Biblical Fasting
What is Biblical Fasting? A Look Into Isaiah 58.
Yesterday, we entered the Hebrew month of Shevat. Shevat is a month where we focus on what is our foundation and our source. Is righteousness our foundation? Do we have deep roots in Christ and His truth, where we are like trees firmly planted by streams of living water producing fruit in every season (Psalm 1)? It is a month to evaluate our foundation and seek the Lord for any cracks that might be present that would cause our internal house to collapse in coming storms.
As we headed into a new year on our Gregorian calendar, believers in the Body of Christ often do some type of fast. Before jumping on board with a fast, we need to truly understand what fasting is and its foundational purpose. This is a divine set-aside time for fasting, but we want to do it with the right heart, motives, and posture. Not only is January a set-aside time for fasting on the Gregorian calendar, but the month of Shevat is also a set-aside time month on the Jewish calendar for fasting, especially the Daniel Fast, where we forgo “the delicacies of the king” (Daniel 1:5,8).
This week, I have been studying fasting in Isaiah 58. My assignment as a Pastor-Teacher in the Body of Christ is to help people understand the word of God from a Hebraic perspective and to disciple them into maturity through soul transformation. Studying Isaiah 58 from these two mandates, I saw a very clear picture of fasting and what it can do in our lives.
What is a Biblical Fast?
In Biblical times, fasting meant abstaining from food and drink. Fasting could also include abstaining from unnecessary pleasure, but abstaining from food and drink, either absolutely or partially, was always included. In today’s world, abstaining from forms of entertainment and social media can be included in a fast, but to be considered an actual Biblical fast, some type of abstaining from food or drink must be included.
The Hebrew word for fast is tsôwm (H6685). It means fast or fasting, and it is from tsûwm (H6684), which means to abstain from food and to cover the mouth. The Hebrew letters that form this word are the tsade (90), vav (6), and mem (40). These letters form a Hebraic picture of fasting. Fasting is when we humble ourselves (tsade) through abstinence from food and drink so our own efforts (vav) and flesh patterns can be overpowered (mem) by the Blood (mem).
A Biblical fast is not a diet. Not only do many people do fasts this time of year, but they also go on diets. Losing weight and improving health are benefits of fasting, especially the Daniel fast. However, the focus and purpose of a fast should not be about losing weight. If that is our focus, we are on a diet, not a Biblical fast. Fasting is about seeking the Presence of God. It is about choosing not to serve the “god of the appetite” (Philippians 3:18-19) and humbling our flesh and submitting it to the Spirit.
Isaiah 58
The Hebrew letters give us a picture of humbling ourselves through our appetite so the power of the Blood of Jesus can overcome our flesh patterns. All of us have flesh patterns that we need to overcome. All of us have breakthroughs we need in our lives. Jesus tells us in Matthew 17:21 that there are times when fasting is required for breakthrough and deliverance. Isaiah 58 confirms Jesus’ words.
Isaiah 58 gives us promises when we truly humble ourselves before the Lord in fasting:
Undo the bonds of wickedness (6)
Tear to pieces the ropes of the yoke (6)
Let the oppressed go free (6)
Your light will break out like the dawn (8)
Your healing (restoration, new life) will quickly spring forth (8)
Your righteousness will go before you [leading you to peace and prosperity] (8)
The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard (8)
You will call, and the Lord will answer (9)
The Lord will continually guide you (11)
Your soul will be satisfied in scorched and dry places (11)
The LORD will give strength to your bones (11)
You will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail (11)
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins (12)
You will raise up and restore the age-old foundations [of buildings that have been laid waste] (12)
You will be called Repairer of the Breach (12)
You will be a Restorer of Streets with Dwellings (12)
There is a beautiful picture of restoration and freedom in all these statements. There is a promise of healing and wholeness where our souls have been divided and snared by the enemy, freedom from generational mindsets in our bloodlines, and freedom from thought patterns we learned in our father’s houses. God promises freedom from all snares, perversity, oppression, guilt, health issues, and double-mindedness. He promises when we cry out to Him, He will answer, Here I am (58:9), which in the Hebrew letters is a picture of the Father, Son, and Spirit coming to our rescue to restore us. God promises new beginnings, restoration, prosperity, radiance that will show in our countenance, wholeness, righteousness, and glory. He promises to support and aid us, protect us, defend us, and that we will be His Bride in the Garden of Eden. As we are restored and delivered, we will be able to restore and deliver others, affecting generations. The foundations of our families can be reset when we allow the Lord to do this process in us.
These are the promises, but we must heed the warnings in Isaiah 58:1-5. The Lord tells Isaiah to tell the people, “They seek Me day by day and delight [superficially] to know My ways, As [if they were in reality] a nation that has done righteousness And has not abandoned (turned away from) the ordinance of their God. …You do not fast as you do today to make your voice heard on high. Is a fast such as this what I have chosen, a day for a man to humble himself [with sorrow in his soul]? Is it only to bow down his head like a reed And to make sackcloth and ashes as a bed [pretending to have a repentant heart]? (AMP)” Jesus calls this type of fast hypocritical and one that is done only to be seen by men. There will be no reward for this type of fasting (Matthew 6:16-18).
As we set our heart posture towards God to seek Him through fasting, what specifically can we do?
Types of Fasts
In the Bible, there are three types of fasts—the absolute fast, the liquid fast, and the partial fast. The absolute fast is a complete abstinence of food and drink. Esther (Esther 4:16), Ezra (Ezra 10:6), and Paul (Acts 9:9) all did absolute fasts. Absolute fasts never lasted more than three days. The second type of fast is a liquid fast. Jesus completed a 40-day liquid fast when He was tempted by the Devil in the wilderness (Luke 4:2). The third type of fast is the partial fast. This fast has diet restrictions where you eat only certain foods. The most common partial fast is the Daniel Fast (Daniel 1:12, 10:3), where you abstain from meat, sweets, dairy, and all liquids except water.
We have entered a divine set time for fasting. When we stay operating in God's appointed times, we will see an increase in breakthroughs in our lives. As you are fasting or consider fasting this month, seek counsel from the Holy Spirit. He will lead us into the Father's perfect will, where our fasting will produce fruit for the kingdom.
Shalom and Blessing on your New Year,
Brandee