How To Properly Fast
There are numerous ways to fast.
Fasting has a lot of health benefits because oftentimes people will hold off from eating poorly.
Thus, people who decide to consistently fast often drop weight and live a healthier life.
However, be very cautious and always do your own due diligence about fasting.
It must be done properly.
Below are 10 tips to a happy and healthy fast when it comes to food.
1. Shorter Is Safer
Since there are number of different ways to fast, there are also a number of durations you can choose from.
As I said above, shorter is safer.
Think in terms of a number of hours up to one day.
You can even just fast one meal.
Keep in mind that longer fasts increase in risk.
The best way to avoid getting into trouble is to stick to shorter fasts. Grow from there.
If you desire to do a longer fast seek medical advice first.
2. Eat a Little
As Ive mentioned throughout this article, just cutting down on something is a fast.
This means when it comes to fasting food, just eating a little, rather than a lot, is still considered a fast.
Yes, you can stop eating altogether for a predetermined amount of time, but you dont have to.
You can still eat a little.
This is true especially when you first start fasting.
3. Drink Something
When our bodies get dehydrated, we tend to recognize the symptoms quickly.
Our mouth drys up, muscles can get tense, and the list goes on.
Drinking something while fasting is critically important.
Stay hydrated at all costs.
4. Dont Stay Still
Why You Might Pray Through Fasting
There are many reasons to fast some reasons are good and some are bad. Some bad reasons to fast would be to lose weight, to feel more worthy of Gods love or to compare yourself to another person. Fasting should always be done out of love.
Its also worth noting that fasting from sin doesnt really count as fasting. Yes, we should eliminate sinful habits and whatever else keeps us from God, but just because we’re giving something up , it doesnt mean were actually fasting. Were just doing what were supposed to be doing!
What are some good reasons to fast? Fasting helps us to prepare for liturgical feasts like Easter, to master our instincts, to develop good spiritual habits, to grow in humility and dependence on God, to offer a sacrifice on behalf of an intention and to be more united with Christ. If any of these good reasons resonate with you, consider taking up a fast.
Prayer To Align With God’s Heart
Lord, I want to get Your Word so deep into my heart that it becomes MY word! I want to see things the way You see them, hear things the way You hear them, and feel things the way You feel them. I want to get so aligned with You that our hearts beat in syncopation together. I thank You that once Your Word gets that deeply rooted in my heart, my spoken words will release rivers of power and authority against the works of the devil that he has designed for my destruction! I thank You that just as Your words created the universe, my spoken words of faith create a change in my atmosphere! I pray this in Jesus’ name!
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Healthy Fasting For Breakthrough
Healthy fasting is the key to accessing miracles and breakthrough in your life. When you have a close relationship with God he will reveal what he is thinking, feeling, and going to do Through dreams, visions, and words of wisdom. I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. John 5:19
- To seek Gods direction. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Acts 13:2
- To soften someones heart to listen to Gods Will. Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish. Esther 4:16
- To remove clutter in your heart and/or repent which allows you to deepen your intimacy with God. Even now, declares the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Joel 2:12
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Prayer Before A Fast Begins
Lord, as I begin this time of fasting, fill me with your strength. Help me to use this as a time of growth, renewal, and healing. Calm my anxiety about what I might be giving up or times of discomfort that I might face.
Provide me with assurance that You will strengthen me during the difficult times and meet me for sweet moments of spiritual growth and surrender.
Help me focus not on what is being taken away, but what Im gaining as I use this as a spiritual discipline. With you leading, Holy Spirit, I am ready.
I dedicate this fast to You, Lord, and to Your glory.
In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
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How Fasting Is Carried Out According To The Bible
When I attended the church fasting was definitely one of the most challenging things for a christian to do.
The different fasts I encountered in church were the dry fast. Which meant eating no food at all until the end of the fast.
The water fast which meant you were only allowed to drink water during the fast.
You may or may not be able to relate to these fasts? If not, it just further proves that in church there is no universal way to fast.
The length of the fast was often from 6 oclock in the morning until 6 pm or 12 am in the evening.
It was never for the whole day, which you will find out is contrary to scriptures.
In order to understand the length of a fast in the bible we have to read scripture, where a fast takes place.
We find this when we look at an appointed day called
Day of Atonement, this gives us the blueprint of what the Most High considers a one day fast.
Leviticus 23:27-32
We can see from the above scriptures that the day of atonement last one biblical day.
It begins on the 9th day in the evening and finishes the following day on the 10th day in the evening.
So with that we know have a definitive answer about how long a one day fast actually last.
The terminology used here for not eating is to inflict your soul.
You now have a biblical, definitive fasting time.
Identify The Main Obstacles In Your Life
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Step : Expect Results
If you sincerely humble yourself before the Lord, repent, pray, and seek Gods face if you consistently meditate on His Word, you will experience a heightened awareness of His presence . The Lord will give you fresh, new spiritual insights. Your confidence and faith in God will be strengthened. You will feel mentally, spiritually, and physically refreshed. You will see answers to your prayers.
