Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough: A Guide to Nine Biblical Fasts (22 page)

The Daniel Fast will lead to spiritual insight
. The results of fasting were ongoing in the lives of Daniel and his three friends. “To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding” (Dan. 1:17,
NIV
). The knowledge God gave them was apparently the reward of their fast. Withholding food does not make us smart. God gives wisdom and knowledge to those who have the self-discipline to withhold food and to spend their time praying, reading His Word and seeking His will.

After Daniel and his three friends completed their fast, “The king talked with them, and he found none equal to [those who fasted]” (v. 19,
NIV
). These men who had self-determination, “In all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all” (v. 20).

The Daniel Fast is longer than one day
. Your poor health/sickness developed over a long period of time, therefore, it will likely take a long time for your diet modification to produce a renewed state of health.

The Daniel Fast is a partial fast
. Although other fasts involve no food or drink for one to three days, the Daniel Fast usually does not eliminate all food and water.

The Daniel Fast includes healthy food
. Inasmuch as “the body heals itself,” you must eat basic foods during the Daniel Fast to strengthen the body so it can heal itself.

The Daniel Fast requires abstinence from “party food.”
There may be times to enjoy party food, but the Daniel Fast is a return to basic nutritional necessities.

A
WOMAN WHO ATTENDED A
C
HRISTIAN CHURCH SPREAD LIES ABOUT ITS
pastoral ministry and church integrity. The church’s board did not capitulate to her demands, but fasted once a week for the testimony of the church and the pastor. When the woman threatened to sue the church over alleged damages, and the threatened suit was publicized in the local newspaper, the board thought its worst fears were realized and that God hadn’t honored their fast.

Then the board received letters from two other churches saying that the woman had “pulled the same stunt” in their churches. Unfortunately, they had given in to her demands and paid her off. The newspapers printed the letters, and the lawyer who had threatened to sue the church changed his mind and refused to represent the woman. He suggested the church had a legal complaint against her, but that he couldn’t get involved. The church board did not sue her, but fasted and prayed for the woman’s spiritual health.

Christians are commanded to be testimonies to others: “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). The John the Baptist Fast is a tool for believers
to use to extend their lights. As in the case of the godly church board just mentioned, this fast is an important way to extend a faithful testimony even in a bad situation.

Christians have a double obligation: (1) to live godly lives and (2) to actively extend their influence to others for the glory of God. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (v. 16).

Sometimes, however, unbelievers are not attracted to our godly lives. Because we don’t participate in their sins, they criticize us. Worse, our godly lives convict them of their own sinfulness, so they attack us. When we try to positively influence them, we are persecuted for “righteousness sake.”

Peter describes both the problem and the solution: “Having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed” (1 Pet. 3:16).

A public school teacher attempted to live for Christ in his classroom and among the school’s staff. He was, however, criticized by the personnel director as being “too straight” because he wouldn’t compromise or go to “happy hour” with the staff. The teacher was extremely conscientious, investing extra time with students and going the extra mile in preparation. Finally, at a staff meeting where there was a policy disagreement, the personnel director told the Christian teacher, “I’m gonna get you fired...I won’t rest till you’re gone.”

On Friday of that week the Christian teacher fasted and prayed for the personnel director. He didn’t pray for vengeance on his “enemy”; instead, he prayed in accordance with Jesus’ words, “Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you” (Luke 6:28). He prayed for the personnel director’s salvation and success in employment and family relationships. The Christian fasted to bless his enemy, not to merely “heap coals of fire on his head” (see Rom. 12:20).

On that very Friday, the day the Christian teacher was fasting in prayer, the personnel director was caught violating district policy. Security escorted him from the building, and the locks were changed on the doors. Eventually the Christian who fasted was named “Teacher of the Year.”

The John the Baptist Fast is for those who want to be good influences, or for those who have not had good testimonies, but want to be influential for God. Isaiah promised, “Is not this the fast that I have chosen...[that] your righteousness shall go before you” (Isa. 58:6,8).

