, the warnings of Isaiah 58, Jeremiah 14:11-12, 1 Timothy 4:3, 1 Samuel 14:24).

It’s about food
The Greek word for ‘fasting’ is nesteuo meaning ‘not-eat’ coming from the negative prefix ne ‘not’ and esthio ‘to eat’. We cannot divorce the idea of fasting from the idea of going without food. There are other disciplines we may add to our fasting, and attitudes that we should encourage (see Isaiah 58) but essentially fasting means going without food, or certain foods. This is easier for some than others, and easier at different times of life. I first explored fasting in the late 1960s and was greatly helped by Arthur Wallis’ book ‘God’s Chosen Fast’, which is still available today and well worth reading. I can attest that a 24-hr fast as a young active student with a high metabolic rate was harder on the will power than a 72-hr fast is on the same individual some 50 years later with a considerably lower metabolic rate! The essential thing is that we are being obedient to God and that we have the right heart.

If you have any health questions, you should consult your doctor. Care and advice should be sought if fasting during pregnancy or breast feeding. People with Type 1 diabetes should keep to their calorie needs. Those with eating disorders should consult their medical advisors. Those who take medicaion with food should take medications in a recommended way. Generally though, reasonable fasting is good for you*.

But God knows who you are. He will only call you to fast in a way that is beneficial to you. You may be asked to adapt your fasting to your situation. God knows.

Three reasons
To take a very broad brush, we find three fasting situations in the Bible: the supernatural, the regular, and the specific.

The supernatural speaks for itself. God appoints it and calls someone to it, and God supernaturally maintains that individual. We can safely leave this to God.

Then we can see that the disciples and leaders of the early church fasted regularly. We are not told how often or in what way. That, I think is personal to them.

There are also examples in Scripture of fasting for a specific reason – Esther 4:16 and Ezra 8:21 for example.

A biblically balanced life will include regular fasting as well as fasting in response to exceptional needs. This is part of our relationship with God. Some of us may have to adapt our fasting to health and social conditions, but God knows this and will not withhold blessing when these decisions are prayerfully taken.

Medical benefits
It is interesting that the Bible calls us to fast and now medical evidence for the benefits of fasting is being promoted, and not just for weight loss, where, although it does have some benefits, fasting is not particularly effective. The medical benefits of intermittent fasting are clear, but somewhat complex. Here are some:

Intermittent fasting helps keep the bacteria in your gut healthy and well balanced. This has been shown to have beneficial effects on the heart and mental health and much more besides.

Fasting for more than 24 hours helps the body to use ways of burning food that it may have been neglecting, to its detriment. This is called ketotic metabolism.

During a fast the body may burn up old and damaged cells.

Fasting can also be part of a weight loss program.

Some evidence is emerging showing that intermittent fasting may be helpful with type 2 diabetes.

Spiritual benefits
The benefits of fasting are becoming so well known t hat I have been asked whether fasting for physical as well as spiritual reasons still counts spiritually? I can only give my personal opinion here, which would be a clear ‘Yes!’ Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and looking after it is a good thing to do.

It is self-evident that fasting for excessively long periods will have negative health effects, so this needs to be very carefully considered. You should never restrict water. And we must be careful to ensure that fasting does not become a form of ‘works’, trying to earn God’s blessing. Looking at the current health advice there seems to be a good balance point of 72 hours for a fast. After 72 hours your body starts to burn muscle and parts that it must replace. Up to 24 hours you may not enter ketosis. So, a fast lasting about 48 to 72 hours is an excellent health balance.

How often one fasts, and on what sort of pattern is between you and God. My own experience is that fasting has powerful spiritual benefits.

Any discussion on fasting must mention prayer – they go together. Any understanding of prayer, for me, starts at the Lord’s Prayer and begins with seeking for God’s will to be done. It is ‘Thy will be done’ not ‘My will be done’, so prayer is primarily coming before God to change me, not to change him.

A very good source of information is zoe.com/learn/the-big-if-study-what-did-we-find

Nik Howarth has been an Elim minister for 25 years and has an MA in theology from Regents. He has also maintained a career in medicine, for many years as a GP, retiring in 2020 after 50 years of medical work. He is married to Margaret and has children and grandchildren keeping him busy.

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.

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