Soma Austin Community Church

Fasting is a funny thing—we all know that we must eat to survive, but almost every major culture and religion has some form of fasting.  People have fasted throughout history for religious, political, health, and many other reasons--all of whom chose to abstain from food and placed their faith in something else.  So, what makes us, as Christians, different?

We as Christians are called to follow the Holy Spirit as He begins to change our hearts, in doing this we are not looking to impact others with our fasting, nor are we to make a political statement, we are to do it in private and focus on listening to God.  Jesus died to cleanse us of our sins, thereby setting us free; it is this freedom that makes our fasting all the more powerful.  No longer do we have to do fast,-the law no longer dictates it but rather now, we were purchased and should want to grow ever closer to God, some thing that God has shown us that fasting does.  Paul writes (in 1 Corinthians 6:12) that “all things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything”.  He speaks of our freedom in Christ, and the ability that we have to no longer be mastered by sin through the sacrifice that Christ made.  We are not required to fast, to follow a dietary regiment of any kind, because the age of the laws has ended.  We have been spoken for, by Christ, to the Father and should allow the Holy Spirit to guide us to a deep, personal relationship with God.  Fasting is one option that the Holy Spirit may choose to use in you bring you closer to the Father.

Ultimately, what dictates a Christian fast is not, the absence of food itself, but the focus on God while abstaining from food.  Your heart is what makes the difference between a fast with the intent of knowing God more deeply or a “cleanse”.  I pray that all of you, if you chose to fast during Lent, fast with the conviction that can only come from prayer and the Holy Spirit.

Read all of our Lenten Season FAST posts here.

0 Comments | Login to Post Comments