Fasting is the voluntarily act of abstaining from eating food and/or liquid for a period of time.

The Bible records many examples of people who fasted. Some abstained from eating all foods, and others abstained from eating only certain kinds of foods for the duration of their fast. An example of the latter would be Daniel’s three-week fast, when he ate no “tasty food…meat or wine” (Dan. 10:3).

There are also a few examples in Scripture of people who fasted both food and water, but this kind of total fast was rare and should be considered supernatural if it lasted longer than three days. When Moses, for example, went for forty days without eating or drinking anything, he was in the presence of God Himself, to the extent that his face shined (see Ex. 34:28-29). He repeated a second 40-day fast shortly after his first one (see Deut. 9:9, 18). His were two very supernatural fasts, and no one should attempt to imitate Moses in this regard. It is impossible, apart from the supernatural help of God, for a person to survive more than a few days without water. Dehydration leads to death. Most healthy people can survive with food, however, for quite a few weeks.

As I have said previously, all of the forty-day fasts recorded in the Bible can be classed as supernatural. We’ve already considered Moses two forty-day fasts in God’s presence. Elijah also fasted for forty days, but he was fed by an angel beforehand (see 1 Kin. 19:5-8). There were also some very supernatural elements to Jesus’ forty-day fast. He was supernaturally led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. He experienced supernatural temptations from Satan near the end of His fast. He was also visited by angels at the end of His fast (see Matt. 4:1-11). Forty-day fasts are not the biblical norm.

If a person voluntarily abstains from eating one meal for the purpose of spending time seeking the Lord, he has fasted. The idea that fasts can only be measured in terms of days is erroneous.

The two fasts mentioned in the book of Acts that we have already considered (see Acts 13:1-3; 14:23) were apparently not very long fasts. They may have only been one-meal fasts.

Because fasting is primarily for the purpose of seeking the Lord, my recommendation is that you fast for as long as you need to, until you have gained what you are seeking from God.

Remember, fasting doesn’t force God to talk to you. Fasting can only improve your sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. God is speaking to you whether you fast or not. Our difficulty is sorting out His leading from our own desires.

It is clear from a number of scriptures that God may use Satan for His disciplinary purposes. For example, in the parable of the unforgiving servant found in Matthew 18, Jesus said that the servant’s master was “moved with anger” when he learned that his forgiven servant had not in turn forgiven his fellow servant. Consequently, he handed his unforgiving servant “over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him” (Matt. 18:34). Jesus ended this parable with the solemn words:

So shall my heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart (Matt. 18:35).

Who are “the torturers”? It would seem likely that they would be the devil and his demons. God may turn one of His disobedient children over to the devil in order to bring him to repentance. Hardship and calamity have a way of bringing people to repentance—as the prodigal son learned (see Luke 15:14-19).

In the Old Testament, we find examples of God’s using Satan or evil spirits to bring about His discipline or judgment in the lives of deserving people. One example is found in the ninth chapter of Judges, where we read that “God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem” (Judg. 9:23) in order to bring judgment upon them for their wicked deeds against the sons of Gideon.

The Bible also says that “an evil spirit from the Lord” afflicted King Saul in order to bring him to repentance (1 Sam 16:14). Saul never did repent, however, and he eventually died in battle because of his rebellion.

In both of these Old Testament examples, the Scripture says that the evil spirits were “sent from God.” This is not to say that God has evil spirits in heaven who are waiting there to serve Him. More likely, God simply allows Satan’s evil spirits to limitedly work their ill in hopes that sinners will repent under their affliction.

Like any good father, God only disciplines His children when they are disobedient. Any time we disobey Him, we are in danger of suffering His discipline. The Lord is very merciful, however, and He normally gives us ample time to repent. His discipline usually comes after our repeated acts of disobedience and His repeated warnings.

How does God discipline us? As we learned in a previous chapter, God’s discipline may come in the form of weakness, sickness or even premature death:

For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord in order that we may not be condemned along with the world (1 Cor. 11:30-32).

