Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Why should I fast?
You should fast because God instructs you to fast. Fasting is not a “if I feel like it” type of duty from God. Fasting is one of the three specific duties that Jesus directed you to do as a follower of Him.
Matthew 6:3 (NIV)
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
Matthew 6:7 (NKJV)
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Matthew 6:17 (NKJV)
But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face.
In his book "Fasting", Jentezen Franklin puts fasting this way:
Fasting has a way of breaking you away from worldly desires and refocusing your energies on God. When you remove the trappings of food, drink, and entertainment from your lives for a period of time it helps you re-connect with God.
Fasting helps clear your head of the “garbage” the world has put into it. Think about how often you’re exposed to pop culture and advertisements. If Jesus were discussed on television as often as the Kardashians or other reality television stars were, think how saturated our culture would be with the only One who could truly change their lives, lead them to salvation, and help them make better Godly choices?
I think that we sometimes forget that Jesus himself fasted. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Matthew 4:2 (NKJV) Jesus doesn't want you to do anything He hasn't done. He wouldn't have directed you to fast if He hadn't already fasted before you!
God also loves giving you His child blessings above and beyond what your little human brain can conceive. When you focus on God through prayer and fasting, He is able to bless you more abundantly because you’re able to connect to him in a very personal way. You've removed all outside noise and distractions from your lives and have chosen to focus solely on your Heavenly Father.
Don’t think that God will only focus his blessings on you personally when you fast. He’ll also bless those that you love and pray for during your fast. He’ll be able to reach and save your lost children, spouse, relatives, and friends. But God’s blessing will not stop after your fast stops! God’s notices the sacrifices you've done for Him and he will continue to bless you and your family long after your fast has ended.
Have you ever had a friend that before you really got to know them in a personal relationship you were just acquaintances? You may have exchanged pleasantries; smiled or nodded at each other but probably didn't give them a lot of your thoughts when you didn’t see them. I don’t know about you, but I want to have more than just a passing acquaintance relationship with God! And if fasting will make me closer to Him, I am willing to sacrifice food for a period of time.
What does fasting do to my body?
We know that fasting is good for our spirit, but it can also be good for our physical bodies. When you fast, you are actually removing toxins from your body. Think of all the chemicals we consume on a daily basis. As a matter of fact, look at the ingredients listed on a bag of Cheetos:
Matthew 6:3 (NIV)
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
Matthew 6:7 (NKJV)
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Matthew 6:17 (NKJV)
But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face.
In his book "Fasting", Jentezen Franklin puts fasting this way:
- Solomon, when writing the books of wisdom for Israel, made the point that a cord, or rope, braided with three strands is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Likewise, when giving, praying, and fasting are practiced together in the life of a believer, it creates a type of threefold cord that is not easily broken.
Fasting has a way of breaking you away from worldly desires and refocusing your energies on God. When you remove the trappings of food, drink, and entertainment from your lives for a period of time it helps you re-connect with God.
Fasting helps clear your head of the “garbage” the world has put into it. Think about how often you’re exposed to pop culture and advertisements. If Jesus were discussed on television as often as the Kardashians or other reality television stars were, think how saturated our culture would be with the only One who could truly change their lives, lead them to salvation, and help them make better Godly choices?
I think that we sometimes forget that Jesus himself fasted. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Matthew 4:2 (NKJV) Jesus doesn't want you to do anything He hasn't done. He wouldn't have directed you to fast if He hadn't already fasted before you!
God also loves giving you His child blessings above and beyond what your little human brain can conceive. When you focus on God through prayer and fasting, He is able to bless you more abundantly because you’re able to connect to him in a very personal way. You've removed all outside noise and distractions from your lives and have chosen to focus solely on your Heavenly Father.
Don’t think that God will only focus his blessings on you personally when you fast. He’ll also bless those that you love and pray for during your fast. He’ll be able to reach and save your lost children, spouse, relatives, and friends. But God’s blessing will not stop after your fast stops! God’s notices the sacrifices you've done for Him and he will continue to bless you and your family long after your fast has ended.
