Like many things, it should be done in secret. If not, one's motive is in question.
Yes and no.
In OT Scripture we read of Israel being called by the prophets to fast. It wasn't
intended to be a personal, but a corporate issue. Similarly, when the Church was centred in Antioch (see Acts 13:1-3) the fasted and prayed for God's direction. And the result of that corporate fasting was the commissioning of Saul and Barnabas.
If we plan on fasting for personal edification, apart from any corporate concern, then it is a matter of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing (as per Matt. 6:16-18). Although, if one is led by God to fast for twenty days or more, there will be no mistaking that the individual is either fasting or on a radical diet, such will be the radical weight loss.
canuck
Very correct. I'm 6-2, and 220 lbs. It's hard to grab a love handle anywhere on me, as I lift about 12,000 lbs on work days. Yet when fasting, I lost 20 lbs in 5 days. While working. There are times when I feel like the psalmist, (which is also speaking of Christ), that his knees shook from weakness from fasting coupled with physical hardship, for lack of a better word. To fast and work like that, is not advised for most. The Lord will lead, and at times we must alter our schedules to do so. Prudence.
Author