A single fast, however, is not a spiritual cure-all. Just as we need fresh in-fillings of the Holy Spirit daily, we also need new times of fasting before God. A 24-hour fast each week has been greatly rewarding to many Christians.
It takes time to build your spiritual fasting muscles. If you fail to make it through your first fast, do not be discouraged. You may have tried to fast too long the first time out, or your may need to strengthen your understanding and resolve. As soon as possible, undertake another fast until you do succeed. God will honour you for your faithfulness.
What Is A Partial Fast
A partial fast is also known as a three-day spiritual fast. We see examples of Daniel and his friends eating veggies, fruit, and drinking water for ten days. They used this fast to honor God while in captivity. Others fasted using different lengths of time and how. This fast could last from part of a day to an entire day to several days or weeks .
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Step : End Your Fast Gradually
Begin eating gradually. Do not eat solid foods immediately after your fast. Suddenly reintroducing solid food to your stomach and digestive tract will likely have negative, even dangerous, consequences. Try several smaller meals or snacks each day. If you end your fast gradually, the beneficial physical and spiritual effects will result in continued good health.
Here are some suggestions to help you end your fast properly:
- Break an extended water fast with fruit such as watermelon.
- While continuing to drink fruit or vegetable juices, add the following:
- First day: Add a raw salad.
- Second day: Add baked or boiled potato, no butter or seasoning.
- Third day: Add a steamed vegetable.
- Thereafter: Begin to reintroduce your normal diet.
Why Should Christians Fast
Maybe now you’re wondering “Why should Christians fast?” The reasons lean heavily on the Old Testament. Here are some reasons:
Sanctification: Moses fasted for 40 days before he went up the mountain to receive the commandments. Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness while being tempted by the devil.
Repentance: God’s people know they are sinful. Typically they realize their rebellion and come seeking God’s grace. Fasting shows an inward heart of repentance to God. Such acts might not earn His forgiveness but demonstrated genuine contrition. This is demonstrated in :
And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
Grief: God’s people also used fasting as a way to mourn. It represents a faithful heart to God even amidst great tragedies. You can see it during the death of Saul in :
And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul
All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
Before God comes in with the revival of the nations, the Holy Spirit will call God’s people to repent, fast, and pray. According :
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Determine How Long Your Fast Will Be
Connecting With The Father
Father, purify my heart, that I would be focused on You and You alone as I surrender to You in me. If I rely on anyones approval but Yours, make it obvious so I can turn that part of my life to You again. As I start my secret life with You, cultivate our relationship and make it something incredible! Amen.
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For Wisdom And Guidance
Dear Lord, Please give me Your wisdom and Your guidance as I lay my request before You. Show me the direction that I need to go in and the courage to take the steps in faith. Help me not to be led by selfish desires but only by your Holy Spirit in me. Help me to discern Your will so that I may pray with all boldness. In Jesus name Amen
Preparation For The Fast
After planning out your fast and praying about it, it is time to prepare physically for it. I myself have been intermittent fasting for years a part of my diet regimen and follow a fairly strict diet as it is, but for most pre-fast diet preparation is extremely important.
Remember that fasted prayer is not about losing weight or depriving yourself of food, its about dedicating time and focus intently on prayer. Even with this in mind, it is still important to remember that it can be a big shock to the body, that is why step number one, start small, is so important.
No matter how long you intend to fast for, the safest way to start fasting is to clean up your diet a bit ahead of time. This doesnt have to be a drastic diet change just simply being cautious of what you are eating the week prior and decreasing your intake slightly will be enough to help ease into the fast.
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The Contemporary View Of Fasting And Prayer
Like most Christian things nowadays, the essence of fasting has been somewhat lost in believers goal to make it more mainstream. Although there are many factors behind this, one of the main attributes of this is the financial incentive that comes from filling our pews.
If the people we want to bring in do not agree with some of the things that we dont think are necessarily key to our faith, we start to compromise these things. This is what has in some ways happened to fast. We are building comforts within our fast, so as to accommodate all. Is this the loss of the essence of fasting? Are the results worth it?
We have also become so caught up in names and types of fasting. The driving factor in most of the new variants is our desire to appease God while maintaining our comfort. There is a lack of the desire to sacrifice, which is the heart behind fasting.
Sacrifice is the language of the spirit.- Pastor Bonnie Deuschle.
You and I must not become too focused on ticking this ritualistic box, lest we lose the value and essence of fasting. Outside of sacrifice, there is no true fasting.
Drink Plenty Of Water
This fast is from food only you still want to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. For some, this may take some getting used to since most people dont drink nearly as much water on a daily basis as they should.
It is important to keep in mind that though you may not usually consume much water in general, without getting water from food and other sources, drinking water is crucial.
Though hydration is extremely important, dont stress out about trying to find out exactly how much water your body needs. An easy way to stay hydrated is just to drink a large glass of water every time you would typically have a meal or whenever you feel hungry.
The best part about water intake is it is actually fairly hard to drink too much, so just go off of how your body feels and you shouldnt have any issues.
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