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Ramadan Mubarak, Day 9: Not by Bread Alone

How fasting should be a focus on the Word of God

by Blaine and Lisa Seisser


Fasting is a discipline to practice and remember our deep need for God. To help us remember that he loves us! At any time of the year or any day a Christian you meet may be fasting from anything. Fasting from food is common, but they may be fasting from sweets, Facebook, shopping, etc., etc.


When we give up food in particular we should remember that “man does not live on bread alone but on the very words of God”. In fact, Jesus said that when he faced off with the devil in the wilderness at the end of his 40-day fast (narrated in the Injeel, gospel of Matthew 4:4). He was actually quoting Prophet Moses from the Tawrat (Deuteronomy 8:3). We desperately need the presence of God and his words, and truth for our spiritual health.  Jesus also said, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” By fasting we remember that physical food doesn’t ultimately satisfy—God satisfies. When we come to Him, obey Him, and follow Him, He meets all our needs. We must come realizing we are starving, humbled and in need of true spiritual food. Faith alone in Jesus (not our good works) for our salvation is the spiritual food we need. Jesus said his life and death are the very word of God—our bread of life. (Injeel, gospel of John 1:14) Fasting is a remembrance of the gospel—that there is nothing we can do ourselves to supply the spiritual food we need. It must come from God. We must trust him completely with our life and future. This is manna from above (Tawrat, Exodus 16), or bread from heaven. (Injeel, gospel of John 6:51)


Our manna, or food, or bread of life, is God’s Grace. His love for us while we desperately need him—that truth sustains us. When we know Jesus this true way we have the fruits of the spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control.  In this current space and time on earth we can be content with these truths and these fruits (i.e. food, like bread). In the Injeel the Apostle Paul says that he has found the means to be content in times of plenty or little. Because he has Christ he counts all things loss compared with the surpassing riches of knowing Christ. The truth is our ‘food’. “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (Injeel, James 3:17)  Fasting is a resting in the truth of God’s goodness.


It’s been said that fasting is not about penance or making our prayers more powerful, or justifying us, or making us holier or acceptable to God. Jesus has done what is necessary to make us Holy with his blood by his death. And by his resurrection, death is conquered and our spirits have can be made alive—if we embrace these things. If we do, we are made free from the law and its bondage. We have complete access to God and relationship with Him. Fasting, therefore, is a way to help us remember those spiritual truths, and to draw close to God and remember the gospel. The gospel is that we are saved by grace through faith and not by our works so that no one may boast. The gospel is our spiritual food that heals us and supplies all that we need. The gospel is that Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that we can be made right with God through his self-sacrifice. That should be the core of our fasting—to help us remember and dwell and meditate on that sweetest truth that changes our hearts completely: that we are hopeless sinners, that we need him desperately, and that we humble ourselves before his will, his plan, his salvation, and trust him completely to save us. That he loves us. That is our food. That is our delight and what should satisfy us completely. It does satisfy us completely. Fasting helps us practice remembering the gospel.


When our body ‘avatars’ finally fail us and rot away into death, Jesus will shepherd our souls to heaven. Our body will waste away but Jesus will lead our spirits through the gates of heaven to a heavenly feast. He will be the eternal spiritual food that will give our heavenly bodies what they need to experience eternal hope and happiness in God’s presence in heaven. Those who are in Christ are the children of God (Injeel, gospel of John 1:12) and will receive an eternal inheritance (Injeel, 1 Peter 1:4).


Today, I urge you to trust Jesus with your soul. Trust him with your sins. Jump into his arms of mercy and put your hope completely in his grace. Enjoy his presence in days of plenty, and feast on his truth while you’re fasting. 



*If you would like to participate in a Bible study about this subject and similar ones, email us at comparingfaith@gmail.com or text 313.485.7153.

  • 24 May 2018
  • Author: Guest Blogger
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2 comments on article "Ramadan Mubarak, Day 9: Not by Bread Alone"

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essay

6/15/2020 12:31 AM

Ramadan is the mubarak month for all Muslim ummah. Muslims giving many things and with each other to help and solve the problem of each other in every field of life.


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