What is the point of fasting, and when should we fast?
2007-12-17 15:21:03 · 22 answers · asked by Sam 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It is to keep you mind on God outside of your own needs. When ever you feel that you feel that you have drifted apart from Him.
2007-12-17 15:24:36 · answer #1 · answered by 2U2 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
To join in the Sacrifice of Christ in some small but meaningful way.
In the first century, Jews fasted on Mondays and Thursdays. The original Christians were all Jewish and were used to the fasting as a spiritual discipline. They moved the fast days to Wednesdays and Fridays, because Judas engineered Jesus' arrest on a Wednesday and Jesus was crucified on a Friday. Most often that fast took the form of avoiding meat in the diet. In those days, meat was a luxury food. You either had to buy it in a market or you had to own enough land to keep cattle. On the other hand, anyone could grow vegetables or forage for them, and anyone could catch a fish in a lake or a stream. You could buy better fish and vegetables, but the point is that you could eat without money if you were poor. So meat was rich people's food and fish was poor people's food. That is why the most common form of fasting was to omit meat and eat fish.
The Wednesday and Friday fasts were a universal Christian custom in ancient times. The Eastern Orthodox still observe these fasts. The Roman Catholic Church downplayed the Wednesday fast, but kept the Friday fast until quite recently. Anglicans and Protestants also observed these fasts. In the 18th century, a man could not be ordained a Methodist minister if he did not fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, with the reasoning that a person who could not rule his own belly could certainly not rule the church.
2007-12-17 23:25:01 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Scripture does not command Christians to fast. It is not something that God requires or demands of Christians. At the same time, the Bible presents fasting as something that is good, profitable, and expected. The Book of Acts records believers fasting before they made important decisions (Acts 13:4; 14:23). Fasting and prayer are often linked together (Luke 2:37; 5:33). Too often, the focus of fasting is on the lack of food. Instead, the purpose of fasting should be to take your eyes off the things of this world, and instead focus on God. Fasting is a way to demonstrate to God, and to yourself, that you are serious about your relationship with Him. Fasting helps you to gain a new perspective and a renewed reliance upon God.
2007-12-17 23:26:19 · answer #3 · answered by Freedom 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
The significance is denying yourself and taking that time of feeding your flesh to spend time in prayer and seeking God's will for what ever you are praying about. It is an excellent way to get past your flesh and move toward the Spirit.
A fast can be lots of things from all out no food to a liquid diet to eliminating sugar or whatever from your diet. Most people can skip a meal and spend the time in prayer with little problem.
I like to fast from Dinner time to the Dinner time.
2007-12-17 23:25:15 · answer #4 · answered by sweetadolead 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's spiritual conditioning. Just like athletes perform exercises and have disciplined diets to enhance their body's performance, a number of religions (including Christianity) advocate forms of spiritual exercise. The most common of these are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, among others.
The general point of fasting is to practice denying your bodily desires so that your mind (will) is in control of your body, and not the other way around.
As for when you should fast, only you can determine how often. Basically, however much it takes to keep sinful desires in check.
2007-12-17 23:34:53 · answer #5 · answered by Harbinger 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
it brings your body under submission. It promotes self-control, too. We do this when we really really need the Power of God to work in a certain situation. Fasting does not mean you will get exactly what you think you want.
The scripture says that some demons cannot be cast out but by prayer and fasting.
it is a way of putting the world behind us and getting closer to God.
2007-12-17 23:27:32 · answer #6 · answered by Sherry 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sacrifices to the Lord. Lent (the 40 days before Easter) is the most serious time to fast. Try it, just give a little more and take a little less and these small things will come back to you. No matter who you are.
2007-12-17 23:25:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is a sign of humility and meekness before the Lord in prayer. You need Him to do something for you or someone else.
Psalms 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned unto my own bosom. Also read 2 Corinthian 6:4,5.
2007-12-17 23:42:22 · answer #8 · answered by Dee D 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus fasted 40 days in the desert and used the word to overcome satan's attempts. Jesus told His disciples that prayer and fasting can remove certain strongholds and demons.
I think it's Isaiah 40. "Is this not the fast that I have chosen?" read on and it will help you understand better.
2007-12-17 23:24:47 · answer #9 · answered by n9wff 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Self-sacrifice in a very direct and (almost) immediately felt way. Of course, Jesus told us to pick up our cross and follow him, daily -- fasting puts it into practice. I think we should do it when led to do so, usually in connection with looking for guidance on something that rises above the mundane.
2007-12-17 23:24:45 · answer #10 · answered by Howard 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
the old testament says that the people of Israel fast when they really needed something from God..... So they fast to concentrate on pleading with God for whatever they need. But its not for showing how relgious u r
2007-12-17 23:28:06 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