22nd August 2025 Question box

Today’s question is nice and brief:

Should we fast? When?

Fasting is when you go for a period of time without food (although in Christian fasting, you continue to drink water). And it’s always connected in the bible with prayer. Jesus expects that sometimes we will fast. In his preaching he doesn’t say: “if you fast” he says “when you fast…” (Matthew 6:16). So when does he have in mind?

Now you may be aware that some of our brothers and sisters from other denominations go through a season of fasting called Lent, which is the 40 days leading up to Easter. The Presbyterian church has chosen not to follow a regular calendar of fasting, and the reason is that we don’t want to burden your conscience with requirements, if they are not something required by God in the bible. Lent is tradition, but not bible. We don’t forbid you as an individual choosing to fast during lent, its just that we don’t think your should feel like you are required to do it. Unfortunately, our approach to Lent has perhaps meant that the practise of fasting has become rare in Presbyterian churches (it is in our history and our doctrine, but not so common today).

So when should we fast? Let me show you two examples of fasting from the Old Testament, and two from the New:

• From the Old Testament: Daniel knew that the time was coming for God’s people to be free from their exile in Babylon and so he says: “I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes” (Daniel 9:3) When asking God to fulfil his promises, it’s good to fast and pray.
• Again from the Old Testament: The prophet Joel lived a time when a locust plague came through the land, and he said: “Declare a holy fast call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord” (Joel 1:14). Fast in times of disaster, when you’re seeking God’s mercy.
• From the New Testament: When the church realised that Paul and Barnabas were sent out as missionaries: “after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.” (Acts 13:3–4).
• The final example is when appointing people for ministry: “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders  for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord” (Acts 14:23)

Yes, Jesus warns us that fasting can go wrong, it can be done for a show, it be done to try and earn God’s favour… But I hope you’ve seen there are also plenty of examples in the bible of genuine, heartfelt fasting as an aid to prayer. As you fast and pray, the hunger you feel in your belly, becomes a reminder of the desperate need you have for God’s blessing. Just as much as my body craves food, my soul needs God.

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This question was originally answered in our evening service on 30 March 2025. I’ll aim to post another question and answer next week. You can read about how our question box works here.