What is all the benefits form spiritual fasting?
Saturday, February 6th, 2010 at
6:09 am
I am a christian and am 18. I decided to go on a 3 day fasting with no food or sleep, just some water. And I just started it. So can some1 please tell me what this may do spiritually, alot of sites arent specific. Thanks, Nick
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The key of fasting has nearly been lost to the modern church. It is also one that some say was only for early day Christians. Looking closely at the Word of God, we find that the Lord never did away with the principle of fasting, but it has been man who has attempted to make it obsolete. Fasting is still a valid key that can be used today to bring us into kingdom living. What is fasting? It is another means by which we can suffer for the Lord, through the voluntary abstinence from eating. Biblical fasting is done to bring spiritual results and is not simply for physical purposes.
The Lord tells us in Matthew 6:16-18 that when we fast, we are to do it unto the Lord. He doesn’t say if we fast.
"Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 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."
We can see that our motives in fasting must be pure. We are not to do it in order to broadcast it, but we are to do it as quietly and simply as possible so as not to attract attention to ourselves. We are to appear to others as though we are not fasting. There are exceptions, such as when we are fasting as a group for a specific thing. Then it must be announced so that others can take part.
We find this in Joel 1:14, "Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord."
The main thing the Lord desires is that it be done unto Him and not as a show unto men. Our heart attitude must be right to produce spiritual results.
the different kinds of fasts:
(1.) Normal Fast – No food, water only.
(2.) Absolute Fast – Absolutely no food or water (Caution: Should not be undertaken over 3 days and only then if you have a clear directive from the Lord and are in good health).
(3.) Partial Fast – Abstinence from certain kinds of foods (i.e.: No meat or sweets, soup only, fruit and vegetables only, etc. In Daniel 10:3, Daniel ate no pleasant bread).
(4.) Juice Fast – Fruit and vegetable juices only.
(5.) Corporate Fast – A church or group of people who feel God has called them to fast together for a certain period of time.
(6.) Chain Fast – A church or group of people who commit to fasting for a long period of time and each individual commits to fast for a day or longer and signs up for so many days so that the entire period is covered for the designated fasting period. (Our church did this for an entire year at one time.)
(7.) Jewish Fasting Period – The Jewish fast began at 6:00 P.M. in the evening and ended the next day at 6:00 P.M. (Some people follow this time period to begin and end fasts.)
(8.) Fasting Plus Prayer — Remember, fasting should be combined with prayer. God called us to fast and pray, not fast and preach, nor fast and work. God did not call us to fast and do hard physical work. Although some work and certain responsibilities cannot be avoided while fasting, accounts in the Bible reveal that they arranged times to fast and pray when they did not have to work so they could make seeking God the focal point during the fast, especially when the fasts exceeded 3 days. Giving up our free weekends and vacations to fast, is one way we can sacrifice to the Lord.
(9.) Fasting and Abstinence — Although the word "fast" is used as abstaining from food in the Bible and does not refer to giving up other things, during a fast one can practice abstinence from other pleasures as well, such as entertainment, T.V, hobbies and sex, as spoken about in 1 Corinthians 7:1-5.
Hope this helps,
Elder Greg
(((SFCU)))
Spiritually? Nothing…?
You’ll probably just get stomach aches or your stomach is probably going to be all grumbling since you’re hungry..
And you’ll probably look crappy and break out since you’re not sleeping well..?
Go ahead and do that to your body if you want.. if that’s what you think your god wants from you.
I don’t know about extended fasting, but we are taught that fasting is a way to exert control over our appetites. It helps us by allowing us to sacrifice some of our desires and draw closer to God with a little suffering and a show of faith.
What fasting ‘can’ do is make us more open to the spirit of the Lord because we are denying ourselves the appetites of the flesh while we fast. If we incorporate fasting with study and prayer and especially if we fast with a PURPOSE then mighty spiritual things can come to your heart and mind while fasting.
Go to the Lord on your knees with mighty fasting and prayer and with a specific need, question or concern and if you are sincere, chances are you will receive the answers you seek at such a time as this.
It is part of the law of sacrafice which puts us in TUNE with the spirit of the Lord. Great blessings CAN come as we fast with real intent and purpose.
rapid weight loss
I think it depends on your intentions by doing this. Maybe praying about it, asking for guidance, then listening to that guidance and following it would help you a lot. I know Buddah fasted for many many days but he was seeking enlightenment I believe. If you are doing this just to see what happens I don’t know if it will work the same way. I would consult with God and The Lord. Pray. Ask if this is what God and The Lord will you to do. And ask that God and The Lord bless you with all they will during this fasting. I think meditation would help you a great deal in hearing guidance. Hope that helps a bit!
God bless you and your reality and your paths!
Three days without food or sleep may cause you to experience auditory and visual hallucinations. Whether that will benefit you spiritually depends on you and your spirit.
I’m a youth pastor and have studied fasting, so those are my credentials in answering this.
First off: BE CAREFUL!!
Starting your first fast with 3 days of no food or sleep is EXTREMELY dangerous.
Bear in mind that most often in biblical times when people fasted they simply refrained from food from the time they woke up until dinner. I recommend starting with that instead.
I have fasted this way myself a number of times and found it to be a very spiritual experience.
ALSO: You need to cut back on physical activity when you’re fasting to match the cut back in calorie intake or you can pass out. ie, don’t work out when you’re fasting.
As to the benefits:
In the Bible people usually fasted when they wanted to show God how earnestly (seriously) they were concerned about something. I recommend that while you fast, every time you feel hungry and want food, you take that time to pray about a specific thing you pick out ahead of time (or maybe 2 or 3 things). This way you focus your prayer and fasting and since you will be constantly hungry you will pray more in that day of fasting then you probably normally do in a week.
You could pray for someone you’re worried about or for something big in your life, or for an unsaved person you know.
Hope that helps. God bless, and BE CAREFUL.
Fasting helps a person to not focus on the physical aspects of their lives. Instead of spending time preparing and eating a meal, you pray and worship God. You spend as much time as you possibly can with God.
Fasting is a way of showing God your devotion to Him, that you need Him more than any material thing here on earth. Through fasting you can petition God for an answer to a specific question, for guidance, for healing or whatever you feel you need to fast for.
Fasting is a really good spiritual exersice to practice, especially when you find yourself kind of in a spiritual rut. By spiritual rut I mean that you’re not reading your Bible, or praying or having any fellowship with other believers and you feel your faith is starting to crumble. Every Christian has ups and downs in their walk, and when you’re feeling really low fasting is a good way to tell God "I need you, don’t be far from me, help!"
I have never heard of a fast where a person does not sleep. If you really feel God wants you to do that then of course you should do it, but if not then I wouldn’t recommend it. You’re mind will not be focused in your prayers because you’ll be very tired. But if you know God is in it then way to go.