Page 2. Fasting Successfully
| II. New Testament
Fasting What is biblical fasting? Biblically thinking, fasting is abstaining from solid food for religious and spiritual purposes and must be separated from the purely physical aspect of fasting. In its simplest form, fasting means being so consumed with a matter that it becomes more important than food. Therefore, the person deliberately sets food aside for a time in order to concentrate on seeking God about the matter. Biblical fasting means much more than just abstaining from food. It means to abstain from food in order to prayfully concentrate upon God and His response to a particular need. Fasting, to be a biblical fast producing spiritual results, must be accompanied with time in the Word of God and intensive prayer. Some people, when fasting, fail to receive all its benefits because they do not press their way into the prayer closet enough while fasting. When fasting, prayer is very very important. Pray as much as possible, as long as possible, as fervently as possible. Prayer makes fasting easier and enjoyable. Fasting makes prayer more powerful and purposeful. What about water in a fast? Is water food? Webster defines food as follows: [Food] - nutrient - nourishment in solid form. Food and water are two different things. To do without water is not fasting, but thirsting. Thirsting means "a great desire to drink." It is a medical fact that for health reasons it is very important that large quantities of fluid be consumed into the body while fasting. Doctors maintain that some food particles remain in the intestinal tract for up to a month. These unassimilated particles require a great deal of water to break them down and soften them so they can be eliminated from the body. Water works at flushing out your kidneys and cleansing out the toxins of the body. Without water, when fasting, the body system would choke up and a person would get into bad shape. There are four essentials necessary to exist in life.
III. Why Should I Fast? Fasting teaches the believer their dependency upon God. They are seeking God and in so doing they are demonstrating their convictions that only God can supply what is needed. Fasting is good for self-discipline. It is easy to become almost completely self-indulgent. It is easy to come to a stage when we deny ourselves nothing when it is in our power to have it. We should be the master of our desires and wishes and not vice-versa. Fasting helps the believer to not become the slaves of habit. There are not a few who indulge in certain habits because they find it impossible to stop them. They have become so essential they cannot break them. Fasting breaks the chains and helps one master the habit. Fasting is good for the believer's health. It helps a person stay physically fit by bringing them to the place where they eat to live and not live to eat.
|
|
IV. Should All Christians Fast? Jesus endorsed fasting not only by His teaching but also by His example. Jesus Himself practiced fasting (Matthew 4:2). Jesus joined Moses and Elijah in fasting for 40 days and nights. Notice that the Scripture states that Jesus did not eat at all, but it does not state that He didn't drink water. The book of Acts record that fasting was practiced
regularly by the early church.
|