Is fasting necessary for prayers to be answered?

I recently watched few videos of people talking about their prayers being answered by fasting for 3 -7 days. They say "FASTING IS THE KEY. Can I have your thoughts on this? Is fasting necessary to see miracles happen? What is the connection?

[Ab Origine]

Hi Folks...

First things first - when Christ advised you to "fast" - I assure you - He does NOT MEAN simply going without food - that is RUBBISH !!!

What He DOES mean - is to turn form the ENTIRE WORLD -"fast" from ALL OF IT - shun and avoid ALL EXTERNAL influences - and turn instead INWARDS - for that is where the gateway to my Fathers Kingdom is truly found...

Likewise - you are ONLY supposed to pray - if and when you have LOST your communion with my Father...Don't bother with those ever ending babbling useless repeated prayers that RELIGION teaches us - religion does NOT HAVE A CLUE about this legitimate communion He taught - use ONLY the one simple Prayer - Our Father - as Christ revealed directly.. But I assure you - unless you forego the world and start that inner journey of Self discovery first as He taught, then nobody is going to even hear your prayer..

[Molearner]

It is a little far-fetched for me to believe that by fasting that I can make some desire(prayer) of mine suddenly become the will of God. Do we actually believe that we can call something to the attention of God that He had not thought of? Physical fasting(if done for the expectation of prayer being answered) amounts to bargaining with God.....a threatened bribery of sorts. The fasting that makes sense to me is the fasting of meditation. To remove oneself from all manner of thoughts, desires, distractions etc. It is the emptying of the vessel of self that creates the space for the entry of God(Holy Spirit). This indwelling presence removes the necessity for prayer.......for the will of God becomes clear. 'Thy will be done' essentially becomes our only prayer.

[anotherlight]

Originally Posted by FrankieJG

I recently watched few videos of people talking about their prayers being answered by fasting for 3 -7 days. They say "FASTING IS THE KEY. Can I have your thoughts on this? Is fasting necessary to see miracles happen? What is the connection?

No way. I think if someone believes this is the way to open up to miracles, perhaps they feel they need to "suffer" a bit to receive from spirit. There is no charge from spirit for blessings.

[anotherlight]

Ab Orignine and Molearner both make points that I totally agree with. In my thinking, just as Jesus, we are all Christs. Except that he was way above what we are still beginning to learn. I think the true "church" or in the truest terms, recognition of god, is within us at birth (actually before). Our job and the most important job is to discover our connection in spirit. Everything in this life involves choice, and it's in the right choices we make that we grow. In my mind, this means we have multiple lives for multiple chances. There would have been a book in the bible that showed that but it was .....overlooked. Every lifetime is another chance to take what we've learned and go further. Eventually there is no need for additional physical lifetimes because we'd done it all and seen it all - and know who we are. That's growth. Then, it's eternal life on a high spiritual level. (and I also think there are many levels from there) Got to keep life interesting. I also think our personality is our own, and continues with us forever. We are unique, a precious gift that is our own.

[jojo50]

Originally Posted by FrankieJG

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fasting isn't a requirement in order for Jehovah God to hear our prayers. if that were the case, Jesus would have told us that when he taught us what to pray for in the "Lord's Prayer". many men of old fast, Jesus did also. Esther fasted for three days before she went to speak to the king, her husband. Jehovah God didn't command her to "fast". though it seems that her fasting met with his approval.

in our day, it's not so much as to what one does before prayer, it's who they are praying to. and what is the prayer about, NOT all prayers are answered! because of the nature of ones prayer. like..."please god let my team when" as though Jehovah ,(which many don't pray to anyway), or Jesus are in Heaven watching a sports game! selfish prayers aren't answered either. many don't understand when Jesus spoke of ..."seek and you shall find, or "ask and you shall receive".

he was NOT referring to material things, in fact, Jesus warned us against trying to gain material wealth ,(Matt 6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also). we were to pray for spiritual wealth instead.

as for who we pray to, will determine if our prayer are truly heard, who did Jesus tell us to pray to...himself? (Matt. 6:9 (NKJV), In this manner, therefore , pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name). a more up to date version renders it this way...(Matt. 6:9 [Living Bible],*“Pray along these lines: ‘Our Father in heaven, we honor your holy name). Jesus taught his true follower to pray to the ALMIGHTY GOD, and to "honor his name"! Jesus was NOT referring to his "third self", in Heaven but his actual FATHER and GOD!

(John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God). this is why Jesus said no one goes to the Father but by means of him ,(John 14:6). so we just need to pray to the right God and make sure we're praying for the right things. even if he doesn't answer when we want him to. he will answer when he feel the time is right, i know!

[Quailment]

It is not the fasting but the belief I guess. I have never done pasting. But I have too many answered prayers. Of course, prayers must be accompanied by your efforts as well.

[theophilus]

Fasting isn't essential to getting your prayers answered but sometimes it helps. In the Bible people who were facing problems or needed to make important decisions often fasted and prayed.