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

[DuckieLady]

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:

“Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them . . . then they will fast.”
Matt. 9:15

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

Moreover when you fast, don't be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be. Matt. 6:16

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

And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
Mark 9:29

(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.

 

[dev553344]

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.

I've only fasted for 3 days at a time, and I've received the confirmation of the Holy Spirit fruits (Galatians 5:22-25) with messages from God.

But I fasted for healings and twice it was created where I actually saw the healing on Ultrasounds at the doctors.

Fasting also strengthens your will power.

In church we fast once a month for a day each time only, then give the food money we would have ate to the hungry.

Fasting for longer than a day at a time is only for healings and that is 3 days from what I learned, longer than that is not necessary.

Cheers,

Devin

 

[DuckieLady]

I've only fasted for 3 days at a time, and I've received the confirmation of the Holy Spirit fruits (Galatians 5:22-25) with messages from God.

But I fasted for healings and twice it was created where I actually saw the healing on Ultrasounds at the doctors.

Fasting also strengthens your will power.

In church we fast once a month for a day each time only, then give the food money we would have ate to the hungry.

Fasting for longer than a day at a time is only for healings and that is 3 days from what I learned, longer than that is not necessary.

Cheers,

Devin

Really awesome testimonies, Devin! Thanks! Definitely encouraging. I probably was fasting for the wrong reasons and that's probably why it ended in disappointment. But as the old song goes, "Thank God for unanswered prayer." Now I look back and see how much would have hurt and been more damaging later on and I wasn't willing to see it.

 

[dev553344]

Really awesome testimonies, Devin! Thanks! Definitely encouraging. I probably was fasting for the wrong reasons and that's probably why it ended in disappointment. But as the old song goes, "Thank God for unanswered prayer." Now I look back and see how much would have hurt and been more damaging later on and I wasn't willing to see it.

Sometimes I pray that God will put in my mind and heart what I should pray for. That works for me.

 

[quietthinker]

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.

God wants us clean, healthy and capable, soooo, we wash our bodies and exercise them putting nutritious foods in. We also need a rest, inside and out. Fasting is a way of giving the internals a rest.....cleaning house if you like.......but like all good things it can be applied poorly with poor results.

Water is good but too much applied poorly and you'll drown. Food is good but too much or too little or with little or no nutrients is pulling a bad card. Music is good, it soothes and lifts the heart but notes assembled in a fashion and played in a style akin to sliding over broken glass only glorifies the evil one and scatters the individual emotionally.

Wisdom to know the difference is desirable, it is the rudder that steers our ship......and wisdom comes from God when we ask.

 

[Brakelite]

Fasting draws you into a deeper spiritual realm. If you enter in with the wrong motives, it can be dangerous... You may be temporarily strengthened spiritually, but weakened physically, and the enemy takes advantage of that weakness. And if you are overcome physically, that can affect the spirit. Suffering can blind/distract you to spiritual needs. Which is why in nearly every situation Jesus tended to physical needs of the people before teaching or healing them spiritually.
Note how Satan attacked Jesus during the fast in the wilderness. Every temptation related to appetite. The flesh. The idea of fasting is essentially to draw closer to God, and in that process discover His more perfect will for your life. Hence Jesus fasting at the beginning of His ministry. As you walk in God's will, you will find your prayers are answered for others as you minister to them, and your personal healing is realised as you live more in line with godly principles.

 

[Hidden In Him]

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"

Ah... well first off, thanks for posting. It's a good subject, and not that well understood.

For starters, there are several books out there that suggest you fast to receive answered prayer, or fast for "breakthrough." It's not the reason to fast, and I'm not even sure where they get that business. The purpose of fasting is to bring the flesh under. When our flesh is strong, we are less merciful, less dependent upon God, less spiritually minded, less apt to pray... it's like Paul was referring to when he talked about the mind of the flesh, and how it is at enmity against God. On the other hand, when you fast, your prayer life accelerates; you are nicer and more patient with people (in the long term. In the short term, until your body is used to not eating, you may bite someone's head off, LoL); you are less dependent upon yourself and the power of the flesh, and more likely to turn to God in dependence upon Him for all things.

Moreover, and this is the real power of fasting: If you fast and pray, and give yourself for extended periods of time to it, the Lord will reward your doing so with spiritual blessings - notice I didn't say a car, or a job, or some materialistic blessing - but greater spiritual authority and greater spiritual gifts. These may not be seen right away, but they come. I've fasted extensively, so I'm speaking by experience here. When Jesus said, "When you fast, do so in secret, and the Lord who sees in secret will reward you openly," most don't stop to think about what He meant by rewarding them in public but He was not talking about material blessings. He was taking about spiritual authority.

As for your verses, each would have to be addressed in its context, but that is a basic run down about what its actual purpose is. It is to bring the flesh under greater submission, while bringing the Spirit into ascendancy.

 

[TLHKAJ]

Isaiah 58 (KJV) ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ⁵ 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? ⁶ 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? ⁷ 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? ⁸ Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. ⁹ Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; ¹⁰ And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: ¹¹ And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. ¹² And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. ¹³ If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: ¹⁴ Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

 

[TLHKAJ]

I think the fast He has chosen ...is the key.

When I have fasted, I didn't always get the answers I wanted. But oftentimes during a fast, I have received visions or dreams, and a closer relationship with Him.

One thing that I have noticed is that the battle intensifies when I draw closer to Christ, whether through fasting, prayer, or Bible reading. So don't be surprised when this happens.

