Fasting: Does it actually do anything? Do you have a testimony?

[amigo de christo]

meat lowers the vibration.

Yeah , about this . How to respond . This is that new age stuff that has snuck into churches .
Make sure and flee this . its better we just learn from the bible .

 

[DuckieLady]

Did Jesus have to fast? NO!

JunChosen, that's what he was doing in the desert for 40 days...

If you go back and read the very first post here, those are the scriptures that I posted implying that we would fast and when. The disciples did not while Christ was with them, but he said they would after.

 

[Truman]

I fast when I feel led to and seldom for more than two meals. It can help me focus on Him more, as unpleasant things, in general, do.

 

[Nancy]

Yeah , about this . How to respond . This is that new age stuff that has snuck into churches .
Make sure and flee this . its better we just learn from the bible .

Excellent advice brother A.

 

[Truther]

Yes, I have.

Thank God, then fasting is a wonderful thing for the saint.

However, it is better as a lifestyle to give us temperance.

I was told 40 years ago to fast twice a week, and boy I needed exactly that.

I would just skip breakfast and lunch on Tuesday and Thursday on a physical job, as I was a brand new convert, working with my old chums. I received power over the heckling and former temptations by this self denial exercise. It does not hurt a person to skip a few meals a week, but rather helps them to work and consecrate themselves. When massive trials came my way a couple years into my new birth, I can credit my commitment to all the fasting and consecration lifestyle to get through it and stay in God's blessing and will.

 

[JunChosen]

@Hidden In Him and @FluffyYellowDuck,

If literal physical fasting was not God's will, why did Jesus fast for 40 days?[/QUOTE]

This is so to intensify the body to crave for food that anyone can fall prey when "tested" as Satan tempted Jesus.

Seems none of that makes sense if it was not God's will to literally fast the physical body.[/QUOTE]

I don't think the body is capable to withstand abstaining from food and water, for 40 days and not die.

If the number 40 has any spiritual significance at all it means a "testing" program set up by God such as we read about how Ancient Israel was tested by God in the wilderness, and of course by Satan testing Jesus.

To God Be The Glory

 

[Hidden In Him]

I don't think the body is capable to withstand abstaining from food and water, for 40 days and not die.

Without water, no. Not a good idea. But I've completed a 40 day fast before, so going without any food for that long is not as big a deal as you might think.

This is so to intensify the body to crave for food that anyone can fall prey when "tested" as Satan tempted Jesus.

Not sure I fully understand what you mean here. Can you restate this for me?

God bless.

 

[Truther]

There is another dimension in fasting know as Spirit led fasting.

 

[JunChosen]

Not sure I fully understand what you mean here. Can you restate this for me?

IOW, when a body is deprived from food for 40 days, it is much more prone to be tempted and to fall prey with the lure of food.

I hope this helps.

To God Be The Glory

 

[JunChosen]

There is another dimension in fasting know as Spirit led fasting.

Are you Pentecostal? Because I don't read anywhere in the Bibl about Spirit led fasting.

 

[Truther]

Are you Pentecostal?

Yes, Acts 2:38 Apostolic.

 

[Angelina]

I am a person of prayer and I have fasted on a number of occasions. Particularly when asking God for direction. The hardest part is trying to get your soul in line with God's will. It battles with hunger and desires to be satisfied. Once I got through that part, it gets a little easier. I fasted with just a half glass of water a day for 14 days and to be honest, I had a difficult time trying to get myself eating again. I found that fasting bought clarity and a sound mind. I was able to hear more clearly as God directed my step regarding certain things. I also found that fasting has helped when I had prayed for people who were terminally unwell. God sees our heart when we sacrifice for others. You would be amazed at the miracles that happen when we humble ourselves in this way before a mighty God, for the sake of others

 

[Nancy]

I am a person of prayer and I have fasted on a number of occasions. Particularly when asking God for direction. The hardest part is trying to get your soul in line with God's will. It battles with hunger and desires to be satisfied. Once I got through that part, it gets a little easier. I fasted with just a half glass of water a day for 14 days and to be honest, I had a difficult time trying to get myself eating again.

