Spiritual Disciplines: The Discipline of Fasting
Name of Assembly: United Apostolic Church
Type of service: Bible Study
Date: January 11, 2022
Series: SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES
Lesson 1: The DISCIPLINE OF FASTING
Scripture Text: Isaiah 58:1-12
“1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. 3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? 6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? 8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward .9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity. 10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:
11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in” - Isaiah 58:1-12.
“12 Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God? 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: 16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. 17 Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? 18 Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people. 19 Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: 20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things” - Joel 2:12-20.
“28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me? 30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. 33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. 34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) 37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; 41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God” - Acts 10:28-46
INTRODUCTION
Discipline without direction is hard boring work.
Six-year-old Kevin, parents have enrolled him in music lessons. After school every afternoon, prompted by his mother, he slouches into the living room and plays songs he must practice but doesn’t like while watching his buddies play baseball in the park across the street. That’s discipline without direction.
Now suppose Kevin is visited by an angel one afternoon during guitar practice. In a vision, he’s transported to Carnegie Hall. He’s shown a guitar expert giving a concert. Usually bored by classical music, Kevin is astonished by what he sees and hears. The musician’s fingers dance on the strings with fluidity and grace. Kevin thinks of how stupid and clunky his own hands feel when they halt and falter over the chords. This guitar expert blends clean, soaring notes into a musical aroma that puffs from his guitar. Kevin remembers the toneless, irritating discord that comes stumbling out of his.
But Kevin is enchanted. His head tilts to one side as he listens. He drinks in everything. He never imagined that anyone could play the guitar like this.
“What do you think, Kevin?” asks the angel.
The answer is a soft, slow, six-year-old’s “W-o-w!”
The vision vanishes, and the angel is again standing in front of Kevin in his living room. “Kevin,” says the angel, “the wonderful musician you saw is you in a few years.” Then pointing at the guitar, the angel declares, “But you must practice!”
Suddenly the angel disappears, and Kevin finds himself alone with his guitar. Do you think his attitude toward practice will be different now? As long as he remembers what he’s going to become, Kevin’s discipline will have a direction, a goal that will pull him into the future. Yes, effort will be involved, but it will no longer be boring work.
When it comes to discipline in the Christian life, many believers feel as Kevin did toward guitar practice—it’s discipline without direction. They see the discipline of prayer as a boring monolog. They equate the discipline of reading and meditation on scripture as a bitter pill that is hard to swallowing and the discipline of fasting as a hunger strike.
It is critical that every member of United Apostolic Church recognizes the overall benefit of these spiritual disciplines because it is this understanding that will cause us to be engaged in them with joy. When we engraft these disciplines into our lives we are in effect getting spiritual fit. In 1 Timothy 4:7-8 we see the following: “7 Don’t waste time arguing over foolish ideas and silly myths and legends. Spend your time and energy in the exercise of keeping spiritually fit. 8 Bodily exercise is all right, but spiritual exercise is much more important and is a tonic for all you do. So, exercise yourself spiritually, and practice being a better Christian because that will help you not only now in this life, but in the next life too” (TLB).
The discipline of prayer and fasting will help to deepen and strengthen a believer’s walk with God.
DEFINING SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES
Spiritual Disciplines are those practices found in Scripture that promote spiritual growth among believers of Jesus Christ. They are the habits of devotion and experiential Christianity that have been practiced by the people of God since biblical times. Spiritual Disciplines are activities, not attitudes. They are practices not character qualities. Spiritual disciplines are things we do, such as reading and meditating on the Scriptures, praying, fasting, worshipping, and serving.
The goal of practicing a given Discipline, of course, is not about doing as much as it is about being like Jesus. But the biblical way to grow in being more like Jesus is through the rightly motivated doing of the biblical Spiritual Disciplines.
Fasting is a Spiritual Discipline because that’s something we do. Joy is not a Spiritual Discipline, because joy is something we experience, not something we do. Fasting itself is not the goal; rather joy is part of the goal of fasting, because joy is a Christlike quality. Joy does not come to us if we are spiritually passive; rather, joy is cultivated, but joy is cultivated by things we do.
REASONS FOR FASTING
Fasting is the abstaining from food for a period of time. Fasting or going without food is mentioned more than eighty times in the Bible. Although most of the references to fasting are in the Old Testament, it is mentioned twenty times in the New Testament.
There are several reasons why biblical characters fasted. Sometimes they fasted, or at least did not eat, because they were overcome with grief, and they lost their appetite for food. More often it was because they were pursuing God, they would combine this with prayer seeing God’s intervention.
While it is not possible to find that one reason for fasting, several broad themes emerge out of the Scripture. We will examine four of them:
Urgency in Prayer
Perhaps the most frequent reason biblical people fasted was to demonstrate the urgency of their prayers. Prayer begins in the mind and the heart of a person. But at some point, a person gives voice to prayer. Sometimes the mind and the mouth seem inadequate to express the deep passion of prayer. It is not unusual to see people cry when they pray. Fasting is another way to involve the whole person in prayer; in other words, it is a means to intensify prayers.
