Friday, May 25, 2018

Monthly Question Page

Q. What is the purpose of fasting?

A. Fasting is usually connected with prayer. Examples:

Nehemiah:“I sat down … and fasted, and prayed” (Nehemiah 1:4).

Daniel:“I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting” (Daniel 9:3).

Anna:“served God with fastings and prayers” (Luke 2:37).

Cornelius:“I was fasting … I prayed” (Acts 10:30).

To put it very simply, prayer is dependence and fasting is self-denial. These are two essential elements to power in our Christian pathway. Not only do we need the energy and exercise of prayer, but we need to deny ourselves those things that hinder us in following the Lord.

Fasting is not always the denial of food, although it may be, but the denial of anything that distracts from or impedes progress in the believer’s life. It may be the giving up of some activity or comfort, or the denial of any number of things, which may not be wrong in themselves. Concerning a certain problem the Lord told the disciples, “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21).

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