Have you ever had a friend that before you really got to know them in a personal relationship you were just acquaintances? You may have exchanged pleasantries; smiled or nodded at each other but probably didn't give them a lot of your thoughts when you didn’t see them. I don’t know about you, but I want to have more than just a passing acquaintance relationship with God! And if fasting will make me closer to Him, I am willing to sacrifice food for a period of time.
What does fasting do to my body?
We know that fasting is good for our spirit, but it can also be good for our physical bodies. When you fast, you are actually removing toxins from your body. Think of all the chemicals we consume on a daily basis. As a matter of fact, look at the ingredients listed on a bag of Cheetos:
They contain ferrous sulfate, whey protein concentrate, monosodium, and the ever so loveable “natural and artificial flavors” which to me is simply put on the label because they ran out of room on the label.
In his book "Fasting", Jentezen Franklin states:
As a matter of fact even the secular world has known the benefit of fasting. To name of few of the individuals you may have heard of:
"Fasting is the greatest remedy-- the physician within." -- Philippus Paracelsus, one of the three fathers of Western medicine
"Instead of using medicine, better fast today." -- Plutarch, a Greek biographer and moralist
"The best of all medicines is resting and fasting." -- Benjamin Franklin
As if you needed another benefit of fasting, besides the awesome one-on-one relationship with God, it also helps slow down your aging process. Water is such a great agent in flushing toxins from our body and during any fast you drink more water than you normally would do on a daily basis.
In his book "Fasting", Jentezen Franklin states:
- Tests have proven that the average American consumes and assimilates four pounds of chemical preservatives, coloring, stabilizers, flavorings, and other additives each year. . . Periodic fasts are necessary to flush out the poisons.
As a matter of fact even the secular world has known the benefit of fasting. To name of few of the individuals you may have heard of:
"Fasting is the greatest remedy-- the physician within." -- Philippus Paracelsus, one of the three fathers of Western medicine
"Instead of using medicine, better fast today." -- Plutarch, a Greek biographer and moralist
"The best of all medicines is resting and fasting." -- Benjamin Franklin
As if you needed another benefit of fasting, besides the awesome one-on-one relationship with God, it also helps slow down your aging process. Water is such a great agent in flushing toxins from our body and during any fast you drink more water than you normally would do on a daily basis.
What types of fast are there?
** Please Note: Make sure you are healthy enough to partake in the fast. If you have any health concerns, please consult your physician prior to beginning any type of fast.
There are three types of fasts:
Absolute fast
In an absolute fast, you consume no food or water for a certain period of time. This is an extreme fast and should only be attempted if you are an experienced faster and only after you have spoken with your physician. This is also a fast that you should not do for extended periods of time.
Normal fast
In a normal fast, you consume no food but lots of water for a certain period of time. Some people, if they plan on fasting for an extended period consume clear broth and fruit juices. The clear broth and fruit juices help maintain your energy and health levels during the fasting period.
Partial fast
In a partial fast (commonly referred to as a Daniel’s fast) you remove certain types of food from your diet. Generally, meat, dairy, sugar, and bread items are removed. This is a fast that the majority of individuals can join in for an extended period of time. Of course, with this and any of the fasts mentioned above, make sure you are healthy enough to partake in the fast and if you have any health concerns, please consult your physician prior to beginning any type of fast.
Although there are other types of partial fasts (perhaps you’ll give up coffee, sweets, or meat), whatever type of fast you partake in, make sure you go into it with prayer and expect blessings from God.
Being on a Daniel’s fast doesn't mean that you make a big pot of vegetable soup and eat until you are full and satisfied. Remember this is still a fast, and you are to eat minimal amounts to sustain your daily life. You’re not simply replacing meats, dairy, sugar, and bread with fruits, vegetables, oils, and unleavened bread, you’re fasting!
