The Battle Between Your Spirit And Flesh

[Molearner]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Only in your mind.
They do not need to fast and that does not mean they are weak.

I have fasted for many days, many times and prayed and have seen and been shown many Divine, glorious things.
I love fasting and prayer.

But that does NOT mean my brothers and sisters are weak and unfortunate.
Sorry...but wisdom tells me all are loved and perfect as they are;
that is the Nature of Love Itself.
Grace is available to the seemingly most down and out.

I believe as a young Christian you can be presumptuous...that's ok, actually, it's natural...but you must be careful with your declarations.

Personally I regard meditation as being the most beneficial form of fasting......

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by sky123

And I've learned to think ' Obstacles ' rather than , 'Battles '

That's a GOOD one!

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

That's a GOOD one!

Why is that such a GOOD one?

[Lovelytony22]

Originally Posted by jojo50

but what about those who do fast? MANY fast, but MANY are still Spiritually weak, how so? some who fast are still fornicators and Adulterers. some still follow the ways of satan's world, which is a big NO-NO ,(John 2:15-17 15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you). Jesus said his followers does NOT follow the world ,(John 17:16-19 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world).

fasting does NOT cause one to become Spiritually strong. some have NEVER fast, yet they show the Spirit of God. not only because they don't follow the ways of this world, but they let God's light show. also Jesus gave MANY commands to his Apostles and followers. such as for them to do his Father's WILL if they want to be in Heaven ,(Matt. 7:21 Not every one that said unto me, Lord, Lord, shall. enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth. the will of my Father which is in heaven).

fasting was part of the Mosaic Law. true Jesus fast for 40 days, following the Mosaic Law. Jesus did basically tell them that when they do ,(meaning if they choose to), don't do it as a show off, like MANY false ministers in his day ,(Matt.6:16-18). yet Jesus NEVER commanded them to do fasting, how do I know this? because of this verse (Matt. 9:14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast”?).

again, if Jesus had commanded it, there would have been NO reason for the question. Jesus then answered this way ,(verse 15 "“Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast"). if you NOTICE, Jesus was referring to "fasting" NOT in the sense of "Spiritual" weakness. it was in reference to the Apostles Losing Jesus, the "Bridegroom."

This was not a command to fast, Jesus words simply suggest that at his death his disciples would feel deep sorrow and would lose the desire to eat.
again, it was part of the Mosaic Law, Jesus removed MANY of those Laws once he died ,(Rom.10:4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God). see also (Col. 2:14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross), (stake).

we're NO Longer under the Mosaic Law. ANY who wants to follow the Laws of Old, that's find! but NO ONE should suggest that others must still follow it. whether it be days of worship, part taking of certain food, drinks. and even certain traditions, it would be done away with. it was ONLY until Jesus was to come and do what his Father asked ,(Colossians 2:16,17). peace

Yes, Jesus did not command us to fast. It is not mandatory. But when there is a special need for divine intervention like breaking demonic attacks, looking for a healing, etc, fasting is highly necessary.

Something like this happened in the Bible:

"And he said to them,*“This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer*and*fasting." (Mark 9:29).

Some demons are notorious that only prayers will not cast them out. People who are possessed get deliverance by strengthening their Spirit against the evil forces through fasting and prayers.

The Spiritual battle is real as stated in Ephesians 6:12. Christians must put on the full armor of God at all times.

Combining prayers and fasting speeds up divine intervention. Esther, Mordecai, and the Jews showed us an example by fasting for 3 days to overturn Haman's wicked plans to destroy them.

Again God did not destroy Nineveh after they adhered to Jonah's warning message. They fasted(Jonah 3:5) and God had compassion on them.

I occasionally do fast and it does help me a lot with my Spiritual journey with Christ Jesus. He reveals things to me through dreams. And when I stop fasting for a longer period I feel weak and vulnerable to evil forces.

