8 importants reasons we should fast to God as Christians.

8 Important reasons we should fast in faith as Christians

1) We must believe in Jesus Christ as the savior of mankind and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

2) We fast to manage the body, spirit & soul for divine health and reserve.

3) We fast to get knowledge, inspiration and revelations from the revealed Word of God.

4) We fast and pray in faith to draw God's attention over the situations of life.

5) We fast as an act of consecration, love & honouring God

6) We fast in forms of deliverance for divine favour and grace from God.

7) We fast as an exercise to enhance spirituality and discipline in the faith of Jesus Christ.

8.) By we seeking more knowledge and understanding on the principles and laws of fasting.

Amen.

Bible verses :



Matthew 4:4 But he 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.



Isaiah 58:6-12 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in it.

Matthew 6:6-7, 31, 33-34 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.







But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.







Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?







But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.







Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.















1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:







Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.







Deuteronomy 28:13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:







John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.





2 Chronicles 20:15-20 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.



To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.



Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.



And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.



And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.



And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.





Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.



Colossians 3:16-17 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.



And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Ephesians 6:12-18 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.















Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.







Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;







And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;







Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.







And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:







Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.





Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.















Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.







Psalms 114:7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;





James 5:13-15 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.



Proverbs 3:5-6, 9, 13-18 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.



In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.



Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:



Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.



For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.



She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.



Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.



Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.



She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.



Mark 11:22-26 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.



For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.



Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.



And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.



But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.



Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

1 John 1:7-9 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Matthew 4:2, 17, 23-25 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.



Luke 4:1, 14, 18-19 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.



Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.



Psalms 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.



1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.



1 Timothy 4:7-8, 15-16 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Where exactly did Jesus told anyone specifically to fast?

And how many?

And how to fast? No food at all or food sometimes?

And when to fast? What's the frequency?

HQofGilhem:
8 importants reasons we should fast to God as Christians.

8 Important reasons we should fast in faith as Christians

1) We must believe in Jesus Christ as the savior of mankind and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

2) We fast to manage the body, spirit & soul for divine health and reserve.

3) We fast to get knowledge, inspiration and revelations from the revealed Word of God.

4) We fast and pray in faith to draw God's attention over the situations of life.

5) We fast as an act of consecration, love & honouring God

6) We fast in forms of deliverance for divine favour and grace from God.

7) We fast as an exercise to enhance spirituality and discipline in the faith of Jesus Christ.

8.) By we seeking more knowledge and understanding on the principles and laws of fasting.

Amen.

i love this GOD bless you for the wisdom------unfortunately the average Christian believe fasting is mainly only for quick blessing and to fight witches and our enemies

PeterObi4Presid:
■ i love this GOD bless you for the wisdom------unfortunately the average Christian believe fasting is mainly only for quick blessing and to fight witches and our enemies

God said He never commanded your fasting(starvation-diet) rituals So how can God bless someone who proclaims a starvation-diet ritual against God's own declaration?

AbuTwins:
Where exactly did Jesus told anyone specifically to fast? And how many? And how to fast? No food at all or food sometimes? And when to fast? What's the frequency?

HQofGilhem, this poster is right for asking you these questions because the idea that you religious folks have of fasting comes from Pagan roots, including Islam, and not Scripture at all.

Kobojunkie:
God said He never commanded your fasting(starvation-diet) rituals So how can God bless someone who proclaims a starvation-diet ritual against God's own declaration?

I only commend him for not emphasizing fast as a means for blessing like many Christians do. My point is fast has plenty spiritual value as he listed if u truly paid attention to the points he gave

PeterObi4Presid:
■ I only commend him for not emphasizing fast as a means for blessing like many Christians do. My point is fast has plenty spiritual value as he listed if u truly paid attention to the points he gave

Again, God said He never commanded your fasting(starvation diets) so how can there be spiritual values to that which God never commanded? All that OP posted up there are made-up ideas that have nothing to do with God.

Kobojunkie:
Again, God said He never commanded your fasting(starvation diets) so how can there be spiritual values to that which God never commanded? All that OP posted up there are made-up ideas that have nothing to do with God.

lol...may GOD HELP U O


1. David fasted for a reason .............can you remember why?

2. The land of Nineveh fasted for a reason after the warning and preaching of JOnah -------can u remember why?

3. PAUL fasted for a reason-------can u remember why?

4. MOSES fasted 40 days twice----------can u remember the reason especially for the second time stint?

5. Jesus told his disciple who couldn't cast out a stubborn demon----that such can only be done through fasting and prayer ---can u remember why Christ said so about fasting?------


6. can u also remember why Christ said his disciple will fast after the bridegroom is gone?---------

if u answer the 6 questions ----then we can begin sincere further study of fasting in the scripture------

