Step : Make Your Commitment
Pray about the kind of fast you should undertake. Jesus implied that all of His followers should fast For Him it was a matter of when believers would fast, not if they would do it. Before you fast, decide the following up front:
- How long you will fast one meal, one day, a week, several weeks, forty days
- The type of fast God wants you to undertake .
- What physical or social activities you will restrict.
- How much time each day you will devote to prayer and Gods Word.
Making these commitments ahead of time will help you sustain your fast when physical temptations and lifes pressures tempt you to abandon it.
Why Look At The Types Of Fasting In The Bible
There are many types of fasting in the Bible or types of spiritual fasting.
Where the Bible does not give us rules per se, it does give us examples of many types of fasting in the Bible .
And please notice that God honored every type of fast so I see Grace in a fast that pleases God.
Also, when people were just following the rules they had set about a time of Fasting God did not honor it. To fast and pray is about the heart not the rules.
A Short Practical Guide For Prayer And Fasting
Richard Pratt
These are tumultuous times that call for prayer and fasting. Deadly disease runs rampant the worlds economies are unstable peace and safety are threatened at every turn. Now, we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose . No matter what trials we face, all of Christs followers are more than conquerors through him who loved us . Still, many of us struggle during these times as never before with hopelessness, loneliness, financial ruin, fear of violence, illness and death. The Scriptures teach that when followers of Christ face difficulties like these, we are to seek Gods help through prayer and fasting. Jesus himself explained that once he left his disciples and ascended into heaven, then they will fast .
Sadly, modern evangelicals have largely lost sight of Gods gracious provision of fasting. We labor under the burden of thinking that the faithful will be satisfied, even delighted with whatever terrible circumstances may come their way. As a result, we deny ourselves the opportunity to express our deep sorrow over sin, our desperate need for Christ, our longing for the renewal of the church and our intense desire to see Christs merciful and just Kingdom spread throughout the world. Yet, as our difficult days bring us to a stark awareness of how much we need Gods mercy, we must once again humble ourselves before the Lord through prayer and fasting.
For example:
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Prayer To Say Before Eating While Fasting
This is a prayer you say while after a period of fasting while breaking your fast. You could say
Lord! Bless this food that Im about to eat now. Provide for those who dont have anything to eat right now. For I have fasted, I know you have poured new refreshment, peace, and passion into my heart.
Please help to keep hold of this new treasure in my heart so that I wont trespass. Lord, remind me each day to not follow worldly things and taking comfort of food. Thank you for this food and drink. Amen.
How To Manage Your Schedule While Fasting
How long you fast, the kind of fast you undertake, and how you adjust your work schedule depends mostly on your occupation. Persons with office jobs, pastors, or homemakers may find it easier to continue their duties and fast for longer periods of time. In fact, on the basis of my personal experience, worldwide travels and the many letters, which I have received, I am confident that many, many thousands of pastors and lay men and women have already completed a 40-day fast!
Though there are many who engage in strenuous physical labor and have enjoyed their extended fast, if you are so engaged, you may wish to fast only one or more days of the week, limiting yourselves to partial fasting if you are so engaged. Or you may look to weekends as the prime time to abstain from food. Remember, too, fasting during major holidays is not always a good idea. Families may be inconvenienced, and temptations to eat can be overwhelming.
Reasons for schedule adjustments, especially during an extended fast, are two-fold
The first is physical. Throughout your fast, you may feel somewhat weaker than normal. During the first few days, you may feel tired and irritable. Lightening your workload and cutting down on strenuous exercise would be a very good idea to maintain your health and your morale.
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Spiritual Preparation For Fasting And Prayer
In preparation for this special time with God, cru.orgs guide to fasting urges that you examine your heart. Ask God to help you see your brokenness clearly so that you can confess your sins and repent. In Scripture, God frequently calls upon people to repent of their sins before listening to their prayers.
You can look to King Davids example in Psalm 66:16-20:
Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me. I cried aloud to him, and he was extolled with my tongue.If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.But truly God has listened he has given heed to the words of my prayer.