People in the Bible were urgent about their prayers for several reasons. One recurring reason for urgency was to repent of sin. For example, the children of Israel were instructed to fast on the annual Day of Atonement. On that day the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies to offer the blood of a sacrificial lamb to God as a token of their repentance. All of Israel was to fast both food and water to demonstrate their repentance and to plead for forgiveness.
1. In I Samuel 7, King Saul called Israel to Mizpeh for a time of corporate repentance for their idol worship. “And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord. And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh” (I Samuel 7:5–7).
2. “And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. 5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. 6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?” - Jonah 3:4-9.
After Jonah’s scathing call for judgment on their city, the people of Nineveh repented of their sin and pled for mercy. All inhabitants of the city, even the domestic beasts, were robed in sackcloth, and together they fasted to demonstrate the depth of their repentance. Jonah 3:4–9.
3. Physical healing was another reason biblical characters were urgent in prayer, and sometimes when praying for healing they also fasted. David prayed and fasted for the healing of his enemies. “13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. 14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother” - In Psalm 35:13–14.
He also prayed and fasted for the healing of his infant son. In this instance the son was not healed, and because of his sickness he died. “15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. 16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. 17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?” - 2 Samuel 12:15–18. This account should help us understand that prayer and fasting do not force God to do our bidding.
4. When looking for guidance and direction in their lives, people often fasted and prayed. For example, Ezra called for a corporate fast for the five thousand Israelites who were returning with him to Judea after years of Babylonian exile. “21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. 22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. 23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us” - Ezra 8:21-23. Fasting demonstrated the earnestness of their prayers. They were embarking on a long-dreamed-of journey, and they desperately desired God’s direction.
5. In the New Testament era, the leaders of the church at Antioch prayed and fasted to help them prepare to send Barnabas and Saul on a Gentile mission. “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13:2–3). Fasting and prayer helped make them able to discern God’s direction.
6. Obviously, a crisis in life brought urgency into the life of a biblical character, as it does to us today. The story of Esther illustrates this well. Haman had skillfully maneuvered King Ahasuerus into declaring an open season on the Jews who were in Persian captivity. Mordecai urged Esther, the young Jewish girl whom the king had chosen to replace Vashti as queen, to approach Ahasuerus to intercede on behalf of the Jewish people. Given the customs of Persia, Esther knew that approaching the king uninvited was not without significant risk. She asked the Jews to fast and pray for three days to seek God’s favor in her quest. They responded by donning sackcloth and ashes and they prayed and fasted. Esther 4:16, “Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.”
Esther was successful in her intercession before Ahasuerus. The Jews were spared, and ironically the evil Haman was hanged on the gallows he had built for Mordecai.
Mourning
Sometimes it is easier to prove a rule by its exceptions. Earlier in this lesson we referenced David’s fasting for the healing of his son he had fathered with Bathsheba. Not only did the depth of David’s despair prior to his child’s death trouble his servants, but they were also troubled by his lack of fasting after his son’s death. 2 Samuel 12:18–23.) One can ascertain then, that for Jews, fasting was usually a part of the mourning process.
1. When the men of Jabesh-gilead brought home the bodies of King Saul and his sons after they had been killed in battle, the men buried the bodies and then fasted for seven days to mourn the loss of their king. “They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days” - 1 Chronicles 10:12. When news of the death of Saul and Jonathan reached David, he and all the men that were with him mourned and fasted. “11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: 12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword” - 2 Samuel 1:11–12. Sometimes—and it appears to be the case in this instance—fasting in the Bible was from loss of appetite because of acute grief.
Worship
1. The first mention of fasting—in this case going without food or drink for forty days and forty nights—is found in Exodus 34. This chapter recounts the second trip Moses made to the top of Mount Sinai. His encounter there on the mountain with the glory of God left him without appetite. Evidently the presence of the Lord supernaturally sustained him because humans cannot live without water for that length of time. Elijah had a similar encounter with the glory of God that left him bereft of appetite. He too went forty days and forty nights without food or drink. “And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God” - 1Kings 19:7–8.
2. In the New Testament, Acts 13 records that the prophets and teachers of Antioch “ministered to the Lord, and fasted” (Acts 13:2). Other versions substitute the word worshiped or worshiping for the word ministered. It was during this time of worshiping and fasting that the Holy Ghost spoke to them about separating Barnabas and Saul for the Gentile mission. From this account it is possible to conclude that fasting is not always done in response to events or circumstances. It can and should be part of the worship life of a believer. In the Acts 13 account, it is instructive in that they apparently prayed and fasted again before they commissioned Barnabas and Saul. “ And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away” - Acts 13:3.
Spiritual Direction
As Saul of Tarsus (later called Paul) was on his way to Damascus to persecute the church, he encountered the resurrected Christ, which changed his world. While that encounter opened his spiritual eyes, it blinded his physical eyes. His traveling companions helped him to arrive in Damascus, and for three days he neither ate nor drank. God sent Ananias to Saul to finish his conversion. Ananias prayed and Saul’s sight returned; then Ananias baptized Saul. Fasting helped prepare Saul to receive Ananias’s message.
