Christ is the Reason

Fasting

I. Requirements of the Fast

a. Technical Aspects

i. 2 meals/ 24 hours/ give to the poor: In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, members are encouraged to fast whenever their faith needs special fortification and to fast regularly once each month on fast day. On that day, we go without eating or drinking for two consecutive meals, commune with our Heavenly Father, and contribute a fast offering to help the poor. The offering should be at least equal to the value of the food that would have been eaten. Typically, the first Sunday of each month is designated as fast Sunday. On that day, members who are physically able are encouraged to fast, pray, bear witness to the truthfulness of the gospel, and pay a generous fast offering. – Elder Joseph Wirthlin 4/2001

ii. Prayer:

1. We observe that in the scriptures, fasting almost always is linked with prayer. Without prayer, fasting is not complete fasting; it's simply going hungry. -Elder Joseph Wirthlin 4/2001

2. D&C 88:76 “Ye shall continue in prayer and fasting from this time forth”

b. Fast privately

i. Isaiah 58:5 Is it such a fast that I have chose? A day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?

ii. Matt 6:16–18: Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret…

iii. Moroni 7:6-8 6 For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing. For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness. For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God.

c. Help the needy

i. Isaiah 58:7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out of thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

ii. Alma 34:28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.

iii. "What would happen if the principles of fast day and the fast offering were observed throughout the world[?] The hungry would be fed, the naked clothed, the homeless sheltered. . . . A new measure of concern and unselfishness would grow in the hearts of people everywhere." – President Hinkley

iv. "Be liberal in your giving, that you yourselves may grow. Don't give just for the benefit of the poor, but give for your own welfare. Give enough so that you can give yourself into the kingdom of God through consecrating of your means and your time." – Marion G. Romney

v. President Spencer W. Kimball asked us to give “much, much more—ten times more where we are in a position to do it.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1974)

d. Singleness of Heart

i. Doctrine and Covenants 59:13–14: And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full. Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer.

e. Gratitude

i. Behold, now it came to pass that the people of Nephi were exceedingly rejoiced, because the Lord had again delivered them out of the hands of their enemies; therefore they gave thanks unto the Lord their God; yea, and they did fast much and pray much, and they did worship God with exceedingly great joy. –Alma 45:1

II. Blessing of the Fast

a. Used to comfort in time of mourning/know and grow closer to the Lord (for us and on behalf of others)

i. Esther 4:3 And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

ii. Isaiah 58:6 “Is not this the fast that I have chose?...to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?”

iii. Joel 2:12: Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

iv. Matt 6:18 …and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

v. Matt 9:14–15 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

vi. Mosiah 27:22 …they began to fast…that the eyes of the people might be opened to see and know of the goodness and glory of God

vii. Alma 5:44–46 …Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me.

viii. Alama 17:1–3 … But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.

ix. Doctrine and Covenants 59:13–14: And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full. Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer.

b. Increase righteousness

i. Isaiah 58:6 “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness…?”

ii. Isaiah 58:8 …and thy righteousness shall go before thee…

iii. “It can fill our minds with the revelations of the Spirit. It can strengthen us against times of temptation. Fasting and prayer can help develop within us courage and confidence. It can strengthen our character and build self-restraint and discipline. Often when we fast, our righteous prayers and petitions have greater power. Testimonies grow. We mature spiritually and emotionally and sanctify our souls. Each time we fast, we gain a little more control over our worldly appetites and passions. Fasting and prayer can help us in our families and in our daily work. They can help us magnify our callings in the Church. –Elder Wirthlin.

c. Influence others for good

i. Isaiah 58:8 “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning”

d. Increase health

i. Isaiah 58:8 …and thine health shall spring forth speedily…

e. Divine protection

i. Isaiah 58:8 …the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.

ii. Matt 17:19, 21 “Why could not we cast him out?” “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting”

III. Examples of Fasting

a. Matthew 4:1–4…And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread...

i. “These powerful examples of living the law of the fast teach some basic lessons. First, there needs to be a purpose associated with fasting. The Savior himself used the fast to gain inner strength and spiritual power during a crucial part of his ministry. The law of the fast can likewise bless us in times of temptation and stress if we are willing to live it.” - Bishop Victor Brown 1977.

b. Mosiah 27:22–24 And he caused that the priests should assemble themselves together; and they began to fast, and to pray to the Lord their God that he would open the mouth of Alma, that he might speak, and also that his limbs might receive their strength—that the eyes of the people might be opened to see and know of the goodness and glory of God. And it came to pass after they had fasted and prayed for the space of two days and two nights, the limbs of Alma received their strength…

c. Alma 17:1–3 … But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.

d. 3 Nephi 27:1–3 And it came to pass that as the disciples of Jesus were journeying and were preaching the things which they had both heard and seen, and were baptizing in the name of Jesus, it came to pass that the disciples were gathered together and were united in mighty prayer and fasting…