The truth of
fasting the bible way.
We
study from the KJV
INTRODUCTION
Praise God for full
and free salvation, another day in this present world
knowing that I please him, and ALL his blessings; which all
comes through Christ Jesus my Lord and saviour.
Dear reader, I know
that you have noticed that I have personalised Christ Jesus;
but I wish to remind you that if you are not saved yet God
is only your creator, but if you will seek him for the
redemption of your soul; you too can personalise him as your
Lord and saviour for then and only then will he be your
saviour.
Once
again dear reader, I wish to also remind you that in my
faithfulness in praying for my country and Island -you the
readers of Prophecy of the Remnant; are always added in my
fervent prayers.
God
does work in different ways to get his point across does he
not?
May I share a
little with you -day be-fore-yesterday I planned to make
yesterday a fast day; so I asked Father to remind me of my
plan in the morning, awaking early I was reminded, and about
seven thirty my helper brought me my usual cup of hot water
–which I drank three quarters of, and on placing the cup on
the table I was in spirit spoken to, as
Follows: “Weren’t you going to fast?
Well you can’t now you broke it by drinking that water.”
I then
lifted my voice to God asking him to forgive me for drinking
the water, and to please accept my fast.
After
praying I turned to look outside -still feeling guilty for
having drank the water; and just then, it was so plain,
Jesus spoke to my soul saying “ I only did without food when
I fasted in the desert; study and see that I was only
tempted by the enemy to turn stone into bread, not water.
I
thought on the way in which I was taught, learned, and
practised to fast from the time I first gave my life to
Jesus; but deep in my soul I knew there and then that Father
wanted me to study on this subject to day.
A short
while afterwards my husband brought me a glass of ice water;
this he did because he knew -when ever I fast I use ice
water to wash out my mouth.
The sight of the
water increased my thirst.
Minutes later I was
admonished in my spirit, that I could drink the water for it
would not hinder my fast; but I said to myself, “No I
must first see the truth of this from the scriptures.”
“Had
I been taught wrong all these years; or was all this just
another tricks of the enemy?
My thoughts continued.
I then turned to my dictionary and read
up on FASTING; closing it I continued to study, from the
Holy word of God.
I asked Father God for help in my
studying; as always, and I studied on this said subject for
hours; but before coming to the any decision, I was once
again spoken to in my spirit; that I could drink the water;
this time, I knew deep in my soul that the Holy Spirit was
speaking, and was answering my prayer on one of the things I
was then fasting about; and that was -that I would have a
keener ear to the voice of God.
I drank some of the ice water, and was
more at peace in fasting than I ever was; but of course I
had my past knowledge, and my humanity to still struggle
with; but I held on to the peace I knew that I had just
divinely received.
I guess that there are so many others
that were thought the same way –of when fasting one is to
abstain from water or any liquids as well as food.
Read with me II Timothy 3:
16-: 7. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness.
That
the man of God (person) may be perfect, thoroughly furnished
unto all good works.
And II
Timothy 2: 15 says – Study to show thy-self approved unto
God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.
I am persuaded that many more dear souls
have thought; and many have learned many things the wrong
way, which have held God’s people in such bondage.
I believe that for many different
reasons caused, and still causing this type of bondage; and
I will here mention seven of these reasons.
One
for the lack of knowledge of God’s
word,
The word says in Hos-4: 6...My people
are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Two,
just staying in the
frame of study
set out by their religion.
Isa
3: 12…. Oh my people, they, which
lead thee, cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy
path.
Thank God
for the faithful few.
Three,
Having too much pride to admit
that one is teaching wrong.
1John 2: 16,
.The pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the
world.
Heb- 5:
12 please read this from your Bible. I know that what is
stated in this verse is almost the100% cause for wrong
teaching.
Four
Many are flowering blindly those who are also blind to the
word of God.
Matt- 15: 14, and if the blind lead
the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Five
fearful or filled with pride to admit that one was taught
wrong.
Read 1 John
2: 16 again,
Six
totally
rejects to obtain the knowledge of God’s word.
Hos- 4: 6, because thou hast rejected
knowledge, I will also reject thee….
Seven
afraid to
change from their old ways of error,
Psa- 55: 19,
God shall here, Se-lah because they have no changes,
therefore they fear not God. Also read Jer- 48: 11,
Please note, I am not saying one
should change from the gospel of Christ, which is the only
gospel Christians have to live by; and neither am I saying
that this is what the Bible is saying.
I am saying as the word is
saying; change from error to truth.
Oh, that more of us would do in our
studying -what Jesus told his disciples one day on the bank
of the shore. “Cast your nets on the other side.”
Before going into the main study, let me
remind you dear reader; the word said, “My people are
destroyed Get your Bible, and let’s Study this lesson.
For lack of knowledge….” Hos. 4: 6.
Please read the rest of this scripture;
and see the danger in rejecting knowledge, which comes from
our contact with others and books; but for the desire to
hunger for knowledge comes only from God.
There is danger in rejecting knowledge.
Read Rom- 1: 28.
Please get your Bible.
FASTING
THE BIBLE WAY,
The statement in Neh- 9: 1-3 shows that
the physical nation of Israel when fasting they then wore
sack-clothes; and put the dirt of the earth upon their
bodies, separated themselves from all strangers, and
confessed their sins.
This fast followed the feast of
tabernacles.
Are we who are Christians -which is
Spiritual Israel today, held accountable to keep that kind
of feast, or that kind of fast?
No, Christ Jesus has set us free from
all these rituals.
You can also see a statement on
fasting in Psa- 35: 13, complies with Neh- 9: 1-3
Psa- 69: 10, states that when we fast we
punish (in our mind (soul) as well as our body) why? Our
mind sends the message of lack, or insufficiency to our
body.