We shouldn’t automatically conclude that all sickness is a result of God’s discipline (the case of Job comes to mind). If sickness does strike, however, it is wise to do a spiritual checkup to see if we may have opened the door to God’s discipline through disobedience.

We can avoid God’s judgment if we judge ourselves—that is, acknowledge our sin and repent. It would be logical to conclude that we would candidates for healing once we have repented if our sickness is a result of God’s discipline.

By means of God’s judgment, Paul said that we actually avoid being condemned along with the world. What did he mean? He could only have meant that God’s discipline leads us to repent so that we ultimately aren’t sent to hell with the world. This is difficult to accept by those who think holiness is optional for those on the way to heaven. But for those who have read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, they know that only those who obey God will enter His kingdom (see Matt. 7:21). Thus, if we persist in sin and don’t repent, we risk forfeiting eternal life. Praise God for His discipline that leads us to repent and saves us from hell!

Under the old covenant, we also find that God frequently disciplined His people by permitting troubles such as famines or foreign enemies to dominate them. Eventually they would repent and He would deliver them from their enemies. When they refused to repent after years of oppression and warnings, God ultimately permitted a foreign power to completely overcome them and deport them from their land as exiles.

Under the new covenant, it is certainly possible that God might discipline His disobedient children by permitting troubles in their lives. Or He may permit their enemies to afflict them. For example, the scripture quoted at the start of this chapter about God’s discipline (Heb. 12:3-13), is found within the context of Hebrew believers who were being persecuted for their faith. Not all persecution, however, is permitted because of disobedience. Every case must be judged separately.

According to the admonition quoted at the beginning of this chapter, we can react wrongly to God’s discipline in one of two ways. We may either “regard lightly the discipline of the Lord” or we may “faint when [we] are reproved by Him” (Heb. 12:5). If we “regard lightly” God’s discipline, that means that we don’t recognize it, or we ignore its warning. To faint from God’s discipline is to give up trying to please Him because we think His discipline is too severe. Either reaction is wrong. We should recognize that God loves us, and that He disciplines us for our good. When we recognize His loving hand of discipline, we should repent and receive His forgiveness.

Once we’ve repented, we should expect relief from God’s discipline. We should not, however, necessarily expect relief from the inevitable consequences of our sin, although we may well ask the Lord for mercy and help. God responds to a humble and contrite spirit (see Isaiah 66:2). The Bible promises, “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning” (Ps. 30:5).

After His judgment fell upon the Israelites, God promised:

For a brief moment I forsook you, but with a great compassion I will gather you. In an outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you (Is. 54:7-8).

God is good and merciful!

For further study concerning God’s discipline, see 2 Chron. 6:24-31, 36-39; 7:13-14; Ps. 73:14; 94:12-13; 106:40-46; 118:18; 119:67, 71; Jer. 2:29-30; 5:23-25; 14:12; 30:11; Hag. 1:2-13; 2:17; Acts 5:1-11; Rev. 3:19.

Joseph, who graciously forgave his brothers who had sold him into slavery, is sometimes used as an example of how we should forgive anyone and everyone who sins against us, regardless of whether or not forgiveness is requested. But is that what Joseph’s story teaches us?

No, it does not.

Joseph put his brothers through at least a year of successive trials and tests in order to bring them to a place of repentance. He even had one of his brothers incarcerated for many months in Egypt (see Gen. 42:24). When his brothers were all finally able to acknowledge their guilt (see Gen. 42:21; 44:16), and when one of them offered himself as a ransom for their father’s current favored son (see Gen. 44:33), Joseph knew they were not the same jealous and selfish men who had sold him into slavery. Then and only then did Joseph reveal his identity and speak gracious words to those who had sinned against him. Had Joseph immediately “forgiven” them, they would never have repented. And that is one of the flaws of the “instant forgiveness to everyone” message that is sometimes taught today. Forgiving our brothers who have sinned against us without confronting them results in two things: (1) A false forgiveness that brings no reconciliation, and (2) offenders who don’t repent and thus grow spiritually.

