The Power of Fasting (Isaiah 58)

We each have an opportunity to fast at least once a month, but how often do we ponder why we fast and what that fast should look like? Isaiah 58 beautifully lays out the purpose and blessings of fasting and keeping the sabbath day holy.

The power that comes through our Savior when we fast includes loosing the bands of wickedness, removing burdens, and breaking the yoke of bondage - not just for ourselves, but for others.

Isaiah 58:6 — Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Proper fasting gives power to overcome temptation. To free us from the natural man and to give the spirit power over the flesh. In addition to doing this for ourselves, it is also to do it for others.

Isaiah 58:7 — Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

It provides an opportunity to follow the second great commandment to love others as ourselves, to serve God by serving His children. How could we serve more on the Sabbath, especially when fasting?

Isaiah 58:8 — Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward.

The Hebrew for light here is "or" and one of the definitions is "Jehovah as Israel's light". I can read this as fasting gives me power and can light the way and cut through the darkness for me. But I can also read it as fasting unlocks the power of Jehovah, my Savior, to light the dark and guide me.

Isaiah 58:9 — Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

We come closer to the Lord and can hear Him better.

Isaiah 58:10 — And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

As we comfort those who need comfort as part of our fast, our darkness (Hebrew "aphelah": 1) darkness, gloominess, calamity 2) wickedness) shall become light. Our gloominess shall become joy and our wickedness changed to righteousness. The true law of the fast unlocked power to heal and change us, to help us become more like Christ.

Isaiah 58:11 — And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

Continuous guidance from the Lord. We will never thirst; Christ is the living water.

Isaiah 58:13 — If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

Isaiah 58:14 — Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

The Sabbath is for putting our will aside, not seeking our pleasure, and doing the Lord's will. As we do this, we will be brought to high places and become more like our Savior.