PeterObi4Presid:
lol...may GOD HELP U O
1. David fasted for a reason .............can you remember why?
2. The land of Nineveh fasted for a reason after the warning and preaching of JOnah -------can u remember why?
3. PAUL fasted for a reason-------can u remember why?
4. MOSES fasted 40 days twice----------can u remember the reason especially for the second time stint?
5. Jesus told his disciple who couldn't cast out a stubborn demon----that such can only be done through fasting and prayer ---can u remember why Christ said so about fasting?------
6. can u also remember why Christ said his disciple will fast after the bridegroom is gone?---------
■ if u answer the 6 questions ----then we can begin sincere further study of fasting in the scripture------

▢ Did God command you to starve yourself of food as David did?
▢ Did God somehow say to you that you must do as the Ninevites did?
▢ Did God tell you to do as Paul did?
▢ Moses didn't even plan to fast. It just happened that he had to be there for 40 days and ended up fasting as a result. Did God tell you to do that because it happened to Moses?
▢ Did Jesus Christ specifically tell you that you had to engage in starvation-diet fasting rituals to cast out that kind of demon?
▢ When Jesus Christ said that did He, Jesus Christ, say that the kind of fasting He wanted was of the starvation-diet kind of fasting?

2. The biggest problem with all 6 questions you asked is this. Almost all of them assume that there is some sort of tie to be made between that which was reported to have been done by individuals and that which God commands even when there is no explicit proclamation to be found made by God in any of the cases.

Jesus Christ NEVER said that what His disciples were to engage in were starvation-diet fastings. That assumption or even conclusion that because Jesus Christ mentioned fasting, he must have been talking of the starvation-diet kind comes from the minds of men and not from God or Jesus Christ at all. Not once is Jesus Christ recorded to have intentionally denied Himself food to be heard by God, by the way.

Kobojunkie:
▢ Did God command you to starve yourself of food as David did?
▢ Did God somehow say to you that you must do as the Ninevites did?
▢ Did God tell you to do as Paul did?
▢ Moses didn't even plan to fast. It just happened that he had to be there for 40 days and ended up fasting as a result. Did God tell you to do that because it happened to Moses?
▢ Did Jesus Christ specifically tell you that you had to engage in starvation-diet fasting rituals to cast out that kind of demon?
▢ When Jesus Christ said that did He, Jesus Christ, say that the kind of fasting He wanted was of the starvation-diet kind of fasting?

2. The biggest problem with all 6 questions you asked is this. Almost all of them assume that there is some sort of tie to be made between that which was reported to have been done by individuals and that which God commands even when there is no explicit proclamation to be found made by God in any of the cases.

Jesus Christ NEVER said that what His disciples were to engage in were starvation-diet fastings. That assumption or even conclusion that because Jesus Christ mentioned fasting, he must have been talking of the starvation-diet kind comes from the minds of men and not from God or Jesus Christ at all. Not once is Jesus Christ recorded to have intentionally denied Himself food to be heard by God, by the way.

1. instead of blind argument why not Define fast according to the mind of CHRIST since u believe no one understands fast according to the mind of Christ---

2. YOU once said fast has no spiritual value, yet almost all great men of GOD embarked in fasting-which i showed you yet u implied their fasting exercise was needless, valueless or meaningless-----even ISREAL as a nation did fast of a number of occasions but u say it has no spiritual value that it's all Paganistic========then all men of GOD in the scripture who fasted must have followed a pagan practise according to you------right? that quoting u

3. then u said GOD never commanded it for any value ? what a joke u are and a proud twister of the truth of the scriptures. i dint want to reply u again cos i know your motive----------but if u ever cared about the truth of the word of God ----you won't make GOD a liar because GOD CALLED AND DEMANDed A FAST IN JOEL 2 v 12-15 -----have u ever read that part of the bible or is it just about scoring cheap Nairaland points?

''Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with FASTING, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: 16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. ''

Imagine saying Moses dint intend to fast----yet he did 40 days fast twice ---will u also say DANIELS 21 days fast wasn't intended too? Probably a joke or a mistake for 21 days?

You need humility if u want to grow----and most especially, u need the fast declared in JOEL 2 VS 12-15------u need it and i prescribe it to cure ur unhealthy argument and twisting of GODS word for cheap point like a cynic that u are

PeterObi4Presid:
1. instead of blind argument why not Define fast according to the mind of CHRIST since u believe no one understands fast according to the mind of Christ---
2. YOU once said fast has no spiritual value, yet almost all great men of GOD embarked in fasting-which i showed you yet u imply that exercise was meaningless-----even ISREAL as nation did fast but u say it has no spiritual value that its Paganistic========then all men of GOD in the scripture who fasted must have followed a pagan practise according to you------
3. then u said GOD never commanded it for any value ? what a joke u are and a proud twister of the truth of the scriptures. i dint want to reply u again cos i know your motive----------but if u ever cared about the truth of the word of God ----you won't make GOD a liar because GOD CALLED AND DEMANDed A FAST IN JOEL 2 v 12-15 -----have u ever read that part of the bible or its just scoring cheap Nairaland points?.....
■ imagine saying Moses dint intend to fast----yet he did 40 days fast twice ---will u also say DANIELS 21 days fast wasn't intended too? You need humility if u want to grow----and most especially, u need the fast declared in JOEL 2 VS 12-15------u need it and i prescribe it to cure ur unhealthy argument and twisting of GODS word for cheap point like a cynic

God Himself declared the kind of fasting He commands in Isaiah 58 and Zechariah 7 . He made clear that He did not ask anyone to starve themselves of food for His sake nor does anyone who does such do so in honor of Him.

