When You Fast

Fasting Defined:

To abstain from food;

To eat sparingly from some foods.

16  “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 
17  But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18  so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. —Matthew. 6:16 - 18

Keeping The Veil Thin

14  Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
15  And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. —Matthew 9:14 - 15

Then, behold, the veil of the temple was
torn in two from top to bottom; and the
earth quaked, and the rocks were split. —Matthew 27:51

15  For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 
16  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. —Hebrews 4:15 - 16

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. —1 Corinthians 13:12

1. The veil stays thin when we stay connected to The Vine.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” —John 15:5

7  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 
8  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
9  “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.” —John 15:7 - 9

2. The veil stays thin when we are willing to walk by faith.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. —Hebrews 11:1

For we walk by faith, not by sight. —1 Corinthians 5:7

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. —Romans 10:17

3. The veil stays thin when The Spirit opens the spiritual eyes of our understanding.

9  For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 
10  that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. —Colossians 1:9-10

14  Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 
15  And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
16  So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 
17  And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. —2 Kings 6:14 - 17

4. The veil stays thin in His presence.

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper
in the house of my God than dwell
in the tents of wickedness. —Psalms 84:10

13  Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. 
14  And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15  So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 
16  But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. —Luke 24:13 - 16

25  Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 
26  Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 
27  And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. —Luke 24:25-27

30  Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 
31  Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. —Luke 24:30-32

5. The veil stays thin in steadfast hope

21  And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
22  in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight – 
23  if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. —Colossians 1:21-23

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil. —Hebrews 6:19