Luke 5:33-39, when you fast.

We are in the period about which Jesus spoke in (35). This is the time when ‘the bridegroom’ has been taken away. We live between the times – between the first and second comings of Jesus – and this most certainly is a season for fasting. In the sermon on the mount The Lord said to His disciples, ‘And when you fast… ( Matthew 6:16). Not ‘if’ but ‘when’. It is a discipline expected of Christ followers.

Ever since my youth group in Wigan called for a fast, when I was around 17 years of age, I have recognised the importance of fasting and consistently proved its power in the life of Christian discipleship. I am thankful that when I went to Bible college in 1978, my already forming convictions about fasting were reinforced by two older friends, Derek and Anthony. They taught me the same truth but in different ways. Namely, ‘If you want a powerful ministry you will have to learn to pray and fast. There are no shortcuts to it.’ During our first year, Anthony and I regularly skipped lunch and went down to the ‘ark’ (the prayer space in the college cellar) where we would pray for power in ministry. I thank God for these two men who taught me so much by word and example. Anthony often said to me, ‘In days to come you will feel the impact of this.’ He was not wrong. I am also deeply grateful to Arthur Wallis, Derek Prince and John Piper who have shown me so much about the Bible’s teaching on fasting through their writings or preaching.

This is the era for fasting. Do you see this? Let me encourage you, if you haven’t already done so, to make a start, and see what God does through prayer and fasting!