Who and when should one fast?

 BY Argie Simonis

During His sermon on the Mount, Jesus referred to fasting:

"Moreover when you fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men to fast. Truly I say to you, They have their reward." Matt. 6:16

The Lord here is NOT saying IF you fast, but WHEN you fast.

And if you think that the Lord was addressing only a special group of people, then the same should be true of the rest that He mentioned in the same sermon, such as prayer, almsgiving, and seeking first the Kingdom of God, which of course apply to EVERYONE.

See another example here:

"Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but your disciples fast not?" Matt. 9:14

"And Jesus said to them, Can the children of the bridal chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast." Matt. 9:15

As the verse in Ecclesiastes says, there is

"A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;" Εccl. 3:4

Fasting is actually self-denial and there is always a time for it. While the disciples were in the very presence of God in the flesh it was time for them to rejoice and absorb all they could from the Lord. But 

"...when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast." (Matt. 9:15), something that later came to pass.

In the New Testament we have many accounts of believers who fasted. In Luke we see Anna the prophetess: 

"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." Luke 2:37

Here we see complete dedication and worship to the Lord with fasting and prayers.

Another pious man, Cornelius, offered his worship through fasting to the Lord:

"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," Acts 10:30

"And said, Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God." Acts 10:31

The apostles fasted when they wanted to receive instruction from the Lord:

"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." Acts 13:2

"And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." Acts 13:3

In Damascus he fasted for 3 days:

"And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus." Acts 9:8

"And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink." Acts 9:9

And in the storm:

"And while the day was coming on, Paul sought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that you have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing." Acts 27:33

Therefore, fasting concerns ALL believers, and as we saw from the Bible passages we read, we fast to seek the Lord, for instruction, direction, to prepare for things to come, but also to offer Him our worship.

Amen!