This means that the believer’s “righteousness” or testimony will extend beyond physical limitations. The John the Baptist Fast enables us to ask God to reach those who know about us so our “righteousness” may have greater influence.

Extending What We Do Not Have

An explanation about our “righteousness” is in order. In one sense we cannot refer to our own righteousness because the Bible says, “There is none righteous” (Rom. 3:10). Before we are saved, we are sinners, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (3:23). This does not mean we all commit every possible sin, or the same sins, nor does it mean no one does good works. It means that although our works may be “good” in the eyes of others, they are not good enough to get us to heaven (see Eph. 2:8,9). This is because “By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight” (Rom. 3:20).

No one can jump to an island located 10 miles out in the ocean. A small child may be able to jump 1 foot, an Olympic champion may jump 25 feet; but both fall short of the 10-mile jump. Similarly, there are people who are “good” in the eyes of their friends. They contribute to charities, they coach soccer teams or they give their time as candy stripers at the local hospitals. These people make positive contributions to society. They are not robbers, rapists or criminals. Society therefore may think these people are “good” in contrast to those who contribute nothing. But compared to God’s standards, “there is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10).

We Are Given God’s Righteousness

When we come to Jesus Christ we receive a double blessing. First, our sins are forgiven; second, the righteousness of Jesus Christ is given to us. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). We no longer have any sin on God’s record book. Instead, the righteousness of Jesus Christ is entered into our records, “that we might become
the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).

This means that everything Christ did that was right is entered on our records. We now have “righteousness” not in ourselves, but God’s “right” actions are added to our accounts. We are saved to obey Jesus Christ and to do good works. These works are described as the fine linen of the bride of Christ, which is “the righteous acts of the saints” (Rev. 19:8).

Fasting to Reverse Criticism

Use the John the Baptist Fast to reverse criticism when people don’t understand the good things you do. Let me illustrate. Suppose you don’t go with your buddies to the bar for a drink after work. They criticize you and make statements that hurt your job advancement. Or you lose an account or miss a sale because you no longer laugh at the prospect’s filthy story, or use foul language as he does. Or when you and coworkers are sent to an out-of-town seminar, you refuse to go to an X-rated film and you’re not considered “one of the group.”

The John the Baptist Fast can reverse the attitudes of people blinded to the constructive contribution of your clean living and make you more influential.

Like the other fasts described in this book, the John the Baptist Fast must be entered with a realistic attitude.

Fasting Is Sacrifice

During fasting you pay a price by giving up life’s necessities, as well as its delicacies (i.e., good food). The heart of fasting is sacrifice.

Fasting is associated in Scripture with “afflicting the soul” (see Isa. 58:5). We have previously observed that the practice of fasting grew out of deep despondency or despair. It was the result of an emotional upheaval. In despair and grief, a person cried to God for an answer. After time, people reversed the cause and effect. The original cause (deep grief) drove people to the effect (not eating). Later, when people needed answers from God, they returned to the effect (not eating) so they could afflict their souls to the place where they would pray with all of their hearts (cause).

Fasting Doesn’t Always “Work”

Some people fast without apparent or immediate results. God anticipated the questions that would arise because of this: “‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’” (Isa. 58:3). In Isaiah’s day, people were not grieved over sin and injustice when they fasted, so their fasting was ineffective. David’s response to unanswered prayer was to humble himself (see Ps. 35:13). David said that when he prayed without results, he had to humble himself through fasting to make his prayers effective.

Every Christian should want to establish an effective testimony to friends and relatives. As we saw in 1 Peter 3:16, we are commended for having good testimonies. We want to have a godly influence upon others.

No one had a more effective testimony than John the Baptist. This is not the opinion of people, but the observation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The greatest influence
. Jesus said, “Among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist” (Matt. 11:11). No sin is recorded about John the Baptist; apparently he continually did the will of God. He witnessed to his generation that Jesus was the Christ (see John 1:7). We, too, can become great witnesses by following John the Baptist’s example of fasting “often” (see Matt. 9:14) and observing a special diet (drinking “neither wine nor strong drink,” Luke 1:15).