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K
Fasting is just giving up something for a while to make more space for God. Most commonly from food, but it can be from anything. There is no right direction (which is why you'll find so many suggestions) - see if God makes any suggestions, if not, try fasting from something, and wait for Him to respond.
J
The bible does say not to display you are fasting, but it's not to be interpretted legalistically. Fasting is for the purpose of seeking the Lord. Fast from what removes your focus from the Lord, or what He directs you to fast. I have fasted make-up, food, sweets, all media, facebook, movies, tv, etc. Fasts can be different everytime, but the Lord will lead you.
P
when you fast you are doing something youd rather not do but you are doing it for God. You are doing it out of love and to be closer to God. And to appear as if it is a joy and that it is not saddening. By anointing your head , it says let your clothes be white. So it appears as if you are not sad or fasting to others. the reason for this is purely to change the heart, cleanse the heart and for wrong motives for fasting to be exposed in my eyes.
God says we rather have joy when we fast. So why are you fasting is good to ask yourself. There are different reasons for fasting. But God says true fasting you find joy and exploit your labors. It's to bind up your broken heart, restore the waste places and to loose chains. Sometimes we fast for other reasons too. Before I fast I seek God with prayer and meditation about how long the fast should be. When it will start but I realize it's best to leave it up to God when I end. Because it's not in our strength but God's. And his will not ours should guide.
God says we rather have joy when we fast. So why are you fasting is good to ask yourself. There are different reasons for fasting. But God says true fasting you find joy and exploit your labors. It's to bind up your broken heart, restore the waste places and to loose chains. Sometimes we fast for other reasons too. Before I fast I seek God with prayer and meditation about how long the fast should be. When it will start but I realize it's best to leave it up to God when I end. Because it's not in our strength but God's. And his will not ours should guide.
B
Sister simplyMe!!! Yes indeed sister!! What is the purpose of one? What are we to do in one? and finally are we ever to fast?? get ready sis!!! LOL Here are all of these answer right in the Word!!! Isaiah 58:6-11!!! Now this leave if we are ever to fast?? Answer matt 6:16-18!! WHENEVER!!! not if we fast!! Amen!!
I can tell you from very personal expercience God MOVES greatly from one who does this!! Every time they do it to!! Now, the next question one may have, is does this include both water and food?It can.It does for me anyway,but not everyone has to do a fast this way! There are also many different kinds of fasts.
Example no TV for a day or so, or no phone,or no computer etc.. Just make sure of this!! The time you take in your fast is at least equal to the time you would give of something you were not fasting over!! Fasting humbles the flesh before God,fasting tells Jesus we are serious about him,and his grace for us.
Fasting shows us how much we care about our Lord, and!! it kicks the devil right in his mouth to!!BIG TIME!!LOL And finally fasting brings LASTING RESULTS!!! Because now the devil know if he pushes us to far what we will do!! This causes him to test not as often to!! LOl To many weaker believers out there to shoot firery darts at!
What fasting does to us sis, is that it revels to us what our armor is and does!!!Eph 6:12-20!!!! We can not only see this working, but feel it as well!! a WOW moment!! After about 26 hours,you will fully understand what i mean!! LOl amen! have fun sis!! Go get em!! We use our eyes towards God's Word,we use our ears to hear both our prayers, and his answers!And we use our faith in HIM,to always bring results!! amen!!
I can tell you from very personal expercience God MOVES greatly from one who does this!! Every time they do it to!! Now, the next question one may have, is does this include both water and food?It can.It does for me anyway,but not everyone has to do a fast this way! There are also many different kinds of fasts.
Example no TV for a day or so, or no phone,or no computer etc.. Just make sure of this!! The time you take in your fast is at least equal to the time you would give of something you were not fasting over!! Fasting humbles the flesh before God,fasting tells Jesus we are serious about him,and his grace for us.
