FROM THE PREACHER'S LENSES

Sam AwedaTuesday, November 15, 2011
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THE MYSTERY IN FASTING ----(18)
OTHER WORDS USED TO DESCRIBE FASTING

et us look into the Scripture to see what appellations, names or titles by which fasting is called or referred to or described.


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How is fasting described?

Fasting has been described at sometimes as to 'afflict' or 'humble' or 'chasten' or 'set oneself to seek the Lord' or 'set one's face unto the Lord God' or 'to seek by prayer and supplications' etc.

"Affliction"

In the wilderness under the Law System, the Almighty Himself appointed 25 September of each year as 'A Day of Atonement' (Lev 23:27-32). And ye shall afflict your souls (vs 27,32) (Lev 16:29,31) "from even to even" (Lev 23:32).

In Isaiah 58:3, it is also referred to as 'affliction of soul'

Ezra wrote. "Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God (Ezra 8:21).

"Humbling"

King David wrote: "But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sack cloth: I humbled my soul with fasting�.." (Psalms 35:13).

God Himself described the 'fasting' action of that wicked king, Ahab, which he did after judgement was pronounced on him for killing Naboth in order to enable him acquire his (Naboth's) vine-yard as, 'humbling' himself (Iking21:27-29)

"Chasten"

King David said elsewhere "When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach (Psalms 69:10).

The Angel that brought the understanding which Daniel sought for, said, "�. For from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God�."(Daniel 10:12).

"Set to seek the Lord"

One time King of Judah, Jehoshaphat, was told: "There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea�.." And Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. (2 Chr. 20:2-3).

Same Daniel, praying for the 70 years captivity of Jerusalem to end, wrote "I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sack cloth and ashes:" (Daniel 9:3).

"Mourn"

The Lord, responding to the query raised by the Disciples of John, as to why they and the Pharisees fast often and His (The Lord's) disciples don't, said: "Can the children of the bride chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them?�.." (Matt 9:15).

Nehemiah on hearing the poor report of those who had left for Judah from the Babylonian captivity said "I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days and fasted�."(Neh 1:4).

The People of Judah had inquired whether their four time yearly fast should stop. The Lord answered "When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?" (Zech 7:5).

Daniel seeking understanding to the vision, which he had received said, "In those days, I Daniel was mourning three full weeks" (Daniel 10:2).

David on hearing the bad news of the demise of king Saul and his three boys, "Mourned, and wept and fasted until even�."(2 Sam 1:12).

Next, we shall look into how fasting performs the miracle i.e. how it works out the objective for which it (fasting) is done.

Sam Aweda is President & Snr. Pastor, Jesus for the World Revival Mission (Peoples' Church)

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