2. For a thing to have true Spiritual value it first has to be commanded by God. God never commanded any of those so-called great men you claim to know of to starve themselves of food to honor Him.

The one day of fasting that God prescribed to the Israelites in His Old Law of Moses, God specifically said was for the cleansing of their sins. And that fast was to happen on the 10th day of the 10th month of each year — exactly one day. But we all know the people did not obey God.

3. Remember what I said earlier regarding the conclusions you rush to regarding that which God in fact commands? Well, here again, we come to the same issue. Below is what is written in Joel 2 vs 15.

15 Blow the trumpet at Zion. Call for a special meeting. Call for a special time of fasting. - John 2 vs 15

How did you come to conclude that by calling for a special time of fasting, God wanted the people to engage in starvation-diet rituals which you refer to as fasting?

4. Where is it written that Moses planned to fast when He went up to see God and ended up staying out there for 40 days?

As for Daniel, he didn't fast for 21 days. Rather what is instead written is that Daniel was depressed and so lost his appetite for fancy foods during that period.

1 During the third year that Cyrus was the king of Persia, these things were shown to Daniel. (Daniel’s other name is Belteshazzar.) They are true, but very hard to understand. Daniel understood them because they were explained to him in a vision.
2 At that time I, Daniel, was very sad for three weeks.
3 During those three weeks, I didn’t eat any fancy food; I didn’t eat any meat or drink any wine. I didn’t put any oil on my head. I didn’t do any of these things for three weeks. - Daniel 10 vs 1 - 3

Depression is well known to do that to people.

You should work hard to pay more careful attention to what you read in Scripture so you do not get carried away so easily by the many soundbites — lies — out there to deceive and delude you away from the Truth of God with.

Kobojunkie:
God Himself declared the kind of fasting He commands in Isaiah 58 and Zechariah 7 . He made clear that He did not ask anyone to starve themselves of food for His sake nor does anyone who does such do so in honor of Him.

2. For a thing to have true Spiritual value it first has to be commanded by God. God never commanded any of those so-called great men you claim to know of to starve themselves of food to honor Him.


3. Remember what I said earlier regarding the conclusions you rush to regarding that which God in fact commands? Well, here again, we come to the same issue. Below is what is written in Joel 2 vs 15.
How did you come to conclude that by calling for a special time of fasting, God wanted the people to engage in starvation-diet rituals which you refer to as fasting?

4. Where is it written that Moses planned to fast when He went up to see God and ended up staying out there for 40 days?

As for Daniel, he didn't fast for 21 days. Rather what is instead written is that Daniel was depressed and so lost his appetite for fancy foods during that period.
Depression is well known to do that to people.

You should work hard to pay more careful attention to what you read in Scripture so you do not get carried away so easily by the many soundbites — lies — out there to deceive and delude you away from the Truth of God with.

As usual u ran away from truth of arguments and start cherry picking and twisting bible-------imagine discouting 21 days fast as 21 days depression---meanwhile isn't fasting also a time to depress our self and humble our spirit in honour and worship of GOD like Daniel and the people of Nineveh

THIS is what my Bible say in JOEL 2 but u have misquoted it kjv

Joe 2:12  Therefore also now[b], saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and WITH FASTING [/b]and with weeping, and with mourning: 
Joe 2:13  And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 
Joe 2:14  Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? 
Joe 2:15  Blow the trumpet in Zion, SANCTIFY A FAST [/b]call a solemn assembly:


SO why do u twist this simple passage where GOD demanded a fast and also differentiates it by also calling for mourning and contrite heart

Another point is that DANIEL also fasted in DANIEL 9 vs 3------ls that also ordinary mood swing and mere depression as u say?
read it below to see the word fast befor misquoting it


Dan 9:1  In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; 
Dan 9:2  In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. 
Dan 9:3 [b] And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, [b]WITH FASTING and sackcloth, and ashes: 
[/b]


