A Guide on Fasting
As we continue through the book of Mark, we see that Jesus has a lot to say about fasting. If you are a frequent-faster or have never fasted a day in your life, here is a brief guide as to why we fast. Don’t miss the linked resources at the bottom for more information on this holy discipline!
Mark 2:18-22
Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?” Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast. “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”
Why do we fast?
It is a way to pray with our bodies, offering ourselves as a living sacrifice to God
Romans 12:1 — I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
We withhold from our desire for food to increase our hunger for God & His kingdom
Matthew 5:6 — Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
It is a way of humbling ourselves
Psalm 35:13 — But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with my head bowed on my chest.
Withholding from food makes space for God to fill us and change us from the inside out
It causes us to slow down to become more aware of His presence
It amplifies our prayers
Remembering the poor and hungry (a great practical is to give or donate the food you would have been consuming to a trusted organization or those in need).
Read through this Antioch Fasting Guide for practicals, fasting in Scripture, fasting as a family, and much more!
More Resources