Among christians there is variance about what is fasting and what is not. There is frequently teaching put forth that says the abstaining from anything you like is just as much of a fast as not eating, and can reap the equal benefits. Well known teachers of the bible have proclaimed this idea with good intentions but actually no biblical groundwork to affirm their claim.
Scripturally speaking, fasting is invariably in reference to abstinence from food in some ways.Both the Hebrew and Greek language translated as "fast, fasting, fasted, etc." in scripture are defined as, "to abstain from food."There is plenty of scriptural evidence to call upon for one to reach the answer that self-denial of enjoyable things will lead to a short-lived nearer kinship with our father."fast, fasting, or fasted". The book of James chapter four reads,
"Draw near to the heavenly father, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
When I give up video games, or Television, or the net for a granted number of days just so I may search the lord alternatively, guess what: I'll locate Him, "seek and you will find". The seeking of the Lord is rewarded with discernment of His persona and might in our lives. Still, there is no foundation to call this fasting - unless you redefine the entire meaning of fasting!
Both the bible and secular dictionaries define fasting as refraining from food in some fashion for a certain number of time. In the bible it is always accompanied with a more focused prayer life as well. It is the sacrifice of that which the body "needs", in order to get that which your spirit needs even more.
There are many ways to fast that we see across the bible, and many more forms that are practiced culturally. The aim is to seek the lord in your fasting. Its a outcry of the spirit towards the Lord that only He can respond to.
FASTINGS BENEFITS
The benefits of practicing fasting are found through the invisible inward change that is shown through the visible move of the lord that we can see.
"Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do - so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full." - Matthew 6:16 (NASB)
Even in this warning given by Jesus, He shows that there is a advantage in fasting. He is saying in essence, "Don't worry about chasing the reward, focus on the act of humbling yourself during the fast and I'll reward you openly." That payoff could be redemption of a loved one, a financial breakthrough, soundness in your life, a great miracle, supernatural healing, or really anything you can believe for according to the Word of the heavenly father. It may just as easily be a maturity in our walk with Christ. However, all those things are done by the power of the lord. Its not so much that the heavenly father moves as we fast, but rather that we move out of the way.
Instituted by the Lord in things like, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Deuteronomy 16:16), fasting has been an age old, tried and tested system for positioning the heavenly father's people for the miraculous.
Scripturally speaking, fasting is invariably in reference to abstinence from food in some ways.Both the Hebrew and Greek language translated as "fast, fasting, fasted, etc." in scripture are defined as, "to abstain from food."There is plenty of scriptural evidence to call upon for one to reach the answer that self-denial of enjoyable things will lead to a short-lived nearer kinship with our father."fast, fasting, or fasted". The book of James chapter four reads,
"Draw near to the heavenly father, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
When I give up video games, or Television, or the net for a granted number of days just so I may search the lord alternatively, guess what: I'll locate Him, "seek and you will find". The seeking of the Lord is rewarded with discernment of His persona and might in our lives. Still, there is no foundation to call this fasting - unless you redefine the entire meaning of fasting!
Both the bible and secular dictionaries define fasting as refraining from food in some fashion for a certain number of time. In the bible it is always accompanied with a more focused prayer life as well. It is the sacrifice of that which the body "needs", in order to get that which your spirit needs even more.
There are many ways to fast that we see across the bible, and many more forms that are practiced culturally. The aim is to seek the lord in your fasting. Its a outcry of the spirit towards the Lord that only He can respond to.
FASTINGS BENEFITS
The benefits of practicing fasting are found through the invisible inward change that is shown through the visible move of the lord that we can see.
"Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do - so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full." - Matthew 6:16 (NASB)
Even in this warning given by Jesus, He shows that there is a advantage in fasting. He is saying in essence, "Don't worry about chasing the reward, focus on the act of humbling yourself during the fast and I'll reward you openly." That payoff could be redemption of a loved one, a financial breakthrough, soundness in your life, a great miracle, supernatural healing, or really anything you can believe for according to the Word of the heavenly father. It may just as easily be a maturity in our walk with Christ. However, all those things are done by the power of the lord. Its not so much that the heavenly father moves as we fast, but rather that we move out of the way.
Instituted by the Lord in things like, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Deuteronomy 16:16), fasting has been an age old, tried and tested system for positioning the heavenly father's people for the miraculous.
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Fasting can be a scary thing to do. Check out this article about how to fast to overcome anxiety.
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