Fasting

[Zenos777]

Is fasting, as we have been taught, from God?

 

[Offline4Better.]

Is fasting, as we have been taught, from God?

Yeah. Some folks fast from social media, others from televisions, and some others from food. I need to fast from tech. If one is underweight, or small framed, fasting from tech would make more sense compared to fasting from food, as one must protect our bodies, as our bodies are Temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Jesus talks about fasting, along with Joel.

Matthew 6:16-18 (NIV): "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received 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 others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Joel 2:12 (NIV): "'Even now,' declares the Lord, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.'"

 

[Zenos777]

Yeah. Some folks fast from social media, others from televisions, and some others from food. I need to fast from tech. If one is underweight, or small framed, fasting from tech would make more sense compared to fasting from food, as one must protect our bodies, as our bodies are Temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Jesus talks about fasting, along with Joel.

Matthew 6:16-18 (NIV): "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received 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 others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Joel 2:12 (NIV): "'Even now,' declares the Lord, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.'"

I understand the self sacrifice, however I believe there is a higher calling .

•God asked in Isaiah 9:5
• Is it such a fast I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? To bow down his head as a bullrush and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast and an acceptable day unto the LORD?

•Chapter 58 verse 6:
•“Is not this the fast I have chosen, to loosen the bands of wickedness (morally wrong), to undo the heavy burdens, and let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke (heavy burdens of life)?”

Also, I believe God honors or rather allows this human Idea of fasting because of the hardness of hearts. It is more narcissistic then compassion.

 

[BeyondET]

Is fasting, as we have been taught, from God?

Indeed God designed the humanbody to go into autophagy. Which happens during fasting, it clears out old cells and repairs muscles, organs and other things in the body. 3 or 4 days of fasting will rejuvenate the body.

 

[timewerx]

When I fast I refrain from both food and water while also exercising at the same time.

It seems that Jesus fasted frequently (not just the 40 day fast) and there are many accounts in the bible of the fast without eating nor drinking.

Additionally, Jesus climbed a high mountain to pray and he may have done this while in a fasted state.

It's not impossible because I do it once a week climbing 5,700 to 7,500 ft (staircase repeats in our apartment building) while in a fasted state. I used to do it with cycling, covering 80 miles and 5,500 ft of climbing literally in the mountains. In both instances, temperature indices on the road or on the staircase can reach 110 F.

I found out this practice makes the body produce chemical compounds that kills bacteria with the sweat and blood and strong enough to bleach both my workout clothes and my hair with my sweat. It used to affect my skin the same way as household bleach but my skin have adapted since to the corrosive sweat.

The Israeli practice of "consecration" in the Old Testament involves methods that literally kill bacteria.

It would seem that fasting without eating and without drinking water while climbing the equivalent of a high mountain effectively disinfects the whole body, thus, consecrating our bodies and taking away the uncleanliness.

Although this requires a period (months) of adaptation. Attempting it with poor or even "average" physical fitness may result to death and the highly corrosive chemical compounds that might be produced by your body could be toxic enough to kill by poisoning alone. Not just to the harsh conditions but allowing the body to adapt to the corrosive chemicals as well.

 

[timewerx]

If one is underweight, or small framed, fasting from tech would make more sense compared to fasting from food, as one must protect our bodies, as our bodies are Temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

I'm small framed and I was able to get my weight down to 116 lbs (underweight territory) when doing intermittent fasting and exercising (1 to 2 hrs /day) during the fasting window. Been doing this for over 1 year now.

The most serious problem of being underweight is bone atrophy.

I managed to avoid bone atrophy while underweight by eating foods rich in calcium and vitamin D like fortified milk, sardines, and cheese and with daily exposure to sun via exercise. I also lifted weights and did calisthenics 3x per week. It worked quite well in keeping my bones strong. I fell often enough when training for figure skating over concrete (not ice) avoiding injuries every time, thank God.

I experience no issues at all fasting from both food and water while underweight. However, before a more vigorous fast, I would prepare by eating more and drinking more two days before the fast.

And maybe because I'm quite physically fit already. But I also used to be sedentary. The Holy Spirit talked me into exercising and it turned my health around. I had physical problems that got healed. Food and water fast does wonders to the soul.

I've been doing a "tech" fast in a way, I stopped using facebook since 2012. But it was the food and water fast that made a huge impact.

 

[Offline4Better.]

I've been doing a "tech" fast in a way, I stopped using facebook since 2012. But it was the food and water fast that made a huge impact.

It is good that you stopped using Facebook, as social media can be toxic.

 

[timewerx]

It is good that you stopped using Facebook, as social media can be toxic.

Exactly the reason I quit facebook. I lost a lot of friends when I did it though.

I just don't get the reason why would you let everyone know what you're doing all the time. If you did this before the mid 90's using the low tech telephone or mail, or pigeon w/e, everyone will think you're weird and still start avoiding you.

But out of the many thousands of years of human existence, in the last 24 years, everyone starting thinking it must be a good thing to let everyone know about everything that is going on with your life. It doesn't make any sense.

 

[Offline4Better.]

Exactly the reason I quit facebook. I lost a lot of friends when I did it though.

I just don't get the reason why would you let everyone know what you're doing all the time. If you did this before the mid 90's using the low tech telephone or mail, or pigeon w/e, everyone will think you're weird and still start avoiding you.

But out of the many thousands of years of human existence, in the last 24 years, everyone starting thinking it must be a good thing to let everyone know about everything that is going on with your life. It doesn't make any sense.

Yeah, social media is pointless.

 

[timf]

I have only found it useful as an adjunct to prayer. With a days business, it serves as a reminder that I had set my heart to prayer for something or someone. One might think of hunger pangs as an internal timer reminding one to pray.