1. Perhaps the main reason why we should fast is because
Jesus, our Redeemer, placed a fast upon all of us.
Matt. 9:15 “And Jesus
said unto them, Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the
bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be
taken from them, then shall they fast.” We therefore are to fast to carry on the
works for the kingdom that Jesus started by His fastings and prayers.
2. We should fast because fasting was a part and parcel of
the life of our Lord, Jesus Christ
(Matt. 4:1,2; Jn.
6:27) and He urged us to follow Him. (Luk. 9:23)
3. Jesus taught fasting as one of the four foundations of
the Christian faith. These foundations are: giving, praying, fasting and faith.
Please study Matt. 6)
4. Paul was “in fasting often”
(2 Cor. 11:27 ) He
instructed us to be “…approving ourselves as the ministers of God (among others
things)…in fastings” (2 Cor. 6:5)
5. Every single person in the early church fasted.
(Acts 14:23) We
therefore are not to do less.
6. Fasting enables one to become a conductor of spiritual
power for either blessing others or for bringing blessing to himself.
7. Proper fasting with sincerity and respect to the Lord
will positively break the yokes of sin, sickness and spiritual oppression
8. Fasting becomes prayer to the praying Christian. When
unable to pray (like David,) it enables one to be so anointed that his prayer
reaches through to God.
Ps. 35:13: “I humbled
my soul with fasting and my prayer returned unto my bosom.”
9. Fasting intensifies the power of prayer many times so
that even short prayers bring results.
10. Fasting reaches and obtains what prayer alone cannot,
because it removes unbelief. (Matt. 17:20, 21.)
11. Fasting brings one into direct contact with unbelief, so
that it can be removed. Unbelief can never be fully apprehended until one fast
from ten to forty days.
12. Fasting is the greatest faith producer because the
fasting and the faith organ are one and the same-the mouth organ. (Rom. 10:9,
10)
13. Fasting is more closely related to faith than any other
Christian work, and in fact is the very gateway to trust and have faith in God
after conversion. However, because it is little taught about and understood,
folk fail to realize its value. (Here we are dealing with consecrated fasting)
14. Fasting will bring about word-faith power.
(Lk. 4:2, 32, 36)
Jesus’ “word” was not “with power” until after His fast.
15. Fasting will “BLITZKRIEG” the devil. (See above
scriptures)
16. Fasting masters the old man, subjugating the flesh, (1
Cor. 9:27) and is mortification of the flesh and members. (Col. 3:5)
17. Fasting pleases the Spirit. The flesh and the Spirit are
at enmity with each other.
18. Fasting is the most sure spiritual method to bring a
revival. A revival begins in our heart first, then one comes about in the
community. Souls become saved.
19. Fasting enables one to transcend the natural and takes
one quickly into the spiritual realm. We may become so personal and intimate
with Jesus that we smell His body. He is a sweet smelling savor.
PLEASE FOLLOW THIS PAGE FOR MORE GOSPEL
20. Fasting brings one nearer to Christ than any other known
process. It enables one to become clothed with the full Baptism of the Holy
Ghost and with Fire. (Please see Ex. 14; 34:27-35; Deut. 34:7; Is. 58:1-10;
60:1-5, 21, 23; 61:10; Matt. 3:11, 12)
21. There is more judgment pronounced upon those given to
food addiction than to alcoholic drunkards (in the Bible). Sin is sin whether
it comes under the good name of “food” or under some more insidious term.
(Please study Num. 11: 9-34; Ps. 78; Matt. 24:38; Lk. 21:34; and Rom. 16:17,
18) Most Christians are unknowingly bound to the sin of “habit hunger”
(actually food addiction). A protracted fast will break this yoke in as little
as three days’ time, and will keep an individual free with temperate eating.
22. Fasting will undo all sins of intemperance (after Jesus’
blood has first washed away our sins)
23. Fasting will crucify the flesh and all unnatural desires
associated with lusts of any appetite gratification.
24. Fasting can be self-chastisement, and will prevent many
chastisements of the Lord from coming upon us (1 Kings 21:25-29; Jonah 3: 5-10)
25. Fasting is the easiest way for backsliders to come home.
(Study David’s fasts.) Refer to Psalms 35:13; 109:24.
26. Fasting places our natural appetites into a dormant
condition, thus physical pleasures are not enjoyed while our flesh becomes
sublimated. With pleasurable appetites static, God can come near us and we near
Him.
27. Fasting thus changes one’s environment from the natural
to the spiritual. A revival comes about inside us, along with the proper
burdens that we should carry for others.
28. Fasting will change a life of defeat into one of victory
and will bring healing and new life to both body and soul.
29. Fasting, when properly entered into, is the surest
method of consecration and sanctification.
30. Fasting develops the fruit of the Spirit and enables one
to grow into maturity, with matured fruit.
31. Proper fasting will help one to receive spiritual gifts.
Most Christians, like the children of Israel, are wasting forty years of their
lifetime (even with speaking in tongues) without deeper spiritual gift
manifestations and without the fruit of the Spirit, just because they fail to
fast as they should. (Please study Deut. 8:2, 3; Dan 1:3-17)
32. Fasting consumes and burns out the very roots of fleshly
lusts.