Fasting shows us how much we care about our Lord, and!! it kicks the devil right in his mouth to!!BIG TIME!!LOL And finally fasting brings LASTING RESULTS!!! Because now the devil know if he pushes us to far what we will do!! This causes him to test not as often to!! LOl To many weaker believers out there to shoot firery darts at!
What fasting does to us sis, is that it revels to us what our armor is and does!!!Eph 6:12-20!!!! We can not only see this working, but feel it as well!! a WOW moment!! After about 26 hours,you will fully understand what i mean!! LOl amen! have fun sis!! Go get em!! We use our eyes towards God's Word,we use our ears to hear both our prayers, and his answers!And we use our faith in HIM,to always bring results!! amen!!
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S
Pastel you have a beautiful way with words and I thank you for the privilege to read what you kindly left for me. And Brighthouse you crack me up and I can feel your big loving spirit as if you were in the same room with me. thank you both so very much for your words of wisdom and for taking the time to help.
The reason I want to fast is for my mate. I want him to want God and a relationship with Him. So every time I feel hunger pains I was going to lift Him up in prayer to my God.
The reason I want to fast is for my mate. I want him to want God and a relationship with Him. So every time I feel hunger pains I was going to lift Him up in prayer to my God.
N
Not sure I understand what you mean by legalistically. Can you explain it further please?
Pastel1,
What would you consider are specific ways for certain things like binding a broken heart? I guess I mean, what do you fast from for something like that or is there a list of what to do somewhere? Sorry, I can't seem to say what I mean. I hope you can understand what I am asking.
Pastel1,
What would you consider are specific ways for certain things like binding a broken heart? I guess I mean, what do you fast from for something like that or is there a list of what to do somewhere? Sorry, I can't seem to say what I mean. I hope you can understand what I am asking.
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Greetings sister,
Many great posts on this topic, and all of them have spoke the Truth. There are many different things a person can fast from, anytime a person gives up something they love, for Christ, is very pleasing to Christ.
i would like to talk about why i fast, when i say fast, i am only referring to food. i only drink water when i fast and nothing else.
The number one reason i fast, is for Jesus Christ. You see i know that if i obey Christ in everything, if i feed the hungry, cloth the naked, visit those in prison, give to charity, pray for the sick, help the homeless, volunteer my time, love others, walk the walk of a True Christian, i am only doing what is REQUIRED of a good soldier in Jesus Christ. Fasting however is something we choose to do, not commanded to do, it is something EXTRA i can do for Christ to show Him that i LOVE Him, more than food. i have been celibate for more then 5 years now, so food is the pleasure of my life. i use to fast 3 days every month for around 3 years, prior to that i fasted for 3 days about every 4 to 5 months. Now i fast for 3 days when i need to hear from God on specific issues or for others going into surgery or the such.
Another reason i fast, is because it helps a person to get more in line with their spiritual selves. If you do a study on Fasting using the Bible, you will find that most people who recieved revelations from God were in a state of fasting to some degree. For example when Peter was on the roof and seen the sheet come down three times it is said that he was hungry. When you deny the flesh its desires this opens up spiritual channels. The flesh and the Spirit are at enmity with each other, deny the flesh - spiritual awakening can occur, or spiritual understanding.
Another reason i fast, is because it is actually healthy for you to do so ( not so much once you are older) The third day of only water and no food, i would always get a very bad taste in my mouth, i have learned that is because of poisons leaving my body, poisons that were trapped in my body, but now can escape.
