i am just wondering who hear in this forum fasts ?

since we have a topic set up on tongues and to were certain chrsitans seem to stick to the law


do you feel that new christians need to avoid fasting or do we encourage new chrsitians to fast ?


speaking for my self i fast when ever i get the chance to and when its our long weekend i tend to go back to the farming community that i just moved from and catch up with servral guys to were we get together and fast and pray we book out a camp site that has cabins and i love going to this camp site hear we can unwind to were we are not dsturbed and just spend the time alone with god were we come back refreshed and ready to face what ever the world has to throw at us

my fiancee has a place in the mountains were they go away for 3 weeks when she is about to fast she sends me a tex message that way i know what she is doing and i can also pray in agreement


hear is a little Quiz on fasting


1 who was the first person who fasted in the bible ?

2 what was the longest length of time of a fast ?

3 who were the three people who fasted for 40 days ?

4 do you fast on a perodic basis ?



it would be good if i could now who fasts in this forum




when i first heard about people fasting i thought it was like some one who goes on a hunger strike we did this in the prison farm i found my self in and this also happend in the jail i was transfered from just as we were about to leave the prisoners who were on a hunger strike decided to riot i was weighting to be walked to the van that was going to take me to manus prison farm as i got in the gaurds in the tower let the tear gas loose into the section were the inmates were rioting i freaked out as i never saw this on the out side


i did a study on fasting that way i was able to better understand why christians fast jesus gives us a good example he fasted for 4o days

i decided to dive in the deep end and give it a go the first time i did this i lasted two days but i wanted to do a two week fast i worked towards were i could handle a two week fast and know i love fasting it refreshes the soul it draws me closser to god and i am able to listen and deal with what god wants me to deal with


this was my experiance





God bless from damo

Jesus does not forbid it. He does indicate that when the bridegroom departs, the bride will fast in those days. Also, he does give some direction to use while fasting, i.e. do not make it look to others like one is fasting.

I'd say yes, encourage, but only to the point of "you decide when to fast before God." It's not to be made a law.



Both of these comments are amazing! I have no such support (that I know of.) If I fast, I'm alone in it with God. I would that there were those like minded with me that I could enjoy such weekends with. Perhaps I need to be the initiator?




I'll get back to you on the questions...give me a day...it would make for a good study. Thanks.


I do fast on occasion. Frankly, I probably should more to deepen my longing for God.

Funny, I declined lunch with my boss one time. When he pressed me about it, I mentioned to him my fast.

He said, "I didn't think people did that any more."

I guess people of his particular C of C don't. I'm not C of C, other than being part of the body of Christ, and hence his "church" in that respect.



I pray that would be all our experience.

May the Lord be glorified in our lives by all we do.

In Him,

Mike

No, I have never fasted but would like to learn more about it. How does it "draw you closer" to God? As it is mentioned in the Bible and Christ fasted....it is an example to us. I feel it is something that should be done and as you are drawing it to my attention....perhaps I need to get busy with this.

Does one completely stop eating? Do you just drink water? What are the parameters, if any?

brother i would be happy to keep you covered while you are fasting how i wish you were in Australia you could have hooked up with me and sevral aborigonal christians and sevral pastors you would be blessed and you would be encouraged

my pastor started it off in our church no one fasted and when my pastor took over we had a lot of things that we needed to toss out the church was not right people were arguing he said in front of everyone its time we come before the lord and deal with what needs to be dealt with ''''

i was also new to the town and i decided this church is the one i would call home


he set up like a roster those who could not fast threw the week he asked if they could pray and the ones who could fast we would meet in the church

how the camp site came up another brother from a farming community not far from were i was living in armidale suggested he would like to be apart of what we were doing and said he new a guy who he could lease a camp site were we could not be disturbed my pastor said it sounded good and he brought this to us guys who committed our selves


god moved and dealt with what we gave him we even prayed over the land and over the building


my old pastor is an Aborigonal pastor he rings me and he lets me know when they are about to head off to the camp site he meets me and drives me back to the bus depo so i can catch the bus back to canberra

my goal know is to do a 4 week fast i can do a two week fast when i fast i keep my fluids up and avoid the main meals

i dont suggest this to any one who is looking at fasting you can do a fast were you miss out on breakfast and lunch and have dinner you can give up your favorite shows you watch on tv and come before the lord in prayer this is how i did it when i started

