Different Kinds Of Prayer (Part 6)

THE DAILY WORD
By Jim Seekamp

Tuesday August 4, 2009

There is a lot of confusion about what the Bible says about fasting:

Matthew 9:14-17 (NIV)
14. Then John's disciples came and asked him, "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" 15. Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. 16. "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

Here Jesus says the guests of the Bridegroom cannot fast while the Bridegroom is with them. Then He says they WILL fast when He is taken from them. Some interpret that to mean we should be fasting now, since they believe Jesus was "taken from them" when He ascended to Heaven.
But Jesus Himself said He was NOT taken from us when He ascended:

Matthew 28:20b (NIV) (Jesus speaking)
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

In Hebrews we are told He will NEVER leave us nor forsake us:

Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

If we read the rest of Matthew chapter 9, starting at verse 16, Jesus makes it clear that the born again believers will not be compatible with the Old Testament law and traditions. The "new wine" that is poured into us is the Holy Spirit! That means He was talking about born again believers, since nobody had the Holy Spirit IN them until after Jesus arose from the dead.

The New Testament clearly states that the church IS Christ's Body on the earth:

1 Corinthians 12:27 (NIV)
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

When the rapture occurs, Jesus will have been "taken from" the earth, and the Bible tells us that the Jews who did not accept Christ, who are left behind, will go back to Old Testament worship; which requires fasts. That has to be what Jesus was referring to when He said "then they will fast." Otherwise He would have lied in Matthew 28:20.

God hears our prayers whether we fast or not; and He will never change no matter how long a person fasts. Here in the New Testament times, all the promises of God are "Yes" and "Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20) and the blessings that are ours are received by faith, not by fasting.

Fasting is never commanded or required in the New Testament, but we do see two instances in the book of Acts where the born again Jews fasted:

Acts 13:2,3 (NIV)
2. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3. So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

Acts 14:23 (NIV)
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

The Jews had fasted under the Old Testament law, and had learned to quiet themselves in times of fasting. Therefore they equated fasting with quieting themselves to hear God; but fasting is not necessary. Any believer can quiet himself and listen to the inward witness of the Spirit; fasting is entirely optional.

The true fast that God has always wanted is outlined in Isaiah 58:

Isaiah 58:6-8 (NIV)
6. "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? 7. 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 him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8. 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.

PRAYER
Thank You Father for Your Word that tells me so much about You. Thank You for living in me by Your Holy Spirit and guiding me by the inward witness. Help me to keep the fast You desire; to loose the chains of injustice and share with those in need. Help me understand Your Word so I can allow You to govern my life in every way.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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