Now, have u ever explored the whole book of Isaiah AND JEREMIAH and prelude to babylonian captivity and wickedness while in captivity and in JERUSALEM just to understand the context of ISAIAH chapter 58? cos i see u cherry-pick it just like the way Muslims cherry pick one verse and fail to understand the context, -------bro u need a lot to do. If i engage you on the context of ISAIAH 58 I BELIEVE WE WON'T LEAVE HERE cos i know u dont grasp the context of ISAIAH 58 at all AND u are running away with error and downplaying fasting as a whole....May God give u humility to search his word for clarity and not cherrypick to uphold the dogma of ur denomination------u can't understand the bible by running with one verse in isolation-----that will always birth an erorr like most Christians do today

PeterObi4Presid:
■ As usual u ran away from truth of arguments and start cherry picking and twisting bible------■ -imagine discouting 21 days fast as 21 days depression---
■ meanwhile isn't fasting also a time to depress our self and humble our spirit in honour and worship of GOD like Daniel and the people of Nineveh...

Twisting which Bible abeg? Be specific in your accusations. What scripture was twisted?

2. According to you, Daniel fasted for 21 days, and the only place where a mention of 21— 3 weeks— is mentioned is Daniel 10 vs 1 -3 which I posted earlier.

1 During the third year that Cyrus was the king of Persia, these things were shown to Daniel. (Daniel’s other name is Belteshazzar.) They are true, but very hard to understand. Daniel understood them because they were explained to him in a vision.
2 At that time I, Daniel, was very sad for three weeks.
3 During those three weeks, I didn’t eat any fancy food; I didn’t eat any meat or drink any wine. I didn’t put any oil on my head. I didn’t do any of these things for three weeks. - Daniel 10 vs 1 - 3

The passage above explicitly states that Daniel was very sad. i.e. depressed.. Why do you reject that which is written?

Now, you reference Daniel's statement in Daniel 9

1. These things happened during the first year that Darius son of Ahasuerus[a] was king. Darius was a Mede by birth, but he was appointed to be the king of Babylon.
2 During his first year as king, I was studying the Scriptures and noticed in the Lord’s message to Jeremiah that 70 years would pass before Jerusalem would be rebuilt.
3 Then I turned to the Lord God. I prayed to him and asked him for help. I did not eat any food. I put ashes on my head and put on the clothes that showed I was sad.
4 I prayed to the Lord my God and told him about all my sins. I said, “Lord, you are a great and awesome God. You keep your agreement of love and kindness with people who love you. You keep your agreement with the people who obey your commands. - Daniel 9 vs 1 - 4

The passage above does not say that Daniel fasted for 21 days, and neither does it state that Daniel prayed for more than a day. Nor does it say that Daniel did not eat food for more than a day.

3. That idea regarding your fasting(starvation-diet) rituals is not of God and certainly not of Jesus Christ — it is antiChrist.

16 “When you fast, don’t make yourselves look sad like the hypocrites. They put a look of suffering on their faces so that people will see they are fasting. The truth is, that’s all the reward they will get.
17 So when you fast, wash your face and make yourself look nice.
18 Then no one will know you are fasting, except your Father, who is with you even in private. He can see what is done in private, and he will reward you. - Matthew 6 vs 16 - 18

So, again, why do you continually insist on pushing these worldly ideas regarding your fasting(starvation diet) rituals on God who NEVER commanded you to do any such, to begin with?

PeterObi4Presid:
■ SO why do u twist this simple passage where GOD demanded a fast and also differentiates it by also calling for mourning and contrite heart

This is what God says of your starvation diets...

4 I received this message from the Lord All-Powerful:
5 “Tell the priests and the other people in this country this: ‘For seventy years you fasted and showed your sadness in the fifth month and in the seventh month. But was that fasting really for me?
6 And when you ate and drank, was that for me? No, it was for your own good. - Zechariah 7 vs 4 - 5

Your starvation diets are for your bodily good so also are your feastings.

This is the Kind of fasting that God commanded of His people...

3 They say, “We fast to show honor to you. Why don’t you see us? We starve our bodies to show honor to you. Why don’t you notice us?”
But God says, “You do things to please yourselves on those special days of fasting. And you punish your servants, not your own bodies.
4 You are hungry, but not for food. You are hungry for arguing and fighting, not for bread. You are hungry to hit people with your evil hands. This is not the way to fast if you want your prayers to be heard in heaven!
5 Do you think I want to see people punish their bodies on those days of fasting? Do you think I want people to look sad and bow their heads like dead plants? Do you think I want people to wear mourning clothes and sit in ashes to show their sadness? That is what you do on your days of fasting. Do you think that is what the Lord wants?
6 “I will tell you the kind of day I want—a day to set people free. I want a day that you take the burdens off others. I want a day when you set troubled people free and you take the burdens from their shoulders.
7 I want you to share your food with the hungry. I want you to find the poor who don’t have homes and bring them into your own homes. When you see people who have no clothes, give them your clothes! Don’t hide from your relatives when they need help.”
8 If you do these things, your light will begin to shine like the light of dawn. Then your wounds will heal. Your “Goodness” will walk in front of you, and the Glory of the Lord will come following behind you.
9 Then you will call to the Lord, and he will answer you. You will cry out to him, and he will say, “Here I am.” Stop causing trouble and putting burdens on people. Stop saying things to hurt people or accusing them of things they didn’t do. - Isaiah 58 vs 3 - 9

Please read both chapters for your own good too.

