Do you fast? Is God hearing your prayers?

[MyLordsServant]

You don't fast, but consider yourself a Christian? Might be time to re-think your relationship.

Ever wonder why your prayers are unanswered? Jesus will not hear us if we are prideful. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

Pride is one of the most deceptive and destructive sins. Many don't realize it or skip that commandment entirely. If we do not humble ourselves like children, "'you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'" What was the very first sin ever committed? Eve eating the fruit? No. It was Lucifer who was full of pride! If one of the greatest angels was cast down as he was, how much more will we be cast out?

How do you humble yourself? By fasting. "I humble myself by fasting" Psalm 69:10. Can you ask for Jesus to humble you? No. We are told to humble ourselves. Jesus won't fast for you.

"If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."

This faith to remove demons - is not possible except by prayer and fasting. Do you want a mere bit of faith, or enough to remove demons? If you have this faith to remove such great demons, how much more will they leave you alone? In turn, build a solid relationship with Jesus.

Research yourselves through the Bible how important fasting is. The occasions where God showed amazing mercy to those who fasted; humbling themselves.

[4LdKHVCzRDj2]

If anyone feels to fast, it is up to you. And as I said in other posts, it is a thing between you and God.

"Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance.
For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly" - Matthew 6:16-17

 

23 minutes ago, AscendedMasters333 said:

You don't fast, but consider yourself a Christian?

I do not think one needs to fast to be a Christian. Anyway, just do as you feel.

 

23 minutes ago, AscendedMasters333 said:

How do you humble yourself? By fasting.

I believe people can be prideful when fasting. I believe true humbleness comes from the heart and are reflected by people's actions and words, what I mean is just because one is fasting does not always mean he is humbling himself.

 

God bless you!

[missmuffet]

I do not fast. Scripture does not command Christians to fast. Fasting is not a way to get God to do what you want. It is not a way to appear more spiritual than others.

[OneLight]

Fasting is not designed to get God to do what you want.  It is designed to get you to do what God wants!  Though it is never a command, Jesus did say "When you fast", meaning we should fast.  The fast He wants is found in Isaiah 58.

Fasting that Pleases God

58:1 “Cry aloud, spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins.
² Yet they seek Me daily,
And delight to know My ways,
As a nation that did righteousness,
And did not forsake the ordinance of their God.
They ask of Me the ordinances of justice;
They take delight in approaching God.
³ ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen?
Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’

“In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure,
And exploit all your laborers.
⁴ Indeed you fast for strife and debate,
And to strike with the fist of wickedness.
You will not fast as you do this day,
To make your voice heard on high.
⁵ Is it a fast that I have chosen,
A day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
And to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Would you call this a fast,
And an acceptable day to the Lord?

⁶ “Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
⁸ Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

“If you take away the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
¹⁰ If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
¹¹ The Lord will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
¹² Those from among you
Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

¹³ “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
And call the Sabbath a delight,
The holy day of the Lord honorable,
And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways,
Nor finding your own pleasure,
Nor speaking your own words,
¹⁴ Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;
And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,
And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

[MyLordsServant]

Just now, OneLight said:

Fasting is not designed to get God to do what you want.  It is designed to get you to do what God wants!  Though it is never a command, Jesus did say "When you fast", meaning we should fast.  THe fast He wants is found in Isaiah 58.

I never said it's to get God to do what you want.

Correct, Jesus expects us to fast. In the same verse he says, "When you pray...". Then "When you fast...". Not 'if' you fast.

Some people choose to do the bare minimum. "It's not a commandment? Guess I don't have to do it".

[OneLight]

30 minutes ago, AscendedMasters333 said:

I never said it's to get God to do what you want.

Correct, Jesus expects us to fast. In the same verse he says, "When you pray...". Then "When you fast...". Not 'if' you fast.

Some people choose to do the bare minimum. "It's not a commandment? Guess I don't have to do it".

I never said you did say that.  I was answering Missmuffet's post.  If you examine my post closer, you will see that I am agreeing with you.

[4LdKHVCzRDj2]

31 minutes ago, AscendedMasters333 said:

Some people choose to do the bare minimum. "It's not a commandment? Guess I don't have to do it".

I agree that fasting requires faith, especially for the reason you decided to do it. And it is much easier not to do it.

[MyLordsServant]

7 minutes ago, OneLight said:

I never said you did say that.  I was answering Missmuffet's post.  If you examine my post closer, you will see that I am agreeing with you.

Looked like you repeated what she said. You didn't quote her. 

Anyway, I understand now.

[JohnD]

John 16:26–27 (AV)
26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

I would say he is definitely listening... but not for fasting.

[JohnD]

Did a juice fast for several days (I think 5) long time ago.

Tongue was coated all the time, and I never had to go number 1 so much in my life!

Body detoxes when you fast.

It's also a time of spiritual connectiveness. ←if that's a word.

When you deny the flesh (which only then do you realize how much the flesh demands all the time), you are in touch with the other side of yourself.

That spiritual side God keeps trying to get us to listen to and to discipline the flesh out of the way of...

We are just as much spirit beings as physical. And even though we read our Bibles and go to church and listen only to Gospel music etc. etc. we can still neglect out spiritual nourishment and exercise.

Since our spirits cannot die they have not died, no thanks to the neglect most put their spirit through.

I recall being so in touch with God (no prayers per se, more of a communion, and no not like new age, just being still and knowing God is God) and his presence was so powerful I had to pray for him to back off because it was too much. And he did. I've felt his pleasure in the past (more than any parental pleasure could ever be for a child), I've seen heaven open, but I've never felt anything like his presence when it was so powerful it was overwhelming. That was near the end of my fast. 

Fasting appears to be for our benefit.

And prayer for aligning our will with God's.