How does our fasting provide the healing?

[Wilhemena]

I'm somewhat stumped and have been for years but have always been embarrassed to ask so this seems like a reasonable place to do it. When I pray for someone to be healed I know it isn't my praying that heals because I give thanks to God for his healing powers to work in the ill gotten but how does fasting work with healing. It simply cannot be the cause of healing and I cannot grasp why fasting could be required at all for God to have to heal. Please share how this works?

 

[Rens]

It's easier to keep praying when you fast and I think the anointing increases to break the yoke.
Maybe because you're only focused on the spiritual then.

 

[Lamb]

Rens said that it's easier to keep praying when fasting and it's true, we are reminded of our hunger and turn to God when we fast.

In the Old Testament David fasted and prayed for days and yet his baby still died.

 

[Rens]

Fasting and praying works good to get people saved.

 

[MoreCoffee]

I'm somewhat stumped and have been for years but have always been embarrassed to ask so this seems like a reasonable place to do it. When I pray for someone to be healed I know it isn't my praying that heals because I give thanks to God for his healing powers to work in the ill gotten but how does fasting work with healing. It simply cannot be the cause of healing and I cannot grasp why fasting could be required at all for God to have to heal. Please share how this works?

In some western nations obesity is a major cause of health problems and chronic illnesses so if one fasts and prays for one's own recovery from illnesses it is possible that the self-control and moderation in eating that come with fasting may help to alleviate one's own illnesses. I do not see any direct physical relationship between fasting for somebody else's illnesses and their recovery (or lack of it) but prayer for others may play a role in their healing.

 

[JPPT1974]

People that fast are brave. Do not think I could do that at all! No offense.

 

[tango]

I'm somewhat stumped and have been for years but have always been embarrassed to ask so this seems like a reasonable place to do it. When I pray for someone to be healed I know it isn't my praying that heals because I give thanks to God for his healing powers to work in the ill gotten but how does fasting work with healing. It simply cannot be the cause of healing and I cannot grasp why fasting could be required at all for God to have to heal. Please share how this works?

Praying for healing (with or without fasting) isn't like following a recipe where you put in the ingredients, stir well, bake for 30 minutes at 450 degrees and get a more-or-less guaranteed and consistent result. It's not like baking a cake where if you forget the raising agents you'll get something that's kinda-sorta-like a cake but a bit flat and a bit heavy but is otherwise a cake.

Fasting is a means to take focus away from yourself, to deny yourself something (typically food, but it could be anything in theory). If it's done as a means of giving something up, as a means of using time that might otherwise be spent on food-related activities (preparing food, eating, cleaning up dishes etc) in prayer then it's more likely to achieve something (i.e. more time in prayer) than if it's done in some kind of attempt to score points on God (i.e. "I did the fasting so you do your bit and do the healing").

As you say there's no rationale at all that concludes that me not eating for a day or two will directly make any difference to someone else's health. But if I save maybe a couple of extra hours during the day and spend more time in prayer, maybe that would make a much greater difference.

 

[psalms 91]

Praying for healing (with or without fasting) isn't like following a recipe where you put in the ingredients, stir well, bake for 30 minutes at 450 degrees and get a more-or-less guaranteed and consistent result. It's not like baking a cake where if you forget the raising agents you'll get something that's kinda-sorta-like a cake but a bit flat and a bit heavy but is otherwise a cake.

Fasting is a means to take focus away from yourself, to deny yourself something (typically food, but it could be anything in theory). If it's done as a means of giving something up, as a means of using time that might otherwise be spent on food-related activities (preparing food, eating, cleaning up dishes etc) in prayer then it's more likely to achieve something (i.e. more time in prayer) than if it's done in some kind of attempt to score points on God (i.e. "I did the fasting so you do your bit and do the healing").

As you say there's no rationale at all that concludes that me not eating for a day or two will directly make any difference to someone else's health. But if I save maybe a couple of extra hours during the day and spend more time in prayer, maybe that would make a much greater difference.

By focusing on God and ernestly praying and seeking God you gain power, I know that sounds strange but it opens a door for you to be used as a portal for the power of God to heal or whatever you are seeking, also a great way to get answers from God

 

[tango]

By focusing on God and ernestly praying and seeking God you gain power, I know that sounds strange but it opens a door for you to be used as a portal for the power of God to heal or whatever you are seeking, also a great way to get answers from God

You don't gain power, the power comes from God and God alone.

