fasting

  • Thread starter rdbseekingafterhim
  • Start date
  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
R

rdbseekingafterhim

Guest
#1
I have seen this posted a lot. Fast and pray. I know Jesus fasted for 40 days. Can someone explain to me the importance of fasting? Plus me trying to fast is an exercise in futility. I can barely go 3 hours without food much less dawn til dusk or longer. What is fasting supposed to do actually? Other than to produce hunger pains...
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#2
I have seen this posted a lot. Fast and pray. I know Jesus fasted for 40 days. Can someone explain to me the importance of fasting? Plus me trying to fast is an exercise in futility. I can barely go 3 hours without food much less dawn til dusk or longer. What is fasting supposed to do actually? Other than to produce hunger pains...
30 posts in 9 days (not counting introductions, opinions on minimum wages jobs, and questions about how to use this site.) Sometimes you're teaching something. Most of the time you're asking "How's this work" and expecting compete answers.

It takes roughly 4 years to learn a trade, 4-10 years to learn how to do something through going to school, and five weeks to learn an unskilled job. You've been a Christian for roughly 15 days? How about starting to go for the assumption it's going to take a while to learn the basics, and you don't learn the basics by asking strangers their opinions?

Yes, God saves us miraculously. Learning about God is lifelong work, not 2-weeks-or-under-internet-opinion-seeking.
 

Dan_473

Senior Member
Mar 11, 2014
9,054
1,051
113
#3
I have seen this posted a lot. Fast and pray. I know Jesus fasted for 40 days. Can someone explain to me the importance of fasting? Plus me trying to fast is an exercise in futility. I can barely go 3 hours without food much less dawn til dusk or longer. What is fasting supposed to do actually? Other than to produce hunger pains...

fasting doesn't have to be zero food

it can be something like juices only



that having been said, I don't get fasting, myself

I don't think it's commanded in the nt

does it add energy to a person's prayers?
 
R

rdbseekingafterhim

Guest
#4
Here's the thing I'm used to learning things and picking things up super fast. I absorb knowledge very quickly. It's a talent I was given from the Lord. However, I am completely baffled. I can't pick things up quite as fast as I usually can. I am wanting to be in a close relationship with the Father. I am really beginning to see that yes I can't pick this up fast. It's going to take me years to master. This is new territory for me. I need to take things one day at a time and learn more from Him and be in the word more and pray more.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#5
Here's the thing I'm used to learning things and picking things up super fast. I absorb knowledge very quickly. It's a talent I was given from the Lord. However, I am completely baffled. I can't pick things up quite as fast as I usually can. I am wanting to be in a close relationship with the Father. I am really beginning to see that yes I can't pick this up fast. It's going to take me years to master. This is new territory for me. I need to take things one day at a time and learn more from Him and be in the word more and pray more.
I'm very good at picking up things super fast too. That's why people hired me to be a bookkeeper when I never had one lesson in accounting. (Didn't even know there was a debit and credit column, once more what that meant. lol) That's why I was hired to learn how to write advertising copy without ever learning marketing first. (Been a hobby of mine ever since.) I've been hired often because I get across that I can learn skills quickly. I can't learn God or the Bible quickly though.

But God isn't a thing. Nor is he "natural." We were born sinners and then learned how to excel at it naturally. Now as new creations there is absolutely no "natural" to this walk. It's 180 degrees from what you've done with the rest of your life. Might as well have plopped us on Mars for how foreign this terrain is. Ad because of that -- yes! Years! Decades! Centuries! Beyond! To get it all, and "it" isn't even the big prize. "He" is.

I truly do remember how impatient I was when I was new to all this. 44 years later. Not much better at the patience thingy, and yet it really is something I/we have to keep at for the rest of our lives, fully aware he's giving us the same path he gave Jonah. Jonah got where God wanted him to be when God wanted him to be there. Jonah had a choice of how he would get there. He could have gone by ship, but chose fish belly. (We cant say No to God and expect the easy way.) We're given the same choice. God will get us there -- how is our choice.

And it will take as long as it takes. No quicker, no slower. He only has one lesson to teach us -- Trust him! We think we do, but then he exposes area by area on where we don't, until he teaches us to trust in that area. For me, it's finances. And he has taught me to trust him 20,000 ways over the course of 44 years. I'm better at trusting him now, but that's not the same as trusting him in all of it. He has carried us for 35 years together. (Hubby and me.) We have been both broke and middle-class comfortable, yet God has provided us the necessities when we needed them. Despite all that, right now I'm still wrestling over needing some big money we don't have for a very good reason, and yet God doesn't give me a heads up on how he's going to take care of it, so I'm busy asking him to deal with it while I continue to seek help to deal with it. 44 years, and I still need to learn to trust.