1 Peter 4 (KJV) ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¹² Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: ¹³ But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. ¹⁴ If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. ¹⁵ But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. ¹⁶ Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

 

[Gregory]

I have fasted many times. At times, the Lord has seen fit to answer quickly. For instance, me and my wife had been married 4 years and had not been able to have children. So one Sunday we decided to fast and pray that God would help us have a child. This is no joke, within 2 weeks we had a baby son. On a early Saturday morning, a woman came into the hospital where my wife worked in the nursery, and deliverd a baby boy and let people there know that she was putting it up for adoption. Long story short, we got that baby boy and he has been a blessing to our family now for 42 years.

There have been other times, when the Lord has not answered me as I have fasted and prayed.

So what do we say? I believe there are times when the Lord sincerely needs us to go a certain way, and you get an answer. There are other times when it is OK for us to make the decision. Either way it is going to work out, and the Lord allows us to make the decision about certai things.

There are other times when the Lord has a problem answering you because the question is so vague. I have found that if I study out my problem and come to a conclusion, then I go to the Lord in fasting and prayer, I can ask if my solution is the right way. Now the Lord can anwer you much easier.

It is always in his timeframe though. If you do not get an answer, it is probably an answer that this direction is not the right way, and you need to back off and give it some more time and study.

Fasting and prayer is always a benefit that Christians have in being able to petition their God for answers about their lives. Do not give up on the Lord, he wants you to be happy. Keep fasting and praying and living the way the Lord can give you grace and abundance.

 

[Holy999]

meat lowers the vibration.

 

[JunChosen]

I've only fasted for 3 days at a time, and I've received the confirmation of the Holy Spirit fruits (Galatians 5:22-25) with messages from God.

There are no spiritual values in fasting (abstaining from food) except to clean your system.

Fasting has to do with witnessing as per Matthew 28:19.

To God Be The Glory

 

[amadeus]

@FluffyYellowDuck

All of us should be fasting from all of the works of the flesh continuously:

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Gal. 5:19-21

Fasting from those and making room for the fruit of the Spirit:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Gal. 5:22-25

Remember also what Jesus said here about the clean empty places:

"When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation." Matt 12:43-45

Don't stay empty but mind what Jesus said here about the hungry and the thirsty:

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Matt 5:6

 

[dev553344]

There are no spiritual values in fasting (abstaining from food) except to clean your system.

Fasting has to do with witnessing as per Matthew 28:19.

To God Be The Glory

Read post 9

 

[Pearl]

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.

@FluffyYellowDuck During the Lent period a few years ago God led me to do a study on fasting and it's on a blog on this site it you want to read it.
Fasting - is it really necessary? | Christian Forums @ Christianity Board

 

[JunChosen]

Read post 9

Why do you suppose I gave Matthew 28:19 in response to your post?

This is God's intent as to fasting:
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?

All the language above indicates in such Scripture verses found in Romans 10:14-18 and Isaiah 55:11, and many like verses.

To God Be The Glory

 

[DuckieLady]

@FluffyYellowDuck During the Lent period a few years ago God led me to do a study on fasting and it's on a blog on this site it you want to read it.
Fasting - is it really necessary? | Christian Forums @ Christianity Board

Hi, Pearl. I really enjoyed reading your blog! You can tell as you're moving through it, at least for myself and from a third person perspective, that as you're going through the days on the fast (hopefully I'm not misunderstanding) that you seem more confident and clear in a spiritual sense.

@Hidden In Him I noticed the books about breakthroughs, too. And read plenty! A few were good and many were not. I do think that fasting, after reading these testimonies, does lead to a breakthrough in some instances, but certainly not if it's not God's will - and thinking about it and looking back, I was doing mine out of not trusting God to do it himself and for some reason thinking I had to do something about it- and then lost my mind instead between a lack of sleep/lack of nutrition/stress/illness anyway, which didn't help the situation very much at all.

Sometimes we can't change his will or make things go the way we hope for, but then other times if it is in his will for us to humble ourselves then he will. Mine was not an issue of humility, it was that I had none and wasn't willing to surrender and sought after control and taking it into my own hands instead. So if I lost anything in that time, that's something I'm sorry for, but also can't change, and kind of just have to look back at it, accept it, and learn from the experience.

Let the Lord's will be done in all things! Sometimes it is good to surrender and accept that we're not in control of all things, because God doesn't run off of human knowledge and has the bird's eye view. He knows all of the right moves and we don't. He also won't mess it up. I do.

I will consider fasting in the future, but at a time when I'm in better health. I think sometimes prayer and quiet are good, too.

 

[Pearl]

Hi, Pearl. I really enjoyed reading your blog! You can tell as you're moving through it, at least for myself and from a third person perspective, that as you're going through the days on the fast (hopefully I'm not misunderstanding) that you seem more confident and clear in a spiritual sense.

Hi Fluffy, I wasn't actually fasting during the time I studied it but as the days went on I did become more confident about what I was learning as God showed me new things or confirmed what I had discovered. It was an awesome experience. Sometimes when I read it again I can't believe it was me that did it. I think that in itself leads me to believe that i was led by the Holy Spirit.

 

[Pearl]

Sometimes I pray that God will put in my mind and heart what I should pray for. That works for me.

I think that's the only way to pray.

 

[dev553344]

Why do you suppose I gave Matthew 28:19 in response to your post?

This is God's intent as to fasting:
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?

All the language above indicates in such Scripture verses found in Romans 10:14-18 and Isaiah 55:11, and many like verses.

To God Be The Glory

You're interpreting it differently. Fasting is also for healings. Have a look here:

Matthew 17:21-23



21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:

23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.