your body can last seven days with out food but you need to keep the fluids up

one guy in my old church fasted for 40 days he did this for a reason and god blessed him he saved his marriage his wife came back to him all due to him being obediant

brother just ask god to draw the ones that would committ them selves


it helps that way the enemy cant attack you and its always good to have good strong brothers standing in the gap


this is my experiance i trust the men i fast with and i love being with the men when i go back to the farming community

i just wanted to know as sometimes you dont know if others are fasting i thought i was on my own and this is the reason i put this post up and yes i would like it were we use this as a bible study so we can grow together and learn



God bless from damo

High whirlwind

this is why i set up this topic it is good that it can also be used as a bible study ''' as well

you can do it slow by missing break fast and lunch and just have dinner until you get comfterbal to were you can last with out eating

or you can keep your fluids up or eat a peace of orange


i will add some things its late were i am so i am about to go to bed




God bles from damo

Damo,

I tried fasting but due to certain health conditions I can't.. i am underweight and have low blood sugar... and when i did fast one time, I nearly passed out, and then 2 days later when the fast was over, I tried eating and I got really sick to my stomach... I should have started slow. It was a bad enough experience for me to not really want to start it again, but it definitely was practiced a lot in our church... I just couldn't do it or I would get really weak and feel horrible. My husband has done it at times and no effect on him, just hunger.. not me, I get to really feeling sick.

I pray you are led to do what God wants you to do..

Your sis, Rose

i am preparing for a trip and fasting for 2 days.

blessings,
signet

God bless, signet.. wish I could, but I'd be taken to the ER! YIKES! Be blessed!

Hey Damir. I used to fast a lot as I experimented with it and did some studies on prayer and fasting. Here's what I found.

Fasting gets powerful results from God. He answers prayers very powerfully when you fast for something.

It is a powerful weapon in spiritual warfare. I would typically fast when I was in dire straights as in, I was in over my head spiritually, and, needed His help in a big way. Typically, miracles will follow. I don't think I ever fasted for something mundane, such as, peace on earth etc. That's too vague (for me at least).
It was always for something specific, or, for God to fix things that were wrong with me. That part is scary actually, because, He actually answers, and you might not like what you get, lol.

I noticed that fasting (for a day or two) before Sunday worship, I would experience His presence much more powerfully.

Years ago, when I had been a Christian for only about a year, I fasted for 3 days about something that I couldn't do because of fear.
God answered powerfully at church on Sunday. It was the only time I heard from the Father directly, as opposed to hearing the HS (Holy Spirit).
My mind completely cleared of all thoughts, and, this massive peace came over me, then, a crystal clear voice spoke two concise sentences to me. It seemed like the voice was coming from way up high, but it was as clear as a bell.
I'll leave out what He said, but, I had been praying and fasting to be able to overcome fear, and, to be perfected. And, He answered. The answer scared me so much, I quit fasting to be perfected, lol, cuz, He will answer you, you just might not be ready for what you ask for. Lol.


So, fasting is very powerful for getting prayers answered. Much more powerful than prayer alone. It moves God much quicker. And, much more powerfully. I would fast for specific things. God will move, and, it will build your faith in seeing Him answer you. You'll realize that, He actually can do anything, LOL. LOL. I had fasted for something along the lines of what I posted above another time. I hadn't eaten for three days, and, I had to work. When I got to work I was so weak, I could barely stand, and, the HS kept telling me over and over to eat something. I was kind of stubborn because I wanted something taken care of, but, I ended up eating as the HS was telling me to. I had to, in order to be able to work, lol.


The Spirit will sometimes lead you to fast. This probably means something is going to happen and, you need to be more in touch with Him.
He'll sometimes lead you not to fast, or, to stop fasting (as per above). There will probably be a reason behind not fasting. Like, maybe what you are wanting to fast for isn't what you need at that time. There could be a myriad of reasons.


Fast for specifics. It's powerful, and, God shows up, powerfully.
Hope that helped. Oh, here's an example from scripture.

Some countries came to war against Israel (they were in trouble and needed His help), and, the leader (Jehoshaphat) called for a nationwide fast.