Kobojunkie:
This is the Kind of fasting that God commanded of His people....

GOD has honored a lot of genuine fast before ISAIAH 58 AND also honored many fast after ISAIAH 58, and JESUS also never ridiculed fasting he only showed us how to remove hypocrisy from fasting and prayer.

THE question is do u at all ever wondered why GOD rejected the fasting of ISAIAH 58 and do u understand the context around it? and do u care to know why GOD accepted the Fast of an alien city like NINEVEH-----so why did God reject the fasting of his people in in ISAIAH 58 AND same GOD also demanded for a FAST in JOEL 2------U SEE-----context matters......Same GOD also accepted the fast of HEZEKIAH AND the fast of his people during the time of ESTHER in ESTHER 4 V16 "Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do.''

untill u understand those simple questions u won't get the bigger picture., u should ask ursef those questions....So stop displaying ur ignorance about fasting and study the context around isaiah 58 to know why GOD rejected that fast and accepted many of others including the fast of an alien nation....good night and stop wasting my time and the readers times with baseless argument dancing round a circle

PeterObi4Presid:
■ GOD has honored a lot of genuine fast before ISAIAH 58 AND also honored many fast after ISAIAH 58, and JESUS also never ridiculed fasting he only showed us how to remove hypocrisy from fasting and prayer.
■ THE question is do u at all ever wondered why GOD rejected the fasting of ISAIAH 58 and do u understand the context around it?
■ and do u care to know why GOD accepted the Fast of an alien city like NINEVEH-----
■ so why did God reject the fasting of his people in in ISAIAH 58 AND same GOD also demanded for a FAST in JOEL 2------U SEE-----context matters......
■ Same GOD also accepted the fast of HEZEKIAH AND the fast of his people during the time of ESTHER in ESTHER 4 V16 ...So stop displaying ur ignorance about fasting and study the context around isaiah 58 to know why GOD rejected that fast and accepted many of others including the fast of an alien nation....good night and stop wasting my time and the readers times with baseless argument dancing round a circle

You mean God lied in Zecharia 7 and Isaiah 58 ?

2. Interesting claim! So never mind that in both cases— Isaiah 58 and Zechariah 7—, God is written to have addressed them to His people, and then the priests as well, you wish instead to force a different context of your own?

3. God accepted the fast of the Ninevites, where?

4. God rejected the fasting of His people when God clearly said that He never commanded that kind of fasting to begin with. Does God accept from men that which He never commanded to begin with? Can a person offer to God that which God never explicitly asked for?

5. Please provide scriptural reference to back this claim of yours that God accepted Hezekiah's fast, the fasting of the Ninevites as well the fasting of the people during the time of Esther. I would very much like to see where God turned out a liar.

PeterObi4Presid, If you carefully consider what is written in the Book of Jonah, you would see that God did "accept the fasting" nor hear the prayer of the people of Nineveh. Rather, it is written that God saw that the people stopped doing the evil that God had intended to punish them for, and that was enough to stay His anger against them.

1 Then the Lord spoke to Jonah again and said,
2 “Go to that big city Nineveh, and say what I tell you.”
3 So Jonah obeyed the Lord and went to Nineveh. It was a very large city. A person had to walk for three days to travel through it.
4 Jonah went to the center of the city and began speaking to the people. He said, “After 40 days, Nineveh will be destroyed!”
5 The people of Nineveh believed God. They decided to stop eating for a time to think about their sins. They put on special clothes to show they were sorry. All the people in the city did this, from the most important to the least important.
6 When the king of Nineveh heard about this, he left his throne, removed his robe, put on special clothes to show that he was sorry, and sat in ashes.
7 The king wrote a special message and sent it throughout the city: A command from the king and his great rulers: For a short time no person or animal should eat anything. No herd or flock will be allowed in the fields. Nothing living in Nineveh will eat or drink water.
8 But every person and every animal must be covered with a special cloth to show they are sad. People must cry loudly to God. Everyone must change their life and stop doing bad things.
9 Who knows? Maybe God will stop being angry and change his mind, and we will not be punished.
10 God saw what the people did. He saw that they stopped doing evil. So God changed his mind and did not do what he planned. He did not punish the people.

If the people had not stopped doing the evil that God was vexed against them for, God would have destroyed them even with all of their cries and rituals.

