"Fasting" - your experiences?

[me_again]

**Disclaimer: If you are equating fasting with dieting and weight loss, then please hit the back button and please do not read any further. **

Do you fast for the Lord Jesus and if so:
(1) What is your fasting regimen?
(2) What kind of goals or intentions do you have for fasting?
(3) How many years have you been fasting and what prompted you to start fasting?
(4) What results have you achieved from fasting, if any?

It’s interesting that Jesus said, “…when you fast…” (Matt. 6:16). Jesus didn’t say, “…if you fast…” but He said “when” you fast. The implication is that fasting is something that His disciples will do.

There is an incident in the book of Mark where a father complained to Jesus that His disciples could not cast a demon out of his son. Jesus explained that “…some kind come not out but by prayer and fasting…” (Mark 9:29). The book of Matthew describes the inability of the disciples to cast the demon out because of “a lack of faith” (Matt. 17:19-20). Subsequently, it appears that spiritual authority (at least in the above case) is connected to THE BIG THREE: PRAYER, FASTING AND FAITH.

Last Lent (nine months ago), I vowed to give up beer for one year and to go on a one-day water fast every week for the rest of my life until I stand before the Lord Jesus e.g. begin the fast on Tuesday at 9:00 PM and end it sometime on Thursday afternoon (about 36 hours). The fast is broken with vegetable juice because it eases the body back into eating with the least amount of shock.

What are your spiritual, mental, emotional and physical experiences with fasting?

 

[Robert_Sock]

I just started fasting about a month or two ago, but I used to do this way back in the 1990s. Last week I did not do it because I was going to contemplate God with all my mind and strength instead, but it did not go too well. Today I’m back to fasting. I’m on medication that is well known for increasing one’s appetite, so the fast is especially hard for me. I’m doing it in hope that it will help compensate for all the sins I have committed and feel deep remorse for. I usually try to fast (no food) for 36 hours, but I allow myself plenty of coffee. I do feel closer to God when I make sacrifices to please Him, including fasting. I never vow to God that I will fast, but just that I will do it the best that I can. If I feel myself becoming faint, I would break my fast. I do not broadcast my fasts, but here on CAF things are anonymous and hopefully efficacious to others.

In Judaism it is believed that David became truly righteous through fasting (crushing what certain Jews believe is the animal soul, thus allowing the divine soul to guide a person). I’m not Jewish, but I believe this to contain truth, and these two souls closely resemble what Freud called the id and superego. According to these Jews, personality (and the sense of “self?”) arises from the animal soul. With the animal soul annihilated, one is better able to become united with God, something Catholics mystics, like Saint John of the Cross, refer to as infused contemplation.

I’m afraid that the value of spiritual discipline is missing in the average Catholic. Merely going to church each Sunday is not enough as far as I’m concerned, but I do believe God can bestow His grace as He pleases, and so maybe the average Catholic is highly blessed in other ways than He does me. In any event, I feel myself called to obtain spiritual discipline, which right now includes fasting and contemplative prayer.

LOVE!

 

[OurLadysServant]

Hello Friend
Did you know that vows made to God are binding? I emailed some priests about this and was told God takes our vows seriously
You have to go to confession and ask the priest to release you from your vows made to God to fast, (if you do not think you can keep it up exactly as you vowed). Also: a person should not make any serious life change without asking permission from a priest in confession (a holy priest, because they really need to be able to give you the Lord’s direction).

Apparently I read that the Didache (rules written by the apostles themselves) stated that all early Christians of that time were told to fast on Wednesday and Fridays.

Disclaimer: If you are equating fasting with dieting and weight loss, then please hit the back button and please do not read any further.

Do you fast for the Lord Jesus and if so:
(1) What is your fasting regimen?
(2) What kind of goals or intentions do you have for fasting?
(3) How many years have you been fasting and what prompted you to start fasting?
(4) What results have you achieved from fasting, if any?

It’s interesting that Jesus said, “…when you fast…” (Matt. 6:16). Jesus didn’t say, “…if you fast…” but He said “when” you fast. The implication is that fasting is something that His disciples will do.

There is an incident in the book of Mark where a father complained to Jesus that His disciples could not cast a demon out of his son. Jesus explained that “…some kind come not out but by prayer and fasting…” (Mark 9:29). The book of Matthew describes the inability of the disciples to cast the demon out because of “a lack of faith” (Matt. 17:19-20). Subsequently, it appears that spiritual authority (at least in the above case) is connected to THE BIG THREE: PRAYER, FASTING AND FAITH.