For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him ; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.” It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we might share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed (Heb. 12:3-13).

According to the inspired author of the book Hebrews, our heavenly Father disciplines all of His children. If we are never disciplined by Him, it indicates that we aren’t one of His children. We therefore need to be aware of and sensitive to His discipline. Some professing Christians, whose only focus is God’s blessings and goodness, interpret all negative circumstances as being attacks from the devil void of any divine purpose. This can be a great error if God is trying to bring them to repentance by His discipline.

Good earthly parents discipline their children with the hope that their children will learn, mature, and be prepared for responsible adult life. God likewise disciplines us so that we grow spiritually, become more useful in His service, and are prepared to stand before His judgment seat. He disciplines us because He loves us, and because He desires that we share His holiness. Our loving heavenly Father is dedicated to our spiritual growth. Scripture says, “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:6).

No child ever enjoys his parents’ spankings, and when we are disciplined by God, the experience is not “joyful, but sorrowful,” as we just read. In the end, however, we are better for it because discipline yields “the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

It would be best if brother A and brother B both agreed on who should now join them to assist in working towards reconciliation. Ideally, brothers C and D should know and love both A and B, thus insuring their impartiality. And only brothers C and D should be told of the dispute out of love and respect for A and B.

If brother B is not cooperative at this point, it will be up to brother A to find one or two others who can help.

If brothers C and D are wise, they will not render a judgment until they have heard the viewpoints of both A and B. Once C and D have rendered their judgment, A and B should submit to their decision and make the apologies and restitutions that are recommended to one or the other or both.

Brothers C and D should not try to appear more impartial and take less personal risk by recommending that both brothers A and B need to repent when in fact only one actually does. They should know that if either A or B reject their judgment, it will be appealed before the entire church and their cowardly judgment will become evident to everyone. This temptation faced by C and D to attempt to maintain their friendships with both A and B by compromising the truth is a good reason why two judges are better than one, as they can strengthen each other in the truth. Additionally, their decision is more likely to carry weight before A and B.

Although the four steps of reconciliation listed by Jesus are quite simple to understand, they can be more complex to actually practice. When Jesus outlined the four steps, He did so from a perspective of when brother A is convinced, and rightly so, that brother B has sinned against him. In reality, however, brother A could be wrong. So let’s imagine a situation in which every possible scenario is considered.

If brother A is convinced that brother B has sinned against him, he should first make sure that he is not being overly critical, finding a spec in brother B’s eye. Many small offenses should just be overlooked and mercy extended (see Matt. 7:3-5). If, however, brother A finds himself feeling resentment towards brother B for a significant offense, he should confront him.

He should do it privately, obeying Jesus’ command, demonstrating his love for brother B. His motive should be love and his goal reconciliation. He shouldn’t tell anyone else about the offense. “Love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:8). If we love someone, we won’t expose his sins; we’ll hide them.

His confrontation should be gentle, demonstrating his love. He should say something like, “Brother B, I really value our relationship. But something has happened that has created a wall in my heart against you. I don’t want that wall to be there, and so I must tell you why I feel you have sinned against me so that we can work to be reconciled. And if I have done anything that has contributed to this problem, I want you to tell me.” And then he should gently tell brother B what the offense is.

In most cases, brother B will not even have realized that he offended brother A, and as soon as he learns that he has, he will ask forgiveness. If that is what happens, brother A should immediately forgive brother B. Reconciliation has taken place.

Another possible scenario is that brother B will try to justify his sin against brother A by telling him that he was only reacting to an offense already committed by brother A against him. If that is the case, brother B should have already confronted brother A. But at least now there is finally some dialogue and a hope of reconciliation.

In such cases, the offended parties should discuss what happened, admit their blame to the degree of each one’s guilt, and then offer and receive forgiveness from each other. Reconciliation has been accomplished.

A third scenario is that A and B are unable to reconcile. They thus need help, and it is time to go to step two.