i seen a documentary one time, sorry do not remember which it was 20/20 or Discover Channel or something else. But it was about fasting. i found it to be extremely enlightening. The scientists were doing a study on the mind during fasting. They went to Tibet i think, and put all their electronic monitoring devices on these Tibetan Monks while they were fasting. Here is what they found and i find to be extremely interesting, and from my own fasting can verify to be True. The first day the equipment showed below normal brain activities in the minds of the Monks being monitored. The second day the equipment showed normal brain activities, but on the Third day brain activities were off the charts
For me it was always on the third day, that i would feel the most Spiritual and receptive of Spiritual understandings. The first day was never really that bad, just will power to not eat, but the second day, for me, was always the real challenge. my body would tell me in various ways that it was hungry and needed some food, stomach pains, nausea, cramps, grumbling, and sometime vomiting (dry heaves). All ways that my body is trying to tell me it wants food. But the third day i feel excellent, i guess my body figured that it wasn't going to get any food, therefore my body starts to feed off my body, that is to say it eats the fat that i have stored up in my body. what is excellent is that my body will only eat what it absolutely needs and not more. But my point is the third day i feel great, i think more clearly, thoughts come more easily. This is why if anyone has a serious decision to make in their life, i always recommend Fasting for three days, because on the third day you will think much more clearly and be able to see and understand things better than you did before the Fast. But be warned, the first and second day you might be dumber. Well i was anyway, forgetful, can't pay attention, you know Dumber. lol.
Well anyways, i highly recommend fasting from food, not food and water though, i found (for me) that drinking water helps purifies my digestive system, cleans it out. However don't drink so much water to try to get full, i did that once and got real sick. Drink water periodically and not too much at one time. Also i would not recommend doing three days if you are not use to fasting. Go one day this week then try two the next week, work your way up to three days. Also i hear people who before going on a three day fast will eat only vegetables a couple of days prior to the fast, this may be a good ideal as well. Also another tip, even though you may feel like you are going to die on the second day, you won't die, it is a defense mechanism that your body will do to you, to try to tell you to eat some food. The longest (on record) that a person has went without food before dying is 62 days. Jesus went 40 days and 40 nights. So i am sure you can make it past the second day. For me the second day was always the hardest, days following were easy. the second day was the trial for me, thinking who do i love more Jesus or the food, while the whole time my body is screaming EAT FOOD YOU IDIOT. lol.
Well hope this has helped in some way.
^i^
Many great posts on this topic, and all of them have spoke the Truth. There are many different things a person can fast from, anytime a person gives up something they love, for Christ, is very pleasing to Christ.
i would like to talk about why i fast, when i say fast, i am only referring to food. i only drink water when i fast and nothing else.
The number one reason i fast, is for Jesus Christ. You see i know that if i obey Christ in everything, if i feed the hungry, cloth the naked, visit those in prison, give to charity, pray for the sick, help the homeless, volunteer my time, love others, walk the walk of a True Christian, i am only doing what is REQUIRED of a good soldier in Jesus Christ. Fasting however is something we choose to do, not commanded to do, it is something EXTRA i can do for Christ to show Him that i LOVE Him, more than food. i have been celibate for more then 5 years now, so food is the pleasure of my life. i use to fast 3 days every month for around 3 years, prior to that i fasted for 3 days about every 4 to 5 months. Now i fast for 3 days when i need to hear from God on specific issues or for others going into surgery or the such.
Another reason i fast, is because it helps a person to get more in line with their spiritual selves. If you do a study on Fasting using the Bible, you will find that most people who recieved revelations from God were in a state of fasting to some degree. For example when Peter was on the roof and seen the sheet come down three times it is said that he was hungry. When you deny the flesh its desires this opens up spiritual channels. The flesh and the Spirit are at enmity with each other, deny the flesh - spiritual awakening can occur, or spiritual understanding.
