Isaiah 58:6-7
⁶ “Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

Isaiah 58 tells us what kind of fasting God hates and what kind of fasting pleases Him and gets His attention.

True fasting is to present yourself as a living sacrifice to God.

Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Isaiah 58:8
⁸ Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

If we give God true fasting, He will bless us with the manifestation of the promise of recovery and restoration

Many of us have been living in darkness for a long time because of the enemy. But if we fast the right way, He will bring victory. He will bring healing and stop the enemy so that you can move forward.

If you give God true worship and fasting, He will answer when you call His name.

When Elijah was on Mount Carmel, the false prophets called to Baal to answer them. But there was no answer from Baal. But when Elijah called out to God, He answered him. (1 Kings 18:20-39)

When we call on God, when we give Him true fasting and worship, He will answer. The only time He won’t answer is if we have the wrong attitude of fasting and worship. You cannot change God’s mind through fasting. That is not the purpose. The purpose of fasting is to change you, not to change God.

What kind of fasting should we offer God?

Fasting is all about changing ourselves, asking for God’s will to be done in our lives, laying down our lives so that we can obey God. Fasting is asking God to help you obey Him, to help you walk in His path.

The Old Testament and New Testament both talk about fasting. Jesus fasted. Every truly great man and woman of God has fasted. Fasting is a good thing because it helps us to change.

Fasting helps us give up our own way of thinking, our own agenda, our own will.

Joel 2:12
¹² “Now, therefore,” says the Lord,
“Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”

When Israel needed to repent, they also fasted. When you are dealing with bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, and hatred, you need to fast to overcome those sins and scars. Fasting is really good for those who have strong characters and strong flesh. Fasting is good for those who are very stubborn and stiff-necked, those who are unsatisfied, and those who blame others for their sin. Fasting will help them to overcome and get delivered.

When should we fast?

1. To repent
2. To seek for God’s mercy
3. For ourselves

When you fast for God’s mercy and for repentance, you will get delivered from sin and from your weaknesses. Spiritual fasting breaks down our own will so that we can obey God. True fasting helps us overcome selfishness, covetousness, our own desires.

God bless you,
Pastor Sun East

Check out other posts in the “Fasting” series:
When Should Believers Fast?
Give God True Fasting
Fasting that Pleases God