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16 Hope of Israel Ministries BIBLE Correspondence Course Lesson 35

seek WISE COUNSEL PRIOR TO ATTEMP- as you may have thought -- especially if you
TING SUCH A LENGTHY FAST! (Some may have your mind on the PURPOSE of fasting and
also need to seek advice if they plan to fast more are spending your time properly!
than ONE day -- depending on their health.) If One person I know has a routine which
you have ANY QUESTIONS about fasting, be he often follows while fasting which is excellent
sure to consult one of YEHOVAH’s ministers -- regardless of the specific spiritual purpose for
and/or a medical doctor. fasting. During the waking hours of the fast, this
person will spend ONE HOUR in fervent prayer
Learn to Fast Progressively to YEHOVAH God, utilize the NEXT HOUR in
Bible study and then follow the THIRD HOUR
Some may have to learn to fast PRO- with meditation and reflection upon the things
GRESSIVELY and gradually work up to fasting studied, and the lessons to be learned.
for one or more days at a time. During the meditation period, he will
A good way to begin is to make the sometimes take an invigorating walk -- prefer-
positive decision to fast for ONE MEAL. YOU ably in an area where he can be near to YEHO-
might decide that breakfast would be the meal to VAH’s creation.
begin with. By following such a routine, one will
The procedure, then, would be to go to quickly find himself much CLOSER to YEHO-
bed the previous night with the POSITIVE VAH God and filled with the SPIRITUAL
REALIZATION that the following morning you POWER necessary to cope with the problems at
are going to put away the temptation and desire hand.
to eat and drink according to your regular Anyone who has learned to fast knows
routine. Put yourself in the positive mental that one experiences a depth of understanding
attitude that you NEED TO DRAW CLOSER and a profound closeness to YEHOVAH in
TO YEHOVAH GOD! fasting that can not be experienced in any other
When morning comes, go about your way. Following a routine such as the man above
normal routine of dressing and grooming for the often follows in fasting can be the means for
day -- all the while realizing that it is NOT just many to conquer obstacles in their Christian
the normal routine, but rather a time when you lives that cannot be mastered in any other way!
are giving special attention to AFFLICTING
your body -- humbling yourself before YEHO- How Often Should We Fast?
VAH God.
When the time comes for the usual Nowhere in the Bible do we have an
morning meal, devote that time to prayer in place exact statement of how OFTEN we should fast --
of satisfying your physical hunger and thirst. except, of course, once a year on the Day of
During this prayer ask YEHOVAH to help you Atonement. Yet we have several EXAMPLES
draw closer to Him and DRINK IN of His holy which will help us to understand how often WE
spirit. should practice fasting in our lives.
Next time you decide to fast, go without l. Did the apostle Paul fast OFTEN? II
eating for TWO meals, again spending your nor- Corinthians 11:27.
mal mealtime in prayer to YEHOVAH. Finally, COMMENT: Paul had no specific
the next time go without food and drink for a full command in the Old Testament teaching him
TWENTY-FOUR HOURS! That way you will how often to fast. However, Paul was acutely
have gradually accustomed yourself to fasting. aware of the race he was running and how
By learning to fast progressively, you’ll DILIGENTLY he needed to strive to overcome
find that fasting for a day or two is not as difficult himself and enter YEHOVAH’s Kingdom. He

Why Christians Should Fast