1. Just as the prophets and teachers had fasted and prayed before they appointed Barnabas and Saul to the Gentile mission, Paul and Barnabas “prayed with fasting” before they in turn ordained elders for the Asia Minor churches. “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed” - Acts 14:23.
Fasting along with prayer should remove the politics from the choosing of leaders. Fasting, done properly, produces a healthy dependency on the Lord. It demonstrates that church leaders recognize they are to work in harmony and under the direction of God.
INAPPROPRIATE FASTING
In addition to showing us the proper way to fast, the Bible reveals how the practice of fasting can be used inappropriately. Certain attitudes and action make fasting unacceptable to God.
Participating in Empty Rituals
Rituals are not, in and of themselves, bad. In fact, they have the capacity to add depth and structure to a person’s spiritual life. Think of the value of a regular time of prayer and weekly church attendance. But rituals always run the risk of becoming empty—or just becoming an end unto themselves. They can become untethered from the truth that gives them their meaning. Think of how often Jesus challenged the Pharisees because they had undone a ritual from the truth behind the ritual. Because of this tendency, the Bible frequently reminds readers to be careful with them. Fasting is one such ritual that can lose its efficacy if not done correctly.
One of the most extended discussions of fasting in Scripture is found in Isaiah 58. Before we look at Isaiah 58, it is helpful to remember that at times Isaiah is one of the more difficult books to follow. The prophet frequently—and often in rapid succession—changes speakers. In one verse it may be God speaking, in the next the prophet, and in the next the rebellious people. If a reader does not pay careful attention to these switches, that individual can miss the meaning of the text. Sometimes the more complex language of the King James Version further complicates this problem. In chapter 58 God took His people to task for their doublemindedness. While they appeared eager to please Him, they did not keep His commandments. God used their practice of fasting to illustrate His point.
“‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarrelling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high” (Isaiah 58:3–4, NIV).
God went on to ask, “Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?” (verse 5, NIV). The implied answer is a resounding no!
Rather a fast in this case must be accompanied by looking out for the unfortunate and strangers. It must be accompanied with care for the needy and hungry. Fasting is invalidated when those who are fasting continue to oppress the poor and outcasts. Truly effective fasts help believers align their hearts with God’s heart, and He has a special place in His heart for those who are poor. This is the fast He has chosen. Don’t just not eat; act justly!
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I” (Isaiah 58:6–9, NIV).
Fasting for Human Approval
As referenced above, Jesus was often at odds with the Pharisees. One way these religious leaders offended Jesus was that they wanted everyone to know about their devotion. It was almost as if their primary reward for religious devotion was the admiration of other people. In response to their clamouring for public approval, Jesus insisted that their devotion should be developed in private. “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:16–18).
THE MECHANICS OF FASTING
The Bible records several kinds of fasts. The most radical fast is a total fast. In this type of fast an observant neither eats nor drinks. The Israelites participated in a total fast on the Day of Atonement. Both Moses and Elijah did not eat or drink for forty days. As previously mentioned, God must have supernaturally sustained them because the human body cannot naturally live without water for this period. Christians should be careful when participating in a total fast. A good rule of thumb would be not to go more than one day on a total fast unless necessary planning is done in advance.
A more normal fast would be to go without food for an extended period. Most biblical fasts were of this kind. Jesus went without food for forty days just before He launched His public ministry. Sometimes this fast would be practiced from morning to evening. “Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord” - Judges 20:26.
There were occasions where biblical characters abstained from certain foods for a given period, especially from those that were especially enjoyable. The best-known and currently most popular example is Daniel’s fast. Although Daniel did participate in a normal fast, “And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes” - Daniel 9:3, on at least one other occasion he intentionally went without certain foods, “In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled” - Daniel 10:2-3. The Bible does not call this a fast, but recently it has become known as the Daniel fast. It is probably better described as abstinence rather than a fast.
As indicated in the previously mentioned exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees, fasts can and sometimes should be individual affairs. Like private prayers, they enhance the devotional life of a believer. Fasts can also be corporate. All of Israel fasted on the Day of Atonement. The church leaders at Antioch fasted together before they commissioned Barnabas and Saul. Churches often call church-wide fasts as a time of spiritual focus and often to develop spiritual unity.
Often, fasting is accompanied by prayer. Or to put it in proper perspective, prayer is accompanied by fasting. Missing meals without a time of spiritual reflection and focus may just make a person hungry and sometimes a little irritable. Proper fasting takes focus. It is intentional and not mechanical. God does not feel sorry for us when we become hungry while fasting and because of His pity give us what we want. Fasting demonstrates our need of God. Done with the right attitude, it demonstrates our humility and often heightens our hunger for more of God in our lives.
CONCLUSION
It is a given that fasting is a significant spiritual discipline. And while it is significant, we should not think it earns us credits in some banking system in Heaven. Perhaps a parallel can be seen between fasting and giving. A believer is often blessed when he or she gives. But we cannot give to be blessed. If the reason we give is to gain a blessing, then we are not giving; we are investing. Fasting is about humility and dependence. In the Bible, fasting was often a sign of brokenness. Strength may come from humility, but we cannot be humble to gain strength.
We who do not fast should consider it. When done with the proper attitude, it will enhance our spiritual lives.