Psa- 109: 24. Makes it clear that our
body can fail through fasting,
Jer- 36: 6, God said to the prophet
Jeremiah: read my words that you had written; to all the
people who would come out, on the day of fasting.
Can we read the word of God on the
fasting day in the Church buildings; or where ever people
are gathered for fasting?
Yes, thank God we can and we should
because what he speaks to one as a command he speaks to all;
we also should read it every day; for in so doing is one of
the ways by which Christians grow spiritually.
Thank God he is no respecter of person.
II Sam- 14: 14, & Act- 10: 34.
Dan- 6: 18, tells of the way King
Bel-shaz-zar fast when Daniel was in the Lions den.
Notice he fast at night, and also he had
no music played that night.
Evidently from the writings in the Bible,
back then Kings had feasts and music at nights.
If we ONLY fast at night do you think it
will be acceptable?
Do we not normally fast at night any way?
Can we have music when we fast, or should
we not have it? Notice from where the two are on the left
side; I have not given an answer from the Bible
Why? Because, the Bible have not
commanded us to do or not to do
Just as Daniel did as we can see in Dan-
9: 3, we too should seek God in supplication (ask
earnestly and humbly) and prayer.
Matt- 15: 32, (note verse 33- 38) Jesus
told his disciples that the multitude was with him for three
days; and had not eaten anything, and that he would not send
them away fasting, for if he did, they would faint in the
way.
Notice thus far none of the scriptures
have mentioned thirst, water, any drink, juice or wine.
In other words Jesus makes it clear that
fasting is doing without food.
See Mark 8: 3, (note verse 4-9) which
also states nothing about any type of liquid whatsoever.
Look at Matt- 17: 21, and then read verse
14 – 21. Which teaches us clearly; that before we try
attempting to cast out demon spirits we must fast and pray
Matt-17: 21 are backed up by Mark 9: 29.
Can old people fast? See Luke 2: 37
Fasting was accomplished by Anna, a prophetess who was
eighty-four years old; and we can do the same by the grace
of God, but as yet we have not seen any statement on any
type of liquids.
Acts 14: 23, Should we today fast and
pray before ordaining and commending elders as spoken here?
Before answering this please, take in
consideration that the apostles were left behind by Jesus to
preach the word in doctrine and also in all their
conversation. (Complete life style) Also look at Tit- 1:
5.
In the book of Acts chapter 27 from
verse 9- 44 we can read of one of brother Paul’s sea voyage;
please note verse 33- 35.
Notice again there is nothing stated on
abstinence of drinking of any liquids when fasting.
1Cor- 7: 5, Here, it is stated clear that
if one is married, when fasting; they must first get consent
from their husband or wife, to take time out to fast so they
don’t be cheated.
This is a must before beginning to fast;
need it be said here that one must not have sex while
fasting?
Ministers must fast too; see II Cor- 4-5.
In the book of Jonah 3: is the beginning
of the story of Jonah’s message to the city of Nineveh.
Verse 7 of Jonah 3 states where the King
of Nineveh made a proclamation for a fast of repentance;
after Jonah delivered the message God had given him.
In this fast which the king included
himself; he said, that man, and beast, were to put on
sackcloth, and that they were to have nothing to eat or
water to drink.
This fast also included their flock; but
all the people were to pray mightily unto God in repentance
of their sins.
One can’t use one scripture to support a
point in doctrine.
True Doctrine must be built on the strong
foundation of line upon line, and precept upon precept a
little here and a little there. Isa- 28: 9, 10.
This sinful King of Nineveh adding to
their fast abstinence from water as well as food.
Abstinence from water when fasting; was
not commanded by Jesus or the apostles, therefore, we do not
have to abstain form water when we fast; but if we do, I
would say we will not sin in so doing because again, the
word of God does not say do or don’t.
II Cor- 11: 27 from the scriptures some
say is the proof that we have to do without water when
fasting; but I would beseech you dear reader in obeying II
Tim- 2: 15 let’s look at the punctuations in this verse.
Look from verse 23-27 and we will see
that Brother Paul talking about some of the things he went
through for the gospel sake.
Note verse 27, (1) In weariness
and painfulness, (2)
In watching often, (3) in hunger
and thirst, (4) in
fasting often, (5.) in cold
and nakedness.
Notice that there is no conjunction
that connects thirst and fasting; look what the AND
connects, read it from your Bible and see the use of the
commas.
Matt- 4: 1-4, (note verse 3, and the
tempter came to him, he said, if thou be the Son of God,
command that these stones
be made bread.
Here the enemy of our souls tempted Jesus
to make bread; note, he did not say any thing about water.
But he (Jesus) answered and said,
it is written, Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Notice Jesus did not mention anything
about water either.
There are two definitions to the meaning
of fasting and they are: ONE, to abstain from food.
TWO: to eat sparingly or abstain from
some foods.
For health (i.e.) weight loss and the
like we can fast as stated in # TWO.
In Lev-16: 29 also mention a fast on a
month, and a day; this month and day fast were for the
children of Israel, as they were under the old dispensation.
For further explanation on this scripture
you may see Mathew Henry Commentary.
One thing in this verse is good for us to
practise, if we can do it -when fasting and that is to
abstain from work for the sake of our health.
I Cor- 7: 5 coordinate with Lev- 16: 29.
To fast the Bible way, or when seeking
God we fast as stated in # ONE,
When fasting we are commanded to anoint
or head and wash our face. Matt- 6: 17.
So how do we that are under the new
dispensation fast?
1. If married, get consent from our
companions, to take time off from our relationship to fast.
2. Abstain
from all food.
3. Pray
earnestly and humbly.
4.
Anoint our head and wash our face.
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© Corine V. Solomon 2007
