What exactly is fasting?

[WhiteWings]

Just no food and/or water?

Or also things like not doing your hobbies. Like:
- not watching TV
- no alcohol
- no video games
- not to the gym
- maybe even doing "good works" you generally hate
- etc

[Molly]

Yes, it could be any of those.

I think the point is to direct your energy away from the physical world and towards the spiritual world.

I prefer to just eat one meal a day for a fast.

[jugghead]

For me, I had a fast of 46 years, not by my choice but the choice of the Father, it was a fast that He designed until it was time for me to stop fasting and that time came on 12/12/05 when He put His hunger for me to know the truth, I have been eating of His word ever since.

Not being a glutton of it, but consuming as He gave it to me; when He felt I needed to have the hunger satisfied, all done by Him so that He would get the glory and I could not boast in that it was anything of me.

[lomarah]

Yeah I agree with Molly, it's about directing your energy towards the spiritual and away from the flesh. Some people are fasting "sticklers". They say that a fast is ONLY drinking water, no food whatsoever. I disagree (and obviously so does Molly. And I know Card would disagree with that too.)

PS Loved that Jugg!

[CHB]

Just no food and/or water?

Or also things like not doing your hobbies. Like:
- not watching TV
- no alcohol
- no video games
- not to the gym
- maybe even doing "good works" you generally hate
- etc

I supose all of the above could mean a fast but here is the kind of fast God is pleased with.

Isaiah 58:6 Is not this the fast 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 hungary, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him;

Zech. 7:4-10  (9) Thus speaketh the Lord of host, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother. (10) And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

CHB

[WhiteWings]

Hi big C

Isa sounds very much like declaring Jubilee. Of course not the official one but the let's say on a personal level.
Charity and compassion.

I desire mercy not sacrifice.

But what about the fast of Esther? That's a Biblical teaching also. Jesus fastest 40 days after His baptism. I think we can't ignore that either.... ?

So which is best? Charity/mercy like Isa and Zech are good. But isn't the other type of fast better because Jesus chose a "food fast" instead of a "charity fast".

 

[CHB]

Hi big C

Isa sounds very much like declaring Jubilee. Of course not the official one but the let's say on a personal level.
Charity and compassion.

I desire mercy not sacrifice.

But what about the fast of Esther? That's a Biblical teaching also. Jesus fastest 40 days after His baptism. I think we can't ignore that either.... ?

So which is best? Charity/mercy like Isa and Zech are good. But isn't the other type of fast better because Jesus chose a "food fast" instead of a "charity fast".

 

Hi double WW, 

I suppose a food fast is important to the individual but charity, mercy, and compassion are what Jesus was all about and really it is a commandment "love thy neighbor". 

Just the way I see it.  What do you think?

CHB

[WhiteWings]

I don't know C.

No food equals fast for many. Your verses showed something different.

Maybe the perfect fast is giving the food away you would otherwise have eaten?

[CHB]

Hi WW,

I see fasting as a means to punish oneself for some reason. I don't think God takes pleasure in his children going hungry. I wouldn't ask my children to go hungry in order for them to get my attention or to respond to their wishes.
Do we need to go hungry in order to get attention from God? Fasting doesn't have any thing to do with atoning for sin. Jesus is the only means for that.

If you are sick and need to empty your stomach to feel better or if you go without food because you get so involved with studying or doing things for others then I think that would be a good fast. Otherwise the fast that gets the most attention from God is to hunger and thirst after  righteousness.

Just my 

CHB

[WhiteWings]

Do we need to go hungry in order to get attention from God?

Why pray if God knows your heart anyway?
That's teh same line of thought. Or not?

[rosered]

  Cannot help but comment on this one  ,

  believe  that  when you fast and pray in   faith and in secret before the Father ,

 its lets Him know just how serious you are on a matter .

 hungering and thirsting after HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS   in the matter ,  you will be filled and overflowing 
 
 for me everything is a matter of the heart condition

 
knowing we are human  first and it  is a condition that constantly suffers loss because of sin and death ,

but being born again of Spirit and life  gives an all  too  comfort , knowing the Father and He takes care of His own  totally and perfectly   
 we need Him in our lives to survive  ,
  we are not the saviors nor fixers , its the Lord and His glory that is declared in the earth as it is in heaven  and we are the mere vessels  for His use   

[rosered]

Do we need to go hungry in order to get attention from God?

Why pray if God knows your heart anyway?
That's teh same line of thought. Or not?

