Fasting
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Fasting can mean giving up on a certain food.. Or certain foods.. Sometimes it means giving up on all food for a certain time.. But not to the extent of causing yourself serious physical harm.. We should take care of the body God has granted us to live our lives in for a time..
Avoiding extremes is wise when it comes to fasting..
Avoiding extremes is wise when it comes to fasting..
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Hello and welcome to CC, Nikanika...
"Fasting" normally means abstaining from at least some foods, if not all foods and beverages other than water, for a specific period of time. The term is also used for abstaining from certain activities (such as TV viewing or internet usage), but this is more a Christian-culture usage and less a biblical usage.
If you're wanting to learn more on the subject of fasting from food, I highly recommend Richard Foster's book Celebration of Discipline. He writes from experience and provides extensive advice on that subject and others.
"Fasting" normally means abstaining from at least some foods, if not all foods and beverages other than water, for a specific period of time. The term is also used for abstaining from certain activities (such as TV viewing or internet usage), but this is more a Christian-culture usage and less a biblical usage.
If you're wanting to learn more on the subject of fasting from food, I highly recommend Richard Foster's book Celebration of Discipline. He writes from experience and provides extensive advice on that subject and others.
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One of those learning curves. I would offer. Fasting in the Bible takes on a whole new understanding other than that of the world . Having more to do with wills, power and obedience rather than that which does enter or stomach and comes out as draught. Food for the flesh.
Searching the ceremonial law gives us some idea of the kind of fast that shares the Manna as the hidden gospel understanding of the word of God, hidden to the lost . .
Manna the true soul bead..
The Manna stopped after 40 years, replaced with other foods as three meals a day.
Some self righteous Pharisees in Luke bragged he only eats/fasts twice on the Sabbath. Giving up one meal . One person in the Old testament was gathering fire wood to boil the manna .It was to be prepared boiled the day before so they could eat on the Sabbath . He was stoned for violating that law . No boiling manna on the sabbath
Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest "the naked", that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Isaiah 58:5-7
The phrase above. . when thou seest "the naked", that thou cover him; That covering is the gospel. Prayer, as the hope the seed will grow clothing us with His righteousness, We will be found with none of our own . Prayer and fasting . .or prayer as fasting . Faith with works.
Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
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Matthew 9:14-15 King James Version (KJV)
14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
The Disciples of John Fast often, while Yeshua's/Jesus's Disciples don't Fast. Yeshua/Jesus taught that Powerful Faith comes by Prayer and Fasting. Has any member on these forums done a 40 day and night Dry Fast? Until you do a 40 day and night Dry Fast, can you really claim to be a True Disciple?
There are those on various website forums that have documented their attempt at this Fast, although warning about the danger and damage that was done. The general advice, is that, to have any chance of accomplishing this Fast you must build up slowly with shorter fasts to get your spirit, mind and body prepared for the ultimate.
Here is a each day documented attempt at a 40 day and night Dry Fast:
My 40 Day & 40 Night (dry Fast) Day 1 | Night 0
https://www.christianforums.com/blogs/my-40-day-40-night-dry-fast-day-1-night-0.58843/?direction=asc
14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
The Disciples of John Fast often, while Yeshua's/Jesus's Disciples don't Fast. Yeshua/Jesus taught that Powerful Faith comes by Prayer and Fasting. Has any member on these forums done a 40 day and night Dry Fast? Until you do a 40 day and night Dry Fast, can you really claim to be a True Disciple?
There are those on various website forums that have documented their attempt at this Fast, although warning about the danger and damage that was done. The general advice, is that, to have any chance of accomplishing this Fast you must build up slowly with shorter fasts to get your spirit, mind and body prepared for the ultimate.