God knows our hearts so the one who fast without a good heart like the Pharisees who were hypocrites wouldn't get an answer from God.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Lovelytony22

Yes, Jesus did not command us to fast. It is not mandatory. But when there is a special need for divine intervention like breaking demonic attacks, looking for a healing, etc, fasting is highly necessary.

Something like this happened in the Bible:

"And he said to them,*“This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer*and*fasting." (Mark 9:29).

Some demons are notorious that only prayers will not cast them out. People who are possessed get deliverance by strengthening their Spirit against the evil forces through fasting and prayers.

The Spiritual battle is real as stated in Ephesians 6:12. Christians must put on the full armor of God at all times.

Combining prayers and fasting speeds up divine intervention. Esther, Mordecai, and the Jews showed us an example by fasting for 3 days to overturn Haman's wicked plans to destroy them.

Again God did not destroy Nineveh after they adhered to Jonah's warning message. They fasted(Jonah 3:5) and God had compassion on them.

I occasionally do fast and it does help me a lot with my Spiritual journey with Christ Jesus. He reveals things to me through dreams. And when I stop fasting for a longer period I feel weak and vulnerable to evil forces.

God knows our hearts so the one who fast without a good heart like the Pharisees who were hypocrites wouldn't get an answer from God.

"And he said to them,*“This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer*and*fasting." (Mark 9:29)."


Getting a young sick child to pray/fast would be very difficult would it not ?

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by sky123

"And he said to them,*“This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer*and*fasting." (Mark 9:29)."


Getting a young sick child to pray/fast would be very difficult would it not ?

But then.............. if you check, that verse is not always translated the way you presented it.

The NIV translates it as:

He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

[sky]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

But then.............. if you check, that verse is not always translated the way you presented it.

The NIV translates it as:

He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

I didn't ' Present ' it, it came from the op

[Altair]

I believe this battle between ''spirit'' and ''flesh'' is imaginary. This is the kind of belief that we came up with in civilization. All the stresses and structures of the complexities of civilization makes us long for relaxation and escape. We come up with all kind of strategies, such as prolonged fasting and going to retreats to ''find our self''.

I'm not against fasting, but long fasts are not good. Too long no energy, no nutrition. We need protein, vitamins, and essential fats. I believe short, controlled fasts are beneficial and create discipline.

But it's not about a battle. You can choose to hate the world and your body or you can choose to see it as a gift. Not a ''gift from God'' or any ''means to escape'', but a gift in and of itself, requiring no justification. We choose, and how we view it will influence our attitude towards many things.

[Miss Hepburn]

RE: And I've learned to think ' Obstacles ' rather than , 'Battles ' -sky
That was a GOOD one. -Me

Originally Posted by ImthatIm

Why is that such a GOOD one?

Hi, Because you can see things as hard or
you can see them as 'just' hurtles to overcome...as I see it.

If a person sees losing weight as so hard, a hard battle, ugh...they really have a hard time.
If another person sees losing weight as some work, sure, a hurtle, a challenge -
they will have a much better time of it.
It's like the old 'seeing the glass half full or empty' .

One has (for me) an image of a soldier in armor, shield and a sword ---a real battle.
The other (for me) an image of a runner jumping over hurtles - and succeeding.

I find it is the attitude approaching any issue that influences if you win or lose---say, getting the job or not,
get the girl or don't, reach your goal or don't.
Like in Karate - you see through the board in your mind..if you see it as a battle and so hard,
you don't have as much success.
Hope that explains why I said that.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Altair

I believe this battle between ''spirit'' and ''flesh'' is imaginary.
*snip*
We choose, and how we view it will influence our attitude towards many things.

I agree.
Tho, I understand as an inexperienced young person things certainly appear to be hard, tough or battles.

You begin to mature in your understanding of the power that you possess
in your mind, intentions, determination, resolve, will and beliefs. Yay.

Usually shaking off beliefs that you've been programmed with from others growing up.
(That, 'Life is hard, you're a loser like your father', our family has always been poor, we got a bad hand dealt to us from the start---whatever.
I got most of those from movies. Ha!)

My take.