Jesus said that His disciples would have to wait until after His ascension before they fasted (Mt 9:14-15). They had to receive the Holy Spirit before fasting, because Jesus' kind of fasting is so explosive that it would be destructive unless encased in a life in the Spirit (see Mt 9:17). For example, after Jesus fasted for forty days, He exploded in the power of the Spirit (Lk 4:14) into the three greatest years of ministry in history, culminating in His death, resurrection, ascension, and the giving of the Spirit at Pentecost. The explosion that took place after the church of Antioch fasted was the first missionary outreach of the Church (Acts 13:2). All missionary outreaches to the present day are reverberations of that initial explosion ignited by fasting.

New Testament fasting is highly explosive. In the context of life in the Spirit, fasting can be used by the Lord to move mountains of sin (see Mt 17:20-21, NAB), implode strongholds of the evil one (see 2 Cor 10:4), and propel God's people for years and even generations. However, fasting not in the context of life in the Spirit provokes people to blow up against one another. This "fast ends in quarreling and fighting, striking with wicked claw. Would that today you might fast so as to make your voice heard on high!" (Is 58:4)

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, September 28, 2015

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