As mentioned earlier, when you check with your physician have him or her discuss your current health issues such as type II diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Take note of your numbers before the fast. After the fast have him or her take new measures to determine if fasting helped with any of your numbers.
Fasting can also help you break your addictions to fast foods! That’s right; science studied the effects of fast food on lab rats and determined that they exhibit the same traits as other addictive agents.
Scientist fed three groups of lab rats various diets during a 40 day period. Group one was given a diet of rat chow, group two rat chow plus a variety of bacon, sausage, sugary sweets, and other treats for one hour each day, group three was given rat chow and allowed to munch on the sweets for up to 23 hours per day.
Group two began developing a pattern of binge eating and consuming most of their calories during the one hour of offerings.
Group three began consuming twice as much calories as the other groups and became obese. Group three also showed deficits in their “reward threshold” which means that high-fat and high-sugar changed the way their brain circuits functioned, making it harder for them to register pleasure. They developed a type of tolerance often seen with those afflicted with addictions. This group also showed a lower level of a certain kind of dopamine receptor in their brain. The same levels can also be seen in humans who are cocaine addicts!
There are three types of fasts:
Absolute fast
In an absolute fast, you consume no food or water for a certain period of time. This is an extreme fast and should only be attempted if you are an experienced faster and only after you have spoken with your physician. This is also a fast that you should not do for extended periods of time.
Normal fast
In a normal fast, you consume no food but lots of water for a certain period of time. Some people, if they plan on fasting for an extended period consume clear broth and fruit juices. The clear broth and fruit juices help maintain your energy and health levels during the fasting period.
Partial fast
In a partial fast (commonly referred to as a Daniel’s fast) you remove certain types of food from your diet. Generally, meat, dairy, sugar, and bread items are removed. This is a fast that the majority of individuals can join in for an extended period of time. Of course, with this and any of the fasts mentioned above, make sure you are healthy enough to partake in the fast and if you have any health concerns, please consult your physician prior to beginning any type of fast.
Although there are other types of partial fasts (perhaps you’ll give up coffee, sweets, or meat), whatever type of fast you partake in, make sure you go into it with prayer and expect blessings from God.
Being on a Daniel’s fast doesn't mean that you make a big pot of vegetable soup and eat until you are full and satisfied. Remember this is still a fast, and you are to eat minimal amounts to sustain your daily life. You’re not simply replacing meats, dairy, sugar, and bread with fruits, vegetables, oils, and unleavened bread, you’re fasting!
As mentioned earlier, when you check with your physician have him or her discuss your current health issues such as type II diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Take note of your numbers before the fast. After the fast have him or her take new measures to determine if fasting helped with any of your numbers.
Fasting can also help you break your addictions to fast foods! That’s right; science studied the effects of fast food on lab rats and determined that they exhibit the same traits as other addictive agents.
Scientist fed three groups of lab rats various diets during a 40 day period. Group one was given a diet of rat chow, group two rat chow plus a variety of bacon, sausage, sugary sweets, and other treats for one hour each day, group three was given rat chow and allowed to munch on the sweets for up to 23 hours per day.
Group two began developing a pattern of binge eating and consuming most of their calories during the one hour of offerings.
Group three began consuming twice as much calories as the other groups and became obese. Group three also showed deficits in their “reward threshold” which means that high-fat and high-sugar changed the way their brain circuits functioned, making it harder for them to register pleasure. They developed a type of tolerance often seen with those afflicted with addictions. This group also showed a lower level of a certain kind of dopamine receptor in their brain. The same levels can also be seen in humans who are cocaine addicts!
Resources:
Franklin, Jentezen (2008) fasting. Jentezen Franklin Ministries.
http://www.allaboutfasting.com/fasting-quotes.html
http://www.biblegateway.com
http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1977604-2,00.html
http://www.allaboutfasting.com/fasting-quotes.html
http://www.biblegateway.com
http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1977604-2,00.html