GOD REWARDS THE MODEST-Part Three

Steven Garofalo M.A.A.  (Copyright 2025)

January 20, 2025

In the United States and countries around the world it is considered a “GOOD” thing to bring attention to ourselves and self-promote an self-image, albeit good or bad. This is no-more evident than in social media platforms, marketing and sales.

Today, I am going to show you through the words of Jesus himself in the Book of Matthew that to bring attention to oneself gains an early, earthly reward, but forfeits God’s reward for us. Let’s get started.

This is Part three of “When God Rewards Us” series. In part one, we spoke to when God rewards us through our “giving” or almsgiving. In part two, we spoke to when God rewards us in and through “prayer”, and today, we will address when God rewards us through “fasting”. Before we get started, let’s define our terms.

WHAT IS FASTING?

Religious practices: Fasting is a common practice in many religions, including Christianity and Islam. Fasting is a regular part of Islamic practice in that fasting is encouraged during the holy month of Ramadan. In Christianity, fasting is more of an individual choice than a formal practice or sacrament of the faith.

Intermittent Fasting: Then there is Intermittent fasting which is way of life more so than an eating plan. As such, it is an eating plan whereby a person eats within a short window of time and then ceases to intake food for longer periods of time. I personally eat breakfast between 5:30-6:00am, lunch around 9am and then eat my last meal at about 1:30-2:00pm. I don’t eat until the next morning. Research shows that intermittent fasting helps with brain clarity and is a great way to manage your weight, and can even prevent and in some cases, even reverse some forms of disease.

AN AI OVERVIEW

In the Christian faith, fasting is the practice of voluntarily abstaining from food or other enjoyable things for a spiritual purpose: 

• Expressing commitment: Fasting is a way to show God that you are committed to pursuing him.
• Offering a sacrifice: Fasting is a way to praise God and offer him a sacrifice.
• Intensifying prayer: Fasting can help you focus and pray more clearly.
• Growing in faith: Fasting is a spiritual discipline that can help you grow in your faith.
• Denying yourself: Fasting is a way to declare that you know God is most important, not you.

Fasting can take many forms and last different lengths of time. Some examples of Christian fasting include: 

• Liturgical fasting: Abstaining from certain foods during liturgical periods, such as Lent 
• The Daniel fast: Consuming only water and vegetables, as described in Daniel 1:12 
• The Jesus fast: Consuming only water, as described in Matthew 4:1–2 
• Partial fasts: Giving up specific items, like caffeine, or fasting during certain times of the day 

Fasting is often combined with prayer. It can be a way to: Express repentance, Seek a deeper connection with God, Pursue answers to life's decisions, Demonstrate the depth of your desire when praying, and Release God's supernatural power.[i]

THE PLACE OF FASTING IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

In an article titled, “The Placing of Fasting in the Christian Life” By Thomas A. Tarrants on June 6, 2018 Knowing and Doing, Knowing & Doing 2018 Summer, Thomas A. Tarrants, Tarrants writes that:Judging from recent research and anecdotal evidence, it appears that very few professing Christians in America think fasting has a place in the Christian life. Available evidence shows that we much prefer feasting! Yet from the earliest days of the church, fasting has been recognized as an important way to draw near to God, deepen one’s relationship with Him, and seek His help in times of special need. Nearly all of the great spiritual leaders of the church, as well as ordinary believers who have been noted for their devotion to God, have practiced fasting. If you desire a deeper, more intimate and fruitful relationship with God, or if you need His help in a time of real need, fasting is an important means of grace to practice.

This article will provide helpful understanding and practical guidance for anyone who wants to experience this blessing. The best place to start is with a definition of fasting. In the Old Testament, the main Hebrew word used is tsom, which means “to abstain from food.” In the New Testament, the Greek word we translate as “fast” is nesteuo, which means “to abstain from eating.” In both testaments, fasting is simply going without food in order to seek God for some special reason. Although the purposes for which we seek God may vary, going without food does not. This is an important distinction, because today there is a tendency to expand the word fasting to include things other than food, such as television, movies, internet, social media, or cell phones. Although it is certainly right to abstain from any number of things that are hindering our relationship with God, that is not what the Bible means by fasting. Such abstaining is better described as “saying no” to some form of worldliness or harmful fleshly indulgence. To reiterate, in the Bible, the word fasting means going without food, the purpose of which is to earnestly seek God in prayer. People unacquainted with fasting may not see any compelling reason to do it…” [ii]

SO WHAT!

This begs the question as to when God may or may not reward us through prayer. Our truth text today is a short passage found in Matthews 6:16-18 which says this:

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:16-18)

TAKE AWAYS

1)  When you “FAST” do not look gloomy. WHY? Because it’s hypocritical to voluntarily sacrifice to God through fasting and then show everyone how pious you are. “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the HYPOCRITES, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others”. The pharisees “disfigure their faces” because they wanted everyone to know they were fasting, so they did not wash or trim their hair and sometimes put ashes on their heads to make further evident that they were fasting.

2)  CONSEQUENCE OF LOST REWARDS: Jesus makes clear in the second half of verse 16 that, “Truth I say to you, they HAVE RECEIVED THEIR REWARD”. In other words, to draw attention to the fact that you are fasting gets you worldly credit as to one’s pious sacrifice, but the reward is received through human affirmation and acclamation-forfeiting God’s reward in light of receiving human reward.

3)  HOW TO FAST PROPERLY: In verse 17 and 18, Jesus goes on to explain how to FAST PROPERLY, saying: “But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you”. In other words when we fast, we should go out of our way to look as if we are not fasting, knowing that we do so for God who sees what we are doing as opposed to other humans who should not know about what we are doing (our sacrifice) in terms of fasting.

CONCLUSION

“When you fast” is a reference to fasting prescribed under the Mosaic Lw in connection with the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29) and the voluntary fast of that day. The Pharisees added two fasting days, on Monday and Thursday of each week as a case of public display and piety. The true purpose of fasting was intended, however, for deep contrition and spiritual communion with God. Fasting was especially emphasized as an effective means of dealing with temptation (Isaiah 58:6). The pharisees regarded the practice of fasting as meritorious and appeared in the synagogues negligently attired to draw attention to themselves. Their sad disfigurement of face, ashes on forehead, and the wearing of morning garb gave them a sinful opportunity “exhibit” the personification of a superior ascetic position or sanctity before the regular people.

In the end, we should all work towards gaining a handle on some form of fasting. WHY? First, its biblical. Second, it draws us closer to God. Third, it trains our bodies, hearts and minds to combat “temptations”. I can tell you firsthand that I no longer crave meals when I haven’t eaten for some time. I tend to eat more on a schedule as opposed to feeling like I am going to starve if I haven’t eaten in 8 hours. This is what I want to leave you with-the challenge to begin the process of fasting. Start slow and with shorter increments of time and work your way to longer periods of fasting in light of dependents and communing with God. In the end, you will benefit physically, mentaly, and spiritually. Blessings-Steven

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