Questions about fasting

[dodi]

I admit that I've never fasted. I've always heard that it is very important but I've never learned too much about it.

How does one fast?
Is there particular reasons to fast?
Any other information about fasting would help.


Thanks

[lawrenceofisrael]

Good question.

Fasting is one way of serving good and it pleases him as well as praying does.
There´s only one day in the year that we are commanded to fast for the father and that is on Yom Kippur so all other fasting is voluntarily but important.
Fasting is often and expression of inner grieve, repentance and/or fear for punishment.
King David (may the Lord remember him) fasted for his son who died because of the sin David had commited with the wife of his soldier.
Fasting in its simplest form means to stay away from food. You might do it over one or two day or even take a week of.
When fasting Yeshua told us to wash our face and anoint our head in order to not let anybody know what we are doing and thus avoiding false pride.
The father also warned us through his prophets to fast in a righteous way. Staying away from food is not the only thing.
He says pure fasting is conducting the fast itself and also to change the heart whe doing so.
He says to liberate the captive and to help the poor etc.

Fasting is also one of the key medication for curing the body of the poison of sin.
When fasting you control your body and this will help you control the flesh in other areas as well.

Also fasting helps the body to restore. Since there is no food to digest the body has the opportunity to egest any toxics that might be in your body.

Fasting is both spiritually and physically a great thing and a tremendous way of serving god and if conducted correctly truly pleases him.

Shalom uvracha

[dodi]

Thank you for your response.

So, fasting is intaking no food and while doing so focusing wholly on God?
I've heard in the past that you can choose a particular food that you always like then not consume it for a period of time and that would be fasting or that one can choose a particular meal of the day (lunch, dinner, etc.). I guess this wouldn't be the case.

I also heard that one can supposedly fast by not doing a particular act (special hobby, watching TV, etc.). Is this true?

I've heard things off and on and I want to make sure to understand properly. There has been a lot in my life lately that is not going well at all and I keep getting the word fasting in my mind and I don't know for sure but I think I maybe being led to fast. But, since I don't understand the act completely I don't want to do it wrongly.

[lawrenceofisrael]

Staying away from Tv or else might help you to not get distracted but in general there´s no partiular point why one should do that.
But it can support the fasting and sometimes it is even better to seek a place of privacy and loneliness in order to focus on your relationship to yeshua and to really think about your life.

I alway enjoyed the holidays with my family in bavaria when i went from the farm where we stayed to a nearby meadow and i got the opportunity to feel the peace nature provides and to really calm down and relax. This world is beatiful isn´t it :-).
We know from several prophets that they sought refuge in a lonesome place. Yeshua spent his fasting time in the desert.
So all this help but isn´t necessary to conduct a fast.

Fasting is always a good way to meditate over one´s life.

I try to fast in case that i am alone at home for a few days so neither my parents nor my silblings can see me.

It has alway been a wonderful thing and i grew in faith and received power to stay away from sin.

Shalom