Fasting in Secret: Seeking God, Not Approval

Devotional

Day 1: Fasting Without the Spotlight

When Jesus taught about fasting, he warned against gloomy faces or theatrical displays. True fasting isn’t a performance for others but a quiet surrender to God. It’s washing your face, anointing your head, and walking through the day as if nothing has changed—because the real work happens in secret. Fasting is less about physical deprivation and more about redirecting hunger toward the Father. The reward isn’t human applause but divine intimacy. [30:12]

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16–18, ESV)

Reflection: What habit or spiritual practice have you turned into a performance for others? How might God be inviting you to redirect that act into a quiet offering?

Day 2: Hypocrites, Hearts, and Hidden Motives

Jesus called hypocrites “stage actors” (hypokrites) who prioritized applause over authenticity. Their fasting, giving, and praying were scripts for approval, not love for God. Hypocrisy isn’t just lying to others—it’s lying to ourselves about who we’re truly serving. God sees past the costume to the heart, craving raw devotion over polished performances. [26:39]

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:27–28, ESV)

Reflection: Where in your life do outward actions mask inward resistance? Name one area where God is asking for honesty over image management.

Day 3: Wilderness Fasting and Fighting Temptation

Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness, hungry yet anchored. Satan tempted Him to turn stones to bread, but Christ chose dependence on God’s Word over physical relief. Fasting isn’t a spiritual trophy—it’s training to say “no” to cravings and “yes” to the Spirit’s strength. Hunger becomes a doorway to trust, not a test of willpower. [44:16]

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’” (Matthew 4:1–4, ESV)

Reflection: What hunger—physical, emotional, or relational—tempts you to distrust God’s provision? How might fasting clarify His voice in that struggle?

Day 4: Esther’s Fast: Crisis, Community, and Courage

When facing annihilation, Esther didn’t strategize alone—she called a three-day fast. This wasn’t a quiet solo act but a collective cry, yet done in humility, not publicity. Fasting united a community in desperate dependence, shifting their focus from fear to the God who holds outcomes. Crisis fasting isn’t about control but surrender. [46:09]

“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16, ESV)

Reflection: What crisis—personal or communal—feels too heavy to carry alone? How could fasting and prayer shift your focus from solving to surrendering?

Day 5: Fasting Beyond Food: Distractions and Devotion

Fasting isn’t limited to food—it’s any “no” that creates space for God’s “yes.” Jesus’ call to secret devotion applies to social media binges, caffeine reliance, or Netflix marathons. What comforts numb your hunger for God? Fasting from distractions isn’t punishment but invitation: trade temporary pleasure for lasting presence. [01:02:22]

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1–2, ESV)

Reflection: What non-food comfort do you turn to before turning to God? How might fasting from it this week deepen your dependence on Him?

Sermon Summary

Matthew 6 speaks straight to motives before it speaks to methods. Jesus warns that righteousness twisted toward human applause is no righteousness at all. Giving, praying, and now fasting are not stages for a skit; they are places for the heart to meet the Father. The word “hypocrite” carries the sense of a stage actor, a person whose outside never matches the inside. Jesus refuses that life. He wants a real heart, not a performance.

Jesus says, “when you fast,” not “if,” because Israel already knew fasting from the Day of Atonement and other rhythms. But the habit had been hijacked. The Pharisees made a show of looking “gloomy,” telegraphing sacrifice so everyone could see. Jesus calls that its own reward: attention from people and nothing from God. The text then gives the antidote: “anoint your head and wash your face.” In other words, tidy up, smell good, look normal. Let the Father “who is in secret” be the only audience. If anyone can see the real you, the Father can. Let Him.

Fasting, then, becomes a grace-filled way to turn down the volume of the flesh and tune the heart toward God. The Spirit supplies the strength the body lacks, so the face need not be disfigured and the soul need not be cranky. Scripture shows fasting in different seasons and lengths: Nineveh fasts in repentance and is spared; the church in Antioch fasts and receives direction; Esther calls a crisis fast; Jesus fasts forty days, fights temptation, and wields the Word, “Man shall not live by bread alone.” None of this is a hunger strike to force God’s hand. Fasting is not leverage; it is surrender. Outcomes remain in God’s hands, but nearness, clarity, and humility mark those who seek Him there.

Biblically, fasting is refraining from food, often woven together with prayer and the Word. Yet in a world thick with distraction, a disciple may also cut off lesser comforts for a season to give undivided attention to God. The point stays the same: don’t put on a show. Seek the Father’s presence, not people’s praise. Let motive lead method. Start wisely, listen to the Spirit, be medically responsible, and let God set the why and the how long. True fasting says no to self and yes to God, not to look holy, but to be made holy from the inside out.

