Fasting

Scripture does not command Christians to fast. Neither does God require or demand it of Christians.
At the same time, the Bible presents fasting as something that is good, profitable, and beneficial.
The book of Acts records believers fasting before they made important decisions:
 

Act 13:2  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.
Act 14:23  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. 

Fasting and prayer are often linked together:
 

Luk 2:37  And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 
Luk 5:33  And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink? 

Too often, the focus of fasting is on the lack of food. Instead, the purpose of fasting should be to take your eyes off the things of this world to focus completely on God. Fasting is a way to demonstrate to God, and to ourselves, that we are serious about our relationship with Him. Fasting helps us gain a new perspective and a renewed reliance upon God.

Although fasting in Scripture is almost always a fasting from food, there are other ways to fast.
Anything given up temporarily in order to focus all our attention on God can be considered a fast:

1Co 7:1  Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 

2  Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 

3  Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 

4  The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. 

5  Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. 

Fasting should be limited to a set time, especially when fasting from food. Extended periods of time without eating can be harmful to the body.
Fasting is not intended to punish the flesh, but to redirect attention to God.
Fasting should not be considered a “dieting method” either.

The purpose of a biblical fast is not to lose weight, but rather to gain deeper fellowship with God. Anyone can fast, but some may not be able to fast from food (diabetics, for example). Everyone can temporarily give up something in order to draw closer to God.

 

By taking our eyes off the things of this world, we can more successfully turn our attention to Christ. Fasting is not a way to get God to do what we want. We cannot force God into acting by fasting. Fasting changes us, not God.

Fasting is not a way to appear more spiritual than others. Fasting is to be done in a spirit of humility, in the same way as giving. One should not boast of his giving, nor his fasting,  not letting his right hand know what his left hand is doing.

Both fasting and giving should be done in secret and done with a joyful attitude. 

Matthew 6:16-18 declares, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”