Last Lent (nine months ago), I vowed to give up beer for one year and to go on a one-day water fast every week for the rest of my life until I stand before the Lord Jesus e.g. begin the fast on Tuesday at 9:00 PM and end it sometime on Thursday afternoon (about 36 hours). The fast is broken with vegetable juice because it eases the body back into eating with the least amount of shock.

What are your spiritual, mental, emotional and physical experiences with fasting?

 

[tskrobacz]

I fast sporadically throughout the year. No food for 24-40 hours (I do allow fluids). I have always found this to be a graced form of prayer. Inevitably I receive an insight or an awareness from the fast on an issue I have been struggling with.

 

[OurLadysServant]

I’ve been to Medjugorje three times. The pope has said it’s a worthy place of pilgrimage and the Vatican has sent a commission to test are the apparitions authentic. I believe the are, although I humbly await the church’s stance. Our Lady has said: ‘The western world has forgotten fasting. Through prayer and fasting miracles can happen, one can suspend the laws of nature and even cause changes in Heaven itself.’ (I’m presuming the changes in heaven would be souls living or in purgatory who get into heaven as a result of this sacrafice.) other quotes are that: ‘Prayer strengthens your fasting and fasting strengthens your prayer.’ ‘one who prays is not afraid of the future and one who fasts is not afraid of the devil .’
Our Lady asked the whole world to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. She said a fast could be to give up something that is pleasing to you, even to turn off the tv, not smoke.
She told them the best fast was on bread and water.

Although one of the visionaries said they found it easier just to drink lots of water for the day.

I believe that one needs a holy priest spiritual director to guide anyone through this, they need to correct a person of they are doing too much harm to their body or job by fasting, or encourage them to fast in a small way like no tv or chocolate if God is not calling them to austerity.

QUOTE=me again;12474061]**Disclaimer: If you are equating fasting with dieting and weight loss, then please hit the back button and please do not read any further. **

Do you fast for the Lord Jesus and if so:
(1) What is your fasting regimen?
(2) What kind of goals or intentions do you have for fasting?
(3) How many years have you been fasting and what prompted you to start fasting?
(4) What results have you achieved from fasting, if any?

It’s interesting that Jesus said, “…when you fast…” (Matt. 6:16). Jesus didn’t say, “…if you fast…” but He said “when” you fast. The implication is that fasting is something that His disciples will do.

There is an incident in the book of Mark where a father complained to Jesus that His disciples could not cast a demon out of his son. Jesus explained that “…some kind come not out but by prayer and fasting…” (Mark 9:29). The book of Matthew describes the inability of the disciples to cast the demon out because of “a lack of faith” (Matt. 17:19-20). Subsequently, it appears that spiritual authority (at least in the above case) is connected to THE BIG THREE: PRAYER, FASTING AND FAITH.

Last Lent (nine months ago), I vowed to give up beer for one year and to go on a one-day water fast every week for the rest of my life until I stand before the Lord Jesus e.g. begin the fast on Tuesday at 9:00 PM and end it sometime on Thursday afternoon (about 36 hours). The fast is broken with vegetable juice because it eases the body back into eating with the least amount of shock.

What are your spiritual, mental, emotional and physical experiences with fasting?

 

[thequeen]

I do not fast because I have been a type 1 diabetic since the age age of eight.

 

[OurLadysServant]

If you read any testimonies of catholic exorcists or those in the deliverance ministry they say they need to fast before praying deliverance prayers over people. Because of Jesus line in the bible, ‘This spirit could not be cast out except by prayer and fasting.’ Proving in the cases of demonic oppression that fasting is an effective tool over the evil spirit.

OTE=OurLadysServant;12474245]I’ve been to Medjugorje three times. The pope has said it’s a worthy place of pilgrimage and the Vatican has sent a commission to test are the apparitions authentic. I believe the are, although I humbly await the church’s stance. Our Lady has said: ‘The western world has forgotten fasting. Through prayer and fasting miracles can happen, one can suspend the laws of nature and even cause changes in Heaven itself.’ (I’m presuming the changes in heaven would be souls living or in purgatory who get into heaven as a result of this sacrafice.) other quotes are that: ‘Prayer strengthens your fasting and fasting strengthens your prayer.’ ‘one who prays is not afraid of the future and one who fasts is not afraid of the devil .’
Our Lady asked the whole world to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. She said a fast could be to give up something that is pleasing to you, even to turn off the tv, not smoke.
She told them the best fast was on bread and water.

Although one of the visionaries said they found it easier just to drink lots of water for the day.