I trust you received your direction

 

[Angelina]

I trust you received your direction

Sorry dear...I added more to the above message.

 

[BarneyFife]

Going to narrow this down as much as I can, so that it's not too long. I'll also try to keep it as clean as possible.

Some scriptures regarding fasting potentially being applicable to our times:


(Jesus in response to being questioned about why his disciples didn't' fast; implying they would after the cross.)



(The when here may be implying expectation. When, not if.)


(The fasting portion is removed in the NIV but present in the KJV.)

I previously had a bad experience with fasting myself. I remember fasting for up to eight days asking for God's help with something, and frankly, I just don't remember it being a good experience. I fasted a lot in that time, actually, and I don't really feel like I had God's help very much in that time. At the very least, I would have appreciated a clear "no" but I didn't get that either. I understand the purposes of fasting. (Mourning, guidance, God's protection, etc) but I don't feel like it helps. "Feel" being the keyword here, which our feelings tend to be inaccurate.

Things got worse for me, so I gave up on fasting, despite what the Bible says, but I am willing to open my heart up to the thought of it again, but looking for guidance from other Christians who have some understanding of it or a testimony. I felt so rejected after fasting, but it would give hope to hear that other people have had better experiences.

You might find this very interesting:

Physical and Spiritual Effects of Fasting / From Sickness to Health - Barbara O'Neill

 

[Brakelite]

The first two days of a full fast ( retain water intake) are the hardest as the body adjusts... The third day much easier, and once that finished, you've gotten the victory over appetite, which puts you in a great place for spiritual revelation. Then, if your motives were on point from the beginning, you begun to comprehend what you're here for. Appetite, of all manner, gets in the way of everything of we allow. Self, the carnal nature, is the hardest battle in life.
Once there, that is when answers come. And sometimes to questions you never thought of.

 

[BarneyFife]

You might find this very interesting:

Physical and Spiritual Effects of Fasting / From Sickness to Health - Barbara O'Neill

She gets to a very important point at about the 16-minute mark.

As an aside, I have found that I can follow most instructional videos at 1.75x speed quite easily.

 

[Hidden In Him]

This is so to intensify the body to crave for food that anyone can fall prey when "tested" as Satan tempted Jesus.

IOW, when a body is deprived from food for 40 days, it is much more prone to be tempted and to fall prey with the lure of food.

Still not sure I follow you. Are you saying that God asked Jesus to fast for 40 days to prove His Divinity all the more when He was tempted thereafter?

 

[Hidden In Him]

I am a person of prayer and I have fasted on a number of occasions. Particularly when asking God for direction. The hardest part is trying to get your soul in line with God's will. It battles with hunger and desires to be satisfied. Once I got through that part, it gets a little easier. I fasted with just a half glass of water a day for 14 days and to be honest, I had a difficult time trying to get myself eating again.

Yes. Once the body finally settles in, the hunger isn't quite as nagging any more.

I found that fasting bought clarity and a sound mind. I was able to hear more clearly as God directed my step regarding certain things. I also found that fasting has helped when I had prayed for people who were terminally unwell. God sees our heart when we sacrifice for others. You would be amazed at the miracles that happen when we humble ourselves in this way before a mighty God, for the sake of others

Wonderful words.

 

[Brakelite]

The first two days of a full fast ( retain water intake) are the hardest as the body adjusts... The third day much easier, and once that finished, you've gotten the victory over appetite, which puts you in a great place for spiritual revelation. Then, if your motives were on point from the beginning, you begun to comprehend what you're here for. Appetite, of all manner, gets in the way of everything of we allow. Self, the carnal nature, is the hardest battle in life.
Once there, that is when answers come. And sometimes to questions you never thought of.

Of course, the body does physically weaken after a couple of days. I personally wouldn't recommend more than 3 days if you're working. Also, appetite doesn't only include food.. Theirs sexual appetite... List for wealth... Power... Honor... Reputation... All which come under the 9yh and 10gh commandments. And the first.
Love not the world or the things of the world.