   
  God does know our hearts , but than we have to know  them as well , what better way to learn than experience  them though suffering and loss ?  and realize our great need  for Him to make things right and new again ? 

[sheila]

  fasting can represent waiting on the word/will of the Lord.  scriptures speak of a time of fasting when there is a drought of living word from God.....

   also it is written..do not desire the delicacies from a rich man's table..put a knife to your throat...which figurativel Jesus did when the adversary[rich man] who

possessed all the kingdoms of the world..tried to feed Jesus word of God perverted to the will of God.  After refusing this 'meal" served up by satan..

   angels came and fed Him sustaining spiritual food..to do the will of Him that sent him.

   Jesus instructed us to pray the Father not to lead us into temptation[as He was tried] for it was the good shepherds job to feed the sheep...

....and spoke of not giving a serpent to those who asked for bread.  also Jesus was not deceived..but we with sin in our flesh have been

[CHB]

Do we need to go hungry in order to get attention from God?

Why pray if God knows your heart anyway?
That's teh same line of thought. Or not?

I don't think it is the same line of thought because in praying you are communicating with the Father, talking with the Father. 

I do want my children to talk to me and tell me they love me even though I know they do already. As for depriving themselves of anything, I really don't think it is necessary.

CHB

[sheila]

indeed..no man ever hated his own flesh..but feeds and cherishes it....thus Jesus admonition and charge to His disciples..'if you love me"

   feed my sheep

[CHB]

Do we need to go hungry in order to get attention from God?

Why pray if God knows your heart anyway?
That's teh same line of thought. Or not?

   
  God does know our hearts , but than we have to know  them as well , what better way to learn than experience  them though suffering and loss ?  and realize our great need  for Him to make things right and new again ? 

We do learn from suffering and loss that comes from means other than fasting.  I believe God is more interested  in our spiritual attitudes than he is in our physical. Just my thought but fasting puts the focus on ourselves. Isn't it just works?

CHB

[jugghead]

Do we need to go hungry in order to get attention from God?

Why pray if God knows your heart anyway?
That's teh same line of thought. Or not?

   
  God does know our hearts , but than we have to know  them as well , what better way to learn than experience  them though suffering and loss ?  and realize our great need  for Him to make things right and new again ? 

We do learn from suffering and loss that comes from means other than fasting.  I believe God is more interested  in our spiritual attitudes than he is in our physical. Just my thought but fasting puts the focus on ourselves. Isn't it just works?

CHB

That is why I mentioned what I did, any time we are focusing on the the things of the world, we are fasting from God (the spiritual) and when our focus is on God, we are fasting from the things of the world (the physical). Are we not to consider that we are fasting from man's understanding of God? I say, yes.

The example of a physical fast is just a taste of the bigger picture of what God is doing in us, that He causes our fast from the understanding of men by bringing us His spiritual food, His understanding.

[ded2daworld]

As one that has fasted on water only for 15 and 21 days, (and many other shorter ones)everyone has good comments.
After the 3rd (sometimes 4th) day hunger is completely gone. You become amazed at how much time was spent previously thinking about food, preparing food, eating food, cleaning up afterward, shopping for food, etc.
The fast that God proclaims is to abstain from evil, idolatrous, selfish thoughts and instead let the spirit work through you like (I think it was whitewings quoted from Isaiah)

[WhiteWings]

As one that has fasted on water only for 15 and 21 days, (and many other shorter ones)everyone has good comments.
After the 3rd (sometimes 4th) day hunger is completely gone. You become amazed at how much time was spent previously thinking about food, preparing food, eating food, cleaning up afterward, shopping for food, etc.

15 and 21 day. Wow!
I fasted just 1 time in my whole life so I can claime no expertise. I drank a lot and no food for 3 days. It was very easy. Much more as I would have expected. I did notice lot of eating related things I do are just a habit. As I type I'm eating grapes. Over 2 pounds of them since diner (that's 4 hours in my time zone)
So 3 days, no problem at all. But 15 or even 21 days... I really doubt that would be easy for me.

The fast that God proclaims is to abstain from evil, idolatrous, selfish thoughts and instead let the spirit work through you like (I think it was whitewings quoted from Isaiah)

Sure, I fully agree God wants us not to sin. But is that what fasting means. If so why is it mentioned Jesus fasted for 40 days while He fasted whole His life. (Abstained from sin whole His life)
BTW it was CHB who quoted Isa.

[ded2daworld]

Because he was devine.
As a human I would be thrilled to not sin in thought, word, or deed or omission for even an entire day.
It's much easier to go without food than to not sin