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fasting

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Posted by: flowerchild

Hi! (second time trying to post these questions)

As a "baby Christian I would like to have a few opinions about fasting:

Is it okay to fast from lunch to lunch so that the only meal I am having daily is lunch with the exception of water?

Also, is it okay (and even effective) if I fast for just one or two days or does it have to be an entire week or three consecutive days, etc?

I understand that fasting weakens the flesh and strengthens the spirit. But, why does God want us to do it, because it is a sacrifice offered to Him? Is it very important to fast? What is the main purpose of fasting?

Thank you! Any and all suggestions and answers are greatly appreciated. God bless you!


Posted by: akabezalel

AAAARRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my computer tweaked and erased my answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will put it in a Word file and copy it on here so that doesn't happen again! I shall return!


Posted by: woofytoyou

Quote:
Originally Posted by flowerchild
Hi! (second time trying to post these questions)

As a "baby Christian I would like to have a few opinions about fasting:

Is it okay to fast from lunch to lunch so that the only meal I am having daily is lunch with the exception of water?

Also, is it okay (and even effective) if I fast for just one or two days or does it have to be an entire week or three consecutive days, etc?

I understand that fasting weakens the flesh and strengthens the spirit. But, why does God want us to do it, because it is a sacrifice offered to Him? Is it very important to fast? What is the main purpose of fasting?

Thank you! Any and all suggestions and answers are greatly appreciated. God bless you!


Just finished a book by Mahesh Chavda on Fasting.
Jesus expected his believers to fast as a lifestyle.
Ask God what kind of fast (water only, juice only, giving up
everything but vege and fruit, or fasting from stuff like tv)
You can go for one meal or 2 or 3 or days. The Esther fast
(Purim) is no water or food, which is dangerous really unless
you really know what it is all about and why you are doing the
fast in the first place with God in the lead.
The flesh will rear its head and you will find out lot of interesting
facts about yourself with each fast. Oh it is hard the first
few days, but then gets easier. Keep going to God and
praying and seeking His face in a fast when times get tough with
the actual business from abstaining from the many pleasures and
sensual flavours that the world has to offer.
It does take you deeper into God, as He is all there is. You realize
that we really focus ALOT on food , whether buying it, planning for
meals and wasting too. It is good for the body to give it a rest
and good for the spirit to take you on a supernatural journey
closer to God.
Woofy
ps - don't get caught up on the 'should' list. Ask the Lord and
go one day at a time with the focus on spiritual breakthroughs for
your family, your self, others, your church, city, government, etc.


Posted by: Lorica Lass

Flowerchild - I have done a search in the Bible about fasting and have done a lot of experimenting with fasting.

One thing I want to caution you about - as Paul says (to paraphrase) there is no value in doing things that are harsh treatment to the body. The Lord wants you to be healthy. I have gone on veggie juice and skim milk fasts and often times I noticed I would get some kind of virus or other bug. The Lord does not want us sick! So...personally I have learned to fast with caution and healthy, if plain, foods.

If you search the Bible you may be surprised at how nonspecific It really is concerning what is eaten or not eaten. Now Yahshua and Moses had no food at all for 40 days. Obviously you and I are not likely to be able to survive any such fast!

In Daniel we see that no delicacies were eaten, only plain foods, best I could tell from searching this on the net. He had no meats, no treats, no wines, and did not put on the scented, luxurious ointments/lotions which were popular in his day. This was for 3 weeks, not 40 days, and the results were not immediately apparent, though ultimately astounding as He saw waaaay into the future.

"This type goes not out except by prayer and fasting." It seems that fasting and extra praying go togehter, seeking the Lord more. Daniel, Moses and Yahshua were certainly praying extra during their fasts.

Guess what? The Bible does get pretty specific on how to fast in Isaiah 58, for there Isaiah talks about, in detail, "the fast that pleases the Lord."
The first thing that struck me is that "the fast that pleases the Lord" never mentions food or drink once! It talks about the Israelites who were afflicting themselves in their fasting and the Lord was the opposite of impressed.

Then it tells what kind of fasting really does please Him. The second surprise in Isaiah 58, for me personally, (and this dawned on me over time as it was alien to my mind set) is how much keeping the Sabbath holy is emphasized in "the fast that pleases the Lord." Since then I have come to accept that there are still 10 Commandments and we are still supposed to rest on Sundays and "honor the Sabbath and keep it Holy". Yes, Yahshua is our Sabbath rest, but we have to spend time devoted to Him on His special day to truly enter into His Rest as He wants us to do so. (Personally I celebrate a Sunday "Sabbath" - i.e. "rest" - as research leads me to believe that is what the Apostles did under the new, and better Covenant.)

