Did Jesus Drink Water While Fasting?

Did Jesus drink water while fasting for 40 days? Also, can you drink water when fasting spiritually?

Introduction

Fasting is an interesting concept from the Bible.

There are many different people in the Bible who fast, and many different kinds of fasts that we see present.

Some require abstaining from certain foods, while others require abstaining from all food.

In fact, Jesus Himself even fasted in the Bible.

What kind of fast did Jesus undergo?

Did He drink water while fasting?

Let’s take a deeper look at this idea of fasting and see how Jesus did it.

What is fasting?

First of all, let’s answer the question of what exactly fasting is.

Fasting is the act of abstaining from eating some foods or all food during a specified period of time.

The reason that people fast is to focus their thoughts on God during the time of fasting.

This has been a practice with spiritual components since its conception and helps people who do it to focus more on God during their time of fasting.

Fasting actually shows up in the Bible more than you would think. It is mentioned both in the Old and the New Testaments.

In the Old Testament, it was often used as a way to show grief or humility, while in the New Testament, it was used to focus more on God during the time of fasting.

Although fasting seems pretty straightforward, we can also learn from the Bible how we are to specifically fast.

Remember that God is much more concerned with the heart and motive behind an action than He is with the action itself. This is why it is essential to also discern your reasoning for fasting and your motive behind it.

As Jesus said in Matthew 6:16-18, when we fast, we should not look overly somber or down as a way to show others that we are fasting.

As humans, we often try to find ways to show others that we are doing the ‘right thing’ so that they will look upon us with approval. Instead, Jesus said that we should not show others that we are fasting. Rather, it should be something between us and God, not a show for others.

What can fasting do?

Fasting can be a great way to simply take time away from your normal everyday life and devote it to God.

It is something that changes your normal routine in such a way that it allows you to become more focused on God and not simply go through the motions of your faith.

Fasting also usually isn’t done on its own.

Instead, fasting should be paired with time in the Bible and time spent in prayer to God.

The entire goal is to dedicate time and energy towards your relationship with God, so it is essential to set times during your fast to spend with God.

Doing this can help you become more attuned to God’s voice and can help you to hear Him better as He guides you through your life in the Holy Spirit.

READ MORE: What Does the Bible Say About Cutting Hair?

When did Jesus fast?

One of the most famous instances of fasting in the Bible is when Jesus fasted in the wilderness after He was baptized.

The Bible tells us that before Jesus’ ministry on earth began, He sought to be baptized by John the Baptist to fulfill what had been written in the Scriptures.

When He was baptized, a voice spoke from heaven, claiming Jesus as God’s son and showing everyone around that He was truly the Son of God.

You would think that after this took place, Jesus would launch into His ministry. However, that is not what happened. Instead, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

It seems as though this was part of God’s preparing Him for His earthly ministry to fulfill all things for His plan.

While Jesus was in the wilderness, He fasted for forty days, and forty nights and He was hungry.

This is actually an interesting fact as we sometimes think of Jesus as being immune to any of the things that we struggle with as humans. However, even Jesus got hungry and tired, just like we do.

The tempter used this as something to attack Jesus with and told Him that if He is hungry and He is truly the son of God, He should just make the stones around Him turn into bread to eat. However, Jesus answered the tempter with Scripture, reminding him that the Scriptures say that man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

After this, the devil tempted Jesus a few more times with various desires and temptations that we would all probably fall into, but Jesus did not.

He stood His ground and answered the devil each time with Scripture that countered what the devil was trying to get Him to believe.

READ MORE: Why should I stay away from the Book of Enoch?

Did Jesus drink water while He fasted for 40 days?

One aspect of this story that many people tend to ask about is the fact that it says Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights.

It can be difficult to believe that someone can survive that long without eating.

It is even more difficult to believe that someone can survive that long without drinking.

So, how did Jesus survive?

Did He abstain from all food?

Did He drink water while He fasted that sustained Him?

The truth is that the Bible doesn’t reveal this aspect of Jesus’ fasting.

What we do know is that He did not eat anything for 40 days as part of His fast.

In terms of the science behind it, we know that most people cannot last more than ten days without water, so it is probable that Jesus drank water while fasting.

Humans can last much longer than that without food if they have water. Therefore, it’s likely that Jesus drank water.

Regardless, Jesus’ act of fasting should be an example to us all.

If you feel like you need some time to refocus on God, try fasting and see how it works for you.

Reach out to God, and He will honor your faithfulness.

Is drinking water while fasting a sin? Can you drink water when fasting spiritually?

Abstinence from food and water is a good spiritual exercise because it suppresses the flesh and its desires and activates or amplifies the spiritual senses of a believer.

One of the purposes of fasting is for our minds to be focused more on spiritual activities while our souls are connected to heaven.

However, while being spiritually vibrant is crucial in seeking God’s face and achieving our heart’s desires, God also cares about our physical health.

Our physical health is as important as our souls because the body is the container that houses the spirit man. Therefore, the soul will thrive if the body is in a good state. But the opposite will be the case if the body is sick and not in good shape health-wise.

Depriving the body of fluid for a very long time might lead to dehydration, which can make vital organs of the body shut down, leading to death. God does not want His children to die, not in the process of pleasing Him.

He does even want a sinner to die (Ezekiel 18:23). Therefore, if you are thirsty during fasting and it becomes unbearable, there is no harm in drinking water.

Fasting is crucial but not a prerequisite to making heaven.

It’s only an avenue for consecration and seeking God’s face for divine intervention.

Remember that God is interested in your total well-being and not spiritual growth alone. 3 John 1:2 says, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”

While avoiding food and water is commendable, we must also follow God’s Word in Isaiah 58:3-10, which says we should not only afflict ourselves and look hungry and haggard while fasting but focus on good deeds like delivering the oppressed, feeding the poor, clothing the naked, etc.

Can I drink water while fasting?

The simple answer is yes. You can drink water while fasting if you are thirsty and certain that water deprivation could harm your physical health.

Drinking water or even any liquid in moderate quantity is advised if you are fasting for a long time.

For example, 40 days and above. However, if you are fasting for a few days and the fasting is limited to a few hours a day, you can survive without water.

But drinking water when engaging in a dry fast (i.e., fasting without eating or drinking anything for more than 24 hours), you should drink some liquid to keep your organs functioning and give your body strength to engage in your daily activities.

Note that it is crucial to run medical checks if you are fasting for a long time.

Some people have lost their lives because they want to emulate Jesus, who went into the wilderness to pray for 40 days and 40 nights.

We must not lock ourselves away from our loved ones when fasting for many days.

This is because the body will be weak and might require urgent attention.

Having loved ones close by can help us a great deal in case of emergencies.

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