Blessed be God,
What To Expect After A Time Of Fasting
Redirection
God may have re-directed your prayers during the fast and you may be frustrated because the answer He gave -or the direction He pointed you in- was not what you set out to find.
Its important to let go of the expectations of God. His ways are just so much higher than ours.
Ive found that I have to be persistent in fasting and praying to get the answer I need or to beg God to help me understand and embrace the answer He gave.
Let me share an example:
A few years ago I was sure there was no hope for our Marriage. My prayer was God change him. I began fasting and praying over it. I was so aggravated that each time I would fast God would reveal sin in my life a sin I wasnt aware of.
God seemed to be completely ignoring my prayer to change my husband. After months of this, I finally changed my prayer to
God show me what you want to do. And help me want to want Your will in our life.
That is still my prayer today. God has shown me so much sin I praise Him for being patient with me and my stubborn resistance to change. Now my prayer is to be near God and walking on the path He has for me whatever that is submitted to His Will and His Time.
If you need help guiding your prayer time check out The Strategic Prayer Journal in The HopeJoyInChrist Shop!
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Step : Prepare Yourself Physically
Fasting requires reasonable precautions. Consult your physician first, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic ailment. Some persons should never fast without professional supervision.
Physical preparation makes the drastic change in your eating routine a little easier so that you can turn your full attention to the Lord in prayer.
- Do not rush into your fast.
- Prepare your body. Eat smaller meals before starting a fast. Avoid high-fat and sugary foods.
- Eat raw fruit and vegetables for two days before starting a fast.
- Avoid drugs, even natural herbal drugs and homeopathic remedies. Medication should be withdrawn only with your physicians supervision.
- Limit your activity.
- Exercise only moderately. Walk one to three miles each day if convenient and comfortable.
- Rest as much as your schedule will permit.
- Prepare yourself for temporary mental discomforts, such as impatience, crankiness, and anxiety.
- Expect some physical discomforts, especially on the second day. You may have fleeting hunger pains, dizziness, or the blahs. Withdrawal from caffeine and sugar may cause headaches. Physical annoyances may also include weakness, tiredness, or sleeplessness.
The first two or three days are usually the hardest. As you continue to fast, you will likely experience a sense of well-being both physically and spiritually. However, should you feel hunger pains, increase your liquid intake.
How To Fast As A Christian
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Fasting is a sacred time in which Christians abstain from food, or other pleasures, and take the time to focus on God. If you are interested in focusing your life around God, while feeding the poor, deepening your faith — read on and find out how!
For a non-religious fast, see How to Fast.
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Thanksgiving Prayer After Fasting
Lord, thank you for the lessons you taught me during fasting. Thank you for the ways you grew me in fruits of the spirit like patience and self-control. I know I could not have accomplished this by my own power, but only because of Your work in me.
Guide me as I move forward. If Your desire is for me is to fast again, show me that clearly. Help me not forget this time of fasting, but instead to use these lessons in my daily life. Above all, help me honor and serve You with the choices I make. I love you, Lord.
Amen.
How To Make Your Spiritual Experience The Best It Can Be
Receiving Gods best blessing from a fast requires solid commitment. Arranging special time each day with God is absolutely crucial in attaining intimate communion with the Father. You must devote yourself to seeking Gods face, even during those times in which you feel weak, vulnerable, or irritable. Read His Word and pray during what were mealtimes. Meditate on Him when you awake in the night. Sing praises to Him whenever you please. Focus on your Heavenly Father and make every act one of praise and worship. God will enable you to experience His command to pray without ceasing as you seek His presence.
As you enter this time of heightened spiritual devotion, be aware that Satan will do everything he can to pull you away from your prayer and Bible reading time. When you feel the enemy trying to discourage you, immediately go to God in prayer and ask Him to strengthen your resolve in the face of difficulties and temptations.