Here is a each day documented attempt at a 40 day and night Dry Fast:
My 40 Day & 40 Night (dry Fast) Day 1 | Night 0
https://www.christianforums.com/blogs/my-40-day-40-night-dry-fast-day-1-night-0.58843/?direction=asc
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I would suggest reading the book:
Celebration of Discipline
The Path to Spiritual Growth
20th Anniversary Edition
by: Richard J. Foster
https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=hts&oq=&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS810US810&q=Celebration+of+Discipline+The+Path+to+Spiritual+Growth+20th+Anniversary+Edition+by:+Richard+J.#spf=1574455258189
In the twenty years since its publication, Celebration of Discipline has helped over a million seekers discover a richer spiritual life infused with joy, peace, and a deeper understanding of God. For this special twentieth anniversary edition, Richard J. Foster has added an introduction, in which he shares the story of how this beloved and enduring spiritual guidebook came to be.
Hailed by many as the best modern book on Christian spirituality, Celebration of Discipline explores the "classic Disciplines," or central spiritual practices, of the Christian faith. Along the way, Foster shows that it is only by and through these practices that the true path to spiritual growth can be found.
Dividing the Disciplines into three movements of the Spirit, Foster shows how each of these areas contribute to a balanced spiritual life. The inward Disciplines of meditation, prayer, fasting, and study, offer avenues of personal examination and change. The outward Disciplines of simplicity, solitude, submission, and service, help prepare us to make the world a better place. The corporate Disciplines of confession, worship, guidance, and celebration, bring us nearer to one another and to God.
Foster provides a wealth of examples demonstrating how these Disciplines can become part of our daily activities-and how they can help us shed our superficial habits and "bring the abundance of God into our lives." He offers crucial new insights on simplicity, demonstrating how the biblical view of simplicity, properly understood and applied, brings joy and balance to our inward and outward lives and "sets us free to enjoy the provision of God as a gift that can be shared with others." The discussion of celebration, often the most neglected of the Disciplines, shows its critical importance, for it stands at the heart of the way to Christ. Celebration of Discipline will help motivate Christians everywhere to embark on a journey of prayer and spiritual growth.
Celebration of Discipline
The Path to Spiritual Growth
20th Anniversary Edition
by: Richard J. Foster
https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=hts&oq=&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS810US810&q=Celebration+of+Discipline+The+Path+to+Spiritual+Growth+20th+Anniversary+Edition+by:+Richard+J.#spf=1574455258189
In the twenty years since its publication, Celebration of Discipline has helped over a million seekers discover a richer spiritual life infused with joy, peace, and a deeper understanding of God. For this special twentieth anniversary edition, Richard J. Foster has added an introduction, in which he shares the story of how this beloved and enduring spiritual guidebook came to be.
Hailed by many as the best modern book on Christian spirituality, Celebration of Discipline explores the "classic Disciplines," or central spiritual practices, of the Christian faith. Along the way, Foster shows that it is only by and through these practices that the true path to spiritual growth can be found.
Dividing the Disciplines into three movements of the Spirit, Foster shows how each of these areas contribute to a balanced spiritual life. The inward Disciplines of meditation, prayer, fasting, and study, offer avenues of personal examination and change. The outward Disciplines of simplicity, solitude, submission, and service, help prepare us to make the world a better place. The corporate Disciplines of confession, worship, guidance, and celebration, bring us nearer to one another and to God.
Foster provides a wealth of examples demonstrating how these Disciplines can become part of our daily activities-and how they can help us shed our superficial habits and "bring the abundance of God into our lives." He offers crucial new insights on simplicity, demonstrating how the biblical view of simplicity, properly understood and applied, brings joy and balance to our inward and outward lives and "sets us free to enjoy the provision of God as a gift that can be shared with others." The discussion of celebration, often the most neglected of the Disciplines, shows its critical importance, for it stands at the heart of the way to Christ. Celebration of Discipline will help motivate Christians everywhere to embark on a journey of prayer and spiritual growth.
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Fasting is not about not eating. It is about sharing one gift with those who have none eating with brothers and sisters in Christ..
Not eating food does not strengthen one spiritual. Its not the purpose of the fast. . which is a plea to God to have grace on those it the gospel effects.
