Fasting, what is it?

Fasting is simply the act of abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink for a specified period of time. Some fasting works and some doesn’t.

 

People have many different reasons for fasting.

1. For health reasons.
2. For weight loss and beauty.
3. Some people fast as a means of letting God know they are serious and want him to move on their behalf. Often people will say, “I will fast till my friend gets healed”. Or, “I will fast so God will fix my marriage”. Jesus said that when we fast in secret God will reward us openly.

Matthew 6:16-18 (Jesus speaking)

¹⁶ “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you openly.

Jesus said that fasting that is done for people to see doesn’t move the hand of God. It does get people to think we are spiritual but Jesus said that was the only reward for that kind of fasting.

If you fast, will you always get what you want?

Sometimes when people fast and pray they get the things they are requesting. In the book of Ester, the people fasted and prayed so that the government would not implement a law that required mass genocide on the Jewish people. God answered their prayers through a marvelous set of perfectly timed events. The book of Ester is a great read and a great example of getting what you fasted for.

Even when people fast in secret they don’t always get what they are asking for. Sometimes people get what they are fasting for, and sometimes they don’t. I have had many friends fast and pray in earnest, but they did not get what they were praying for. When this happens, it can be very discouraging. Because of this, people often give up on the practice of fasting all together. Does this mean that Jesus lied about God rewarding us? Does it mean my friends somehow did it wrong? Let me tell you a story that might shed some light on this issue.

Did Jesus lie about fasting or are we just doing it wrong?

When I was a youth pastor, we got a video once a month from a group called Fire By Night. They would introduce the kids to new Christian music artists and do hilarious skits in order to illustrate Biblical truths. The videos were great and the kids loved them. One year they advertised summer mission trips. They showed kids ministering on mission trips all over the world. They even showed famous Christian Artist with the kids on trips. Well, our kids were sold, they all wanted to be missionaries.

Unfortunately, that year, my wife Shary was due to give birth during the mission trip. The kids still wanted to go even though I couldn’t make it.  A couple that helped with the youth group, Dan and Brenda Lewis offered to go as chaperones while I stayed home. They ended up taking a trip deep into Mexico.

When they got back from the trip, they all gathered in my dinning room and shared their experiences. Along with their parents and family members we all listened as the related one miraculous story after another. The stories were great and it seems like we listened for hours as they shared how people got back their sight, lame people walking and demons were cast out.

The screaming interpreter!

One story they told us was about a man who had one leg about 3 inches shorter than the other. As they were praying for him with their eyes closed, the interpreter began to shout and scream. They said they were afraid to open their eyes at first, they didn’t know what they would see. Finally, they looked and saw that his leg had grown so that both legs were the same length.

The next year I got to go; wild horses couldn’t have stopped me. I was so determined to see the same things the kids saw the year before, that I suggested we fast for the 28-hour trip from Astoria to El Paso Texas. My idea was that we would fast and pray, so God would do miracles. Kind of like we were letting God know we were serious. Much to my disappointment, not one person got healed, and we didn’t see any miracles on that mission trip. But, what we did see and what did happen, was we prayed with over 3,000 people to receive Jesus. At one open air preaching event, people lined up three deep wanting to receive Jesus.

Something better!

At first, I was disappointed that we did not get to see any miracles. But when I realized how many people came to Christ I understood that God had kept his promise. “He rewarded us”, not with miracles but with something better, souls. Jesus did not lie to us and most people are not doing it wrong. Jesus never promise we would get what we fasted for, he promised we would be openly rewarded, and that’s just what God does.

 

How I apply that to my life.

Over forty years of fasting has taught me that Jesus meant it when he said, “God will reward you openly”. That promise has motivated me to do a lot of fasting and God has rewarded me in a lot of very fun and amazing ways.

Here is how I have applied that to my life.  I fast once a week by not eating solid food for breakfast and lunch every Sunday. Once a year I go on a personal retreat with God, on that retreat I will go without food or water for three days.  Before mission trips I usually fast anywhere from three days to three weeks. I have done a couple of 40 day fasts where I drank juice and water.

All the fasting I do with the except of the three-day fast, I take vitamins and minerals and drink milk, water or juice. As I have gotten older I sometimes I refrain from solid foods but do eat soup.  All that to say this.  Many people think fasting is dangerous. Fasting is not dangerous, on the contrary, it can be quite healthful and; I have always found God to be faithful to reward me, one way or another.

Some spiritual benefits of fasting.

1. I have been doing mission trips for all these years and people always get saved and usually we do get to see God heal people and sometimes we see him drive out demons.
2. It’s been my privilege to leading a great church and school for over 25 years.
3. I have been fortunate to see all my children do mission work in foreign countries.
4. My wife Shary and I have been together for over 45 years and She is my best friend.

Is all of this because I fast from time to time? Maybe not, but on the other hand maybe it is. Somebody is going to fast and pray, might as well be us. Somebody is going to get a reward from God, might as well be us!

Physical benefits to fasting.

Not all the benefits from fasting are spiritual. Evidently there are a lot of physical benefits as well. Here are 9 scientifically verified benefits of fasting.

1. Intermittent fasting changes the function of cells, organs, genes and hormones!

Evidently our internal organs need a rest occasionally so they can repair and recuperate.

• Insulin levels:Blood levels of insulin drop significantly, which facilitates fat burning .
• Human growth hormone HGH:The blood levels of growth hormone may increase as much as 5-fold. Higher levels of this hormone facilitate fat burning and muscle gain, and have numerous other benefits
• Cellular repair:The body induces important cellular repair processes, such as removing waste material from cells when fasting .
• Gene expression:While fasting there are beneficial changes in several genes and molecules related to longevity and protection against disease. Fasting strengthens your immune system.
• The liver, kidneys, stomach, intestines and other organs need to rest regularly. During intermittent fasting these organs heal and recuperate.

