Fasting

[Chrystalwuzhere]

What is the point of fasting? I know it's to afflict your flesh and bring it under subjection to God by denying it pleasure with such things as sustenance, sex, etc... But, if God will answer your prayers anyway, then why are we lead to do it?

Help??? :feeling:

[CTZonEdit]

I believe it has to do with submission.

Our prayer life can be pretty weak and God still answers prayer. But if we are more faithful and diligent I believe it leads to a deeper relationship. Instead of a casual one we are more committed in God's eyes.

Its like reading the bible once a month or once a day. We gain more the more committed and obedient we are.

[CTZonEdit]

By gaining more I dont mean material things necessairly. But we gain a greater understanding and relationship with the Lord.

Fasting and praying for a million dollar windfall would be nice :D :D but in this world we are guaranteed nothing. We are to place our treasures in heaven where they are eternal.

[TLIR]

There are a lot of things that are a benefit of fasting physical and spiritual.
I will assume you are more concerned with the spiritual aspects.
I am not a expert in fasting but I have fasted some.
God must be dealing with you about it since you are asking. So get ready for a time to remember.
Don’t try to fast for to long to start with or you may get discouraged by failing to go the full duration. Any length of time will be good for your relationship.
If you are fasting one meal or maybe two. You will get hungry but you can survive with no bad effects.
Try and spend the time you would normally eat in communion with God.
If you are thinking about fasting for days? You might want to think about stopping caffeine, nicotine or alcohol for a few days prior to beginning.
If you are thinking about weeks? You will want to stop the caffeine, nicotine, and or alcohol plus for the first few days eat raw vegetables and fruits to prepare your body for a long fast.
In any case drink lots of water. After approximately four days hunger will leave you and you will only be dealing with the desire to eat, but not a physical hunger. If after you have been fasting for awhile (you should be able to fast a day for every pound of fat you have on your body. i.e. 30 lbs of fat 30 days) hunger will return, at that time you will want to start eating slowly at first. Soups and juices for at least one day then maybe some boiled vegetables or cooked fruits to prepare your stomach for your normal menu.
Don’t think that fasting is a way of twisting Gods arm to answer prayer. It will help strengthen you relationship with the Lord, but that will be because you are spending more time with him more than any thing else. If while fasting all you do is spend your time thinking about food, the fast will be little more than a glorified diet. So preparing your mind to dwell on God and his word before starting will be a big benefit.
After three days of no food, your stomach lining will be completely renewed I am told.

I don’t believe fasting will get God to do what he has already promised to do.
It won’t get him to do what he has told you to do.
It may cause you to see things about your self.
You may find an increased awareness of the reality of God with you.
It will be something you will never forget.
I have never fasted more than four days. I had a roommate who fasted for 21 days. I will never forget that time.

Hope this helps,

Arthur, TLIR

[Chrystalwuzhere]

It helps immensely, thanks guys.

[InTheWind]

I agree and believe fasting shows you are really serious about what you are asking God fore.
When my mother was dying God took sorrow and smoking out of me in a prayer, when i was praying in sorrow that i couldn`t even relate to, i think God knows when we are in real need and comes to our rescue, so to speak.
It`s also at times like this that we can really feel the closness of God, it`s truly a blessing.

[TLIR]

Something else to be aware of.
Your body’s metabolism slows down after a fast and you will begin to accumulate a fat store more easily. So an exercise routine will be needed to get your metabolism back up to speed.
This is not a concern for fasting a meal or fasting breakfast to breakfast.

[TLIR]

My room mate that fasted 21 days just called and is coming over tomorrow. We are going out to eat.
I thought it was interesting that I told his story and now he is coming over. I don't see him much any more but he is a good brother and is a solid Christian.
People come into our lives and we think at the time they will always be there. Times goes on things change, new people come into our lives.
What a wonderful thing that the Lord said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
He came into our lives to stay.

[CoreIssue]

It is wonderful.

Never alone. Always connected. And in eternity always connected to everyone.

[TLIR]

It is wonderful.

Never alone. Always connected. And in eternity always connected to everyone.

You know, when I first came to Long Island I didn't know a soul up here. I found myself spending a lot of time with the Lord though.
You sure get a deeper appreciation for someone you spend time with.
I think that is a good reason to fast, to be alone with the Lord.
To hunger and thirst for him more than food and drink.

[TLIR]

(Mat 5:6 NASB) "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

One thing fasting shows us is that there is a dieing before there is a resurrection. A dieing to food and drink, to live unto the things of God.


(Isa 58:6 KJV) 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?
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?
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.
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;
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 noon day:
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.

I think if you ponder this passage you will begin to sense the place of where fasting is taking you. It is a dieing and a resurrecting. It is a hunger and thirsting that can never be satisfied by the old wells of what we use to drink from and can only be satisfied by the well of living water of the Spirit, the new wine that we began drinking from the day we were born from above. You will be filled.
The Prophets fasted, the Lord fasted, and the apostales and disciples fasted. I believe it is good and good for you.

[TLIR]

Just spoke with my friend who had done the 21 day fast. I ask him what he took away from that time? He thought for a minute, and then said. God put a lot of preservative in me. He had to go so I’m not sure what he meant.