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest "the naked", that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh Isaiah 58
loose, undo, to let, break yoke, to deal, bring poor, cover naked, hide not
Not eating food does not strengthen one spiritual. Its not the purpose of the fast. . which is a plea to God to have grace on those it the gospel effects.
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest "the naked", that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh Isaiah 58
loose, undo, to let, break yoke, to deal, bring poor, cover naked, hide not
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While Isaiah 58 does indeed speak of a different kind of fast, that takes nothing away from the standard meaning, which is the subject about which the OP inquired.
Your statements prior to the quoted Scripture are incorrect. Fasting IS about not eating, and it is NOT primarily about sharing gifts. If done properly, it DOES strengthen one spiritually, which IS the purpose of the fast in the first place. Your quotation from Isaiah 58 has conveniently omitted the very relevant context, which discusses the terrible behaviour in which the Israelites engaged while fasting from food. The part you quoted counters the bad behaviour and is intended as a lifestyle. One does not fast from food as a lifestyle.
Your statements prior to the quoted Scripture are incorrect. Fasting IS about not eating, and it is NOT primarily about sharing gifts. If done properly, it DOES strengthen one spiritually, which IS the purpose of the fast in the first place. Your quotation from Isaiah 58 has conveniently omitted the very relevant context, which discusses the terrible behaviour in which the Israelites engaged while fasting from food. The part you quoted counters the bad behaviour and is intended as a lifestyle. One does not fast from food as a lifestyle.
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Hi Nikanika, my understanding is that fasting is to strengthen one spiritually. It should prove that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
The physical approaches that were prescribed on the posts prior to this, is antithetical to the principle!
If you are struggling physically in order to fast, then, you are not fasting. Any athlete, contortionist, anorexic, even atheist can have body control, one doesn't need to have strong character for this. It is when your face is not drawn, when your hair is not disheveled, when you look like you've been feasting for weeks, that's when you've succeeded at fasting. Consider Daniel and his friends when they ate meager food before the king, they looked healthier than those who had a robust diet. Or Jesus' words '...when you fast do not look somber like the hypocrite...'.
Again, if you've turned fasting into a physical exercise that you have to train for, or are feeling prematurely faint and ill, then don't do it, you're not spiritually strong enough (like myself).
Fasting is for one reason, to show God that you don't need physical sustenance to live, but the Word of God. If Fasting is painful and not joyous, desist, go read your Bible instead!
The physical approaches that were prescribed on the posts prior to this, is antithetical to the principle!
If you are struggling physically in order to fast, then, you are not fasting. Any athlete, contortionist, anorexic, even atheist can have body control, one doesn't need to have strong character for this. It is when your face is not drawn, when your hair is not disheveled, when you look like you've been feasting for weeks, that's when you've succeeded at fasting. Consider Daniel and his friends when they ate meager food before the king, they looked healthier than those who had a robust diet. Or Jesus' words '...when you fast do not look somber like the hypocrite...'.
Again, if you've turned fasting into a physical exercise that you have to train for, or are feeling prematurely faint and ill, then don't do it, you're not spiritually strong enough (like myself).
Fasting is for one reason, to show God that you don't need physical sustenance to live, but the Word of God. If Fasting is painful and not joyous, desist, go read your Bible instead!
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1 Corinthians 15:44 King James Version (KJV)
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
Great food for thought!
Fasting certainly strengthens one spiritually, as it is the denial of the Natural Body for the Spiritual Body. It's an absolute requirement for transformation from Natural Man to Spiritual Man. The Spirit is willing, however, the flesh is weak!
The greatest competitors of the children of Elohim/God are Serious Ascetic Satanist who give total devotion and commitment to the worship of the Satan/Devil. Those Satanists live and breathe the destruction of Elohim's/God's chosen people 24/7. If you are not more devoted and committed than the Serious Satanist, you are demon possessed.
Do you really think you know the real Jesus morefaithrequired:
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
is that your Jesus? this Jesus provides salvation only by faith, its called mercy.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
is that your Jesus? this Jesus provides salvation only by faith, its called mercy.