Fasting can make prayer more effective?

[Maria Billingsley]

I've tried fasting before and came to the conclusion that you did. I was so hungry and weak, so that's what was at the front of my mind all the time. I found it quite distracting when I prayed. It did make me more grateful to have access to food, just as being cold in the Winter (I keep my house temperature low most of the time) makes me more grateful to have access to heat. But I can't see how it made me any more "spiritual", or closer to God in any way.

Well that could be it. Depriving oneself in order to gain gratitude.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Clare73]

Yes. When He was with them He did not want them to fast. He is with us now.

Why his reference to when he is gone?

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Why his reference to when he is gone?

Temporary until the Holy Spirit filled them. Sorry, this is my thing. I see no value in fasting since He lives in us now.

 

[Aldebaran]

Well that could be it. Depriving oneself in order to gain gratitude.

Thanks for sharing.

Actually, my reason for fasting was because I was advised to do so by fellow Christians because I was seeking God's presence in my life and it seemed that He wasn't answering. People said I should try fasting.

 

[PsaltiChrysostom]

From the Eastern Orthodox perspective, our fasts correspond with seasonal feasts such as Lent and Pascha. We don't just fast from food but from sin and worldly entertainments. Let's take Lent, which is the most rigorous fast. Food-wise we go vegetarian, no animal or dairy.

In the three weeks leading up to Lent, we begin with a fast free week, then the we have one final normal week where we fast on Wednesday and Friday. The we have Meat-fare Sunday which we have one final meal of meat. Finally, is Cheese-fare Sunday where we have our last dairy and a Vespers service called Forgiveness Vespers. At the end of the service, we ask forgiveness from every person at the service from our family, friends and even people we don't know. Then the great fast starts on Monday morning.

During Lent, which runs up until the Saturday before Palm Sunday, we not only fast from animal foods, but also from entertainment and most importantly, we fast from sin. So Orthodox families will (ok, really we SHOULD) turn off the TV and electronics. Married couples will refrain from relations which is why we don't have weddings during Lent. Most Orthodox churches will have additional services on Monday, Wednesday, Friday evenings, as well as a Saturday morning liturgy and Saturday evening Vespers. So as a chanter, I will be singing up to an additional 5 services each week for the Lenten season.

Finally, we reach the Saturday of Lazarus followed by Palm Sunday and Holy Week. We leave the Lenten fast behind and follow it with even a stricter fast. If it is possible, as we don't want anyone harming themselves with the strict diet, one may fast from food entirely for the first few days or have just one small meal in the evening. We also have a total of 17 services during Holy Week, and some of these can last well over 2 hours. Finally, it is not unusual for some to fast from the evening of Holy Thursday to Pascha Sunday from everything but water or juice.

Finally, the hour of Pascha arrives and the sermon of St. John Chrysostom reflects on the fast and invites everyone to the feast of Pascha. One line reads: You rich and poor together, hold high festival. You sober and you heedless, honor the day. Rejoice today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast. The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away.

The Paschal Sermon

The Catechetical Sermon of St. John Chrysostom is read during Matins of Pascha. If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of…

www.oca.org

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[ARBITER01]

Just some added insight into verse 29

There are several later manuscripts that do include the word fasting but.....
“This kind does not come out except by prayer” is the original reading according to two of the earliest and weightiest manuscripts. The variant reading “and fasting” is not original and was likely added by scribes that were attempting to highlight the church’s focus on fasting.

We don't automatically denounce sections of scripture because a group of manuscripts has pruned a section out,..... we always take things like that to GOD and allow Him to reveal what the truth is to us.

Prayer and fasting is in the OT books, I'm not sure why we would think that it was unneeded now. I greatly benefit from fasting and prayer all the time. Some of the greatest moves Spiritually in my city and others have been when GOD would call me into a fast with prayer.

Seek out GOD on these things, He is the one Who shows us truth.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Fasting can be a great way to discipline the body and will, as a way to help teach us to curb the passions--when undertaken responsibly.

But fasting doesn't improve God's ability to hear and respond to our prayer in any way. Fasting is a discipline for our benefit, not for God.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Aldebaran]

Fasting can be a great way to discipline the body and will, as a way to help teach us to curb the passions--when undertaken responsibly.

