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The connotation that comes to mind when I think of fasting and prayer is the textbook definition. There are too many Holy Scriptures to add here but below are the one's I felt led to share.
My personal denotation is this:
FASTING
Fasting is not limited to just Food or Water. It can be a fasting of sleep, fasting of worldly wisdom, fasting of sight, fasting of alcohol, fasting of cigarettes, fasting of toys, fasting of hateful words, fasting of time on earth (revelations, visions, prophecy) you get the point. Most anything that you are going through voluntarily or involuntarily you may be suffering for the Lord in your faith.
I am reminded of brother Paul as he talks about it in Colossians ~2:1-23 (poor guy had the roughest time with the churches of Corinth, Galatia, etc..). I find this especially helpful when I spend time with Holy Spirit and His Word, perhaps while listening to music, worship, prayer, reading Gods Word silently or Out Loud.
I digress.
Do you we remember the book of EPHESIANS? Paul spoke to them as EQUALS because they "knew"...nothing. They were like children.
"This letter is different from other letters by Paul. The main differences are:
I digress back to Colossians 2:1-23.
"1For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
6Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
8See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
16Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
20If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22(referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh."
"19Do not extinguish the Spirit. 20Do not treat prophecies with contempt, 21but test all things. Hold fast to what is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil." 1 Thess 5:19-22 (BSB).
So we may see that the unwillingness in fasting may not help us, it may even be a hindrance. It is re-iterated again in what Jesus had to say in:
The Parable of the Cloth and Wineskins (love parables).
"At that time, John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast so often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus replied, “How can the attendants of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast.
No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. For the patch will pull away from the garment, and a worse tear will result.
Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Matthew 9:14-17 (BSB) (Mark 2:21-22; Luke 5:36-39)
"Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another.
We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If someone’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith; if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Romans 12:1-8 (BSB)
So if we are restrained by worldly definitions it may be restraining us to grow individually in personal Faith. Everyone is different and finds different things helpful. I don't believe God wants is to learn who He is through anyone else but He wants US. I believe it is very important to listen and heavily consider what any of the members of the body in Christ has to say to hold us to a level of accountability. God will oppose any who become too proud in what they think "they" have accomplished and do not realize what HE has done for them so as to serve and encourage others. I know this because it is throughout the entirety of His Word. Some may be more suitable to certain areas than others because that is where they are comfortable with. I am simply speaking from 1 individual perspective.
PRAYER
Here is a site page that I found commendable personally regarding prayer.
Old and New wineskin praying. It doesn't have to be a task that we must do I feel. It becomes a lifestyle that we can do without "trying" because HE lives inside of us. Holy Spirit is awesome.
http://ignitinghope.com/blog/old-and-new-wineskin-praying
You may also find Psalm 119 helpful to read.
I hope this has helped someone. I feel there is a point when we read His Word it becomes alive and every word HE has to say becomes exciting and revealing in many hidden truths to each one of us.
"I will give you the keys of thekingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on the earthwill be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Jesus said this to Peter but was it JUST to Peter? (was known for His "little faith"). I often wonder about that. (It wasn't).
This is simply from a personal walk in Faith. Everyone learns differently.
My personal denotation is this:
FASTING
Fasting is not limited to just Food or Water. It can be a fasting of sleep, fasting of worldly wisdom, fasting of sight, fasting of alcohol, fasting of cigarettes, fasting of toys, fasting of hateful words, fasting of time on earth (revelations, visions, prophecy) you get the point. Most anything that you are going through voluntarily or involuntarily you may be suffering for the Lord in your faith.
I am reminded of brother Paul as he talks about it in Colossians ~2:1-23 (poor guy had the roughest time with the churches of Corinth, Galatia, etc..). I find this especially helpful when I spend time with Holy Spirit and His Word, perhaps while listening to music, worship, prayer, reading Gods Word silently or Out Loud.
I digress.
Do you we remember the book of EPHESIANS? Paul spoke to them as EQUALS because they "knew"...nothing. They were like children.
"This letter is different from other letters by Paul. The main differences are:
- He does not give any special greetings
- He does not send a message to any one particular person;
- He does not talk about special problems
I digress back to Colossians 2:1-23.
"1For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
6Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
8See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
16Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
20If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22(referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh."
"19Do not extinguish the Spirit. 20Do not treat prophecies with contempt, 21but test all things. Hold fast to what is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil." 1 Thess 5:19-22 (BSB).
So we may see that the unwillingness in fasting may not help us, it may even be a hindrance. It is re-iterated again in what Jesus had to say in:
The Parable of the Cloth and Wineskins (love parables).
"At that time, John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast so often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus replied, “How can the attendants of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast.
No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. For the patch will pull away from the garment, and a worse tear will result.
Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Matthew 9:14-17 (BSB) (Mark 2:21-22; Luke 5:36-39)
"Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another.
We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If someone’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith; if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Romans 12:1-8 (BSB)
So if we are restrained by worldly definitions it may be restraining us to grow individually in personal Faith. Everyone is different and finds different things helpful. I don't believe God wants is to learn who He is through anyone else but He wants US. I believe it is very important to listen and heavily consider what any of the members of the body in Christ has to say to hold us to a level of accountability. God will oppose any who become too proud in what they think "they" have accomplished and do not realize what HE has done for them so as to serve and encourage others. I know this because it is throughout the entirety of His Word. Some may be more suitable to certain areas than others because that is where they are comfortable with. I am simply speaking from 1 individual perspective.
PRAYER
Here is a site page that I found commendable personally regarding prayer.
Old and New wineskin praying. It doesn't have to be a task that we must do I feel. It becomes a lifestyle that we can do without "trying" because HE lives inside of us. Holy Spirit is awesome.
http://ignitinghope.com/blog/old-and-new-wineskin-praying
You may also find Psalm 119 helpful to read.
I hope this has helped someone. I feel there is a point when we read His Word it becomes alive and every word HE has to say becomes exciting and revealing in many hidden truths to each one of us.
"I will give you the keys of thekingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on the earthwill be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Jesus said this to Peter but was it JUST to Peter? (was known for His "little faith"). I often wonder about that. (It wasn't).
This is simply from a personal walk in Faith. Everyone learns differently.
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