Fasting?

[Andrew]

What is it? What are the benefits? What to expect? And why is it important?

I never understood the importance of fasting except for perhaps preparing for surgery.
I don't really know much about it at all... I heard a friend talking about how he fasted and began to see demons and rebuked them, that kind of scared me a bit so I am asking Christian advice on it. Is it always safe to do? i apologise for the many "examples" of questions but I am fairly new to it... the church I was attending mentioned upcoming fast but at the time I was working 12 hour days in a sweat shop so I figured it very very unsafe.
Thanks in advance

 

[MoreCoffee]

What is it? What are the benefits? What to expect? And why is it important?

I never understood the importance of fasting except for perhaps preparing for surgery.
I don't really know much about it at all... I heard a friend talking about how he fasted and began to see demons and rebuked them, that kind of scared me a bit so I am asking Christian advice on it. Is it always safe to do? i apologise for the many "examples" of questions but I am fairly new to it... the church I was attending mentioned upcoming fast but at the time I was working 12 hour days in a sweat shop so I figured it very very unsafe.
Thanks in advance

Fasting is knowing that your body wants food but not yielding to its desire. It is not as if you body is "another self" that you need to fight because your body is you too and not an enemy to be overcome but at the same time it is not all of you it is an aspect of you just like your sense of humour is an aspect of you. So when we fast it is one aspect of yourself exercising discipline over other aspects of yourself. If the fast is for religious and spiritual purposes then the discipline is aimed at drawing closer to God either in prayer or by doing good for others (for example, setting aside the food you did not eat and giving it to the help the poor or setting aside the money you would have spent on food and giving it to the poor). There are other things that you can set as aims in your fasts the aims can be spiritual and religious or they can be health related or related to other things like weight loss, self discipline and so forth.

 

[Lamb]

When Jesus talked to his disciples about fasting he didn't say "if" but "when you fast". God expects us to fast but doesn't make demands about how we are to do it or for how long. For me it's difficult to fast because I don't focus on God. My mind is constantly on food and when I'll be able to break the fast and actually eat. That's not very spiritual

 

[NewCreation435]

My understanding of fasting is that your suppose to use that extra time that would have been used pursuing meals and food preparation for quiet times and meditation and reflection. I don't practice fasting because of my diabetes. I don't think it would be safe for me.

 

[Andrew]

So fasting is about food but I have been taught otherwise or "not only food" but fasting that is similar to lent but not during lent season, like tv, hobbies etc...
?

 

[Lamb]

So fasting is about food but I have been taught otherwise or "not only food" but fasting that is similar to lent but not during lent season, like tv, hobbies etc...
?

I think that most of the biblical examples are about food. We have extended that to include other forms of abstinence because not everyone can safely fast.

 

[craftyboss7]

So fasting is about food but I have been taught otherwise or "not only food" but fasting that is similar to lent but not during lent season, like tv, hobbies etc...
?

Biblical fasting is about humbling and DENYING YOURSELF for the Lord. Humble yourself to Him and pray to Him. It's a beautiful and powerful thing.

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[TurtleHare]

So fasting is about food but I have been taught otherwise or "not only food" but fasting that is similar to lent but not during lent season, like tv, hobbies etc...
?

Those are great examples of what can be sacrificed during the lenten season for fasting and it's okay to do that type of fast. Have you tried any of those before?

 

[Andrew]

Those are great examples of what can be sacrificed during the lenten season for fasting and it's okay to do that type of fast. Have you tried any of those before?

No I havent tried anything yet, I made a permanent fast of fowl language, of stealing and of judging others and so on, call it repentance because it is but I havnt got so many hobbies except reading, guitar and some Christian documentaries. I could fast from coffee and caffeine, ill start that tomorrow

 

[TurtleHare]

No I havent tried anything yet, I made a permanent fast of fowl language, of stealing and of judging others and so on, call it repentance because it is but I havnt got so many hobbies except reading, guitar and some Christian documentaries. I could fast from coffee and caffeine, ill start that tomorrow

You got goals for these newly planned fasts your doing?

 

[Andrew]

You got goals for these newly planned fasts your doing?

Nothing in particular, strengthen my will power by way of the Lord

 

[MoreCoffee]

No I havent tried anything yet, I made a permanent fast of fowl language, of stealing and of judging others and so on, call it repentance because it is but I havnt got so many hobbies except reading, guitar and some Christian documentaries. I could fast from coffee and caffeine, ill start that tomorrow

Fasting from sins is a good idea, a blessing is sure to come of it.

 

[Ruth]

I believe fasting can be for varying amounts of time. Breakfast means to break the fast so we fast, usually, for a period of time every day. I am diabetic and still fast some. It hasn't effected my diabetes but then mine is not out of control at this time.