This is the Christian walk -- not quicky primers in fasting or tongues.

Agree it's frustrating especially for those of us who can pick up new skills easily. But he's not a new skill.
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#6
Fasting isn't just about not eating food.....I would challenge that God ignores many people,who,fast, because they do it to prove how "holy" and better they are than other people.

But some are just white washed tombs

*********


*“Cry aloud, spare not;Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins.
*Yet they seek Me daily,And delight to know My ways,As a nation that did righteousness,And did not forsake the ordinance of their God.They ask of Me the ordinances of justice;They take delight in approaching God.*‘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.*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?*


Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?*
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?


*Then your light shall break forth like the morning
,Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.*Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.

’“If you take away the yoke from your midst,The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, - Isaiah 58v 1-9
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Dec 19, 2009
27,513
128
0
71
#7
I have seen this posted a lot. Fast and pray. I know Jesus fasted for 40 days. Can someone explain to me the importance of fasting? Plus me trying to fast is an exercise in futility. I can barely go 3 hours without food much less dawn til dusk or longer. What is fasting supposed to do actually? Other than to produce hunger pains...
I cannot fast because if I do, my blood sugar gets too low and I get very sick, though I'll do the twelve-hour fast before a blood test. Since I can't fast, I don't give it much thought.
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#8
I try and fast daily from sin, wickedness, injustice and lies.

I fast from unwarranted anger and unforgiveness.

I fast from gossiping and strife.
 

JosephsDreams

Senior Member
Dec 31, 2015
4,313
467
83
#9
Here's the thing I'm used to learning things and picking things up super fast. I absorb knowledge very quickly. It's a talent I was given from the Lord. However, I am completely baffled. I can't pick things up quite as fast as I usually can. I am wanting to be in a close relationship with the Father. I am really beginning to see that yes I can't pick this up fast. It's going to take me years to master. This is new territory for me. I need to take things one day at a time and learn more from Him and be in the word more and pray more.
You know the pace you learn. And your curiosity level. And how you learn. We are all not the same. Someone coming on here, and pretentiously and presumptuously telling you how and when you should ask questions is uninformed at best, and mean spirited at worst. Sometimes strangers can give the best advice. As you spend more time here, and learn who is who on this site, you'll know who to turn to. Just stay the course. God bless.
 
Last edited:
M

Mitspa

Guest
#10
I don't even know why folks say they read the bible ? Isa 58 clearly says God had rather you share your bread with the hungry than hide yourself from your own flesh ..Paul taught in the NT that neglect of the body is of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. The very word fasting is not even in the oldest and most accurate greek text ..when prayer and fasting is used together .. I used to fast every week and one day the Lord told me "you want to fast something? fast that TV you been watching" ... Ive never seen any fruit from fasting food from any Christian I know ... I'm open to deeper truths and have heard that ministers that deal with demonic forces, say fasting is important ...still not sure about that?
 

overcomer21

Junior Member
Nov 8, 2014
14
1
0
#11
3 days of fasting will UN-pervert the taste buds. That's why God put the children of Israel on a three day fast coming out of Egypt.
Also any thing longer than three days will stimulate stem cell production.
Fasting is a way to heal the body by allowing the body to take all it's energy in restoration instead of digestion.
Fasting helps to purify the blood which gives clarity of mind to discern the Word of God.

The reason you can not go very long without food is because you are eating a poor diet. The more nutritious the food the less you have to eat. You would do well to fast and give your over burdened digestive system a rest. However you can never do this on your own you must pray first and seek the Lord to give you strength and than set it in your heart to carry it out. The longest I have fasted was for 10 days. My system was purged and I could feel my body healing itself from my poor lifestyle choices made years ago. If you want to talk more about this send me a private message.
 

JosephsDreams

Senior Member
Dec 31, 2015
4,313
467
83
#12
I don't even know why folks say they read the bible ? Isa 58 clearly says God had rather you share your bread with the hungry than hide yourself from your own flesh ..Paul taught in the NT that neglect of the body is of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. The very word fasting is not even in the oldest and most accurate greek text ..when prayer and fasting is used together .. I used to fast every week and one day the Lord told me "you want to fast something? fast that TV you been watching" ... Ive never seen any fruit from fasting food from any Christian I know ... I'm open to deeper truths and have heard that ministers that deal with demonic forces, say fasting is important ...still not sure about that?
I can personally tell you fasting from food has been a huge benefit to me in a spiritual sense, not mention also in a physical and mental way. And I know quite a few people who have the same outlook on it.
 

