Who's in Control?: The Discipline of Fasting

Pastor Daniel Medders introduces fasting through ECN’s growing discipleship culture and his experience completing a two-day fast with the Men of the Ridge, which brought unexpected focus and mental clarity. Using Matthew 6, he explains that fasting is a normal Christian discipline practiced privately to seek God, not to gain attention or manipulate God into granting requests. The examples of Moses, Esther, and Jesus show fasting accompanying focused communion with God, intercession, difficult decisions, and preparation for ministry. Fasting also helps believers identify with Christ’s suffering and teaches them to bring physical and mental impulses under control, including temptations involving anger, speech, lust, addiction, and food. Pastor Daniel encourages believers to combine fasting with prayer when seeking discernment or carrying a burden, asking God to use the practice to deepen their faith and strengthen their self-control.