Isaiah 58:3-7 – Whenever we fast

For one who believes in God, fasting is a practice where he or she gives up food for a season to spend time with Him. During that time, the believer would focus his or her thoughts on God. When rightly observed, this practice has great potential to unlock the power for believers to fulfill the purpose of God which he or she has set out to accomplish.  

In the day of Isaiah, there were those who had fasted and yet had no enlightenment concerning what God desired to do. They seemed to be seeking the Lord constantly, yet nothing would happen. Why? It was because they came feigning delight to worship God but was all done in pretense. It was hypocrisy as far as God was concerned.  Fasting should be accompanied by humility, contrition, repentance, a desire to do what pleases God, and a life of obedience. But instead, the people came doing what they pleased. They were still oppressing their employees. There was much infighting. And the whole exercise of fasting was made into a big show.

The people had failed to see that the denial of food was not as important as the reason for the fasting. God was more interested in seeing them acting right. The purpose for fasting stated in verses 6-7 was for the purpose of (1) releasing the bonds of wickedness, (2) undoing the ropes of the yoke, (3) letting the oppressed go free, and (4) breaking every yoke. (5) It was also to show compassion for the poor and needy, providing them food and shelter. These acts of compassion were more critical than denying food to one’s body.

Fasting for the wrong reason would be a waste of time. But when exercised with the right reason for the right purpose there is no telling of the potential. Jesus in the sermon of the Mount assumes that His disciples would schedule times of fasting in their journey with Him. He said in Matthew 6:16, “Whenever you fast do not make a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they distort their faces so that they will be noticed by people when they are fasting.” Fast we must, but do it rightly to accomplish God’s purpose. It’s the kind of fast God has ordained.