2Ch 20:1 And it came to pass after this, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.
2Ch 20:2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea from Syria; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (the same is En-gedi).
2Ch 20:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek unto Jehovah; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
2Ch 20:4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to seek help of Jehovah: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek Jehovah.

Then he prayed. (verses 5-13)

Then.. who shows up? Oh yeah! G-O-D!

2Ch 20:14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of Jehovah in the midst of the assembly;
2Ch 20:15 and he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat: Thus saith Jehovah unto you, Fear not ye, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
2Ch 20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of Jehovah with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; fear not, nor be dismayed: to-morrow go out against them: for Jehovah is with you.

So, they were in trouble, the fasted, they prayed, and, the Spirit came down on some (prophets?), and, God answered them and said that God would fight for them, then God fought for them.

So, it's powerful for answering prayers, especially when someone is in dire straights. It is also a form of humbling oneself before Him.

Try it out on something. If you need something (not like, a mercedes benz, lol), try fasting for help. It builds your faith.

I read your earlier post about the low blood sugar and all.

I once knew of a lady with low blood sugar who would eat a piece of cheese to stem off symptoms.

How about a "cheesy fast?"

Maybe you could find one or two foods that help you maintain your blood sugar safely and eat nothing but that for a meal, or all meals for a day. Bland? Maybe...but it could be a neat change for you and a way to concentrate on prayer while "fasting" in a sense.

Of course, you take plenty of water. That is not usually refrained from.

Anyway...it's just a thought.

In Christ,

Mike

amen brother and this is how i have done it and spot on it seems we have both had the same experiances when it comes to fasting

when i feel the spirit leading me to fast i get ready and just draw near to god i dont even let the people i am working with know that i am fasting i tend to just listen to what the spirit is wanting me to deal with

when i began to look into this i noticed it was moses who was the first person to fast then as i read threw the old testament i saw what you pointed out

there were three people who lasted for forty days



moses was the first one to fast he lasted 40 days

jesus was the second man to fast and he lasted 40 days



though i will let every one work out who the third person was



hear are the biblical refrences i looked at



Ezra 8 21 - 23 Ezra 10 - 6


Nehemiah 1 - 4

Esther 4 - 16

job 33 v 19 - 20

Psalm 69 v 10 Psalm 102 - 4

Isaiah 58 - 6

Daniel 9 v 3, 20, 23, Daniel 10 , 3

Joel 2 , 15


also when it comes to fasting it helps you lose weight this is what i noticed especialy when it comes to guys like my self who are extra built and need to loose that gut why pay 500 dollars to a gym when all you need is to do a fast and by following basic principals this reduces the pressure on your heart this is what i noticed and i lost a lot of weight




God bless from damo

i am sorry to hear that i am just going over my topic rose my x wife had the same problem as you god knows were we are at fasting is not for everyone and i am glad you know what you are capable off doing

my fiancee is very small and skinny she has lost wieght but i told her she needs to put it on due to me were i need to loose the gut and by fasting its helped me to were i have lost weight

the dr did a check on me last year and said my heart and everything was ok including my blood pressure he said what do you do i simply told him i am a christian i dont drink alcahol i keep of the faty food and i fast he smiled and said nothing

thanks for what you shared hear sister take care and have a blessed day


from your brother in the lord damo

Hey bro Damir. Thanks for the reply. I'll come back to this tomorrow as it's late in California and I need some sleeeeeeep, lol.
This is one of my favorite topics. Talk to you then.


God bless from Researcher i.e. Jeff, heheh

hear is what i noticed when i did a study on fasting keeping fingers crossed that the serpant seed argument does not come into this topic



Types of fasting



hear is what i looked at


Normal fast

partial fast

Radical fast




the normal fast there are very few rules when it comes to fasting what you do is really between you and God there is only one fast command in the bible and that was in the day of Atonment this fast was from sunset to of one day to the sun set of the next day Leviticus 16 29 and leviticus 23 v 32 since people dont usually eat during the night that makes the fast fairly easy

but if you are like me and get the munchies and raid the fridge or call out for a late pizza it wil be hard


you can eat again in the evening before going to bed According to the Zondervan pictorial Encyclopedia of the bible

the rabbis ruled that one could not eat a quantity as large as a date on this day According to the mishna Yoma 8 - 1 on the day of Atonement it is forbiden to eat or drink or bathe or anoint one self or wear sandles or indulge in conjugal intercourse Zondervan Encycolopedia vol 2 502 of course this is what i saw as the normal fast



