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Fasting

  • March 17, 2022 10:43 AM EDT

    Hello,

    I'm not too sure this will get seen. I noticed the last post here was quite a while ago. I have a question that is 'eating' away at me (no pun intended on the eating part.) With regard to fasting, how do I know when the Lord is calling me to fast, or if it's just me saying I'm not going to eat today? Also, lately, the questions I have are like a cloud following me around. I feel confused about its purpose, how to do it, when to do it? Should I fast from a food, an activity, should it be for a meal, a day? When I fast, do I have to be consciously engaged in spiritual activities like praying and reading the word strictly, or can I be at work fasting while working and interacting with customers? The longer I wrestle with these questions the guiltier I feel because I'm not doing it or doing it for the right purposes. I'm ready to throw up my hands and just say forget the whole thing.

    If you are wondering why I am having all these confusing thoughts, it's because I was taught that we didn't have to fast as New Testament believers. I am now learning that fasting is still something we need to do. Is 'need' even the right word here? Can anyone relate or help? I did listen to Pastor Dion's series on fasting, but I think I will need to revisit it until I understand. Thank you.

    Thank you~ Christine


    This post was edited by Christine Scalise at March 17, 2022 10:44 AM EDT
    • Moderator
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    April 1, 2022 7:22 AM EDT

    Hi Christine! I just saw this post. The forum isn't used very much. We are doing an April corporate fast together and discussing topics like this in the Ministry Events group. When fasting, you carry on your normal life while at work but skip lunch. Spend the extra time praying and listening to / or reading the Bible if possible. Yet, fasting is like a continuous prayer before God without praying. Your faith is demonstrated by your actions. Fasting can also take many forms and any duration. Always leave room for the Holy Spirit to guide you.

    • Moderator
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    April 1, 2022 7:27 AM EDT

    Also, the Ministry Events group is here:  https://www.refreshinghope.org/group/30/ministry-events

     

  • April 5, 2022 9:23 AM EDT

    Pastor Dion, 

    Thank you! Your reply was ever so timely. I have wrestled all last night and today with my continuation to fast. I was just telling God this morning that I'm a fasting failure. I'm new to fasting and suffer from digestive issues, so I'm doing a partial fast to start with- No food from 6:pm until 3:pm the next day, 3 days a week. (That can change as the Holy Spirit leads me). While I'm at work during the day, I don't have a predictable schedule that allows me to stop and pray or read the word when I'm fasting. I fit it in as I can. I was feeling terribly guilty for this. My only set times uninterrupted with the Lord are in the wee hours of the morning before work when I set that time aside to spend it with the Lord and the time right before bed. Of course, I talk to the Lord all day, but I somehow thought with fasting it was supposed to be more structured. I'm crying as I type this. Mostly from relief. I was honestly feeling like quitting. Your encouragement to me - letting me know that my fasting itself is a prayer, blessed me tremendously.  Thank you for the encouragement to continue. God bless you & Sylvia and RHM ~ Christine 

    • Moderator
    • 137 posts
    April 5, 2022 9:50 AM EDT

    Hi Christine, if you wish, join us in the ministry events group for April corporate fast and we will get through this together. For us, we have found fresh juice fasting works well for a long fast in our 50s and allows us to have enough strength to continue working. It's also very healthy and brings your cholesterol, blood pressure, and sodium levels down. It "resets" our diet. Though we have fasted so many ways over the years. :).

  • April 5, 2022 11:58 AM EDT

    Thank you, Pastor Dion! I am a participant of the group and thank you for the info on the juices. I'm familiar with juicing, I have been doing it over the last 45 years (yes, I'm old) for my digestive issues. I'll incorporate that into my fast. smile