FASTING FOR GOD Fasting for God In all the Epistles, the books of the New Testament written to the Church, not one time do they tell the Church to fast. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t fast. (I fasted for seven days once)Fasting is mentioned but no rules are laid down and it’s not encouraged that the Church should fast. He is the same before you fast, while you are fasting and when you get through fasting. But fasting will change you. It will help you keep the flesh under. It will help you become more susceptible to the Spirit of God. It is to be done as the occasion arises. The Lord may speak to you to fast. If or when I fast my main motive is to starve the flesh and feed the spirit to draw closer to God. I starve the flesh of natural food and feed the spirit with spiritual food (Gods Word). If an emergency arose that would be a good time to fast. In Mark 2:18 it is believed that John’s disciples were fasting because John was in prison (see 1:14), that would be an emergency. And in that same verse when they asked Jesus why His disciples weren’t fasting He compared His disciples with the guests of a bridegroom. A Jewish wedding was a particularly joyish occasion and the celebration associated with it often lasted a week. It was unthinkable to fast during such festivities, because fasting was associated with sorrow. but I believe fasting is associated with the FIRST sin. Fasting is an action contrary to that first act of sin in the human race, which was eating what was forbidden. Fasting is refusing to eat what is allowed. A fast can be: abstinence from both food and water (absolute fast); abstinence from food only (normal fast); abstinence from certain kinds of food (partial fast). Fasting was not commanded in the Mosaic law except for the fast on the Day of Atonement (once a year). However, in Jesus’ time the Pharisees would also fast twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays. When it comes to fasting for God it is personal, not for show and tell. It’s personal, just between you and God.
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