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[Ttery]

Christian fasting - what does the Bible say?

 

[Heavens]

Christian fasting - what does the Bible say?

The article is in error.
It makes the wrong assumption that the followers of Christ, in the examples cited in scripture, was a "fast" of not eating food. That is in error.
The fast of Christ's followers and of the Apostles we read about is this fast;

(Isa 58:6) 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?
(Isa 58:7) 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?
(Isa 58:8) 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.
(Isa 58:9) 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;

Their fast was NOT the physical affliction of witholding food that God hates;

(Isa 58:5) 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?

The answer is "no" of course. The Apostles would not have been ignorant of scriptures and ignored this. They would have moved from that which is physical into that which is Spiritual. It is all about coming into enlightenment of what is real in the New Covenant, leaving behind that which is unprofitable in that Old covenant realm.

The true fast sets us freer than anyone can imagine! And it is real, and not a food deprived state of mind we think God has a better setting to reveal Himself in.

Blessings in the true fast!

 

[Ttery]

I do Believe your right. But I have to do some Bible Study on this one. I try to take both accounts into mind.

 

[Ttery]

Yeah I Believe Your Right.

 

[Heavens]

Yeah I Believe Your Right.

I have a friend who thinks that we can actually usher in a higher level of enlightenment of Christ's Glory, or something... if she fasts by not eating. (She isn't open to change about it.) She thinks the apostles fasted by not eating food. I'm curious if you've heard of that before?

 

[EyesOfKohl]

Grace be upon you,

Thank you for pointing this out. I didn't realise this until I actually saw your post. Unfortunately, it appears that I and many others have fallen into the past trap of 'fasting' without eating food. Now, I see it more clearly, you have the option of eating or not, isn't it better to give to the hungry poor who don't have the option of choosing to eat or not.

Take care.

The article is in error.
It makes the wrong assumption that the followers of Christ, in the examples cited in scripture, was a "fast" of not eating food. That is in error.
The fast of Christ's followers and of the Apostles we read about is this fast;

(Isa 58:6)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?
(Isa 58:7)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?
(Isa 58:8) 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.
(Isa 58:9) 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;

Their fast was NOT the physical affliction of witholding food that God hates;

(Isa 58:5) 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?

The answer is "no" of course. The Apostles would not have been ignorant of scriptures and ignored this. They would have moved from that which is physical into that which is Spiritual. It is all about coming into enlightenment of what is real in the New Covenant, leaving behind that which is unprofitable in that Old covenant realm.

The true fast sets us freer than anyone can imagine! And it is real, and not a food deprived state of mind we think God has a better setting to reveal Himself in.

Blessings in the true fast!

 

[Ttery]

I have a friend who thinks that we can actually usher in a higher level of enlightenment of Christ's Glory, or something... if she fasts by not eating. (She isn't open to change about it.) She thinks the apostles fasted by not eating food. I'm curious if you've heard of that before?

No I haven't heard of that, can you please explain?

 

[EyesOfKohl]

Assalamu alaikum Heavens,

You're post actually got me thinking later on, that there is physical fasting in the Bible (Going without food). We can see this in the following passages.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” - Matthew 4:1-3

I don't think Isaiah 58:6-9 applies to the above passage, because he would've been alone in the wilderness, thus, he wouldn't have been able to give food to the hungry, or shelter to the poor.

“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. - Matthew 6:16-18

Clearly, the fasting in this passage is a withdrawl from food as it is having a physical effect on you.

Paul also fasts without food in the following passage.

'I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.' - 2 Corinthians 11:27

Musas also fasted forty days and forty nights, the same as Yeshua.

'Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.' - Exodus 34:28

There was also a day of fasting aswell, which we can see from the following passages.

'So you go to the house of the LORD on a day of fasting and read to the people from the scroll the words of the LORD that you wrote as I dictated. Read them to all the people of Judah who come in from their towns.' - Jeremiah 36:6

'Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast. So Paul warned them' - Acts 27:9

So clearly, there is also some spiritual breakthrough fasting (withdrawl from food).

