Eating Issues and Fasting

If someone has struggled with food or body image issues in the past, should she wait until the manifestation of her healing has been made complete in that area of her life before fasting?

Fasting can take a variety of forms and the main purpose is for spiritual submission and breakthrough. Food issues and body image should not be limitations, but it would depend on the faith maturity of the person before I would just say go ahead. Not that they have to be mature, but they do need to be able to focus on Christ and hearing from him. I am referring to emotional eating here, anyone suffering anorexia or bulimia should not abstain from food, but abstain in others ways suggested below. The spiritual principles apply the same.

Food issues reflect a double spiritual stronghold, at least. One is the deep level of insecurity, which can be healed as one hears affirmation from Jesus and transfers faith to believing his truth rather than the lies. The second is the belief that food, or the lack of it, is the answer for beauty. This would indicate a compulsive behavior based on a lie that is linked to the insecurity lies.

A day or time of fasting will probably not be the immediate breakthrough from food issues but it could help put your spirit and mind in the proper order. The purpose of the fast is to let your spirit take dominion over your body and soul. It is in and through your spirit that you hear from the Lord and receive strength, peace and encouragement. Your mind or feelings alone are not sufficient to form overcoming strength. In other words, you can’t overcome an eating disorder or poor body image just by wanting it to go away. You must receive strength from the Holy Spirit and the truth of God.

By fasting from food you are denying yourself what your body is craving by making a willful choice. When you continue to deny yourself for a day, or three days, or whatever time-frame, then your spirit is taking leadership/dominion over your body. When your spirit is leading then you can hear from God more clearly. Don’t fast for the sake of healing the eating disorder, but rather fast to open your spiritual ears and hear from Jesus. When you begin hearing from Jesus you will find peace and wisdom. There is healing in the peace and wisdom. Peace and wisdom bring deep level security by knowing and believing who you are in Christ. You can read Psalm 139:13-16 and Ephesians 3:16-21 for encouragement.

There are other types of fasting rather than abstaining from all food: partial food fasts, skipping breakfast and lunch but eating dinners for three days, half-quantity fast, eating vegetarian, or cutting out sweets or other parts of the regular eating pattern. There are other spiritual disciplines like silence or solitude, cutting out media and all reading except for Scripture. 

May the Lord bless you with healing.