Where better to go for answers than to the Word?

From the New Amplified Bible, Isaiah 58:

"...Why have we fasted, they say and You do not see it? Why have we afflicted ourselves, and You take no knowledge [of it]? Behold
[O Israel] on the day of your fast [when you should be grieving for your sins], you find profit in your business, and [instead of stopping all work, as the law [[re the Sabbath]] implies you and your workmen should do] you extort from your hired servants a full amount of labor. [Lev. 16:29.]

[The facts are that] you fast only for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness....Is such a fast as yours what I have chosen, a day for a man to humble himself with sorrow in his soul? [Is true fasting merely mechanical?]...Rather is not this the fast that I have chose:
to loose the bands of wickedness;
to undo the bonds of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free and that you break every [enslaving] yoke?
Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house -
when you see the naked that you cover him,
and that you hide not yourself [from the needs of] your own flesh and blood?...

If you turn your foot from [traveling unduly on] the Sabbath,
from doing your own pleasure on My holy day,
and call the Sabbath a [spiritual] delight,
the holy day of the Lord,
hnoorable,
and honor Him and It,
not going your own way or seeking or finding your own pleasure
or speaking with your own [idle] words...
Then...I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth..."

There are lots more wonderful blessings promised in Isaiah 58 from our Father if we keep "the fast that pleases the Lord" but I will leave them for you to read yourself if you wish, as I have abbreviated Chapter 58 for speed.


Posted by: Ericsmom

I've researched some on fasting also. It's been a few months. Bottom line: I learned fasting pertains to more things than just food. Two examples: Kenneth Hagin (can't remember if it was Sr or Jr) said the Lord told him to eat until he had satisfied his hunger and then fast - giving up any 2nd helpings, etc. To do it as a lifestyle - as posted above. Kenneth Copeland says the Lord spoke to him and told him to fast by not reading the paper. He wasn't advocating that for everyone just for himself. Hope this helps.


Posted by: MarkSentMe

Last week I fasted because I felt something bad was going to happen and I fasted and prayed about it all day. I did not eat any food, only drinking (I drank some coffee to stave off the caffeine withdrawal headaches I would get by not drinking coffee) I asked my pastor about fasting and he said that when he fasts he doesn't eat anything, just water and some juice.
My sister-in-law who is Catholic said that the rules in the Catholic church are 2 meatless meals and then something to tide you over but not equal to a third meal. Hardly seems like fasting to me.

Matthew 6:16-18 discusses fasting. The sermon this past Sunday was about fasting and self-examination during your fast.


Posted by: Rachel R

Dear Flowerchild,

I think a fast can be anything that the Lord asks you to give up temporarily.

I have fasted reading material and different time use things, TV, etc.

I have fasted treats and sodas and things like that over the years.

I used all different kinds of food fasts.

Food fasts come in any number of forms, probably as many forms as there are people.

I don't think there is any right and wrong here.

Any time you choose to tell your flesh that it can't have what it wants when it wants it you are fasting.

One concern is that it has to be for the right reasons.

The reasons vary as much as the kinds of fasts, but the best reason it to hear more clearly from God. Fasting really opens my ears!

I think God wants us to do it because he knows how much it helps us to get control of our bodies and focus on Him.

Welcome to the family!

Rachel R


Posted by: PRAISEGOD

I am glad you asked that question. I don't know too much about it from personal experience either, so have appreciated reading the posts. I did try fasting yesterday as a group of my friends were praying for a specific need for another friend. I gave up my foods, but did have water, coffee, juices. I found, as a beginner in fasting, that it did help me stay focused on what I needed to pray about - - by giving something up. It also helped to have a specific reason to fast (in the beginning I guess) - - at least for me.

God bless you.

Linda


Posted by: flowerchild

dear all:

wow! this was an old post and was pleasantly surprised i received some additional replies today. thank you so much for all your input. may God continue to bless all of you. hugs,

flower


Posted by: wiselady

This is a good subject.I have fasted,many times.Sometimes I fast for
spiritual guidance.I pray and fast.While I am fasting,I pray all during
the fast.I believe I get through to God, when I pray and fast.A person,
can give up anything. Some people are on medication,and can't give
up food.But they can give up talking on the phone,the internet,the
list goes on.When I fast,the HolySpirit,tells me.