Questions about fasting

[KayScarpettaFan]

Please, could you tell me which are the main benefits of fasting?
Can fasting be considered a way to "force" or "convince" God about something?Many people say that and say it is "against" grace. Do you agree?
Why is it connected to breaktrough?

Thank you in advance.

 

[RaymondG]

Fasting is done when you need to put your body under complete submission, to accomplish tasks (mainly spiritual) which would not be easily accomplished otherwise.

 

[Mark_Sam]

Fasting is an age-old practice, going back to Old Testament times (1 Samuel 7:6; 2 Samuel 12:16; 1 Kings 21:27; Psalm 35:13 etc.). This was also the practice of the New Testament Church (e.g. Acts of the Apostles 13:2; Acts of the Apostles 14:23). Fasting is often a way of showing repentance and sorrow for sins, and is often used in connection with intense prayer.

Fasting is voluntarily giving up something which we rightfully are entitled to, for a short time (in most cases, food and/or water), not to convince God, but to show repentance and enter into a spiritual connection with God. It is a painful reminder of what our Lord said: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).

Fasting is also a way of teaching the body to behave. It is better to suffer a little now and receive heavenly pleasure in the next life, than it is to have pleasure now and receive eternal suffering in the next life. For someone struggling with carnal sins, fasting can be a way of showing your body "who's the boss".

However, as most things in this world, fasting can be abused. It is not about torturing yourself. So if you've never fasted before, or want to fast for a longer period of time (longer than 2-3 days), then you should consult your spiritual director or a fellow believer who can hold you accountable. And in today's world, with its wicked body ideals, it is increasingly difficult to fast "the right way".

 

[paul1149]

Please, could you tell me which are the main benefits of fasting?
Can fasting be considered a way to "force" or "convince" God about something?Many people say that and say it is "against" grace. Do you agree?
Why is it connected to breaktrough?

Thank you in advance.

No, it's not against grace. It's actually in full support of grace. It's to rise up out of complacency and obtain all that grace offers.

And it's most definitely not something to twist God's arm. God doesn't need arm-twisting, and it can't be done anyway. He already want the best for us, far more so than even we ourselves.

Fasting is a way to change ourselves, not God. It is a way to put down the flesh with its lower desires, and to come up to God's higher pastures. We tune out the world and its static, and tune into the presence of God.

At the same time, the body goes through a purification process. The body is designed to fast occasionally. It's like a tune-up on a car, or back-washing a pool filter. As with many things, it's best to "start low, go slow", and build up. There are many ways to fast - a number of days each week, or hours per day, or extended fasts. There are juice fasts, "Daniel" fasts, etc. Extended water fasts usually have stages - weakness, nausea, headaches, peace, empowerment, etc. If you have medical issues, make sure you know what you're doing though. And in any case, it's good to read up on fasting before getting into it.

For all these reasons, you can have a real breakthrough by fasting. But it's necessary to keep the Lord first, and watch your heart motivations as you fast.

edit: I want to make clear that a "water fast" is not a fast from water, it is a fast from food, while continuing drinking water.

 

[SkyWriting]

No, it's not against grace. It's actually in full support of grace. It's to rise up out of complacency and obtain all that grace offers.

And it's most definitely not something to twist God's arm. God doesn't need arm-twisting, and it can't be done anyway. He already want the best for us, far more so than even we ourselves.

Fasting is a way to change ourselves, not God. It is a way to put down the flesh with its lower desires, and to come up to God's higher pastures. We tune out the world and its static, and tune into the presence of God.

At the same time, the body goes through a purification process. The body is designed to fast occasionally. It's like a tune-up on a car, or back-washing a pool filter. As with many things, it's best to "start low, go slow", and build up. There are many ways to fast - a number of days each week, or hours per day, or extended fasts. There are juice fasts, "Daniel" fasts, etc. Extended water fasts usually have stages - weakness, nausea, headaches, peace, empowerment, etc. If you have medical issues, make sure you know what you're doing though. And in any case, it's good to read up on fasting before getting into it.

For all these reasons, you can have a real breakthrough by fasting. But it's necessary to keep the Lord first, and watch your heart motivations as you fast.

Organs can sustain damage after 3 days without water. Don't do it without supervision.

 

[mama2one]

agree with skywriting

know someone who has fasted on and off for long time and their body is totally messed up and they can't understand why and they won't listen to anyone

they are fasting for spiritual control and weight loss but now their body refuses to lose anymore

 

[paul1149]

Organs can sustain damage after 3 days without water. Don't do it without supervision.

I agree. When I say "extended water fast", I mean a fast from food, while taking water. It is imperative to say well-hydrated.

 

[Mark_Sam]

In the Latin rite of the Catholic Church (which make up 98% of all Catholics), fasting is defined as eating only one full meal a day (which may contain meat), and you can also during the day eat up to two smaller meatless meals, called collations, but the sum of the two collations must not be bigger than the main meal. And liquids (water, milk, coffee, even hot chocolate) do not break the fast. So Roman Catholic style fasting is actually very doable. Of course, people are free to "fast harder", but this is the minimum requirement for days of fasting in the Catholic Church.

There is also abstinence, which means abstaining from eating meat and fats (fish are allowed, as they are not "flesh". Eggs and dairy are usually also allowed). Fasting and abstinence are often - but not always - practised together. I strive to observe the fast & abstinence every Friday, which is the day of the death of our Lord. In practice it simply means meatless breakfast, skipping lunch, meatless dinner, meatless evening snack, no snacking inbetween. It's not that hard, but it's not that simple either.

 

[Richard T]

Can fasting be considered a way to "force" or "convince" God about something?Many people say that and say it is "against" grace. Do you agree?
Why is it connected to breaktrough?

Fasting shows you are serious and helps remove our obstacles to faith such as when Jesus told the disciples why they needed to fast and pray more for the demons to depart. Satan tries to hinder God's grace as when Daniel had to fast to get the angel through. This is also why fasting can create the breakthrough that is needed. Especially those fasts that are led by the Holy Spirit are going to create breakthroughs.I think that meaning in part stems from this scripture from Isaiah 58:6 (NASB)
6 "Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free, And break every yoke?
It is rare for any fast in the bible to exceed 3 days. Most fast from food, and I would always drink water unless the Holy Spirit specifically led me to omit it. If you want more teaching on fasting from a Charismatic perspective, this minister has a 5 free lessons you might consider on the topic of fasting. Scroll down to the "basics of fasting series." Dave Roberson Ministries