33. Fasting brings one into the misery and sufferings of the
fleshly nature in such a manner that he can see himself in the same light that
Jesus sees him. He realizes his nakedness (Rev. 3:17) so he begins to be
clothed with power, receiving the more complete baptism into the Holy Ghost
healing Fire.
34. Fasting gives the child of God spiritual manifestations
in a tangible manner. The absence of the natural menu prepares his appetite for
the “Hidden (Supernatural) Manna” (Jn. 4:32, 34; 6:27-58; Rev. 2:17)
35. Fasting always brings revelations and better
understanding of the Spirit. Sometimes visions and unspeakable glory will be
attained and manifested. (Dan. 10:2-21; Acts 10: 9-16)
36. Fasting will always enable one to obtain the direction
and anointing needed for the work to which he is called.
37. Fasting enlarges our capacity. Many of us have only a
thimble-size capacity. We might be full at times, but how full? Shouting and
spiritual emotion do not always indicate how large our capacities are. A person
may be running over with only a thimble-size capacity. Fasting will give a
well-size or even unlimited capacity to enjoy the riches of heaven,
immortality, glory, honor, and power. (Refer to Jn. 3:34; Eph. 4:13. )
38. Fasting and its related terms of expression are
mentioned one third as many times in the Bible as prayer. To every two sermons
you hear preached on prayer, you should hear a third on fasting. The author
asks the reader this question: How many times has he ever heard a sermon on
fasting in his lifetime? It is truly deplorable that such a major doctrine in
both Old and New Testaments has been so neglected, ignored, and disrespected.
39. The Lord places a definite fast on the children of
Israel (Deut. 6:11, 12; 8:3, 12-14, etc.) in order that their unbelief
environment, acquired in the land of Egypt, could be broken, and they could
more speedily enter into the Promised Land. Because they rejected these fasting
their few days journey was drawn out to 40 years. We should take heed to this
sad lesson and hasten to fast, so we may enter into the promises that the Lord
has waiting for us. ( Jn. 11:24-26; 2 Tim. 1:10; 1 Jn 2:25. )
40. Jesus is very much pleased when we come to Him in this
consecrated manner. As we free ourselves from the natural we exalt Him to the
highest. Don’t worry; you will be rewarded a thousand times.
We have just touched briefly upon some of the spiritual
reasons why we should fast. Please remember that in the above statements, we
are referring only to the consecration fast, one which is dedicated to the
Lord.
THE 40 PHYSICAL HEALTH REASONS
( See Isaiah 58 )
We are again discussing why we should fast, only this time
we are considering the subject from the scientific physical standpoint instead
of the spiritual. Bear in mind that any person, saved or unsaved, can receive
the secondary physical blessings of fasting, but only the consecrated child of
God can receive the full spiritual blessings.
When we go into food abstention, we give the stomach a
vacation and vacate into the Spirit. The tabernacle of the Holy Spirit then
goes into house cleaning. Cleanliness is next to godliness. Nothing can cleanse
up the house of the Holy Spirit more effectively and quickly than giving the
stomach a holiday.
If the physical benefits were all that were received, they
would be worth fasting for, and people would live 25 to 35 years longer
(according to some authorities.) Many of God’s people are committing “slow
suicide” by being continually on a three meal a day stuffing habit, not
satisfied with stuffing God and faith out of their lives, but stuffing out
their own life years ahead of time as well. They stuff health out and invite
diseases and demons in. After wearing out one set of teeth digging themselves
to the grave, many secure another set to finish digging with. Food addicts abound
in the church.
Food addiction or food drunkenness is as harmful to the
temple of the Holy Spirit as other types of addiction. Please see Ps. 78 for
proof of this.
We shall consider some of the physical reasons “Why to Fast”
–believe it or not:
41. Fasting is the greatest curative agency known.
42. Fasting is the quickest curative agency known.
43. When you feed a diseased body you feed the disease;
fasting starves the disease.
44. Fasting rids the body of practically all the unwanted
poisonous filth of auto-intoxication.
45. Fasting purifies the blood stream.
46. Fasting improves the circulation. It even cleanses the blood
vessels so that the blood circulates all through vessels that may have
heretofore been choked up. A blood transfusion comes automatically about.
47. Fasting rests the heart, improves health and helps the
body overcome heart troubles.
48. Fasting conserves energy. Sick people cannot get well
unless there is a conservation of energy. Many times food will destroy or waste
what little energy a sick individual has.
49. Fasting gives the overworked stomach a vacation as well
as nearly all other parts of the body.
50. Fasting rapidly removes the cause of many diseases.
Oftentimes the very diseases itself is turned into food fuel for its own
destruction, any value in it being utilized for nourishment.
51. Fasting will cure 99% of functional ailments.
52. Fasting quickly heals simple diseases such as boils,
skin blemishes, indigestion, dyspepsia, constipation (although at first the
fast seems to aggravate the condition) rheumatism, fever, asthma, change of
life and irregular periodical functions in females, restoring to normal and
healing other diseases. Major fasting will also cure most other major diseases
caused by impurities in the system.