So, I guess my question even now is where do you get the idea that God accepted the fasting(starvation dieting) of the people of Nineveh? What book, chapter, and passage do you find it stated that God accepted the fasting of the people of Nineveh?

The problem with kobojunkie is that he probably belongs to a sect that dismisses people. instead of focusing on spiritual growth by personal end to end scriptural analysis with humility and prayers for insight, hes busy running around with half truths fed into his mind by his sect, falling into same error he accuses the general Christian ------imagine the gut to say fasting has no spiritual value-----that's some extreme dogmatic take-i remember him arguing about prophecy and jews verse gentile vs Abrahams heir argument ----imagine asking me to provide scriptural verses of some well popular bible personages who fasted-----i have not even delved into many examples of fasting practise in new testament ---yet my know all brother is asking me to proof that Hezekiah, Esther and Nineveh fasted and was accepted----i find it shocking .

I think until you understand the context around Isaiah 58 u should stop quoting it as the sole supreme authority in the teaching of fasting -----pls understand the historical background and setting of ISAIAH 58--------and stop using that isolated case to cancel fast in general. God will always accept the right fast with the right mind. With the wrong mind, even if u give alms to all poor in ur village God will still reject it. God searches our motive and heart in everything we do including our fasting, prayer, worship, arguments and ambitions

PeterObi4Presid:
■The problem with kobojunkie is that he probably belongs to a sect that dismisses people. instead of focusing on spiritual growth by personal end to end scriptural analysis with humility and prayers for insight, hes busy running around with half truths fed into his mind by his sect, falling into same error he accuses the general Christian ------imagine the gut to say fasting has no spiritual value-----that's some extreme dogmatic take-i remember him arguing about prophecy and jews verse gentile vs Abrahams heir argument ----imagine asking me to provide scriptural verses of some well popular bible personages who fasted
■ -----i have not even delved into many examples of fasting practise in new testament ---yet my know all brother is asking me to proof that Hezekiah, Esther and Nineveh fasted and was accepted----i find it shocking .
■ I think until you understand the context around Isaiah 58 u should stop quoting it as the sole supreme authority in the teaching of fasting -----pls understand the historical background and setting of ISAIAH 58--------and stop using that isolated case to cancel fast in general. God will always accept the right fast with the right mind. With the wrong mind, even if u give alms to all poor in ur village God will still reject it. God searches our motive and heart in everything we do including our fasting, prayer, worship, arguments and ambitions

I am not at all swayed by meaningless religious gibberish so kindly spare me the religious gobbledegook next time!

1. Now back to the discussion at hand, please provide explicit scriptural evidence for the claim you made regarding God accepting

▢ The fast(starvation dieting) of the people during the time of Esther
▢ The fast(starvation dieting) of Hezekiah
▢ The fast(starvation dieting) of the people of Nineveh!

2. You continue to go on and on insisting a different context exists for the content of both Isaiah 58 and Zechariah 7 but you have yet to state this different context. So go ahead and tell us what other context exists for God's declarations in both books. What is this "historical background and setting" that you claim changes the meaning of what God is written to have declared in both cases?

Kobojunkie:
I am not at all swayed by meaningless religious gibberish so kindly spare me the religious gobbledegook next time!

1. Now back to the discussion at hand, please provide explicit scriptural evidence for the claim you made regarding God accepting

▢ The fast(starvation dieting) of the people during the time of Esther
▢ The fast(starvation dieting) of Hezekiah
▢ The fast(starvation dieting) of the people of Nineveh!

2. You continue to go on and on insisting a different context exists for the content of both Isaiah 58 and Zechariah 7 but you have yet to state this different context. So go ahead and tell us what other context exists for God's declarations in both books. What is this "historical background and setting" that you claim changes the meaning of what God is written to have declared in both cases?

there are dozens of places where people, nations, women and men, fasted in the bible for various reasons, kindly show where GOD rejected those fast by telling them to go check isaiah 58-------------IMAGINE quoting one verse in isolation to discredit other dozens of verses on same topic -----i have never seen a a more dogmatic interpreter of the scripture....

PeterObi4Presid:
■ there are dozens of places where people, nations, women and men, fasted in the bible for various reasons, kindly show where GOD rejected those fast by telling them to go check isaiah 58-------------
■ IMAGINE quoting one verse in isolation to discredit other dozens of verses on same topic -----i have never seen a a more dogmatic interpreter of the scripture....

1. Isaiah 58 and Zechariah 7 are examples of just that.

In Zechariah 7, the people had been fasting for about 70 years since the time of the captivity of the nation of Judea, and God never responded to them in all of that time. Read again what God said to them.

4 I received this message from the Lord All-Powerful:
5 “Tell the priests and the other people in this country this: ‘For seventy years you fasted and showed your sadness in the fifth month and in the seventh month. But was that fasting really for me?
6 And when you ate and drank, was that for me? No, it was for your own good. - Zechariah 7 vs 4 - 5

He didn't ask them to starve themselves of food. So, why should they think that such an exercise in futility would somehow cause Him to respond or act?

