The
word for fast in Hebrew literally
means to cover the mouth. Therefore, a
fast has to do with limiting your food intake in some way. You may choose to remove other things (cell phones,
devices, video games, TV watching, limiting online time, etc.) from your life as
a way to have more time to draw nearer to God, but technically, a fast has to
do with depriving the body of food in some way.
Types of Fasting
There
are many ways you may choose to fast. Following is a short list:
Total fast: You
drink only water for a specified time period.
If you need to, you may drink fruit juice mixed with water, or some
broth.
Partial fast:
o Remove one or
two meals from your day and invest that time seeking the Lord.
o Remove items
from your diet. This could mean you have
three meals a day, but you refrain from luxury foods like meat, dairy, sugars,
desserts, or caffeine.
o Daniel Fast:
This was the fast that the Lord lead me to engage in. Found in the book of Daniel, I drank only
water during the day and ate vegetables and fruits for dinner with the
family. A very good resource for this
type of fast can be found at
http://www.vega-licious.com/things-you-need-to-know-about-the-daniel-fast/.
Let’s
not get legalistic here! This is between
you and God. If you are not sure about
how to fast, ask Him. Remember, fasting
is a powerful way of growing in your intimacy with Jesus. Fasting is not a way for you to earn a merit
badge from the Almighty!
What You Can Expect
When Fasting
If
you choose a total or partial fast which greatly reduces your food intake, you
can anticipate some of the following physical issues (I'm not a medical professional. I'm simply speaking from experience):
Detox: Over the
first couple of days your body will begin to expel toxins from its system. You may experience headaches and backaches.
This is normal and it should pass by day 6-7.
Bad Breath: You
will notice a coating on your tongue and bad breath. This is normal. Just brush your teeth and
keep drinking water. Don't chew gum, as it doing so will trick you're body into being hungry.
Hunger pains: You are re-training your body and putting it into submission to your
Spirit. Your body will ask for
food. When it does, drink more water.
Faintness: With
less caloric intake than usual, you may experience dizziness from time to
time. Don’t get up too quickly! Take care of yourself.
Trouble
focusing: No, fasting does not cause onset of ADHD, however, you may notice that it takes longer to do mental calculations or you may
have trouble concentrating. Again, this
is normal. Simply refocus and take care
of yourself.
Tips for Fasting
1.
Drink
lots of water. You cannot drink too much
water. It is crucial that you stay
hydrated, especially as you begin your fast.
a.
A
good rule of thumb is to drink half of your body weight in ounces per day. For instance, if you weigh 180 lbs., then you
should drink at least 90 oz. of water each day.
b.
I
found room temperature water to be the best for my system. Ice water is too shocking to a system without
food. Also, some recommend using
filtered or even distilled water. I used
water from the kitchen tap. See what
works for you.
2.
Don’t
drink coffee or tea. Caffeine stimulates
your nervous system when you are trying to give your body rest. If you need a hot beverage, try hot water
with a slice of lemon. Ahhh...refreshing!
3.
Don’t
chew gum or use breath mints, as these will stimulate your appetite.
4.
Take
walks.
5.
Conserve
your strength and take care of yourself.
6.
Journal
your experience. What is God saying to
you, teaching you?
7.
Obey
whatever God speaks to you through his Word and prayer.
Devotional
Activities to Accompany Fasting
Remember that fasting isn’t about being hungry and acting as
if we are doing God a favor. Fasting is
a path to greater intimacy with God that must be coupled with Bible reading and
prayer. Read your Bible during this time. God will speak to you through His Word in amazing and clear ways because as you fast, you are more spiritually sensitive to His leading. You may choose to read through the Psalms and Proverbs, or through the Gospels. Helpful Bible plans can be accessed at www.bible.com/reading-plans.
Pray. Seek the Lord. Talk to Him often. Keep a prayer journal. Pray about a specific issues in your life or the lives of loved ones and record how God moves in
those situations.
Remember, this is precious time that you are given to devote to you Heavenly Father. If you fast, but don't invest in seeking the Lord through Bible reading and prayer, then you'll just be a hungry, grumpy person with a headache. Don't only deprive your body--feed your soul!
Breaking Your
Fast
End
your fast gradually. Do not eat solid
foods immediately after a total fast.
Drink fruit juices, vegetable juices, broths and soft, easily digestible
fruits and vegetables. Stay away from
meat for a while. You may consider
trying several small meals or snacks throughout the day. Give your body time to get up and running
again. Don’t overdo. Slowly reintroduce meat, poultry or fish at
one meal per day until you feel you can handle more.
Some Final
Thoughts
In
his blog, my friend Dr. John Armstrong writes:
“We must never
allow any experience to be our sole guide. Experience is the
doorway through which we enter into the presence of God for ourselves. We must
not just “think” about God, or develop a reasonable theology of God. We must
even do more than read the Bible, as valuable as Bible
reading is for us all. We must hunger to know the divine author. The point
is this – get at the knowledge of God for yourself. Become a continuous learner
and seek the Truth until you know the divine Logos for yourself. This happens through both hearing and responding to the written
revelation of God but also through Christian experience of that living truth.
These are merely two sides of the same coin” (ACT3 Weekly Blog, March 3, 2014).
We must hunger
to know the divine author. Amen!
May
your fast lead you once again to the throne of grace.
May
you be filled to overflowing with His Presence.
May
you hunger for God.
Blessings!
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