God will talk to us, or not talk to us, based on God's will rather than whether or not we fast. It just isn't as simple as a formulaic situation where if we do something God will automatically do something according to our will. That turns God into little more than a cosmic vending machine where we put in the prayers (with or without fasting), pull the lever and get what we wanted. That path leads to a place where God is subservient to us, which is a very dangerous place to be. We can't obligate God to do something just because we "did our bit" - if it's not God's will to heal someone we can't overrule that because we said extra prayers or fasted for a couple of days.

The key thing is that, when it is God's will, God is perfectly capable of healing regardless of whether or not we pray and regardless of whether or not we fast.

 

[psalms 91]

You don't gain power, the power comes from God and God alone.

God will talk to us, or not talk to us, based on God's will rather than whether or not we fast. It just isn't as simple as a formulaic situation where if we do something God will automatically do something according to our will. That turns God into little more than a cosmic vending machine where we put in the prayers (with or without fasting), pull the lever and get what we wanted. That path leads to a place where God is subservient to us, which is a very dangerous place to be. We can't obligate God to do something just because we "did our bit" - if it's not God's will to heal someone we can't overrule that because we said extra prayers or fasted for a couple of days.

The key thing is that, when it is God's will, God is perfectly capable of healing regardless of whether or not we pray and regardless of whether or not we fast.

Obedience is better than sacrifice, yes all power comes from God we are just conduits for it and like it or not fasting works, try it sometime, God loves humble people that seek Him

 

[tango]

Obedience is better than sacrifice, yes all power comes from God we are just conduits for it and like it or not fasting works, try it sometime, God loves humble people that seek Him

I'm not discussing whether fasting works or not, I'm saying that it isn't a formulaic solution whereby if we do the fasting God is somehow obligated to do what we want. Anything that reduces God to little more than some kind of cosmic vending machine strays dangerously close to the excesses of "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High."

 

[MoreCoffee]

I'm not discussing whether fasting works or not, I'm saying that it isn't a formulaic solution whereby if we do the fasting God is somehow obligated to do what we want. Anything that reduces God to little more than some kind of cosmic vending machine strays dangerously close to the excesses of "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High."

You write the truth. Amen.

It is good to think on the mercy of God that he shows when we obey him. He is not compelled to do anything simply because we do what he commands. The Lord Jesus Christ expressed the thought thus: When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'

 

[psalms 91]

I'm not discussing whether fasting works or not, I'm saying that it isn't a formulaic solution whereby if we do the fasting God is somehow obligated to do what we want. Anything that reduces God to little more than some kind of cosmic vending machine strays dangerously close to the excesses of "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High."

Nor did I but truth nis it does work

 

[Wilhemena]

The majority of the responses that I have read here in this thread is that fasting is not required at all and does not contribute to God's decision yet it is a good thing to do because it reminds us to seek the Lord and pray which is what God wants. The minority of the responses suspect me to believe that God chooses to work in those who are obedient and humble even though what I've read in the Old Testament is that God will even work through the sinful obstinate people when God really wants to get things done.

 

[tango]

Nor did I but truth nis it does work

What exactly do you mean by "it does work"?

If you mean it draws you closer to God then that's a good thing. If you're saying that not eating for a time is like adding an extra coin to the cosmic vending machine before punching the buttons and pulling the lever then I suspect you've got some kind of confirmation bias going on. If prayer is a petition to a sovereign God then turning it into something formulaic whereby if we do the right things then the recipient of our prayers will automatically give us what we want merely reduces the sovereign God to little more than a puppet on a string. If we can pull the strings by going without food for a time (or by some other human activity) then we reduce God to little more than our plaything.

 

[psalms 91]

It draws you closer to God and by getting closer you are in tune with Him and recieve answers, as to healing you are right that there is no formula but I do know that fasting increases the power that can work through you, again because we draw closer to God and are better able to hear what He is saying

 

[Wilhemena]

How does it draw one closer to God?

 

[psalms 91]

Because you are totally focused on Him, not on everything else

 

[Lamb]

When I fast I'm more focused on food.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Fasting for religious reasons/purposes ought to be motivated by love of God and service to others. Fasting for health/medical reasons ought to be motivated by the good it can/may do for your health and to encourage others if you decide to fast together as a group. Most fasting today is likely for health/medical reasons.