Fasting is compulsory for every believer. Because there are some things that would not give way for you to succeed EXCEPT by prayers and fasting. Fasting is not staying away from food or not eating that is hunger strike or keep-fit therapy. Fasting is a spiritual exercise that boosts your prayer life to achieve unbelievable results. It is a separation from food and every distraction to increase your consciousness of your spirit man and ability to receive divine direction. It enables you gather enough unction to deal with certain stubborn challenges. If Jesus Christ could fast then we must fast at least once every week. The separation to undo heavy burdens that would not let you go is fasting .
UCHE OKOCHI
OMEGA WORLD NETWORK
+2348052773865

thank you very much oga

ekuuu waaasu!

Can you point to me where fasting was made compulsory to the believers ^{i hope u read dat well, don't start quoting some old testament text at me}. Pls I really need to know.

naomijt:

Can you point to me where fasting was made compulsory to the believers ^{i hope u read that well, don't start quoting some old testament text at me}. Please I really need to know.

Matt. 6:16:- Moreover when (not if) ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

uchkochi:

Fasting is compulsory for every believer. Because there are some things that would not give way for you to succeed EXCEPT by prayers and fasting. Fasting is not staying away from food or not eating that is hunger strike or keep-fit therapy. Fasting is a spiritual exercise that boosts your prayer life to achieve unbelievable results. It is a separation from food and every distraction to increase your consciousness of your spirit man and ability to receive divine direction. It enables you gather enough unction to deal with certain stubborn challenges. If Jesus Christ could fast then we must fast at least once every week. The separation to undo heavy burdens that would not let you go is fasting .
UCHE OKOCHI
OMEGA WORLD NETWORK
+2348052773865

There is absolutely no biblical injuction with regards to fasting. I am assuming that the above is just a mistake with regards to the use of language.

Fasting is very good for us to consecrate and concentrate our minds and beings on the Lord but it is not made compulsory in the Bible

Fasting is very good for us to consecrate and concentrate our minds and beings on the Lord but it is not made compulsory in the Bible

If we are to be "Christ like" why not be like Christ and fast as he did. Besides the Bible and yes the NEW TESTAMENT speaks of fasting.

To the person who said no Old Testament, on the contrary the Old Testaments help us in our belief as Christians, Christ did not abolsih the law he gave the proper interpretation of it and put it back in order. The way it was supposed to be.
It is hypocritical to pick and choose what to believe in the Old Testament.

~Lady~:

If we are to be "Christ like" why not be like Christ and fast as he did. Besides the Bible and yes the NEW TESTAMENT speaks of fasting.

To the person who said no Old Testament, on the contrary the Old Testaments help us in our belief as Christians, Christ did not abolsih the law he gave the proper interpretation of it and put it back in order. The way it was supposed to be.
It is hypocritical to pick and choose what to believe in the Old Testament.

As much as I do believe that we need to be christ-like, this can only come as we are transformed by constantly gazing into the word of God.

2 Cor 3: 18

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

However, if we want to do everything exactly like Christ did, it's impossible because we are not Christs; we are His representatives!

Perhaps you will tell us to also go into any church where we find anyone using the church for business and flog them to get out of the church buildings No point in going into every other thing Jesus did but my point is that we are not Jesus! Are we without sin? We cannot be exactly like Jesus as long as we remain in the flesh.

Jesus was God manifest in human flesh!!! John 1: 1- 14

A_K_O:

Matt. 6:16:- Moreover when (not if) ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Can pls sir, tell me who Jesus was refering to here. It is clear you don't know your right from left in biblical matters.

dudu-bobo:

There is absolutely no biblical injuction with regards to fasting. I am assuming that the above is just a mistake with regards to the use of language.

Fasting is very good for us to consecrate and concentrate our minds and beings on the Lord but it is not made compulsory in the Bible

Thank you sir for that. Fasting can never make you spiritual. It simply helps your body and helps your mind. Too much food dulls the brain and I'm not just referring to spiritual matters here.

Well said dudu-bobo

The truth about fasting? See below from Isaiah 58:

5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?
6 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?
7 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?

8[b] Then shall thy [/b] 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.
9 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;
10 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:
11 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.
12 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.

Fasting is a spiritual exercise which is aimed to distract us a little from wordly pleasures, i feel its an exercise which aids spiritual growth just like physical exercises keep us fit. Inasmuchas u cannot pin-point any passage in the bible which makes it compulsory doesnt mean it is less important in the life of a believer. The truth of the matter is ,we need it for spiritual growth.

the answer is in the book of mark8;2-3

naomijt:

Can please sir, tell me who Jesus was refering to here.

Speaking of which, Jesus said this[b] right after [/b]He gave His disciples the very popular 'Lord's prayer'.

The only way you could come to the disturbing conclusion that Jesus was not talking to you is by asserting that everything that Jesus instructed His disciples to do were for the disciples alone and not for us. Remember that the disciples formed the early church of which we are an offshoot.

Fine.

But, I don't see how[b] when[/b] sounds like it's compulsory.

**Naomijt, when you shop, make sure you don't buy something that's not your size**

Firstly, I appreciate your honesty.

Now think about the above named statement. Fine, most girls have a natural propensity to shop but lets assume that that was not the case.

"When" suggests that it is something that you would do somewhere somehow along the line. A more descriptive phrase would be "in the event of."

"If" on the other hand, suggests that the subject is something that is determined by choice or/and fate.

Hence, Jesus expects that we fast somewhere somehow along the line. And that is why I believe it is compulsory.