JosephsDreams

Senior Member
Dec 31, 2015
4,313
467
83
#13
3 days of fasting will UN-pervert the taste buds. That's why God put the children of Israel on a three day fast coming out of Egypt.
Also any thing longer than three days will stimulate stem cell production.
Fasting is a way to heal the body by allowing the body to take all it's energy in restoration instead of digestion.
Fasting helps to purify the blood which gives clarity of mind to discern the Word of God.

The reason you can not go very long without food is because you are eating a poor diet. The more nutritious the food the less you have to eat. You would do well to fast and give your over burdened digestive system a rest. However you can never do this on your own you must pray first and seek the Lord to give you strength and than set it in your heart to carry it out. The longest I have fasted was for 10 days. My system was purged and I could feel my body healing itself from my poor lifestyle choices made years ago. If you want to talk more about this send me a private message.
Everything you said, right on the money !
 
M

Mitspa

Guest
#14
I can personally tell you fasting from food has been a huge benefit to me in a spiritual sense, not mention also in a physical and mental way. And I know quite a few people who have the same outlook on it.
I don't want to doubt you..but I have heard this before and the words of the people that spoke them and their actual spiritual condition and growth, did not match their words. In fact I have always seen a regression of spiritual growth and life in the Spirit of those who seek to justify the flesh in this manner.
 

JosephsDreams

Senior Member
Dec 31, 2015
4,313
467
83
#15
I can't speak for those people. My questions would be, how long did they fast for? What did they fast on? How consistent? Did they continue to pray and read their bible in their Christian walk? Do they serve God in their ministries?
If you know those answers, you can get a fuller picture.
And it may be you just happen to coincidentally know a group who just struggle in a way not commensurate with their fasting. It can happen.
Also, remember, whatever their condition is, there is a good chance they may be worse, probably would be worse, if they never fasted.
 
M

Mitspa

Guest
#16
I can't speak for those people. My questions would be, how long did they fast for? What did they fast on? How consistent? Did they continue to pray and read their bible in their Christian walk? Do they serve God in their ministries?
If you know those answers, you can get a fuller picture.
And it may be you just happen to coincidentally know a group who just struggle in a way not commensurate with their fasting. It can happen.
Also, remember, whatever their condition is, there is a good chance they may be worse, probably would be worse, if they never fasted.
Here is the issue..if you pray and seek God in a directed way, it will always produce results ... God will always meet a believer in their efforts based on faith and love... fasting food..has nothing to do with that fellowship or growth based on seeking God by faith. fasting is a work of the flesh trying to "hide" oneself from their own flesh..Just as Isa 58 clearly says ... And as Paul says "neglect of the body has not value against the indulgence of the flesh" ... So maybe you are confusing the benefits you believe you are getting from fasting(in the flesh) with your time in faith and prayer( in the spirit )
 

JosephsDreams

Senior Member
Dec 31, 2015
4,313
467
83
#17
Why then did Jesus, the son of God (!), fast 40 days before he began his ministry? Why then does the bible mention fasting so often?
So Jesus considered it important to begin His mission, and you don't?
 

JosephsDreams

Senior Member
Dec 31, 2015
4,313
467
83
#18
Also, I am not confusing the benefits of prayer and faith with fasting. They all work together. You might say fasting is like putting prayer and faith on steroids. Not to mention the release of spiritual power that can come with fasting that may not without it.
 

Joidevivre

Senior Member
Jul 15, 2014
3,838
271
83
#19
I have always believed that a fast is something God calls you to. For a purpose that you discern beforehand.
 

mar09

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2014
4,927
1,259
113
#20
Hi rd,
I was reading this thread when i saw some previous in the list below.. That by lifefire is quite recent.
Anyway, i personally wish i could fast more/again. It's been a while. I have also had to communicate w/ ppl who fast yearly on ramadan, u know. In a way u can admire them. Such devotion, such discipline. (Of course idk know if or how they are in other areas of life however, for they live far far away.) But i wonder at these muslims who, whether they be athletes, teachers, or what, they just fast. The family i know had a child who graduated recently, but how abt that-- no nothing after the grad rites! and until hours later, when they are allowed to eat.
 
Last edited: