May 2020
In everything we do, we should look for our best example, and of course I'm talking about Jesus. Lately, though I've thought a lot about this passage... Jn 14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? The Words that I speak to you I do not speak of Myself, but the Father who dwells in Me, He does the works. In other words, God the Father did the works through Jesus, so I think that's the best example to follow, sit back & see the Spirit of God work through us.
So Jesus started his ministry with 40 days of fasting. Mat 4:1-2 In a way He fasted for us, as the other great things He did for us, we were baptized with Him, died & rose from the dead with Him, etc. Rom 6:4,6,8, Col 2:12-13,
Mar 2:18-20 The disciples of John and those of the Pharisees were fasting. And they came and said to Him, Why do John's disciples and those of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast? And Jesus said to them, Can the sons of the bride chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast in those days.
Jesus fasted and said that we, his disciples, would also fast, however, he said that his disciples would do that when the bridegroom is taken from them. Well, we can rejoice that the bridegroom lives inside of us now. Interesting point to think about.
It is also interesting to note that there is no exhortation to fast in any of the letters of the Apostles in all the New Testament.
We find in the book of Acts 13 that the disciples were fasting and praying when they received a command from the Spirit to sent Paul & Barnabas to the mission field.
We also see that fasting is always to help us to give ourselves to prayer.
When we want to devote ourselves fully to prayer, to have more time to focus in the Spirit of God, we fast, because all the time we would use in cooking, eating, and cleaning up afterwards, etc., we devote it all in focusing fully in Him.
Fasting, besides being recommended to help us detoxify our physical bodies, mainly serves to help us practice overcoming our fleshly nature, reminding our physical body and soul, that it is the Spirit within us that governs our being and that although our body maybe asking us to go and eat out loud, we who belong to God, have decided not to eat, period. Our flesh & soul is forced to yield to the Spirit, and that also helps us to overcome our carnal mind when it wants us to doubt the powerful promises has has given to us in His Word, and through the Spirit we're mortifying the deeds of our flesh.
Rom 8:11-14 But if the Spirit of the One who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised up Christ from the dead shall also make your mortal bodies alive by His Spirit who dwells in you. Therefore, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die. But if you through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
This passage illustrates to us that by the Spirit we mortify the deeds of the body.
Therefore, fasting can strengthen our whole being, in certain cases, as at times it is important that we spend more time in prayer and meditation.
We also have the example of the disciples in the book of Acts, where we find that at certain important times they included fasting in their times of prayer and seeking guidance.
Act 13:2-3 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said: So, then, separate Barnabas and Saul to Me for the work to which I have called them. 3 Then having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they let them go.
Fasting should not only mean refraining from eating food, but also in getting away from any activity that would prevent us from focusing in the Lord & having fellowship with Him, like reading books, magazines, radio, TV, movies etc. of the world.
And fast... for how long? As long as the Spirit of God in us inspires us to do so; Setting aside one day of the week to fast can be a good habit, but always as the Lord leads as well.
As for fasting talking about food, sometimes we can, depending on our physical state, fast on solid foods and just drink water, or liquids, of course, fasting always excludes alcoholic beverages.
We can fast on our own, but sometimes it is good to be able to fast with a friend, family or community. It is good for children to participate after 12 years of age, if they want to, and they could drink liquids, juices, smoothies, etc.
What not to do when fasting.
Mat 6:16-18 And when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, of a sad face. For they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to men to fast. Truly I say to you, They have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to fast, but to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.
We must watch out with our "flesh", because it is very easy to think that because we are fasting we have become spiritually purer or that we are better than others, and that these works bring us closer to God, and therefore we conquered certain rights with God, the same can happen with any other "good work". Which is falling into "religiosity" and in our own self-righteousness, and those kinds of feelings, are the ones God likes the least.
The important thing is to always be aware that it is the Spirit of God in us that motivates us to do the works of God, therefore all the glory belongs to God, and that the reason why we have the power to do those works, is because God is in us, and not that works can bring us closer to God, how can we get closer to the one that already lives within us?
Rom 8:5-8 For they who live according to the flesh, mind the things of flesh, but they who live according to the Spirit, mind the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can it be. So then they who live in the flesh cannot please God.
Many people think that to live according to the flesh has to do primarily with lust, but the strongest inclination of the flesh is to be admired for its own merits, not God's.
That's why people who are not yet born again through a personal encounter with Jesus, but practice a religion including "Christianity", get carried away by the inclinations of the flesh and become self-righteous and begin to condemn others, because they feel that they are better than others, because through their own will power they manage to control their carnal impulses, and this, instead of bringing them closer to God, only brings them closer to their own ego.
Now, when we understand that all that we are and have was given to us by grace, meaning "free", we can't boast about anything, but humbly acknowledge that we owe it all to God and then help others to see what they could have if they come to God, and let it be Him who transforms them and works through them.
There are people who think that if they spend some time fasting, God has to answer their prayers because of their personal sacrifice or their dedication. Friends, that is called religion, our good works are not pleasing to God, the only thing that moves the Hand of God is the faith we have in His promises because of Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross on our behalf. It is what Jesus did on the cross that makes us righteous and nothing we have done or can do.
2Cor 5:21 For our sake He made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
The best definition of “Fast” given by God Himself...
Isa 58:1-11“Cry aloud, don’t spare. Lift up your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways. As a nation that did righteousness, and didn’t forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments. They delight to draw near to God.
‘Why have we fasted,’ say they, ‘and you don’t see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t notice?’ “Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and oppress all your laborers. Behold, you fast for strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. You don’t fast today so as to make your voice to be heard on high. Is this the fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to humble his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under himself? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Yahweh? “Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light will break out as the morning, and your healing will appear quickly; then your righteousness shall go before you; and Yahweh’s glory will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and Yahweh will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away from among you the yoke, finger pointing, and speaking wickedly; and if you pour out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then your light will rise in darkness, and your obscurity will be as the noonday; and Yahweh will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters don’t fail.
That one is the best definition of "fasting" in the Bible. In other words, spend time helping those around you who need help, this is the best fast we can do.
Read this passage a couple of times and you will understand that the most important thing is to love our neighbor.
Blessings... Alejandro
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