The partial fast


in this type of fast the emphasis is placed on restriction of diet rather than abstaining completely from eating Examples are Daniel Shadrack Meshach and Abednego eating only vegtables and drinking only water Daniel 1 v 15 and later on when daniel alone practised a limited diet for three weeks Daniel 10 v 3 some people would argue that this is not really a fast at all though what i noticed is this that daniel 10 v 3 does use the word mourned which is a biblical occasion for fasting


the radical fast



this type of fast is in which a person restrains from food and water or simply food but not water for an extended period of time a radical fast can be harmfull to your health in most cases should exceed three days

an example of a radical fast can be found with ESTHER and her house hold Esther decided to fast for three days abstaining from food and from water both day and night ESTHER 4 v 15 - 16 the rabbi ezra and the apostle paul also went with out food and water for three days ezra 10 v 6 - 9 Acts 9- 9 david is another example of a radical fast he lasted 7 days with out food though he had liquid as a plea to god to save his life of his child samuel 12 v 15 - 20 i also noticed that fasts that extend beyond three or seven days can be found in the bible but what i also noticed is these exceptions were based upon gods guidance from god or a suppernaturla ability given by god to complet the fast examples of these extreem fasts are moses Deuteronomy 9,9 and 18 and exodus 34 - 28 Eligah 1 kings 19 - 8 and jesus matthew 4 1 - 11



God bless from damo

I can say that God does work miracles when you fast and pray. I did a partial fast for a week from my favorite foods, things that I eat daily man it was hard, but God answered my prayers and I can now say regardless the type of fast you do God will listen!

I noticed some have low blood sugar levels. I would stick to a partial fast. If you do want to miss a meal for a day or two I would highlt suggest eating a bowl of oatmeal before you miss that meal ie if you miss lunch eat oatmeal for breakfast. Oatmeal doesn't cause that sudden crash through the day as some foods do plus it keeps your blook sugar levels stable longer.

Oh before I forget that is plain Oatmeal...it doesn't have any of the good stuff in it...lol

The word is clear that fasting moves things spiritually, but more so, it moves G-d. See, he dont need us to start inorder to move, he being fully able to all with out us at all being there. Fasting is something he uses to draw us closer to him. Jesus said that a dreamon didnt come out with the deciples when they told it to because of their faith, and that it wouldnt come out but by prayer and fasting. Faith and prayer and fasting goes hand in hand....helping to move those seemingly unmovealbe things in ones life.

AS for those that are doing fasting, we need to start off small, and do what we can. Fasting is the giving up of something that we find great pleasure in, this can be many things. There are some that have eatting disorders and should give up eating when it isnt a proublem for this serving themselves. I started off giving up all sugar, because I found pleasure in it, but because....like Rose....I had a prouble with my blood sugar, I had to find others ways of fasting. many in the old t. fasted from meet, only eat vegs, one of the kings just cut as much out as he could, only eatting when he needed to and than taking it up again. one of the prophets, he had a set diet and was told not to eat anything but this food by G-d. One had to depend on birds bring food to him, G-d inforced fasting.....I posted a posted about a prophet that was told not to eat at all, by G-d, ane when lissening to another that called himself a prophet, he obayed the man and not G-d, eat the food giving to him and he was than attacked by an animal

We need to listen to G-d and what he tells us, there was a time at less with me where G-d told me, not to fast for obedence is better than sacrafice. So, I didnt, I was learning to do what he said, when he said it, with out saying nope!

When I started fasting, I just did it in a way, I know I could do good because it was easy, and each time I would make it a little harder and a little more than next time....and so on. I have not been able to do more than 2 days at a time, and even sometime not that at all, but I was lead to keep the tv of, and other things to spend more time with him. Just moving those things so I could but more time in With G-d is the key here, fasting is for us....not for him! It prevokes him to move.....looking at what his kids doing for him with joy, and he jumps at the chance to what he sees is good for us because of it. it is much the same when i her my child say, yes mama, or sir for the first time, it makes my heart sor to see her doing what is right and respectful to another.

Well, I hope this helps!


Hugs!