Understanding the Biblical Approach to Fasting and Its Spiritual Significance 2-17-26

Fasting in the Bible, the Biblical Meaning – abstinence from food fot a certain period of time.

I am writing what is understood to me according to the Word of God. Many people use various means of fasting; the Word of God is always the correct way. We have instructions (directives) according to the Word.

If you were in school and were taught about different subjects and you did opposite of what was taught, the teacher would give you an F. The same way with the Lord; He has specific instructions for us to abide by.

Moses fasted- So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28)- He received instructions from the Lord.  

Esther fasted-  King Ahasuerus had a letter sent out: And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women (Esther 3:13).

From Esther: Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so, I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”(Esther 4:16). She needed God to deliver her people from being killed.

Jesus fasted for forty days before He started His public ministry. Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights (Matthew 4:1).

This is what the Word of God says a fast is-to abstain from food, Someone may say We live in different times. My answer to that is this; the Word of God never changes (Malachi 3:6). Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

This is the true Daniel fast- In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled (Daniel 10:2-3).

This was  not a Daniel fast- So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.  Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.”

 So, he consented with them in this matter and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.  Thus, the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink and gave them vegetables. Please read Daniel, chapter 3.

Some history as to why Daniel and the three Hebrews did not compromise and eat from the king’s table- They had been captured by the Chaldeans and were trained for three years to serve the king. When that time expired, they were told to eat from the king’s table, but because they had certain dietary laws, they chose not to compromise. Their names were changed, but they did not change their beliefs. Look what the Lord did!

This was NOT a fast!

Please stop trying to change what the Word of God says. The plate must be turned over!

Betty A. Burnett ~ burnettministries.org