A question about fasting.

[inlovewithjesus]

Hello all,

I am a new member and I am also a fairly new christian. I was wondering about fasting, I have heard that you do not need to give up all food and water when fasting. That you could give up a specific food or treat, such as sugar, coffee, cookies, meat. I was wondering what your opinions on this are, and I would appreciate scripture references as well, so that I can study this.

BTW, this is a great site! I have really been impressed so far. Thank you all in advance. God Bless

 

[servingtheking]

I was wondering about fasting, I have heard that you do not need to give up all food and water when fasting. That you could give up a specific food or treat, such as sugar, coffee, cookies, meat. I was wondering what your opinions on this are, and I would appreciate scripture references as well, so that I can study this

That seems to me a lot what some catholics and others do during Lent, but I personally haven't yet heard that in connection with fasting.
Fasting for me was always just water.

Jesus talks about fasting in Mathew:
"When you fast, do not look someber as the hypocrites do, for thy disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth they have recived their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fastingm but only to your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Mathew 6:16-18 NIV

 

[ZiSunka]

Fasting doesn't really have any rules.

You can go on a food fast and keeping drinking water, you can go on a spending fast and not buy anything unnecessary, etc.

The point of fasting is to exercise temperance and self-control.

Fasting is not a magic trick. There are people who think fasting will get them some extra clout with God or that it will get them whatever they want. That's not right. Fasting is to build spiritual strength through giving up something of the world or of the flesh for a while.

 

[Woodsy]

My understanding is that fasting requires giving up all solid food, only drinking water. That is, a religious fast.
Some people fast for their health and sometimes go on a "juice fast" only drinking fruit juice.

 

[eldermike]

Fasting is a Spiritual discipline. I recommend reading Richard Fosters book, The Spiritual disciplines. It's a life changing book and covers this subject very well.

Good reading!
Eldermike

 

[ZiSunka]

A W Toxer wrote a good booklet about fasting, too. It's about eight pages and gives you a lot of good scriptural information.

 

[luv2sing]

From what I understand you can fast basically whatever you want to. One of the main pionts of fasting is to use the time that you normally would use for that particular thing and instead use that time with God. Yes I would think it helps build strength to resist your flesh. (and important thing to learn to do!!!) The Bible has alot of Scriptures on fasting...just get your concordance and look under the word fast or fasting and there should be several! Would anyone agree that fasting would help teach a person to use his or her time wisely??? JUST A THOUGHT! I really don`t know if you can back that up with scripture. I am for real not sure about that. (Anyone want to put in their opinion on that?) Well anyway, continue growing in Christ but remember to only beleive things that you can back up with scriptures... "Can`t beleive everything you hear!" Have a great time in God`s word!!!

 

[Oblio]

The points that fasting is not to earn Grace or Salvation but is to disipline oneself by asceticism to thwart the passions is correct.

However, fasting is not a do-it-yourself exersize where one gives up whatever they think they need to give up.

I invite you to come over to the EO/CC forum for details on fasting in the Eastern Orthodox/Coptic Church. We have been doing it for 2000 years

 

[luv2sing]

Well I think that if you are spending to much time in a particular thing in your life (such as internet for example) you could fast from that. Especially if it is keeping you from God. You should cut out time from that and instead spend it with God...maybe more like full time fasting from it.lol But anyway you need to make sure your putting God before anything else in life. Why can`t you fast from anything that is important to you???

 

[Oblio]

Why can`t you fast from anything that is important to you???

You can certainly abstain or fast from that which has become a passion or idol for you. It is precisely this that fasting from food trains us to do.

But the point is that as in most things, we, being sinful humans have clouded judgement, and therefore in the use of fasting as a spritual exersize disipline and training, it is better to fast as prescribed by the guidelines of the Church and ones spiritual confessor.

 

[Photini]

Hello all,

I am a new member and I am also a fairly new christian. I was wondering about fasting, I have heard that you do not need to give up all food and water when fasting. That you could give up a specific food or treat, such as sugar, coffee, cookies, meat. I was wondering what your opinions on this are, and I would appreciate scripture references as well, so that I can study this.

BTW, this is a great site! I have really been impressed so far. Thank you all in advance. God Bless

Hi there,
It is important to remember that everyone is different because of health issues, age, strength, etc. I don't think there are actually very many "average" people who could fast from everything. Someone who starts out like they are superman will probably quickly become weak and give up.

 

[ZiSunka]

The points that fasting is not to earn Grace or Salvation but is to disipline oneself by asceticism to thwart the passions is correct.

However, fasting is not a do-it-yourself exersize where one gives up whatever they think they need to give up.

I invite you to come over to the EO/CC forum for details on fasting in the Eastern Orthodox/Coptic Church. We have been doing it for 2000 years

Yes. So have we.

 

[ZiSunka]

Well I think that if you are spending to much time in a particular thing in your life (such as internet for example) you could fast from that. Especially if it is keeping you from God. You should cut out time from that and instead spend it with God...maybe more like full time fasting from it.lol But anyway you need to make sure your putting God before anything else in life. Why can`t you fast from anything that is important to you???

Yes, that's exactly right. It's an act of giving up the idols in your life and exercising self-denial. If the internet takes up too much of your time, you can fast from it and devote that time to more godly things, and the deprivation will help you become stronger against the pull of this world.

 

[Yitzchak]

Psalms 69:10
" When I wept , and chastened my soul with fasting...."
There are many aspects of fasting to be explored but this is one that was meaningful to me.
Chastisement is often associated with punishment but I did a study and discovered that the word disciple is from the same root word as discipline. when I was in the military they talked a great deal about discipline. It is related to the word disciple and disciple means to train.
There is another passage in hebrews 12: 5-13 which speaks of chastening.
My understanding of this is that it is similar to a parent training their child. Or a drill sargeant training an army recruit. It also is at times like a teacher training his disciples.
All this backround for me is meaningful when applyed to the verse I mentioned in psalms about chastising my soul.
Apparently one of the purposes of fasting is to "train" our soul. To make the analogy to parenting once again- I have had children and children who have not been trained or disciplined properly are often "brats" and very difficult to endure.

 

[Yitzchak]

daniel 10;3 is an example of a partial fast as you mentioned in this post.
Technically giving up other things besides food and drink is not fasting but has spiritual value. Look up the term watchings for example where a person goes without sleep to pray. Or consider the nazarite vows.

 

[inlovewithjesus]

Thank you so much for all of your responses!

I appologize for not responding sooner...we have been moving this week, and I have not been feeling well. I have not been on the boards at all lately because of my health.

You have all given me some great advise, I will have to look up the scriptures, and check out those books. You all have been so kind, Praise God for places like this where brothers and sisters in Christ can get together and fellowship.

God Bless