Take care

 

[Heavens]

Assalamu alaikum Heavens,

You're post actually got me thinking later on, that there is physical fasting in the Bible (Going without food). We can see this in the following passages.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” - Matthew 4:1-3

I don't think Isaiah 58:6-9 applies to the above passage, because he would've been alone in the wilderness, thus, he wouldn't have been able to give food to the hungry, or shelter to the poor.

“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. - Matthew 6:16-18

Clearly, the fasting in this passage is a withdrawl from food as it is having a physical effect on you.

Paul also fasts without food in the following passage.

'I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.' - 2 Corinthians 11:27

Musas also fasted forty days and forty nights, the same as Yeshua.

'Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.' - Exodus 34:28

There was also a day of fasting aswell, which we can see from the following passages.

'So you go to the house of the LORD on a day of fasting and read to the people from the scroll the words of the LORD that you wrote as I dictated. Read them to all the people of Judah who come in from their towns.' - Jeremiah 36:6

'Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast. So Paul warned them' - Acts 27:9

So clearly, there is also some spiritual breakthrough fasting (withdrawl from food).

Take care

Alaikum Salam Zatara

Just like there was a physical temple in O.T. days, there is the Real Temple, the Spiritual Temple of our bodies in the New Covenant in our Lord. Likewise is this topic.

Excellent observations, I'm glad you posted those scriptures

Which fast is which lol, it can take a couple times to get this.
Jesus kept all the law. The law called for fasting, the witholding of food under the law. There were lots of them. Nobody kept them righteously though, and God didn't choose it for us any more than He chose the old temple building to be His true temple, but they were there and needed to be fulfilled by Jesus...

(Isa 58:3) Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
(Isa 58:4) Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
(Isa 58:5) 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?

But Jesus did fulfill keeping a righteous fast as we see the 40 days in the wilderness. No other man could though.

But after that, Christ's disciples did not fast by witholding food...

(Mat 9:14) Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

I believe, that as alluded to here, Jesus explained things like Isa 58 to His disciples;

(Joh 21:25) And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

When Jesus talked to His disciples about everything, He would have revealed the meaning of fasting of Isaiah 58:6... I assert that they knew what the true fast was that was "acceptable to the Lord" at this point ...

(Luk 5:34) And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

If Christ is with us, we don't fast.

If Christ isn't with us, we would be "fasting" because we wouldn't have the bread of life nor the blood of His Life and would be in mourning.

(Mat 9:15) And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

There it is! The fast is being without Jesus!
Being WITH Jesus, we don't fast

But that isn't us Christians who are without Jesus of course... For He hath said;

(Heb 13:5) Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Christ is in you No fast!

(Col 1:27) To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

So now we can read the New Testament in light of Christ's disciples not physically fasting, but "fasting" in the "fast" that God accepted.

(Mat 6:18) That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

(Act 13:2) As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
(Act 13:3) And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

What "fast" was Barnabas and Saul involved in in Acts 13? Was it the fast of not eating food? Or was it the fast of Isa 58:6,7? When one reads what they did afterwards in their message of salvation, they did exactly what is described in verses 6,7, and enjoyed the benefits of that fast as described in verses 8 - 11 ! Awesome isn't it

As the Lord Christ hated physical food witholding fasts, as He said in the earlier portion of Isa 58, He undoubtedly was proclaiming the true fast in the Lord that the Lord Loves. Only in keeping that fast of verses 6 & 7 can a man experience the blessings of verses 8-11.

(Isa 58:6) 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?
(Isa 58:7) 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?
(Isa 58:8) 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.
(Isa 58:9) 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;
(Isa 58:10) 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:
(Isa 58:11) 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.

No amount of physical fasting can do anything like what is described there. That is why I expound on this. So we can receive the Blessing

"Spiritual breakthroughs" only come by keeping the true fast of the Lord, in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, shining in that glorious Light. Only by loosing the bands of wickedness, lightening the burdens, and freeing the oppressed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, can we be keeping the fast which the Lord accepts.

There are a small handful of other 'fast' occurrences in the N.T. But they refer to an overnight periof of not eating just as we have break-"fast" in the morning, or a period of not eating due to tribulation and affliction or a stormy boat, as in that verse you cited with Paul in 2 Cor 11:27

I hope the extra attention given to detail helps. I don't ask that you believe me of course, but to take it under consideration in prayer and proving all things
It was a great breakthrough for me in my twenties, I've been preaching this ever since and witnessing great breakthroughs in individuals lives as they forsake the old style fast and begin preaching the gospel It is in ministering to the Saints and bringing Christ to the world, that we are in that true and acceptable "fast" of the Lord

Blessings to you dear Zatara

 

[Heavens]

No I haven't heard of that, can you please explain?

