Is Fasting For Today?

Common views:
1. Quick fix for spiritual ailments, as if denying food will make up for the malnourishment of their soul.
2. Confusion. It seems good but I don’t know about it.

What is fasting?

Bible Greek word is "Nesteia means "not to eat"
Asitos means "without grain or food"
Hebrew word; Tsum means "to cover ones mouth"
Anah means "to afflict or humble oneself"
Essentially, "fasting is voluntarily denying the body something for a specific purpose." Food is not always the object denied.

Sleep is denied by King Darius,
Daniel 6:18
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

Sexual relation for a brief period of time,
1 Corinthians 7:4-5
The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. {5} Defraud ye not one the other, except with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

Three distinct reasons for fasting:
1. To express sorrow.
2. As a sign of repentance.
3. To make a request of God.

What fasting is not.
It is not buttering up God so He will give us what we want. We receive what we ask for because we are in Christ and obey Him (1 John 3:22). Fasting is no escape from obedience.
Not to impress others.
Not a quick cure for spiritual ailments. Laziness in studying and digesting God’s Word always leads to leanness of soul.
Not a guarantee of obtaining a certain desire in prayer. Fasting never forces God’s hand.
Fasting is no substitute for God’s revealed Word and will never change His will. (Ex. It would be inappropriate to fast and see if God would have us marry an unbeliever.)
　
Why fast?
God places a high priority upon humility. Without it, we seek our own desires. Fasting helps us set aside our own needs and desires. It helps us become absorbed with the interests of others and the will of God.
James 4:6
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
If fasting produces that humility, good. Fasting lets us be aware of how dependant we are of God. It lets us see the seriousness of our situation.

How should we fast?

Know your motive and what we want to accomplish.
Fasting is not advisable to those in poor health.
Be secret about it.