46 14 Habits of Highly Effective Disciples
BIBLE COMMENTS
Understanding the Context
My oldest granddaughter, Taylor, and I were in a well-known fast food
restaurant, looking intently at the “McMenu” before we ordered. When
I asked her if she knew what she wanted, she replied, “Yes, I want
everything”.
Fasting may not be a popular topic in a world where we want it all,
but effective disciples have learned the benefits and blessings of fasting.
Christian fasting is the temporary and voluntary limitation of food,
or anything else, in order to seek God. Jesus clearly expected his dis-
ciples would fast. However, fasting can be done in the wrong way for the
wrong reasons (Matthew 23:1–7, 25–27).
In 2 Chronicles 20 King Jehoshaphat called for a national fast when
a great army of foreign invaders threatened to destroy Jerusalem and
Judah. Everyone prayed and fasted for divine intervention. The fast was
an indication of their humility and their total dependence upon God
during a time of great anxiety.
Jesus taught his disciples how to fast in Matthew 6. He wanted
his followers to avoid the hypocrisy of the Pharisees in the practice of
their “acts of righteousness” (6:1). Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting were
parts of regular worship and should have never been done as a show of
righteousness.
Acts 13 contains the account of a congregation fasting as they sought
spiritual discernment. Barnabas and Saul (Paul) were “called out” by the
Holy Spirit to serve as traveling missionaries while the church they led
at Antioch was worshiping and fasting. God was able to use the believ-
ers in Antioch to begin a new direction in the spread of the gospel to the
Gentiles. Soon, all of Europe would hear about Jesus because a church
was praying and fasting.
Fasting is effective during times of crisis, as part of regular worship,
and in special times of discerning God’s will. Effective disciples learn to
seek God through fasting (Matthew 6:31–33).