Thoughts for Life: #41 Fasting Can be Abused

Dr. Wesley L. Duewel- At times in the history of the church, there have been false ascetic emphasis, and we must continue to guard against mistaken motivation or even excesses.

Evangelical churches, however, are in far greater danger of neglecting the will of God and the blessings of fasting as a means of grace than they are of going to excess. Any means of grace can become a danger if it becomes an end in itself. (Google image, Healthy, praying church)

Do not fast to earn God's blessing. There can be a subtle danger in thinking that if you pray enough, God will be sure to answer, or if you fast enough, God will pay attention to your prayer.

God's ear is always open to you; God's heart is always gracious. You can never earn the salvation of another, God's blessing upon your work, or revival in the church. These cannot be earned by ritual acts or by frantic activity; they are the gifts of His grace and mercy.

Do not fast as a substitute for obedience. Isaiah 58:1-11 clearly presents God's exhortation to His people who were fasting as a means of bribing Him. Instead, they were encouraged to stop quarreling, to correct injustice, to help the poor and needy, and to lift the burdens of others if they expected God to answer when they prayed and fasted. "You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high" (v. 4).

If God convicts you of some sin of omission or commission, that sin will block your prayer until you make it right. Your fasting cannot bribe God to overlook disobedience. God prefers obedience to sacrifice, but obedience plus sacrifice pleases Him even more.

Do not fast to impress others. Zechariah's message to Israel echoed that of Isaiah: Fasting does not automatically bring God's blessing, and injustice and lack of mercy and compassion can invalidate fasting. The children of Israel had been observing this practice more to impress men and God than as a means of seeking God.

Christ taught that when your fast (please note, not "if" you fast, but "when" you fast), you are to do it secretly, and not like the hypocritical Pharisees who did not wash their faces or put oil on their faces in order to impress others with their piety. Fasting is to be done unto the Lord. Other people may or may not ever find out.

Do not let fasting become a mere form. Just as baptism, the observance of the Lord's Supper, the reading of the Bible, or tithing can become empty rituals for many Christians, so prayer and fasting can become mere form. Any means of grace can degenerate into an end in itself. The remedy is not to stop the practice, but to do all out of deep love and devotion unto the Lord.

Do not fast as a form of legalism. Any practice taught by the Bible can become legalistic bondage. You can be bound by the amount of time you spend in prayer, by the amount of money you give to God's cause, or even by your attendance of church services. The answer lies, not in discontinuing the practice, but in loving the Lord so much that you want to use every means possible of drawing closer to Him.

Self-discipline is not legalism. Self-discipline can help you establish specific times for prayer, an approximate minimum amount of time spent in prayer, the use of prayer lists, and times for adding fasting to prayer. Be prepared, too, for Spirit-directed times of fasting and prayer which will be unscheduled and unexpected.

These can be among your richest experiences. If you only pray when you feel like it, or fast when you feel like it, you will grow spiritually weak and miss the great blessings God longs to give you.

(Chapter 13, pp. 97-99, italics added for emphasis)

Used by permission

of the Duewel Literature Trust, Inc,

Greenwood, Indiana

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Let's pray-

"Lord, we are so blessed that each day You come to us with the gift of Your Spirit to help us and strengthen our purpose for Your glory. Continue to work in us, O Lord, and help us grow to be the people you created us to be. Thank you for Your continued goodness even when we stumble; thank you that You are ever-present to hold our hands and lift us up. Thank you for Your gracious mercy to us each day."

Jason Yates

Today's Bible verses-

Psalm 108:6 (NIV) "Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered."

Is. 58:6, 7, 9 (NKJV) "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? (v. 7) Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?(v.9) Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' "

Today's quote-

~ Liberty Savard- "Many Christians have trouble dealing with their thought life. Any suggestion by the enemy can be so subtle that believers can miss a wrong pattern of thinking sneaking in and establishing itself. They are oblivious until the wrong thought has plunged them into anger, bitterness, despair, or depression.
Some thought patterns can become like raging forest fires if that first little flame remains unchecked. Binding yourself to the mind of Christ gives you a spiritual smoke detector that immediately picks up on any incendiary thoughts that are not from Him." [Taken from p. 185, SHATTERING YOUR STRONGHOLDS.]

Words of wisdom-

~ When you feel overwhelmed, just say, "Jesus." You don't need fancy words, just His Name. Allow the Lord's light to shine in your darkness by reading the first chapter of St. John, or another favorite chapter of the Bible so you can see your way through the darkness and walk on.

A guest post- Safely Home

Peter Caligiuri-

"My wife and I once rode in separate vehicles on the way to church.

I led hymns at a nursing home during the Sunday school hour. Generally, one of our boys rode with Nancy while the other tagged along with me.

But one ill-fated Sunday, we accidentally left our eight-year-old at church. At first, Chris searched up and down the emptying aisles, but after checking everywhere he could think of, he sat on the front steps—puzzled and wondering what to do. One of the deacons found him as he was locking the doors."

Summer fun abroad

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Replay past services, and read any past devotionals you missed.

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