I believe that one needs a holy priest spiritual director to guide anyone through this, they need to correct a person of they are doing too much harm to their body or job by fasting, or encourage them to fast in a small way like no tv or chocolate if God is not calling them to austerity.

QUOTE=me again;12474061]**Disclaimer: If you are equating fasting with dieting and weight loss, then please hit the back button and please do not read any further. **

Do you fast for the Lord Jesus and if so:
(1) What is your fasting regimen?
(2) What kind of goals or intentions do you have for fasting?
(3) How many years have you been fasting and what prompted you to start fasting?
(4) What results have you achieved from fasting, if any?

It’s interesting that Jesus said, “…when you fast…” (Matt. 6:16). Jesus didn’t say, “…if you fast…” but He said “when” you fast. The implication is that fasting is something that His disciples will do.

There is an incident in the book of Mark where a father complained to Jesus that His disciples could not cast a demon out of his son. Jesus explained that “…some kind come not out but by prayer and fasting…” (Mark 9:29). The book of Matthew describes the inability of the disciples to cast the demon out because of “a lack of faith” (Matt. 17:19-20). Subsequently, it appears that spiritual authority (at least in the above case) is connected to THE BIG THREE: PRAYER, FASTING AND FAITH.

Last Lent (nine months ago), I vowed to give up beer for one year and to go on a one-day water fast every week for the rest of my life until I stand before the Lord Jesus e.g. begin the fast on Tuesday at 9:00 PM and end it sometime on Thursday afternoon (about 36 hours). The fast is broken with vegetable juice because it eases the body back into eating with the least amount of shock.

What are your spiritual, mental, emotional and physical experiences with fasting?

 

[me_again]

If you read any testimonies of catholic exorcists or those in the deliverance ministry they say they need to fast before praying deliverance prayers over people. Because of Jesus line in the bible, ‘This spirit could not be cast out except by prayer and fasting.’ Proving in the cases of demonic oppression that fasting is an effective tool over the evil spirit.

Ah good catch on fasting to exercise, rebuke or battle demons, either in ourselves or in others.

It seems that sin is harder to be firmly rooted in our flesh when we are fasting for the Lord (or fasting for a petition to the Lord). The lusts of the flesh may be partially or completely subdued (mortified) with regular fasting, to include lusts for food, alcohol, sex, bad thoughts [or strongholds of the mind (2 Cor. 10:5)], covetousness, etc.

Fasting is a form of denying ourselves so we can follow the Lord Jesus [URL='https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A23&version=RSVCE'](Luke 9:23). We are picking up our cross and following Him daily, but especially during a fast for Him.

 

[Nelka]

When I am fasting I am very hungry so I guess I think more about food than sin.

 

[Robert_Sock]

For this reason one must greatly lament the ignorance of certain men, who burden
themselves with extraordinary penances and with many other voluntary practices, and think that this practice or that will suffice to bring them to the union of Divine Wisdom; but such will not be the case if they endeavour not diligently to mortify their desires. If they were careful to bestow half of that labour on this, they would profit more in a month than they profit by all the other practices in many years.
-Saint John of the Cross

Fasting must mortify one’s self, otherwise, it may not have much value, as St John explains. Fight or drown in sin! By engaging in a spiritual fight, that includes complete self-annihilation, extinguishment of worldly desires and the abandonment of one’s own will, we may enter the *land flowing with milk and honey! *

LOVE!

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

I find that it helps me a lot spiritually in being more receptive to God’s grace. I find that it gives me clarity, especially if I’m asking for guidance. I normally fast for a specific intention. I fasted several Fridays in a row recently and had immediate ‘results’, even though the response came in an unexpected way. It was such a blessing, a humbling experience - being reminded that God heals and works in my life.

When I fast I stick to bread and water for a day. Not too much bread, only if I’m really hungry. And coffee

 

[me_again]

I normally fast for a specific intention. I fasted several Fridays in a row recently and had immediate ‘results’, even though the response came in an unexpected way. It was such a blessing, a humbling experience - being reminded that God heals and works in my life.

Amen. That’s VERY good and extremely encouraging to hear (that people get or got results from fasting). Fasting is not a joke or a fad or something to do to be fashionable. It appears to be genuine spiritual warfare, which would explain why Jesus said that some demons cannot be cast out, except by “prayer and fasting.”

 

[OurLadysServant]

Amen. That’s VERY good and extremely encouraging to hear (that people get or got results from fasting). Fasting is not a joke or a fad or something to do to be fashionable. It appears to be genuine spiritual warfare, which would explain why Jesus said that some demons cannot be cast out, except by “prayer and fasting.”

