How To Fast
United prayer with fasting tends to bring revival and the heart of God into our families.
A fast is a restraint from food for a specific purpose. If you feel God call you to restrain from electronics or tv or entertainment, etc. as well, then follow Him in it. A fast according to the Bible is specifically a restrain from food. And there are blessings that come through it! It is well worth doing!
In this case it is for a spiritual purpose, although there are many physical benefits as well. It is not just missing a meal. Rather, it is a purposeful seeking of God to spend time in prayer and even in His Word. It can be done to seek Him for specific requests, or as an act of obedience to draw closer to Him.
When you begin, tell the Lord what you are fasting for. Many people will lay before the Lord our nation as well as a need in their life or loved ones. Then take the time you would normally eat (or set aside another time during the day), to spend in prayer and with the Lord, laying your requests before Him. If you are fasting because it is obedience to do so, and not for revelation or an answer or need, just tell the Lord so. He will reward you for it and blessings come through obedience to Him in it. Either way, consider placing our nation before the Lord during the fast as well. We need His help and many need Him!
Some people also plan a specific time to pray in unity with others as well. Some call a friend and pray over the phone. Others meet each other in person to pray. Whether you join with others or not, spend time with the Lord also on your own in prayer and His Word. There is a blessing that comes through it and through persistence in it.
Make a decision concerning which day you will fast. Then, decide how long the fast will be. If you fast a full day of 3 meals in a row or a partial day is good to decide beforehand. Most people (80% or so) can easily fast at least two meals. When you become more used to two meals, you can stretch it to three meals.
One benefit of fasting three meals in a row is that your stomach naturally shrinks, which aids you in keeping weight off when done regularly such as weekly. A smaller stomach results in feeling full quicker when you eat. In order to stretch your stomach out again to its original size, you have to overindulge (stuff yourself) two meals in a row to stretch it out again. When you fast regularly (such as weekly) it helps your stomach remain smaller, so you feel full quicker. Many people find this helps keep pounds off during the year!
A liquid fast is an easy type of fast to begin with.
A typical two meal fast would be something like this: two meals in a row. If you fast from when you awake in the morning, until supper, then you are fasting two full meals. If you eat after lunch one day but then then wait until the following day's lunch to eat, that would be two meals, since you missed two meals.
A full day fast would mean three meals missed and then we eat the fourth meal. You can choose to start your fast with breakfast, lunch or supper. Some people like to start their fast by fasting supper and then fasting breakfast and lunch the next day. Then they eat the following supper. A full day fast is three meals.
One meal can be fasted if you cannot do more than that or are leary to begin. Some people who cannot fast two meals in a row can fast three lunches, or three suppers for three days, and find that works as well. You can begin with one meal if you need to. I encourage you to do more than one a week if you can. Some people have even fasted and prayed one meal a day for a few months, 40 days, or even a year and watched God answer and at times miracles came through it. Praise God. He is good!
If medications make it hard to begin fasting, could you use just a few crackers to take your medication, schedule fasting at other mealtimes, or do a partial fast where you curb yourself from eating foods that are not medically necessary? One pastor told me due to blood sugar issues, he could not fast fully from food but could fast everything but small amounts of meat through the day. Depending on your situation, check with your doctor as needed.
However you begin, you can start and grow into it. You will find it becomes easier as you continue to do it regularly.
Even pray and ask the Lord to give you someone to keep each other accountable with the prayer and fasting. There is strength with unity! And there are blessings and breakthrough that comes with fasting and prayer!
If you would like printable guides, click here: FASTING RESOURCES or PRAYER RESOURCES.
A fast is a restraint from food for a specific purpose. If you feel God call you to restrain from electronics or tv or entertainment, etc. as well, then follow Him in it. A fast according to the Bible is specifically a restrain from food. And there are blessings that come through it! It is well worth doing!
In this case it is for a spiritual purpose, although there are many physical benefits as well. It is not just missing a meal. Rather, it is a purposeful seeking of God to spend time in prayer and even in His Word. It can be done to seek Him for specific requests, or as an act of obedience to draw closer to Him.
When you begin, tell the Lord what you are fasting for. Many people will lay before the Lord our nation as well as a need in their life or loved ones. Then take the time you would normally eat (or set aside another time during the day), to spend in prayer and with the Lord, laying your requests before Him. If you are fasting because it is obedience to do so, and not for revelation or an answer or need, just tell the Lord so. He will reward you for it and blessings come through obedience to Him in it. Either way, consider placing our nation before the Lord during the fast as well. We need His help and many need Him!
Some people also plan a specific time to pray in unity with others as well. Some call a friend and pray over the phone. Others meet each other in person to pray. Whether you join with others or not, spend time with the Lord also on your own in prayer and His Word. There is a blessing that comes through it and through persistence in it.
Make a decision concerning which day you will fast. Then, decide how long the fast will be. If you fast a full day of 3 meals in a row or a partial day is good to decide beforehand. Most people (80% or so) can easily fast at least two meals. When you become more used to two meals, you can stretch it to three meals.
One benefit of fasting three meals in a row is that your stomach naturally shrinks, which aids you in keeping weight off when done regularly such as weekly. A smaller stomach results in feeling full quicker when you eat. In order to stretch your stomach out again to its original size, you have to overindulge (stuff yourself) two meals in a row to stretch it out again. When you fast regularly (such as weekly) it helps your stomach remain smaller, so you feel full quicker. Many people find this helps keep pounds off during the year!
A liquid fast is an easy type of fast to begin with.
- A liquid fast: allows you to drink a few liquids including juice or chicken broth, tea, coffee, etc. The liquid is not to take the full place of food but rather as a supplement. You may drink as much water as you would like, of course. Some people feel better if they increase their water on the days they fast. Certain people say they feel better without juice. Others like a simple glass of juice around their mealtime. You will have to work out what works the best for you.
A typical two meal fast would be something like this: two meals in a row. If you fast from when you awake in the morning, until supper, then you are fasting two full meals. If you eat after lunch one day but then then wait until the following day's lunch to eat, that would be two meals, since you missed two meals.
A full day fast would mean three meals missed and then we eat the fourth meal. You can choose to start your fast with breakfast, lunch or supper. Some people like to start their fast by fasting supper and then fasting breakfast and lunch the next day. Then they eat the following supper. A full day fast is three meals.
One meal can be fasted if you cannot do more than that or are leary to begin. Some people who cannot fast two meals in a row can fast three lunches, or three suppers for three days, and find that works as well. You can begin with one meal if you need to. I encourage you to do more than one a week if you can. Some people have even fasted and prayed one meal a day for a few months, 40 days, or even a year and watched God answer and at times miracles came through it. Praise God. He is good!
If medications make it hard to begin fasting, could you use just a few crackers to take your medication, schedule fasting at other mealtimes, or do a partial fast where you curb yourself from eating foods that are not medically necessary? One pastor told me due to blood sugar issues, he could not fast fully from food but could fast everything but small amounts of meat through the day. Depending on your situation, check with your doctor as needed.
However you begin, you can start and grow into it. You will find it becomes easier as you continue to do it regularly.
Even pray and ask the Lord to give you someone to keep each other accountable with the prayer and fasting. There is strength with unity! And there are blessings and breakthrough that comes with fasting and prayer!
If you would like printable guides, click here: FASTING RESOURCES or PRAYER RESOURCES.