The enemy makes you a target because he knows that fasting is the most powerful of all Christian disciplines and that God may have something very special to show you as you wait upon Him and seek His face. Satan does not want you to grow in your faith, and will do anything from making you hungry and grumpy to bringing up trouble in your family or at work to stop you. Make prayer your shield against such attacks.
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Determine Your Prayer Requests
Your fasting is centered around your spiritual growth, so it starts in your prayer life. Some people create a prayer guide to use through their days of prayer and fasting. It can be as simple as laying down the goals and objectives of the fast. Ask yourself why you are fasting. Seek the Holy Spirit to clarify the intent of the fast.
Reasons For Prayer And Fasting
There are various reasons to fast and each persons circumstances will be different. However, the Bible does give us plenty of examples. The biblical accounts often include a specific reason the person or group fasted. Here are a few such examples.
Praying for Health or a Crisis Situation
David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. 2 Samuel 12:16
Praying for Safety and Protection
There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. Ezra 8:21 .
As an Act of Repentance
When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, We have sinned against the LORD. 1 Samuel 7:6
As a Sign of Mourning
They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 2 Samuel 1:12
Before Starting Ministry
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. Acts 14:23
Praying for Victory
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If My People Who Are Called By My Name Will Humble Themselves And Pray And Seek My Face And Turn From Their Wicked Ways Then I Will Hear From Heaven And I Will Forgive Their Sin And Will Heal Their Land
The scope of this revival depends on how believers in the United States and the rest of the world respond to this call. I have spent 50 years studying Gods Word and listening to His voice, and His message could not have been more clear.
This handy reference guide, 7 Basic Steps to Successful Fasting and Prayer, will help make your time with the Lord more spiritually rewarding. I encourage you to keep it with you during your fast and refer to it often because it gives easy-to-follow suggestions on how to begin your fast, what to do while you fast and how to end your fast properly.
Prayer To Resist Temptation
Temptations are an inevitable part of human life. Its sure to happen, and nobody is above it. Even Jesus wasnt above it. However, he overcame it. Jesus, being tempted, gave us the best example of how to overcome temptation.
Looking at the book of Matthew, chapter 4 verses 1,2. It says, Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. Satan then tempted him with food. But he answered, It is written Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God .
This is why you need to pray and ask God for the power to resist temptation. Ask him to lead you in the path of righteousness. Ask for his help to walk in his obedience, because it is only through it that we can live and flourish and extend our days.
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Kindly Watch Evangelist Joshua On Youtube
Fasting should have a clear purpose and it must be clearly defined. However, people in the Bible fasted and prayed because they wanted something specific to happen. Fasting is taking your mind off of the things of this world in order to focus more on the things of God.
Fasting is the connection between you and God. With various types of fasting, it is therefore important to fast not because there is no money to feed or you wanted the world to know that you are fasting. Bible should be the standard or backing for your fasting and prayers. For example, if you embark on serious fast without prayers, then its just a spiritual exercise done in vanity.
Bible Verses To Take During Fasting And Prayers
1. 1 Thess 5:17 & 19, Pray without ceasing. Vs 19, Quench not the Spirit.
2. Isaiah 58:6,Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness,to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
3. Nehemiah 1:4, And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
4. Acts 13:2-3, 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. Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
13.And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
WARFARE SCRIPTURES
The Bible Has Much To Say About Fasting
Often verses we read of men and women in the Bible going into deep war or decision in prayer, it is accompanied by fasting. One of the most famous fasts is the one performed by Daniel in the Book of Daniel.
Daniel 9:3-5 shares, So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled we have turned away from your commands and laws. Daniels heart ached for his country, so he took a vow of a fast from certain foods and remained deeply in prayer. It continues on in the book that an Angel comes to see Daniel, and the Angel shares that he left the exact moment Daniel started praying. Remarkably, it took twenty-one days for the Angel to get past the forces of Darkness to reach Daniel. This is evidence that from the first moment we commit to a fast, the Lord hears us. He is always working in action to come near to us, and to send help.
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