Complete change in people in my family when I started fasting. Even the atmosphere in the house changed.

It gives me a desire for things spiritual rather than materials.

Helps me be grateful for all the things God has given me!

Increases self control and patience (weapons needed against sin and temptation)

Strengthens prayer. One of the saints wrote: ‘It’s harder to pray on a full belly!’

People who I usually got a hard time from were suddenly kinder to me.

I had more time for prayer and spiritual reading (eating takes up sooooo much time)

Things were clearer! If you step back and take life simply with fasting you see what really matters, and what doesn’t.

It cleans you of earthly desires that are unimportant.
The bare necessities of life will seem great treasures to you (when you experience the sacrafice of fasting), it helps identify and give compassion for the poor and suffering.

Jesus says fasting casts out evil spirits. If you are being bothered by temptations these temptations will flee from a humble fasting soul.

God did not wipe out all the Israelites as He intended after they made a golden calf but accepted Moses fasting and prayers, saying, ‘For your sake…’ He would not wipe them out and start a new people again through Moses own bloodline.

God accepts fasting to completely remove the hand of His Just Justice.
One good deed covers a multitude of sins (it says in the Bible).

Jesus said the apostles would fast after He had gone to the Father.

Peter experienced an angel leading him out of a prison because all the church fasted and prayed . Miracles come through fasting.

Peter saw a vision that explained to him that the Holy Spirit would be given to the Gentiles also. While he fasted and prayed on a rooftop.

Jesus told his apostles some spirits cannot be cast out except through prayer and fasting.

 

[Country_Gal]

I think fasting is great if one can retreat from the world during it. I found, when I did it while trying to fulfill parental and work responsibilities, made me a cranky pants. It’s easy to get short tempered when your blood sugar is low. That kind of defeats the purpose.

 

[me_again]

I think fasting is great if one can retreat from the world during it.

It’s interesting to note what Jesus tells us to do while fasting i.e. wash our face (or put on a positive face to others) and don’t tell them that we are fasting – and then our father who sees in secret will reward us (Matt. 6:16).

I found, when I did it while trying to fulfill parental and work responsibilities, made me a cranky pants. It’s easy to get short tempered when your blood sugar is low. That kind of defeats the purpose.

Everybody reacts differently to fasting, which may explain why there are so many different kinds of fasts to accommodate everybody i.e. water fasts, juice fasts, bread fasts, meatless Friday fasts, etc. My wife is much more sensitive to food than I am e.g. if she misses a meal, she can become cranky. Conversely, if I miss a meal, I never get cranky or tired. However, my wife says that when I do a full 36 hour water fast (1.5 days), I am reportedly not as chipper and will have a more stern or serious look during the fast; I would have never known that, if she had not shared it with me. I was unaware that I have a long face while fasting; that gives more credence to what Jesus said about watching our public countenance,.

The bottom line: There should come a point in everyone’s life when they realize that they must fast for the Lord to seek his will and to seek His power to be manifested in our lives. When we preach the Word, we must have evidence of His power in our lives to be more effective as witnesses. The stage in life when we are ready to fast may be different for everyone i.e. some people may experience the desire to fast for the Lord early in life and some may feel compelled to fast later in life. It is different for everyone. In fact, some people never feel compelled to fast. A colleague describes fasting as “a complete waste of time” and he mocks or belittles me for doing it. His analysis of fasting reminds me of Matthew 7:6 i.e. do not cast your pearls (God’s wisdom) before swine because they will just trample it underfoot.

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

The bottom line: There should come a point in everyone’s life when they realize that they must fast for the Lord to seek his will and to seek His power to be manifested in our lives. When we preach the Word, we must have evidence of His power in our lives to be more effective as witnesses. The stage in life when we are ready to fast may be different for everyone i.e. some people may experience the desire to fast for the Lord early in life and some may feel compelled to fast later in life. It is different for everyone.

I can completely relate to this. I used to think fasting was a weird old fashioned practice for the very pious, and it never crossed my mind to actually try it until something really bad happened and I was desperate. I decided to pray and fast for that intention and for the first time in my life I completely depended on God to help me. I fasted a few times and received a lot of grace to deal with the situation. It all turned out fine in the end. That experience changed my attitude and now I see that I need to pray and fast when I’m in need of help. Praying without fasting now seems incomplete when there is something serious in question.

 

[Dorothy]

I can completely relate to this. I used to think fasting was a weird old fashioned practice for the very pious, and it never crossed my mind to actually try it until something really bad happened and I was desperate. I decided to pray and fast for that intention and for the first time in my life I completely depended on God to help me. I fasted a few times and received a lot of grace to deal with the situation. It all turned out fine in the end. That experience changed my attitude and now I see that I need to pray and fast when I’m in need of help. Praying without fasting now seems incomplete when there is something serious in question.