2. One verse in Isolation? Do you even begin to know what it means to quote a verse in isolation? I quoted 2 whole chapters for you to read. More than 2 chapters so far if we are to count Jonah 4 along with Zechariah 7 and Isaiah 58.

Isaiah 58 was written around the time before God sent the Assyrians to destroy the Nation of Isreal in about 700 BC. Zechariah 7 was written around 530 BC, around the time God had decided to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, Judah after it had been destroyed, almost 200 years after God's message regarding fasting was declared through Isaiah. Jonah 4, was likely written around the time of the Prophet Elijah. We are talking almost 200 years. God's message in both Isaiah 58 and Zechariah was not meant to be taken for granted.

Kobojunkie:
1. Isaiah 58 and Zechariah 7 are examples of just that.

In Zechariah 7, the people had been fasting for about 70 years since the time of the captivity of the nation of Judea, and God never responded to them in all of that time. Read again what God said to them. He didn't ask them to starve themselves of food. So, why should they think that such an exercise in futility would somehow cause Him to respond or act?

2. One verse in Isolation? Do you even begin to know what it means to quote a verse in isolation? I quoted 2 whole chapters for you to read. More than 2 chapters so far if we are to count Jonah 4 along with Zechariah 7 and Isaiah 58.

Isaiah 58 was written around the time before God sent the Assyrians to destroy the Nation of Isreal in about 700 BC. Zechariah 7 was written around 530 BC, around the time God had decided to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, Judah after it had been destroyed, almost 200 years after God's message regarding fasting was declared through Isaiah. Jonah 4, was likely written around the time of the Prophet Elijah. We are talking almost 200 years. God's message in both Isaiah 58 and Zechariah was not meant to be taken for granted.

bro----- u are still missing the point....i am tired already ----really tired----both chapter is still a reference to period of babylonian exile.....the question is what led to their exile....what was their posture towards God before and during exile------why should God regard their fast even while they continued same sin that led them to exile....isn't same sin GOD was pointing their attention to ?-----isreal and JESRUSALEM was a highly corrupted and fallen society that disregarded God, fell into deep idolatory and bloodshed, beat and punish their prophet and perpetuated all manners of wickedness......would u care of hypocritic and fake fast of such stubborn generation if u were GOD--------PLS know the context of every verse before being dogmatic---------

PeterObi4Presid:
■ bro----- u are still missing the point....i am tired already ----really tired----both chapter is still a reference to period of babylonian exile .....the question is what led to their exile....what was their posture towards God before and during exile------
■ why should God regard their fast even while they continued same sin that led them to exile....isn't same sin GOD was pointing their attention to ?-----isreal and JESRUSALEM was a highly corrupted and fallen society that disregarded God, fell into deep idolatory and bloodshed, beat and punish their prophet and perpetuated all manners of wickedness......
■ would u care of hypocritic and fake fast of such stubborn generation if u were GOD--------PLS know the context of every verse before being dogmatic---------

1. Isaiah was of the Nation of Israel and was never in Babylon. He died more than 100 years before Babylon happened to the people of the Nation of Judae. So, how did you come to this claim that Isaiah 58 was of the period of Babylonian exile for the people of Judah?

Zechariah to whom God revealed Zechariah 7 was not in Babylon at the time of the reveal of Zechariah 7. He was in Judah and this was at the time that It was under the rule of the Persians. So, where do you get this claim of yours that what was revealed to him was about the period of the Babylonian exile?

2. You seem to like weaving tales in your head separate from that which is stated in Scripture. At what point in the entire history of Israel and Jerusalem were they not a highly corrupted and fallen society that continually disregarded God?

3. So, in your interpretation, what God said should be considered as stated but rather should be twisted through goggles of ignorance such as the one you wear there of what is written?

Kobojunkie:
1. Isaiah was of the Nation of Israel and was never in Babylon. He died more than 100 years before Babylon happened to the people of the Nation of Judae. So, how did you come to this claim that Isaiah 58 was of the period of Babylonian exile for the people of Judah?

Zechariah to whom God revealed Zechariah 7 was not in Babylon at the time of the reveal of Zechariah 7. He was in Judah and this was at the time that It was under the rule of the Persians. So, where do you get this claim of yours that what was revealed to him was about the period of the Babylonian exile?

2. You seem to like weaving tales in your head separate from that which is stated in Scripture. At what point in the entire history of Israel and Jerusalem were they not a highly corrupted and fallen society that continually disregarded God?

3. So, in your interpretation, what God said should be considered as stated but rather should be twisted through goggles of ignorance such as the one you wear there of what is written?