But fasting doesn't improve God's ability to hear and respond to our prayer in any way. Fasting is a discipline for our benefit, not for God.

-CryptoLutheran

Assuming we're only discussing the deprivation of the body of food. I'm surprised other types of fasting aren't usually discussed, such as not doing other things that are enjoyable. At the same time, I've heard of people who do that type of fasting as well, and it begins to sound rather cult-like at some point. Eating only bland foods, wearing only the plainest clothing, never watching TV, doing without electricity, sleeping on a hard bed, etc.

 

[PsaltiChrysostom]

Assuming we're only discussing the deprivation of the body of food. I'm surprised other types of fasting aren't usually discussed, such as not doing other things that are enjoyable. At the same time, I've heard of people who do that type of fasting as well, and it begins to sound rather cult-like at some point. Eating only bland foods, wearing only the plainest clothing, never watching TV, doing without electricity, sleeping on a hard bed, etc.

For Orthodox, the real fast is the fasting from sin but we get to feast with more services, some of which are incredibly beautiful.

 

[ARBITER01]

Assuming we're only discussing the deprivation of the body of food. I'm surprised other types of fasting aren't usually discussed, such as not doing other things that are enjoyable. At the same time, I've heard of people who do that type of fasting as well, and it begins to sound rather cult-like at some point. Eating only bland foods, wearing only the plainest clothing, never watching TV, doing without electricity, sleeping on a hard bed, etc.

Are those things biblical?

Do we have examples of Daniel fasting from TV?

We really need to pay attention to scripture better on such subjects and not do things remotely associated with the world.

Jesus fasted for 40 days, what does the text say? He was hungry afterwards. Doesn't say He was thirsty, just hungry,.... so we can safely deduct that Jesus just stayed away from solid foods that whole time.

We need to do things biblically, and fasting from solid food is His example to us that we need to follow.

 

[Wayne Gabler]

With 2/3 of the world living on 1 meal per day, their prayers must be ringing like a bell in heaven. We are supposed to feed the poor, if we give your food to the poor, . . . God might reward that sacrifice in some small way. Sincerity in the time of the trumps unfolding will mean safety from physical harm, they have to be as sincere as the repenting version:
De:4:29-31:
But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God,
thou shalt find him,
if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
When thou art in tribulation,
and all these things are come upon thee,
even in the latter days,
if thou turn to the LORD thy God,
and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
(For the LORD thy God is a merciful God
he will not forsake thee,
neither destroy thee,
nor forget the
Lu:18:9-14:
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous,
and despised others:
Two men went up into the temple to pray;
the one a Pharisee,
and the other a publican.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,
God,
I thank thee,
that I am not as other men are,
extortioners,
unjust,
adulterers,
or even as this publican.
I fast twice in the week,
I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off,
would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven,
but smote upon his breast,
saying,
God be merciful to me a sinner.
I tell you,
this man went down to his house justified rather than the other:
for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased;
and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

 

[throughfiierytrial]

Must we fast if there is something very difficult that we need God's help, like healing cancer patient ?​

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Mark 9:25-29​

Fasting is indeed prescribed in the NT for us believers as seen in this passage as well...
Matthew 9:14-15:
14 Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”

15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

As one poster states...God knows the heart and some fasting is not true fasting in God's sight...see Isaiah 58...

 

[RileyG]

Fasting and prayer go hand-in-hand.

 

[Wayne Gabler]

Fasting and prayer go hand-in-hand.

Where do you see fasting for Gentiles in the prayer verses I posted? It is there for the 12 Tribes, it doesn't seem to elevate the Priest's position over the common Gentile.
This is my last reply to this topic BTW.

 

[RileyG]

Where do you see fasting for Gentiles in the prayer verses I posted? It is there for the 12 Tribes, it doesn't seem to elevate the Priest's position over the common Gentile.
This is my last reply to this topic BTW.

Well, you mentioned feeding the poor, and that includes giving up some of the abundance of food that we have. Unless I completely misinterpreted your passage.