53. Fasting improves the mental faculties, making it easier
to think, study, remember and concentrate.
(During some parts of the fast, this may not always be
true.)
54. Fasting eradicates mucous, stringy, ropey fecal material
and floating food particles within the body.
55. After ten or fifteen days of fasting the individual
usually becomes stronger, physically day by day, after the initial cleansing of
the body takes place.
56. The headache generally felt while fasting is a sure
indication that you should fast.
57. Fasting will remove ordinary headaches and the coffee or
caffeine headache, along with the over-use of coffee or any other abnormal
habits.
58. Fasting will also eradicate tobacco, drug and drinking
habits in as little as three days, water only taken during the fast, with
temperate eating habits after the fast. The roots of these habits are embedded
within the stomach. Fasting consumes these very roots, banishing addiction.
59. A person cannot starve while fasting. Only the things
that are not needed within the body are used. Some of these are poisonous,
contaminated, rotten food particles that have been on the walls of the stomach
for months. Some doctors have said that dehydrated food and even worms were
found impacted on the walls of the intestinal tract for more than 15 years.
This very condition invites disease and demons, and with fasting they are
starved out.
60. Fasting is the greatest natural youth restorer known. It
beautifies the complexion.
61. Regular fasting prolongs life from twenty to forty
years, depending on how much and how properly the fasts are entered into.
62. Fasting will remove tumors as large as watermelons, also
ulcers, cancer and goiters, and will revitalize the glands.
63. The weakness felt while fasting generally disappears
after the worst poisons and pollutions are removed by the house cleaning
process. ( This weakness is caused by rubbish and poisons being stirred within
the body.)
64. Fasting after two weeks, more or less, causes the breath
that was foul during the first of the fast to become clean and pure like that
of a child.
65. Fasting removes bad tastes from the mouth.
66. Fasting will so purify the skin that often the
complexion becomes rosy and like a young person’s.
67. The older a person becomes the more often he should
fast, though shorter fasts should be taken. No one is too old to fast. In fact,
the older one is, the less food is required. History and the Bible show us that
men and women who fasted the most lived the longest. Study the lives of Moses,
Elijah, and Anna the prophetess. These individuals were likewise the most
spiritual.
68. Fasting helps us to overcome many bad habits.
69. Fasting develops patience, aids temperance and enables
one to have proper spiritual growth as well as physical prosperity.
70. Fasting overcomes and aids in the prevention of disease.
71. Fasting draws the intestinal tract up and into its
normal size and overcomes and prevents colitis and piles.
72. Fasting restores a natural, normal appetite ( after the
fast is broken properly. )
73. Thin persons might not realize that they need to fast,
in some cases even more than a heavy person. The reason is very simple. The
thin individual has so many times overworked his organs by overeating, that he
is incapable of putting on weight. I have seen many an underweight person fast
from two to three weeks and weigh more after breaking the fast properly than he
weighed before fasting. A heavy person usually is in good enough health so that
his organs should not put on weight. However, one should not in any case be a
glutton.
74. Fasting is a normalizing agent: It will help to restore
weight to underweight folk and aid in preventing excessive weight on overweight
folk.
75. Fasting will aid in cases of insomnia. At first an
automatic blood transfusion is set up within the body by the blood remaining
from the weight that is lost. This excess blood goes through the body to bathe
the organs and it enters the head causing sleeplessness for a time. Later on,
and after the fast, one finds rest and sleep easier and more refreshing.
76. Excess starches and sweets cause the body to be
converted into an alcohol factory. This in turn causes habit hunger ( lust
hunger ) which is entirely different from true hunger. There are perhaps more
people bound to this habit than there are to the drinking habit. The former is
about as difficult to break. Jesus classifies it as just as much of a sin as
the drink habit. (Luke 21:34)
77. Fasting will undo the hunger habit of lust and will
prevent folk from being drunk on food. Actually, when folk have great
difficulty in fasting, they are under bondage to the food addiction habit in
the same manner as those who are under alcohol, drug, tobacco or other types of
bondages. Fasting only a few days can break the bondage of food addiction.
78. Fasting aids and improves our sight, hearing, taste,
touch, and smell. All sense faculties are benefited.
79. Fasting should be frequent, to clean and keep clean the
temple and home of the Holy Spirit and to keep from food addiction habits.
80. Fasting seems to take one into a different world. It is
wonderful to taste and experience. It makes for better harmony for the person,
his family, friends and community. Couples having family difficulties and
discord oftentimes come together in a new understanding, with new love and
success after a major fast. (See 1 Cor. 7.)
WARNING: Please do not attempt a long fast without first
having complete information as to the proper procedure of breaking into eating
again. Consecrated Bible fasting is not harmful, but the way and manner of
starting in to eat again can prove detrimental and the physical benefits
received may be undone if too much is eaten, too soon. Satan tempted the Lord
to eat after His fast.
We also may be tempted to overeat right after a major fast
Please leave a comment to encourage our community
Pastor T Mhlanga
Comments
Post a Comment