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Post by solid on May 24, 2019 7:49:45 GMT -5
The thread about benefits of fasting got me wondering how important fasting really is for religious reasons? Should we fast, when should we fast and what are the spiritual benefits?
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Post by John on May 24, 2019 8:38:29 GMT -5
There are several scriptures that come to mind on this topic. If nobody beats me to it, I will post them later, Lord willing.
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Post by Sister on May 24, 2019 9:52:03 GMT -5
The thread about benefits of fasting got me wondering how important fasting really is for religious reasons? Should we fast, when should we fast and what are the spiritual benefits? Fasting is a sacrifice. Whatever we sacrifice for the Lord is precious in his sight. We mainly should fast when we are desperate for God to answer a prayer. Denying the flesh of food is one of the hardest things to give up. If anyone has done this they will know it to be true. I think we should fast often like the apostles did because there is always a time when a prayer needs to be answered fast for ourselves and for anyone else. This shows the Lord that we are willing to walk that mile for his help, and that we are in a state of desperation. Some can fast longer than others and it all depends on how much the body and spirit can handle. One thing for certain is that when we do fast for the spirit, we should not tell anyone but keep it between ourselves and the Lord. I spoke in the other thread about fasting for health benefits, and this would be boasting over the flesh. The real fast is the one that we shouldn't boast over because it's a serious matter, and the spirit is always more important than the flesh. This one is between us and the Lord only. No boasting allowed.
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Post by Sister on May 24, 2019 9:56:48 GMT -5
Yes, so that's the only rule I know. Don't tell anyone when you are fasting.
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Post by John on May 24, 2019 11:58:28 GMT -5
Here is an interesting scripture concerning fasting, from Mark 2:18-20
And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
First of all, fasting was a practice that was being done by the religious leaders and John the Baptist and his followers. It was not being practiced by Jesus' disciples, but Jesus explained that things would change after he was departed from them. While he was in their presence, they cannot fast because the bridegroom is with them, but when the bridegroom is taken form them, they shall fast in those days.
Why can't they fast when the bridegroom is with them? Because of the joy of being in his presence. Why will they fast in the days when he is taken from them? Because of sorrow. As such, fasting seems to be associated with sorrow, at least in this passage. Jesus doesn't say they will fast always, but only says in those days, but as I said, we can gather that fasting was something that John the Baptist and the Pharisees did already. Jesus didn't come against the practice, but simply suggested his followers would not fast until he was gone from them. This is one passage about fasting. There are others.
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Post by John on May 24, 2019 12:20:03 GMT -5
This is another passage where fasting is mentioned. Matthew 17:14-21
And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
What we see here is that in order to successfully cast out this demonic spirit, it required more than faith plus nothing. It required faith plus prayer plus fasting. Why is that? It would appear that prayer and fasting somehow prepares our heart to believe, to have the amount of faith needed to do certain things. Why do we take the time to pray and fast to begin with? Because we believe it will bring about an outcome we desire, which means we have faith it will be beneficial. If we didn't think that, we wouldn't pray or fast. Here is where we have so many misunderstandings about how faith and works go together. True faith will lead us to behave in a different manner than we would if we didn't believe. If we come here to fellowship with other Christians, we do that by faith. If we read the Bible, we do that by faith. If we obey the Bible, we do that by faith. On the other hand, when we have no change in our lives, it shows we have dead faith. That is what James spoke of.
In the case of this topic, it requires faith to pray and fast, and it appears that prayer and fasting increases our faith to greater levels than we already had, where we can do things we couldn't normally do. So in my opinion, it is not so much that the prayer and fasting is simply a way to increase power, but it increases faith, which allows us to be more powerful in what we are able to accomplish.
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Post by John on May 24, 2019 12:34:40 GMT -5
I will be offline for a while, but I want to give you a few more verses about fasting.
Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning; Joel 2:12
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. Luke 2:36,37
Moreover when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:16-18
I will try to post more later, but let's examine these. What do we see? Fasting is associated with weeping and mourning, which is in line with what Jesus said about the disciples fasting after he was taken from them. Fasting is associated with serving the Lord. Fasting is something that brings rewards. If you do it to be seen of men, you get your reward from their praise and astonishment concerning how pious and devoted you are, as well as how disciplined you are, but you get rewards in heaven if you do it in secret.
I hope this is of help to you Solid, and like I said, I hope to post more later, or perhaps others here have additional things to add.
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Post by 2fw8212a on May 24, 2019 13:25:08 GMT -5
The thread about benefits of fasting got me wondering how important fasting really is for religious reasons? Should we fast, when should we fast and what are the spiritual benefits? "‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen?
Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’
“In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure,
And exploit all your laborers. Indeed you fast for strife and debate,
And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day,
To make your voice heard on high." - Isaiah 58:3-4
"Is it a fast that I have chosen,
A day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
And to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the Lord?" - Isaiah 58:5
Fasting actually is to do/seek things that will please the Lord, and consequently deny your own will (works of the flesh).
"And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death." - Romans 7:10
"Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth:
fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." - Colossians 3:5
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells..." - Romans 7:18
I believe it is important to spiritual growth and development.
"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God." - Colossians 3:1
"...without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to
God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." - Hebrews 11:6
"For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance;
but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." - Matthew 13:12
To know more about the fasting that pleases God, read Isaiah 58. Then you will understand what Jesus said here:
"But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place;
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." - Matthew 6:17-18
"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love..." - Ephesians 5:1-2
"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." - Galatians 5:16
Blessings in Jesus' name!
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Cletus
Senior Member
Posts: 2,517
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Post by Cletus on May 24, 2019 21:30:10 GMT -5
Yes, so that's the only rule I know. Don't tell anyone when you are fasting. and wash your face too. i tried it and it makes you look better. like you dont have that kinda sick and weak look.
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Post by solid on May 25, 2019 9:31:24 GMT -5
Thank you all for the scriptures. It seems fasting is more important than I realized, and spoken of a lot in the Bible.
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Post by John on May 29, 2019 18:00:13 GMT -5
Fasting is often done while seeking God. After Jonah pronounced judgement on Ninevah, it says in Jonah 3:5 "So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them." In verse 7, it says, "And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, nor herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we not perish?"
Of course we know that this got God's attention, and the city was spared. We know that Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights while being tempted of the devil in the wilderness. That is seen in Matthew chapter 4. In Daniel, we read how he fasted for 3 full weeks seeking to understand a vision. From Daniel 10:3,4
In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
Was this a total fast of all food, or just certain foods? You can't really be sure from the way it is described, but I do believe you can fast things you like for a period of time, like not eating meat for a week or no dessert for a week or however long. The Bible surprisingly has a lot of references to fasting.
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Post by 2fw8212a on May 29, 2019 18:51:39 GMT -5
In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
Was this a total fast of all food, or just certain foods?
I believe certain foods, notice that he says pleasant bread.
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Post by John on May 29, 2019 18:53:12 GMT -5
In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
Was this a total fast of all food, or just certain foods?
I believe certain foods, notice that he says pleasant bread. I think you are right about Daniel, because he mentions specific kinds of food.
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Post by frienduff on May 29, 2019 22:42:19 GMT -5
OH let the peoples , my friends , REJOICE IN THE LORD . Man, we truly truly GOT ALL HOPE . FOR THE LORD IS OUR HOPE . Really ponder on that . OH let us all rejoice in the LORD .
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