Isaiah 58:6-7 (KJV) - Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? [7] Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
This Months training is on Fasting and Prayer. There is so much information on both words that it would be a bit much for a monthly training. We will touch on prayer as it combines with fasting. We need to make this a lifestyle. Some people do it in vain and without results. I am sharing with you what I have learned, what the bible says, and also some of what others have said such as; NAVE’S TOPICS, EASTON'S 1897 BIBLE DICTIONARY, POSB NT Master Subject Index, Prayer, Fasting. & The Anointing by Steve Houpe, Dr. Cindy Trimm, Bill, Bright, and Marilyn Hickey. There is a protocol that comes with fasting. Jesus expects it to be a lifestyle for the believer, It will differ depending on the Church, Denomination, and on other beliefs.
There are times when the Leader/ Pastor will call the Church to a Cooperate Fast. We all fast at the same time, doing the same thing, for the same reason. Obeying those God has placed in authority over us is a must. When we don’t we are placing ourselves in danger. We also will cause a gap for the enemy to come in. We should trust that our Leaders hear from God on our behalf. It is dangerous for you to lead a baby believer into a fast without the leading of the Holy Spirit, without them having knowledge of God, Fasting, or the spirit realm. We are to allow those God have given authority to discern if one is ready for that level of information. Please learn of the things of God. “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Tim. 3:5). There is no cheating, this is between you and God. Make the commitment and stay the course. Just because you eliminate meat does not mean to stuff yourself with everything else. Please make room for more of Him . Eat smaller portions and fill in with Prayer, study, preparing messages, and listening to God. During this time guard your eye gates, your ear gates, your mouth gate, and your spirit man. Have times of abstaining from radio, TV, Telephone, and conflicts during the fast. These are only distractions. Commit to start, if only for one meal a day, one day a week, or however God leads you. Make your fasting acceptable and pleasing to God.
Matthew 6:16 (KJV) Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. Fasting is not condemned by Christ. Fasting for any purpose other than to meet God is condemned: when you fast “appear...unto thy Father. Fasting as a hypocrite is wrong. Being hypocritical is a real danger when fasting. There are four reasons men fast, and all but one are false and hypocritical.
God does not say when nor how often we should fast, but He does tell us how to fast in His word. We are to give food to the hungry, cloth the naked, and help the homeless during our times of fasting. Husbands and wives are expected to fast.
“Defraud ye not [do not deprive] one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency” (1 Cor. 7:5).
There are times when the believer feels a special pull, an urge, a call within his heart to get alone with God. This is God’s Spirit moving within his heart. When this happens, nothing—not food, not responsibility—should keep him from getting all alone with God. He should fast as soon as possible. There are examples of others fasting and praying. You will find different types of fast, different amounts of times to fast and different things to abstain from. Such as meat, food and a host of other things. Search the scriptures, seek the Lord, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. We must take every precaution to fast exactly as He says: before God, in secret, without any ostentation or show whatsoever. We want our fasting to be acceptable to God. This training will address; What, when, and why we fast. Fasting means to abstain from food for some spiritual purpose. Fasting means being so consumed with a matter that it becomes more important than food. We as believers set food, time. and others aside in order to concentrate on seeking God about a matter. What does God want to us to do? We must seek Him for the answers. It is to come into God’s presence for a very, very special session of prayer.
Yes, the medical world will use this word to have you to abstain from food for the cleansing of your body before a test. But it has nothing to do with your spiritual man. Fasting is a duty. Every believer is expected to fast. Biblical fasting involves prayer, intense, feverant, humble prayer before God and reading His Word. When you Fast, Pray, and read His Word you will find yourself empowered with a greater sensitivity to the spirit realm, and an greater strength. Fasting is to be done without notice. Fasting is between you and God, not you and other people. Began to slowly break your fast as God releases you. This is important for your physical and spiritual well being. Slowly return to regular eating with small snacks during the first few days. Return to meat with small portions of meats that are easy to digest, like fish, tuna, or salmon. Keep a steady diet of fruits and Vegetables, soups, and Water. Fruit juice made from fresh water melon, lemons, grapes, apples, will decrease your hunger pains. Mix water with orange juice and tomato juice for your stomach sake. Remember beef is harder to digest. Remain set apart until after your fast.
When to fast.
Joel 1:14 (KJV) - Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord.
They are to look to God. The sorrow of the people is turned into repentance and humiliation before God. With all the marks of sorrow and shame, sin must be confessed and bewailed. A day is to be appointed for this purpose; a day in which people must be kept from their common employments, that they may more closely attend God’s services; and there is to be abstaining from meat and drink. Every one had added to the national guilt, all shared in the national calamity, therefore every one must join in repentance. When joy and gladness are cut off from God’s house, when serious godliness decays, and love waxes cold, then it is time to cry unto the Lord. The prophet describes how grievous the calamity. See even the inferior creatures suffering for our transgression. And what better are they than beasts, who never cry to God but for corn and wine, and complain of the want of the delights of sense? Yet their crying to God in those cases, shames the stupidity of those who cry not to God in any case. Whatever may become of the nations and churches that persist in ungodliness, believers will find the comfort of acceptance with God, when the wicked shall be burned up with his indignation.
Joel 2:12 (KJV) - Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
(God’s judgments)
The priests were to alarm the people with the near approach of the Divine judgments. It is the work of ministers to warn of the fatal consequences of sin, and to reveal the wrath from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. The striking description which follows, shows what would attend the devastations of locusts, but may also describe the effects from the ravaging of the land by the Chaldeans. If the alarm of temporal judgments is given to offending nations, how much more should sinners be warned to seek deliverance from the wrath to come! Our business therefore on earth must especially be, to secure an interest in our Lord Jesus Christ; and we should seek to be weaned from objects which will soon be torn from all who now make idols of them. There must be outward expressions of sorrow and shame, fasting, weeping, and mourning; tears for trouble must be turned into tears for the sin that caused it. But rending the garments would be vain, except their hearts were rent by abasement and self-abhorrence; by sorrow for their sins, and separation from them. There is no question but that if we truly repent of our sins, God will forgive them; but whether he will remove affliction is not promised, yet the probability of it should encourage us to repent.
Bring it up to speed with Wisdom
Why Should you Fast?
Leviticus 23:26-32 (KJV) - And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, [27] Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. [28] And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God. [29] For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. [30] And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. [31] Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. [32] It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.
The only other mention of a periodical fast in the Old Testament is in Zech. 7:1-7; Zech. 8:19, from which it appears that during their captivity the Jews observed four annual fasts.
Zech. 7:1-7 (KJV) - And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu; [2] When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regem-melech, and their men, to pray before the Lord, [3] And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?
[4] Then came the word of the Lord of hosts unto me, saying, [5] Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me? [6] And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? [7] Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?
Zech. 8:19 (KJV) - Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.