The book of Isaiah is a reference to period before exile, around exile and and after their return to JERUSALEM depending on the chapter u are reading------Zechariah was around after exiles-----and he also referenced the 70 yrs period of exile in the chapter u quoted to tell u it is still same theme and issue with people who have rejected Gods statute-----even till the period of MALACHI after exile------how do u use that to say God don't care about fasting if u know it was a period they were not remorsed for GOD and God demanded their repentance instead of religious observance of fast of a certain months instituted by MOSES in the book of Leviticus----Are u also saying MOSES/GOD never instituted fast in certain months---? I BELIEVE U WILL ALSO ARGUE THAT--- pls i am tired of this unfruitful egoistic argument -----i am a believer in fasting----and i do it for various reasons and it has been a blessing and source of strength to my work with GOD like the prophets and apostles fasted ====don't fast and continue ur glutony-----dont deny yourself of anything and continue ur fleshly argument ------people in the spirit can tell the motive and truth of this argument

PeterObi4Presid:
■ The book of Isaiah is a reference to period before exile, around exile and and after their return to JERUSALEM depending on the chapter u are reading------
■ Zechariah was around after exiles-----and he also referenced the 70 yrs period of exile in the chapter u quoted to tell u it is still same theme and issue with people who have rejected Gods statute-----even till the period of MALACHI after exile------

1. Again, the book of Isaiah is none of that which you continue to claim though. Isaiah was approximately 200 years before Zechariah

2. Zechariah was approximately 100 years before the book of Malachi, approximately 100 years after the exiles began returning to Judah even though the nation remained in captivity. Jesus Christ showed up during the time that the Nation was also in captivity.

So, you are telling me that what God said and reiterated over 300 years and never changed should be ignored completely?

PeterObi4Presid:
■ how do u use that to say God don't care about fasting if u know it was a period they were not remorsed for GOD and God demanded their repentance instead of religious observance of fast of a certain months instituted by MOSES in the book of Leviticus---- Are u also saying MOSES/GOD never instituted fast in certain months---? I BELIEVE U WILL ALSO ARGUE THAT--- pls i am tired of this unfruitful egoistic argument -----i am a believer in fasting----and i do it for various reasons and it has been a blessing and source of strength to my work with GOD like the prophets and apostles fasted ====don't fast and continue ur glutony-----dont deny yourself of anything and continue ur fleshly argument ------people in the spirit can tell the motive and truth of this argument

You finally try to drag the Law of Moses into this... Well, let's see what God said in the Law of Moses on the subject

26 The Lord said to Moses,
27 “The Day of Atonement will be on the tenth day of the seventh month. There will be a holy meeting. You must not eat food, and you must bring an offering as a gift to the Lord.
28 You must not do any work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement. On that day the priests will go before the Lord and perform the ceremony that makes you pure.
29 “Anyone who refuses to fast on this day must be separated from their people.
30 If anyone does any work on this day, I will destroy that person from among the people.
31 You must not do any work at all. This is a law that continues forever for you, wherever you live.
32 It will be a special day of rest for you. You must not eat food. You will start this special day of rest on the evening following the ninth day of the month. This special day of rest continues from that evening until the next evening.” - Leviticus 23 vs 26 - 32

...

7 “There will be a special meeting on the tenth day of the seventh month. During that day you must not eat any food, and you must not do any work.
8 You will offer burnt offerings. Their smell will please the Lord. You must offer 1 bull, 1 ram, and 7 lambs that are one year old. There must be nothing wrong with them.
9 You must also offer 24 cups of fine flour mixed with olive oil with the bull, 16 cups with the ram,
10 and 8 cups with each of the 7 lambs.
11 You will also offer 1 male goat as a sin offering. This will be in addition to the sin offering for the Day of Atonement. This will also be in addition to the daily sacrifice and its grain offerings and drink offerings. - Numbers 29 vs 7-11

Notice how what you folks consider fasting does not even begin to mirror in any way or form what God prescribed in the Old Law of Moses for the day of atonement. It bears no resemblance of any kind to your fasting(starvation diet) rituals of today. So how can you think to pretend that Moses is the one who gave you the fasting(starvation diet) rituals that you practice today?

8 Important Ways We Can Receive Divine Transformation As Christians.



Here are 8 ways God's mighty power can transform us as Christians.

1) We must believe in Jesus Christ as the savior of mankind and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.


2) We need to attend church services to receive knowledge, power, fire and to worship and sacrifice to God.

3) We need to be spiritual and engage in consistent prayers and fasting often.

4) We need to live a life of discipline, purpose and determination.

5) We need to meditate and abide on the Word to develop our faith in God

6) We need to take full responsibility of our lives, invest in evangelism and in kingdom advancement.

7) We need to seek more knowledge in our fields for lasting success and understanding

8.) We need to seek communion in the Holy Spirit and association with those in grace and in faith for spiritual growth.

Amen.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.