2. Intermittent Fasting Can Help You Lose Weight and Belly Fat

Intermittent fasting enhances hormone function to facilitate weight loss. Fasting once in a while for long periods to loose weight doesn’t work over the long                    haul. That kind of fasting will actually produce the opposite results. When we go for long periods without eating, your body reprogram itself to hold onto fat.                   Even though you might loose a lot of weight while fasting, you will gain in all back quickly.

Regular: once a week or twice a week fasting is effective because it lowers insulin levels, while increasing growth hormone levels and increasing amounts of                     norepinephrine (noradrenaline) all increase the breakdown of body fat and facilitate its use for energy.

 

3. Intermittent Fasting Can Reduce Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

intermittent fasting has been shown to have major benefits for insulin resistance and lead to an impressive reduction in blood sugar levels. In human studies on           intermittent fasting, fasting blood sugar has been reduced by 3-6%, while fasting insulin has been reduced by 20-31%. One study in diabetic rats also showed that           intermittent fasting protected against kidney damage, one of the most severe complications of diabetes.

 

4. Intermittent Fasting Can Reduce Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in The Body

Oxidative stress is one of the steps towards aging and many chronic diseases. It involves unstable molecules called free radicals, which react with other                             important molecules (like protein and DNA) and damage them.  Additionally, studies show that intermittent fasting can help fight inflammation, another key                  driver of all sorts of common diseases.

 

5. Intermittent Fasting May be Beneficial For Heart Health

Heart disease is currently the world’s biggest killer. Studies show that intermittent fasting can improve numerous risk factors for heart disease, such as blood                   pressure, cholesterol levels, triglycerides and inflammatory markers. According to the Mayo Clinic “Regular fasting can decrease your low-density lipoprotein,               or “bad,” cholesterol. It’s also thought that fasting may improve the way your body metabolizes sugar. This can reduce your risk of gaining weight and                   developing diabetes, which are both risk factors for heart disease”. [1]

 

6. Intermittent Fasting May Help Prevent Cancer

Bottom Line: Intermittent fasting has been shown to help prevent cancer in animal studies. One study on humans showed that it can reduce side effects caused                 by chemotherapy.

 

7. Intermittent Fasting is Good For Your Brain

Intermittent fasting may have important benefits for brain health. It may increase growth of new neurons and protect the brain from damage.

 

8. Intermittent Fasting May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is the world’s most common neurodegenerative disease.

A study in rats shows that intermittent fasting may delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease or reduce its severity.

 

9. Intermittent Fasting May Extend Your Lifespan, Helping You Live Longer

In one study rats that fasted every other day lived 83% longer than rats that didn’t fast.

 

How do I get started?

Start off with a short easy fast once a week. Pick a day to skip breakfast and lunch, just drink juice or water for those two meals. Take a vitamin and mineral supplement with your liquids, then eat a normal dinner. When you can do this without headaches or other withdrawal symptoms you could try two days or maybe all day.

 

What to expect!

It is common for people to get a headache or some other unpleasant feeling the first time they try to fast. Don’t panic, you are not the first person to experience this. it is simply your body having a temper tantrum. Your body has been used to being in charge and it wants to stay that way.

Fasting is your spirit beginning to be in the driver’s seat. Pray for God’s help, then tell your flesh that you are now in charge, the negative physical feelings will eventually go away. I never have any negative reactions to fasting because my body is used to it. Most people quickly get over the withdraws associated with first time fasting. Often people who have trained their bodies to fast feel better, more alert and alive while fasting. The apostle Paul tells us that we need to be in control of our body, not the other way around.

Galatians 5:16

¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you cannot do what you want to do.

 

There are so many positive benefits to fasting, what are you waiting for? The Pharisees asked Jesus why his disciples didn’t fast like they did. First of all, Jesus wasn’t impressed with the kind of fasting they practiced, but he told them that when he was gone from this earth his disciple would fast.

Matthew 9:15

Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

In Matthew 6:16-18  Jesus didn’t say, “if you fast” he said, “when you fast”. Jesus expects us to fast, why? Because it is good for us. Make plans today, it will change your life.

Matthew 6:16-18 (Jesus speaking)

¹⁶ “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you openly.

 

Truly; the only way to exceptional emotional and physical health and wellness, is to spend time each day with the Great Physician, Jesus Christ! When you fast pray, whenever you think about eating spend a moment praying for someone or simply thanking Jesus for who he is.

 If you have any questions or comments about this or any other Wellness Gospel article, please feel free to send an email to chrisschauermann@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you.

If you believe God knows what is best for us, join us and the Wellness Gospel team and spread the word, share this with your friends on social media and may God bless you richly.

 

If you want to keep improving your health and enjoy this kind of biblical, scientific information, then I would like to recommend three must-read books.

1. “God’s Guide to Biblical Health and Healing” by Rev. Chris and Shary Schauermann                                         http://tinyurl.com/zvkbfau
2. “Let’s Play Doctor” by Dr. Joel Wallach                                                                                                                           http://tinyurl.com/j8ybt8r
3. “None of These Diseases” by S.I. McMillen, M.D. and David E. Stern, M. D.                                                        http://tinyurl.com/hh7ezs2

You can get all these books at Amazon.com or simply click on the URL next to each book title.

 

References

1. Fasting Http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts/.htmlhttps://authoritynutrition.com/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting/
2. Science behind fasting http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/expert-answers/fasting-diet/faq-20058334