Thank you for that encouraging post!

 

[Robert_Sock]

Complete change in people in my family when I started fasting. Even the atmosphere in the house changed.

It gives me a desire for things spiritual rather than materials.

Helps me be grateful for all the things God has given me!

Increases self control and patience (weapons needed against sin and temptation)

Strengthens prayer. One of the saints wrote: ‘It’s harder to pray on a full belly!’

People who I usually got a hard time from were suddenly kinder to me.

I had more time for prayer and spiritual reading (eating takes up sooooo much time)

Things were clearer! If you step back and take life simply with fasting you see what really matters, and what doesn’t.

It cleans you of earthly desires that are unimportant.
The bare necessities of life will seem great treasures to you (when you experience the sacrafice of fasting), it helps identify and give compassion for the poor and suffering.

Jesus says fasting casts out evil spirits. If you are being bothered by temptations these temptations will flee from a humble fasting soul.

God did not wipe out all the Israelites as He intended after they made a golden calf but accepted Moses fasting and prayers, saying, ‘For your sake…’ He would not wipe them out and start a new people again through Moses own bloodline.

God accepts fasting to completely remove the hand of His Just Justice.
One good deed covers a multitude of sins (it says in the Bible).

Jesus said the apostles would fast after He had gone to the Father.

Peter experienced an angel leading him out of a prison because all the church fasted and prayed . Miracles come through fasting.

Peter saw a vision that explained to him that the Holy Spirit would be given to the Gentiles also. While he fasted and prayed on a rooftop.

Jesus told his apostles some spirits cannot be cast out except through prayer and fasting.

I agree with you! I’m going to try my best to fast on Fridays. I’m trying to mortify my “self.” If you note my signature, I’m trying to replace my “self” with LOVE!

LOVE!

 

[OurLadysServant]

I agree with you! I’m going to try my best to fast on Fridays. I’m trying to mortify my “self.” If you note my signature, I’m trying to replace my “self” with LOVE!

LOVE!

Fasting works completely !

But it must be with love. I learned the power of thought to be ‘me thoughts’,
The Holy Spirit’s Thoughts, or the bad spirits discouraging thoughts.
We have a choice of which of the above to think.

Eg: I learned. If fasting. Do not think about food and pine and drool over thoughts of food and how difficult the fast is. I say to myself: 'I actually don’t need this food, I have lots of energy , probably a bit of extra weight anyway (which my body will burn off as energy), I need God to nourish me spiritually, I need to receive the grace God gives from fasting.

I tried a 10am to 10am approx complete fast on Saturday to Sunday morning. Because I work on weekdays this suited me best. I cannot fast if I am driving or at my day job. And on Saturday I was farming but the morning breakfast and early lunch energy kept me going for 24 hrs nearly. I felt lighter and could pray easier. When you deny the material your mind turns to God completely knowing He is the Giver of both external and internal graces.

Do be ready
Great graces come immediately to all you know and pray for

Sometimes the bad spirit will try and dissuade you through a person or situation (but you just have to go through it, the graces you receive will be far surpassing or any little discouragement he tries to show you through maybe a person saying something to you or an event coming your way of that sort. Ignore him. Your fast brings the kingdom of God.

 

[OurLadysServant]

Faith is the best thing. Jesus gives miracles based on faith. He could do no great miracle in His hometown because of their unbelief. Believe with all your heart that your prayer request is answered by God. A holy man in my country has written a book on his life in the healing and deliverance ministry. He prayed for years that God would heal his hip. Nothing happened. He was directed by the Holy Spirit to go into the library one day and get a book on ‘healing by faith.’ The book was written by a priest with a healing ministry. The priest said in the book: ‘ask God for everything you want of Him once. Then each day thank Him in blind faith for answering your request or that the answer you asked for is on the way. And do some fasting in the week.’ The man did this and after a year his hips were 100% healed of something the doctors had said was incurable. What’s more, his hip was so healthy after the miracle that the doctor told him he now had a hip that was as healthy as a teenagers. He was progressively healed though, he got a little bit better all the time and had to keep thanking God even if he felt pain or felt he was getting worse. He has spread this prayer and others have gotten instant miracles or healing from faith in God (even if they did not fast). He said do not think of the negative outcome (eg that such and such a bad outcome may happen ), pray and believe without doubting and thank God the answer to the prayer.