Jejum e oração
Jejum e oração são disciplinas espirituais que andam juntas. Jesus jejuou, os apóstolos jejuaram, e a Bíblia ensina que o jejum fortalece a oração e nos aproxima do coração de Deus.
O exemplo de Jesus
Jesus jejuou quarenta dias no deserto antes de iniciar seu ministério. Ele ensinou que certas coisas só acontecem com oração e jejum.
1 Then was Jesus led up by the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted by the devil.2 And having fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterwards hungry.
20 And Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief. For verily I say to you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustardseed, ye shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible to you.21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out, but by prayer and fasting.
16 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.17 But thou when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face.18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
16 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.
17 But thou when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face.18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
2 Being forty days tempted by the devil. And in those days he ate nothing, and when they were ended he hungered.
O jejum nas Escrituras
Ao longo da Bíblia, grandes homens e mulheres de fé jejuaram em momentos decisivos — buscando a Deus com urgência e devoção.
O jejum que Deus escolheu
Isaías revela o jejum que agrada a Deus: soltar as cadeias da injustiça, libertar os oprimidos e repartir o pão com o faminto.
A igreja primitiva
Os apóstolos jejuavam antes de decisões importantes. O jejum acompanhava a consagração de líderes e o envio de missionários.
2 And as they were ministring to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them.
2 And as they were ministring to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them.
2 And as they were ministring to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them.3 Then having fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
3 Then having fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
3 Then having fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
23 And when they had ordained them presbyters in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.
Praticando o jejum
Quando jejuares, unge a cabeça e lava o rosto. O jejum é entre você e Deus — não para impressionar os homens, mas para buscar ao Senhor.
37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, who departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers, night and day.
33 And they said to him, Why do the disciples of John, and likewise of the Pharisees, fast often and make prayers; but thine eat and drink?34 And he said to them, Can ye make the children of the bride-chamber fast, while the bride-groom is with them?35 But the days will come, when the bride-groom shall be taken away from them: and then shall they fast in those days.
28 And when he was come into an house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?29 And he said to them, This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting.
29 And he said to them, This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting.
27 In labour and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.