Another reason i fast, is because it is actually healthy for you to do so ( not so much once you are older) The third day of only water and no food, i would always get a very bad taste in my mouth, i have learned that is because of poisons leaving my body, poisons that were trapped in my body, but now can escape.
i seen a documentary one time, sorry do not remember which it was 20/20 or Discover Channel or something else. But it was about fasting. i found it to be extremely enlightening. The scientists were doing a study on the mind during fasting. They went to Tibet i think, and put all their electronic monitoring devices on these Tibetan Monks while they were fasting. Here is what they found and i find to be extremely interesting, and from my own fasting can verify to be True. The first day the equipment showed below normal brain activities in the minds of the Monks being monitored. The second day the equipment showed normal brain activities, but on the Third day brain activities were off the charts
For me it was always on the third day, that i would feel the most Spiritual and receptive of Spiritual understandings. The first day was never really that bad, just will power to not eat, but the second day, for me, was always the real challenge. my body would tell me in various ways that it was hungry and needed some food, stomach pains, nausea, cramps, grumbling, and sometime vomiting (dry heaves). All ways that my body is trying to tell me it wants food. But the third day i feel excellent, i guess my body figured that it wasn't going to get any food, therefore my body starts to feed off my body, that is to say it eats the fat that i have stored up in my body. what is excellent is that my body will only eat what it absolutely needs and not more. But my point is the third day i feel great, i think more clearly, thoughts come more easily. This is why if anyone has a serious decision to make in their life, i always recommend Fasting for three days, because on the third day you will think much more clearly and be able to see and understand things better than you did before the Fast. But be warned, the first and second day you might be dumber. Well i was anyway, forgetful, can't pay attention, you know Dumber. lol.
Well anyways, i highly recommend fasting from food, not food and water though, i found (for me) that drinking water helps purifies my digestive system, cleans it out. However don't drink so much water to try to get full, i did that once and got real sick. Drink water periodically and not too much at one time. Also i would not recommend doing three days if you are not use to fasting. Go one day this week then try two the next week, work your way up to three days. Also i hear people who before going on a three day fast will eat only vegetables a couple of days prior to the fast, this may be a good ideal as well. Also another tip, even though you may feel like you are going to die on the second day, you won't die, it is a defense mechanism that your body will do to you, to try to tell you to eat some food. The longest (on record) that a person has went without food before dying is 62 days. Jesus went 40 days and 40 nights. So i am sure you can make it past the second day. For me the second day was always the hardest, days following were easy. the second day was the trial for me, thinking who do i love more Jesus or the food, while the whole time my body is screaming EAT FOOD YOU IDIOT. lol.
Well hope this has helped in some way.
^i^
A
Fasting is abstaining from food as a spiritual discipline. It is denying the flesh its necessities so that our inner man can be in tune with Spirit of God.
Why fast?
1. Victory over Spiritual forces--
2. Answered prayers--Then you will call and the Lord will answer: you will cry for help and he will say "here i am" (Isaiah 58:9)
3. Guidance-- The Lord will guide you always (Isaiah 58:11)
How should we fast?
1.Fast in the bible were TOTAL OR PARTIAL
A TOTAL--is one without any food(however you should drink plenty of water)
A PARTIAL--is one without certain kind of foods (Daniel 10:3)
2.A fast can be either CORPORATE OR PERSONAL
Jehosaphat called a corporate fast when Judah was threatened by the moabites and ammonites (II Chronicles 20:3) David fasted when his child became ill (2 Samuel 12:16)
3. Afast may vary in length
4. A fast should be combined with extra prayer
So i gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting...( Daniel 9:3)
Why fast?
1. Victory over Spiritual forces--
2. Answered prayers--Then you will call and the Lord will answer: you will cry for help and he will say "here i am" (Isaiah 58:9)
3. Guidance-- The Lord will guide you always (Isaiah 58:11)
How should we fast?
1.Fast in the bible were TOTAL OR PARTIAL
A TOTAL--is one without any food(however you should drink plenty of water)
A PARTIAL--is one without certain kind of foods (Daniel 10:3)
2.A fast can be either CORPORATE OR PERSONAL
Jehosaphat called a corporate fast when Judah was threatened by the moabites and ammonites (II Chronicles 20:3) David fasted when his child became ill (2 Samuel 12:16)
3. Afast may vary in length
4. A fast should be combined with extra prayer
So i gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting...( Daniel 9:3)