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Question: What is the proper view on fasting to receive a request (for example, to help sell a house). I believe this is wrong because it is like buying the sale of the house from the Lord.
Answer: No, fasting is never to be done to get something from the Lord. In Mat. 6:16-18 the Lord laid down basic instructions regarding fasting. First, there is no specific time as to when one is to fast, nor is there a specific command as to how long a fast is to last. Frequency should be directed by the Holy Spirit and not according to some type of rules and regulations.
The true purpose of fasting is to subdue the flesh. It was through the senses of the flesh that man first yielded to Satan and fell. Consequently, from that time until now, Satan’s greatest area of attack has been in this area. The original temptation in the Garden of Eden involved the “pride of life,” the “lust of the eyes,” and the “lust of the flesh” (Gen. 3:6; I Jn. 2:15-17). The denial of food for the body as Christ did in Mat. 4:1-11, subdues the very area of these temptations. As Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, Christ denied Himself any fruit whatsoever. Consequently, the very area of disobedience, the flesh, was brought into subjection. Christ did this for us and not Himself. His Victory is transferred to us upon proper faith in Him, and what He did.
The Believer today should engage in at times, short fasts, emulating Christ and helping us in the constant struggle of the flesh and the Spirit.
question:the bible says, "we are to fast often." is this a self led act or only thru the Holy Spirit drawing you? Our pastors' wife wants us to sign a vow of commentment to do a fast as a few ladies getting together to do together, is this right to do? I dont have a problem with fasting, as being led by God, but it's the signing of the commentment to a person to do this. Where is your commentment to do it for God?
Correct me if I am wrong but the way the article is phrased, it looks as though fasting is recommended as something else we can do to produce victory over "the flesh", which can only be done by faith in the Cross and that exclusively. I don't need to add my little fasting to that already settled victory to help me overcome the struggle between flesh and spirit! What did Paul say in Galatians 3:3? "Having begun in the spirit are you now made perfect by the flesh?" We need to be very careful even in our phraseology that people are constantly pointed to the cross and not in self works which can only frustrate the grace of God. We see in Acts 13:2 a Biblical New Testament reason for fasting. "As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, THE HOLY GHOST SAID..." They weren't fasting to help them overcome the flesh.
Thank you Donnie. I've never quite understood fasting because of all the different answers one gets from different churches, it's hard to tell. But now that you've explained it, it makes it something quite special, just like everything else in the Bible.