Gospel Principles
Unit 7: Perfecting Our Lives
Chapter 25: Fasting
Comments and Resources

"The law [of the fast] to the Latter-day saints... is that food and drink are not to be partaken of for twenty-four hours... and that the saints are to refrain from all bodily gratification and indulgences... In addition, the leading and principle object of the institution of the fast among the Latter-day Saints was that the poor might be provided with food and other necessities" (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 243)

During the study of this topic, you will learn what it means to fast, how fasting helps us, and what you should do when you fast.


Resources:
Gospel Principles, Chapter 25

Scriptures :

Topical Guide: <http://Scriptures.lds.org/en/tg/contents> 
                               Fast, Fasting
Bible Dictionary:  <http://Scriptures.lds.org/en/bd/contents>
               
                                    Fasts



Concept 1: Introduction, How to Fast Properly

'Since the time of Adam, God's people have fasted to help them draw near to him and to worship him.  Jesus showed the importance of fasting by his own example (Luke 4:1-4 "1 AND Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 Being forty days tempted of the devil.  And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.  3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.  4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.").  Through Latter-day revelation we learn that the Lord still expects his people to fast and pray often (D&C 88:76 "Also, I give unto you a commandment that ye shall continue in prayer and fasting from this time forth.").

Discussion

D&C 88:76 Why is fasting given as a commandment?


How to Fast Properly
Fasting means to go without food and drink (see Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 243).  Occasional fasting is good for our bodies and helps our minds become more active (see Principles of the Gospel, p 175). 

The Savior taught us that purposeful fasting is more than just going with out food and drink.  We must also concentrate on spiritual matters.


We Should Pray When We Fast
Prayer is a necessary part of fasting.  Throughout the Scriptures , prayer and fasting are mentioned together.  Our fasting should be accompanied by sincere prayer, and we should begin and end our fasting with prayer.'


Concept 2: We Should Fast with a Purpose

'Fasting can have many purposes.  We can overcome weakness or problems by fasting and praying.  Sometimes we may wish to fast and pray for help or guidance for others, such as a family member who is ill and needs a blessing  (Mosiah 27:22-23 "22 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.  23 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, and he stood up and began to speak unto them, bidding them to be of good comfort:.").  Through fasting we can come to know the truth of things just as did the prophet Alma in the Book of Mormon.  He said:  "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" (Alma 5:46).

We can fast for our nonmember friends to become converted to the truth.  Fasting can help comfort us in times of sorrow and morning (Alma 28:4-6 "4 And now this was a time that there was a great mourning and lamentation heard throughout all the land, among all the people of Nephi--  5 Yea, the cry of widows mourning for their husbands, and also of fathers mourning for their sons, and the daughter for the brother, yea, the brother for the father; and thus the cry of mourning was heard among all of them, mourning for their kindred who had been slain.  6 And now surely this was a sorrowful day; yea, a time of solemnity, and a time of much fasting and prayer.").   Fasting can help us become humble and feel closer to our Heavenly Father  (Helaman 3:35 "Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.). 


Our purpose in fasting should not be to impress others.  The Lord counseled: 

"Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men to fast.

"Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

"But thou, when thou fastest, anointed thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast" (Matthew 6:16-18).

We should be cheerful when we fast and not advertise our fasting to others.

Discussion

What things should we do to make our fasting more spiritual?  What things do we need to fast for?'


Concept 3: The Fast Day

'One Sunday each month Latter-day Saints observe a fast day.  On this day we neither eat nor drink for two consecutive meals, thus making a fast of twenty-four hours.  If we eat our evening meal on Saturday, then we would not eat or drink until the evening meal on Sunday.

Everyone who can do so should fast.  However, "many are subject to weakness, others are delicate in health, and others have nursing babies; of such it should not be required to fast.  Neither should parents compel their little children to fast" Gospel Doctrine, p. 244).

We should encourage our children to fast after they have been baptized, but we should never force them.  The fast day is a special day for us to humble ourselves before the Lord in fasting and prayer.  It is a day to pray for forgiveness from our sins and for the power to overcome our faults and to forgive others.

On fast Sunday, members of the Church meet together and partake of the sacrament.  They strengthen themselves and one another by bearing testimony in fast and testimony meeting.


Fast Offerings
'When we fast each month, the Lord asks us to help those in need.  One way we do this is by giving through the proper priesthood authority either the food or the money we would have spent on food for the two meals.  We should give as generously as we are able.  Through our fast offerings we become partners with the Lord in administering to the needs of our less fortunate brothers and sisters.

Discussion

What should we do on fast day to make fasting more meaningful?
What are some of the reasons we pay fast offerings?'


Concept 4: We Are Blessed When We Fast

'Isaiah, an Old Testament prophet, wrote of the Lord's rich promises to those who fast and help the needy.  We are promised peace, improved health, and spiritual guidance.  Isaiah tells us that when we fast: "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward.  Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shall say, Here I am"  (Isaiah 58:8-9)

Fasting improves our lives and gives us added strength.  It helps us live other principles of the gospel because it draws us nearer to the Lord.'


Concept 5: Fasting Teaches Self-Control

'Fasting helps us gain strength of character.  This reason alone makes fasting important.  (see David O. McKay, True to the Faith, p 81.).  When we fast properly, we will learn to control our appetites, our passions, and our tempers.  Solomon said,  "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that can ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city" (Proverbs 16:32).  Even fasting only two meals can give us a feeling of success.  We are a little stronger by having proved to ourselves that we have self-control.  If we teach our children to fast, they will develop the willpower to overcome greater temptations later in their lives.'


Concept 6: Fasting Gives Us Spiritual Power

'When we fast wisely and prayerfully, we develop our faith.  With that faith we will have greater spiritual power.  For example, Alma (The Book of Mormon prophet) tells the story of meeting again with the sons of Mosiah many years after their miraculous conversion.  He felt great joy when he learned that they had strengthened their faith and had developed great spiritual power.  They had gained this power because "they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation" (Alma 17:3).

The sons of Mosiah had been preaching for fourteen years to the Lamanites.  Because the sons of Mosiah had fasted and prayed, the Spirit of the Lord increased the power of their words.  This gave them great success in their missionary work.  (Alma 17:4 "And they had been teaching the word of God for the space of fourteen years among the Lamanites, having had much success in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, by the power of their words many were brought before the alter of God, to call on his name and confess their sins before him.").

The Savior has said to those who fast properly, "Thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6:18).

Discussion

Why is it important to have self-control?
How does fasting give or increase our spiritual power?
How have you been blessed by observing a proper fast?

Additional Scriptures 

Luke 2:37; Alma 45:1  (worshiping God through fasting)
Mosiah 27:19, 23  (fasting for the sick)
3 Nephi 27:1-3; Exodus 34:27-28 (fasting for revelation and testimony)
Alma 6:6; 17:9 (fasting for nonmembers)
Acts 13:2-3 (Fasting for selection of Church officers)'


-----------------
Moroni 10:4-5
"4. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. 
5. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

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