Fasting: Origen on Fasting as Preparation for Revelation

Origen (d. 254) observed the biblical pattern in which fasting precedes divine revelation. Moses fasted forty days before receiving the Law. Elijah fasted forty days before hearing God's still small voice. Daniel fasted before receiving his visions. Jesus fasted forty days before beginning His ministry. Origen wrote: "Fasting is the preparation of the soul for receiving God. As an empty vessel is more ready to be filled than a full one, so the soul emptied through fasting is more ready to receive divine communication."

Origen taught that fasting creates a receptive emptiness -- not a void but an openness to God. The fullness of routine satisfactions can actually block the soul's capacity to perceive the divine.

Practical application: Before making an important spiritual decision, fast for a day and dedicate the time to prayer and Scripture reading. Origen teaches that fasting clears the spiritual channels and creates conditions favorable for hearing God's voice. Come to the decision not with a full stomach and a distracted mind but with an empty body and an attentive heart.