Fasting
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was not overcome by the strong temptations of the enemy, and this is
encouragement for every soul who is struggling against temptation.
Christ has made it possible for every member of the human family
to resist temptation. All who would live godly lives may overcome
as Christ overcame, by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their
testimony. That long fast of the Saviour strengthened Him to endure.
He gave evidence to man that He would begin the work of overcoming
just where ruin began,—on the point of appetite.
Testimonies for the Church 2:202-203
If the Saviour of men, with His divine strength, felt the need of
prayer, how much more should feeble, sinful mortals feel the neces-
sity of prayer,—fervent, constant prayer! When Christ was the most
fiercely beset by temptation, He ate nothing. He committed Himself
to God, and through earnest prayer, and perfect submission to the will
of His Father, came off conqueror. Those who profess the truth for
these last days, above every other class of professed Christians, should
imitate the great Exemplar in prayer.
Testimonies for the Church 3:486
The Redeemer of the world knew that the indulgence of appetite
would bring physical debility, and so deaden the perceptive organs that
sacred and eternal things would not be discerned. Christ knew that the
world was given up to gluttony, and that this indulgence would pervert
the moral powers. If the indulgence of appetite was so strong upon the
race that in order to break its power, the divine Son of God, in behalf
of man, was required to fast nearly six weeks, what a work is before
the Christian in order that he may overcome even as Christ overcame!
The strength of the temptation to indulge perverted appetite can be
measured only by the inexpressible anguish of Christ in that long fast
in the wilderness.
Testimonies for the Church 2:650-651
It has not cost Brother K. hard effort to search out the truth; for
chosen men of God have prepared arguments to his hand, clear, plain,
and convincing. Difficult points of present truth have been reached by
the earnest efforts of a few who were devoted to the work. Fasting and