Uckochi says that christians should fast at least once a week. I don't think so. Inasmuch as we do not want to be lazy christians, we should not be unecessarily dogmatic about spiritual things that the bible does not specify how oft we should indulge in them. But if that is the tradition of your church/parish, it would be better to do it that way.

A_K_O:

**Naomijt, when you shop, make sure you don't buy something that's not your size**

Firstly, I appreciate your honesty.

Now think about the above named statement. Fine, most girls have a natural propensity to shop but lets assume that that was not the case.

"When" suggests that it is something that you would do somewhere somehow along the line. A more descriptive phrase would be "in the event of."

"If" on the other hand, suggests that the subject is something that is determined by choice or/and fate.

Hence, Jesus expects that we fast somewhere somehow along the line. And that is why I believe it is compulsory.

Uckochi says that christians should fast at least once a week. I don't think so. Inasmuch as we do not want to be lazy christians, we should not be unecessarily dogmatic about spiritual things that the bible does not specify how oft we should indulge in them. But if that is the tradition of your church/parish, it would be better to do it that way.

Now, would I say you are contradicting yourself. You started with a logical analysis "IF" or "when" but your conclusion is faulty. Nothing suggests here that it is compulsory and since there is no where it is given as an instruction to us, then you shouldn't legalise it.

We see instances of where people fasted in the new testament, but no where is it stated as compulsory.

Ive tried to show you why I think it is compulsory. Could you please show me why it is not compulsory?

Why would Jesus give further instructions (on hypocricy etc) on a subject that He does not expect us to do?

Since this is in the bible, what exempts a believer from fasting?

You don't get. I'm not saying a believer shouldn't not fast. What i'm against is you legalising it and making it compulsory. If fasting is that important, how come we don't have any teaching on it in the old testament?

If we also go by the old testament, you will see the kind or fastin dat God ordained and why they needed it then.

Fasting doesn't affect you spiritually. It helps your body and your mind.

Is the fast in Isaiah 58(see above) the same as the one Jesus was talking about?

I think it is, but christians nowadays only focus on the abstinence from food.

And going by the rewards God gave in Isaiah 58, they are both spiritual and physical.

I get what you are saying though.

If we decide to settle on Isaiah 58, we won't leave here today cos i'm sure u will not mellow

However, we need to understand that the folks under the old testament are different from those under the new. I mean covenant now. What God demanded from them then is clearly different from what he demands now. The didn't have the Holy Spirit, thus relate with God on a physical level. That is why they always need an intermediary btwn them and God. Say a priest or a prophet.

We are not required to fast the way they did then. Jesus was correcting a wrong practice amongst them then, which we could also take a cue from when we want to fast. He does not in anyway infer that fasting is compulsory.

naomi, hey you really got me doing alot of research,

anyways the scripture where it was stated that we should fast by Jesus christ him self is MARK 2: 18-20

Hi Baxilexi,

Mar 2:18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?
Mar 2:19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
Mar 2:20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

Please read that passage again and within its proper context. What he said there is clear. It doesn't talk about any compulsion to fast. We interprete scriptures with scriptures. Did it mean that Jesus told them not to fast then? No. And it still doesn't mean that he says they must fast later. What he is saying in simple terms is that, they are with him now and they have somethings easy, a time will come that things won't be that easy or them.

However, if we want to do everything exactly like Christ did, it's impossible because we are not Christs; we are His representatives!

Perhaps you will tell us to also go into any church where we find anyone using the church for business and flog them to get out of the church buildings No point in going into every other thing Jesus did but my point is that we are not Jesus! Are we without sin? We cannot be exactly like Jesus as long as we remain in the flesh.

Jesus was God manifest in human flesh!!! John 1: 1- 14

We are to be transformed from glory to glory with each passing day. We cannot carry our sinfulness into heaven, we must be cleansed of all sins.
We are supposed to be transformed from thinking like man does into thinking as God does. That is why we cannot define in a human way what is done in a divine way. The only way we are able to understand the divine is by the grace of God, God grants us the graces to think like him. After all we were made in the image and likeness of God, and we were made without sin.
Our first parents choose to disobey and therefore introducing sin to us. With Christ coming he set things in the order it was always meant to be. Those who want that order listens to his word, those who do not, forsake his word. Those who do listen are to be like him and walk in his footsteps, that also includes thinking like he does. Therefore taking us to think the way we were supposed to. After all there were those who were unable to understand the "right" way to think or the way God thinks.

So yes we are to be like Christ and be transformed from glory to glory.

As for the going into church. we may get into another matter, than I don't have the time to get into, but I will state my point.
I am Catholic, if I attend a Catholic church that is doing the exact oppostie of what they are to do, they wil be reported. Truthfully a lot of Catholics keep the leaders of the Church in Check. There is accountability.
Even if they celebrate the mass wrongly, they are called to it and must rectify for it. There is no room to abuse the House of God.
The pedophilic Priests are automatically excommunicated when they engage in such acts, even if it doesn't come to light, God sees everything and you cannot fool him.
Smae goes for anyone who is a Catholic. They are automatically excommunicated from the Church (Body of Christ) upon engagin in such an act. For example, a woman who does an abortion, at the moment she aborts the baby, she is no longer a member of the Church. She may attend mass, and not tell anyone of what she's done, but she cannot hide her act from God. And if she were to die before reconciling with the Church, well I'll leave that to your imagination.
Basically, yes just as Christ held those in the temple accountable, so are we to hold the children of God accountable.