It focuses the mind on the spiritual by avoiding the physical.
So, it just isn't the fasting that is effective, it must be combined with a strong spiritual concentration and humility.
A very good friend of mine, good southern baptist and all that. Super nice guy, wife 3 kids, married to same woman for 27 years. Melanoma... prayed , fasting, blah blah... wife is big church goer... didnt help him one bit.
You’re right, it is a legitimate Biblical practice, ordained by God and exercised by believers in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Jesus Himself suggested that those who follow Him would fast saying, “When you fast,” not “If you fast.” However, simply abstaining from food is NOT a biblical fast.
As a born-again Christian, I have fasted on occasions myself, but not for long period of time. (The length of the fast varies depending on the urgency of the request.) And I can tell you from personal experience that fasting sharpens your mind and soul to greater heights. I couldn’t believe how much better I could focus and how much our senses are dulled by food.
God’s fast, is ALWAYS coupled with prayer, seeking His face.
Biblical fasting is a self-discipline that denies the physical appetite to better focus on spiritual matters, usually for the purpose of seeking God’s intervention in a difficult situation.
It’s also a regular exercise by believers to keep the body and its lustful nature under control. Actually, many nonbelievers, especially health-conscious people often fast because of its many benefits for the body.
Fasting is an act between you and God that lets Him know how serious you are about certain prayer requests and can be done in groups or as an individual.
Glenn Beck and Ted Cruz need a miracle to win Indiana tomorrow, I don’t think a 24-hour fast is going to give it to them.