Key Takeaways

1. True righteousness seeks the Father Real righteousness does not audition for likes. It lives before the Father in secret, where motives actually matter. Approval chases people; holiness follows God. The Father sees the heart and gives the only reward worth having. [22:35]
2. Hide your fasting, be seen by God Jesus says to anoint the head and wash the face, not to look miserable. Ordinary appearance guards the inward intention, keeping the audience of One. The secret place forms the soul more than public notice ever could. [30:12]
3. Fasting is surrender, not leverage Fasting does not bend God’s will; it bends the disciple’s will toward God. The outcome remains His, but the posture becomes humility, dependence, and open hands. Surrender is the ground where guidance, repentance, and strength grow. [46:40]
4. Scripture shapes fasting’s aims and seasons Nineveh repents, Antioch receives direction, Esther braces for crisis, and Jesus battles temptation with the Word. These stories set a pattern: different lengths, one purpose, God at the center. The Word becomes bread when bread is refused. [43:29]
5. Starve distractions to feed devotion Today’s overload of tech, entertainment, and comfort can fog the heart. Strategic abstinence clears space for prayer, Scripture, and worship to do their deep work. The aim is not gritting teeth, but gaining focus on God. [60:13]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[19:44] - Greetings and online info
[21:41] - Sermon on the Mount context
[22:11] - Warning against performative righteousness
[24:39] - Introducing fasting today
[29:53] - Reading Matthew 6:16-18
[31:06] - When you fast, not if
[35:40] - Anoint your head; wash your face
[40:36] - Why fast: repentance to crisis
[43:29] - Jesus in the wilderness
[46:40] - Fasting is surrender, not leverage
[49:04] - Cultural fasting vs biblical fasting
[58:07] - Pray, read, worship while fasting
[65:32] - How long? Let God lead
[67:31] - Closing prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 6:16-18 (ESV)
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Observation Questions

In Matthew 6:16, Jesus says, “when you fast,” not “if.” What does this imply about His expectation for His followers? [31:06]
What specific actions does Jesus criticize the hypocrites for taking while fasting, and what does He instruct His listeners to do instead (vv. 16-17)?
The sermon mentions fasting is “surrender, not leverage.” What biblical examples were given to illustrate this (e.g., Nineveh, Esther, Jesus)? [43:29]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus emphasize secrecy in fasting (v. 18)? How does this contrast with the motives of the hypocrites?
The sermon describes fasting as a way to “turn down the volume of the flesh and tune the heart toward God.” What does this metaphor reveal about the purpose of fasting? [37:18]
How does Jesus’ response to Satan in Matthew 4:4 (“Man shall not live by bread alone”) connect to the discipline of fasting? [45:32]

Application Questions

What distractions or comforts in your life (e.g., technology, entertainment, food) might God be calling you to fast from temporarily to focus more on prayer and Scripture? [01:00:13]
How can you guard against the temptation to subtly seek recognition or praise from others when practicing spiritual disciplines like fasting, giving, or praying?
The sermon warns that fasting is “not a hunger strike to force God’s hand.” How might you shift your mindset from trying to manipulate outcomes to surrendering to God’s will during a fast? [46:40]
If you were to fast for the first time, what practical steps could you take to ensure it’s done responsibly and with a focus on intimacy with God (e.g., duration, medical considerations, pairing with prayer)? [01:05:32]
When have you prioritized outward appearances of spirituality (e.g., public prayer, social media posts about faith) over inward transformation? How can you recenter your motives this week?
The sermon says fasting helps us “starve distractions to feed devotion.” What is one area of your life where you need more clarity or dependence on God, and how might fasting create space for that? [58:07]

Sermon Clips

39s

#QuietFasting

“Don't make fasting performative so that you may be seen by everyone. Don't announce it, oh, man, I'm fasting today. The Lord called me to fast today, so, you know, I'm being obedient to him in that way. You want a cookie? No. Cheesecake? No. I'm fasting. Right? Don't make it perform fast quietly, sincerely. God cares more about your heart than your outer appearance. You could groan all you want. It doesn't make it any more different.”

43s

#SayNoToSelf

“Fasting is saying no to ourselves and yes to God. You know, culture tells us always say yes to yourself. Do what makes you happy. Forget everybody else. Forget everything else. Gotta say, hello? Don't forget about me. We need to do more disconnecting from the flesh and turn to the word every once in a while. Maybe it's not fasting. Maybe it's just even like we're talking on the topic of fasting, but for some, it's like, turn to your word. Maybe we start there.”

35s

#TrustGodsOutcome

“And even though we fast, we know that the outcome is not determined by us but by him. It's not a guarantee that your healing, your deliverance, your answer will be provided. But when we fast, we should diligently seek God, spend time with God, pray to God, submit to God, focus on God, open up our word and read his promises.”

36s

#FastingForPresence

“So my point here is true fasting seeks the father's presence and not people's. You see our culture, those around the word fasting, a lot in our day and age, we do it for many reasons. Health benefits. Right? The benefit know, if I fast, I'm going to lose weight. you see that there are some that do it. They refrain from eating when they go to the doctor.”

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Fasting in Secret: Seeking God, Not Approval

Devotional

Day 1: Fasting Without the Spotlight

Day 2: Hypocrites, Hearts, and Hidden Motives

Day 3: Wilderness Fasting and Fighting Temptation

Day 4: Esther’s Fast: Crisis, Community, and Courage

Day 5: Fasting Beyond Food: Distractions and Devotion

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Fasting in Secret: Seeking God, Not Approval

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