This person wrote me saying;

When you are ready and thirsting and desperate for more,
fasting is the key to fast track with God. Fasting causes
our flesh to shut up (takes a while oh my) and causes us
to be able to "hear" God more clearly. Isaiah 58 iirc. First
assignment is to read that .. and again... and again...
literally "meditate" on it. and then fast until you receive it.
(You'll know) but fasting involves all that is in that Isaiah
chapter... Praying without ceasing, fasting from all carnal
pleasure and giving what you have to the poor.. (what you
can anyhow) blessing others always, forgiving......etc.!
until this happens I can't get much further. When you are led to
do this, do it then. Always everything as God leads. NEVER
should we do ANYthing without that God prompts.

Have you ever heard anything like that before? I was just curious.
I participate in these things as ultimately as my heart can hold, but not by witholding of food. I can't do that anyway for health reasons.
But the question glaringly remains, would I be missing "enlightenment" by not fasting from meals? Well no, of course not. No one can force enlightenment or receive it by not eating food. That is a bad teaching in my opinion, one to try to assist in revealing it for what it is, just a traditional religious exercise amonsgs certain sects and some individuals here and there. It isn't from God.

When younger, my Jewish background reasoned in such a way as above.
Then when I became a Bible student and filled with Messiah's Holy Spirit, He led me to loosen others from the bondage of O.T. lawful forms of activities and observances, to reveal how that all things are fulfilled in Christ in a higher spiritual order beyond that which an unenlightened mind can comprehend.
So when I saw your thread, I was drawn in Thank you for letting me explain here.
Blessings to you Op

 

[wayfaring man]

Prayer and physical fasting from food is still a viable means of humbling oneself, putting the flesh more into subjection to the Spirit, and crying out for The Lord's Mercy and Grace more effectually than when "full and satisfied".

In Isaiah 58 the prophet was crying out against those who "went through the motions" of fasting unto The Lord, but without the right motive or idea behind the discipline.

Along the lines of where Paul speaks of "great things" profiting nothing (in 1st Corinthians 13) when not done in the spirit of charity or love.

Physically denying ourself is very much a part of The New Testament teachings. ( Matthew 16:24 + 1st Corinthians 9:27 )

But the physical denying itself isn't the objective, nor is it meant to be a "status symbol", or a lever to pry something out of God's Hands that He is otherwise unwilling to give us... Rather it is an effectual help - one which assists us in becoming spiritually grounded in The Priorities of God's Kingdom, in so much as to say, that it is not what we sacrifice when we deny ourself, that is the main focus, it is what we receive in order to be better equipped to share with others, to wit: a deeper and stronger relationship with Christ.

Christ told Paul that His strength is made perfect in weakness. ( 2nd Corinthians 12:9 )

And one of the most readily available effectual ways to subject one's flesh to weakness in the hope of receiving a greater measure of Christ's strength is to prayerfully abstain from food.

If we were already perfected, this would be unnecessary, but neither are we, nor were Christ's disciples totally perfect, and so they ( as we ) would have occasion to fast from time to time after Jesus' departure, even as He said they would. ( Mark 2:20 )

Also Paul gives the following instruction to believing couples.

Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. <-----> 1st Corinthians 7:5

incontinency - Want of restraint of the passions or appetites.

Prayer and fasting is also synonymous with being "clothed with sackcloth", and "afflicting oneself".

And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. <-----> Revelation 11:3

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. <-----> James 4:8-10

The Lord is against all impure deeds which are designed to "look pious", but which are inwardly in denial of God's Nature and intentions, whether it be fasting "for strife and debate" ( Isaiah 58:4 ) or praying openly to "be seen of men" (Matthew 6:5).

Yet, when done in the right spirit, both prayer and fasting are powerful tools for good !

To The Glory of God and His Anointed One !

wm

 

[Protrepo]

Read the book, The 21 Day Fast. It gives great insight into the question.