Monday, June 30, 2025
Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:16-18
How To Open Up The Doors For God To Do A Deep Work In Your Heart
In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus discusses three spiritual habits with the disciples – giving, praying, and fasting. When Jesus spoke of these habits, it was not a suggestion, it was understood that disciples of Christ would implement these habits in their lives. As his followers we are transformed as these habits bring us into a deeper relationship with him. As our key truth for this message series says, the habits we form determine the people we become.
Pastor Jim told us yesterday that fasting is the abstaining from food [or a normal function], for a short or long period of time, as an exercise in self-denial and self-discipline for spiritual purposes, especially prayer. A fast can be done for anything, not just food, in order for us to focus more intently on God. It could be during a time when we need to find clarity or direction from God, or for many reasons.
Some of the many reasons we may fast are to strengthen prayer, to seek God’s guidance, to express grief, to seek deliverance or protection, to express repentance and the return to God, to humble oneself before God, to express concern for the work of God, to minister to the needs of others, to overcome temptation and dedicate yourself to God, or to express love and worship to God. (Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, 156-170)
When we fast, it should be between us and Jesus. As he stated in the verses above Jesus does not care what we do in church or what other people think about us. He likes us to serve, but he cares more about our hearts and the reason we are doing what we do. If we are not careful and intentional, we can be more concerned with how we look in the eyes of others than the motives of our hearts. The religious rulers during Jesus’ day would make it well known to everyone that they were fasting because they wanted to look more holy. They were not concerned with pleasing God, and because their motives were not pure, they got the only reward they sought. The only reward they got from the “holy habits” was the praise of men. True disciples do everything for the glory of God and God alone. Everything we say and so should be to exalt him, glorifying him and pointing others to him, not ourselves.
A spiritual habit itself does not make us more holy. We can go through the motions of the habits but without complete surrender to him in a true posture of humility, we will not be transformed. When we surrender, we stop fighting, hiding, resisting, or trying to handle things our own way in our own power. When we completely surrender, it means to completely give up our own will, thoughts, ideas, plans, deeds, etc… We die to ourselves as we are to do if we want to follow Jesus. Then Jesus said to his disciples, If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life? Matthew 16:24-26 CSB
How does the posture of fasting open up the doors for God to do a deep work in us?
The posture fasting is one of complete surrender. When we are willing to deny ourselves, and take up our cross, we are completely open for God to a deep work in our hearts, in our personal as well as private lives. God can only truly work in our hearts and transform us when we are fully surrendered to him.
What are you willing to give up to grow deeper in your relationship with Christ?
Do your private spiritual habits line up with your public spiritual life?
Are you pursuing God with a heart that seeks his glory or your fame?