Fasting is subject that is often overlooked and under valued in average Christian circles. It that uncomfortable requirement that we know we must fulfill, yet we avoid it due to discomfort and feelings of physical illness that can follow if the body is not properly prepared.
I wanted to share some insight that I found over the years which has helped me be more successful in fasting and has yielded better results from my fasting efforts.
Throughout the Old Testament and even in the New, believers are seen fasting for various reasons. Sometimes, individuals fasted to get wisdom from God, or divine intervention in an unpleasant circumstance. In the Old Testament particularly, entire groups of people, cities, or even whole nations were called to fast to avert some pending danger. The New Testament is peppered with examples of individuals fasting to gain closer relationship with God. So it is understood, that fasting should be a regular part of any believer's life.
Even though we are often encouraged to fast by our leaders, we are not often given guidance on techniques which help to make our fasting successful. There are few practical tips that can help make the fasting experience more bearable and less likely to lead to physical pain or illness during and after the fasting.
It is important to understand that there are different kinds of fasts ranging from restricting certain foods to not consuming any foods or beverages. There are fasts where only juice is consumed or only water and no solid foods. The average Christian perspective of fasting is the dry fast, where no food or liquid is consumed for short time period. This is only one type of fast, but is the most widely accepted meaning among main stream christians. Whatever method of fasting you choose, there are steps that can be taken to help ensure good success during the fasting.
1. Prepare your schedule for fasting
If you know you are approaching a time for fasting, plan ahead to limit physically exerting activity during the time of fasting. Exerting your body physically when it is low on energy makes it prone to premature exhaustion and injury. Schedule your activities in a way that you can be free to spend more time meditating in the scriptures and praying. God actually rebuked the children of Israel because they disrespected the time of fasting by continuing to work as though they were not fasting.
The purpose for fasting from a Christian perspective is to build your faith, and draw your heart closer to God. It is the denial of cravings and appetites to clear away things that cloud your ability to hear from God and believe in God to do what He says He will do. If there is any deviation from pure motives for fasting, then you have simply wasted your time as far as getting God to respond.
It is vitally important to prepare your temple for fasting. Consuming the right foods and beverages before fasting helps sustain your body while it going without its regular intake of food. Improper prepration or negligence to prepare the body can result in sickness, pain and hardship, during and following the time of Fasting. Illness is a serious matter for the temple of the Holy Ghost and if you experience it during fasting, your mind will associate the fasting with the illness or pain. Fasting should never make you ill or feel sick. It is improper preparation, or failing to prepare which leads to illness.
4. Things I Do to prepare my body for successful fasting
I wanted to share some insight that I found over the years which has helped me be more successful in fasting and has yielded better results from my fasting efforts.
Throughout the Old Testament and even in the New, believers are seen fasting for various reasons. Sometimes, individuals fasted to get wisdom from God, or divine intervention in an unpleasant circumstance. In the Old Testament particularly, entire groups of people, cities, or even whole nations were called to fast to avert some pending danger. The New Testament is peppered with examples of individuals fasting to gain closer relationship with God. So it is understood, that fasting should be a regular part of any believer's life.
Even though we are often encouraged to fast by our leaders, we are not often given guidance on techniques which help to make our fasting successful. There are few practical tips that can help make the fasting experience more bearable and less likely to lead to physical pain or illness during and after the fasting.
It is important to understand that there are different kinds of fasts ranging from restricting certain foods to not consuming any foods or beverages. There are fasts where only juice is consumed or only water and no solid foods. The average Christian perspective of fasting is the dry fast, where no food or liquid is consumed for short time period. This is only one type of fast, but is the most widely accepted meaning among main stream christians. Whatever method of fasting you choose, there are steps that can be taken to help ensure good success during the fasting.
1. Prepare your schedule for fasting
If you know you are approaching a time for fasting, plan ahead to limit physically exerting activity during the time of fasting. Exerting your body physically when it is low on energy makes it prone to premature exhaustion and injury. Schedule your activities in a way that you can be free to spend more time meditating in the scriptures and praying. God actually rebuked the children of Israel because they disrespected the time of fasting by continuing to work as though they were not fasting.
- Isa 58:3 'Why have we fasted and You do not see? {Why} have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?' Behold, on the day of your fast you find {your} desire, And drive hard all your workers.[NASB]
The purpose for fasting from a Christian perspective is to build your faith, and draw your heart closer to God. It is the denial of cravings and appetites to clear away things that cloud your ability to hear from God and believe in God to do what He says He will do. If there is any deviation from pure motives for fasting, then you have simply wasted your time as far as getting God to respond.
- Isa 58:4 "Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast like {you do} today to make your voice heard on high.
Isa 58:5 "Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one's head like a reed And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD?
- Isa 58:6 "Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke?
Isa 58:7 "Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Isa 58:8 "Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. [NASB]
- Isa 58:9 "Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,
Isa 58:10 And if you give yourself to the hungry And satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness And your gloom {will become} like midday.
Isa 58:11 "And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.
Isa 58:12 "Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age-old foundations; And you will be called the repairer of the breach, The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.
Isa 58:13 "If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot From doing your {own} pleasure on My holy day, And call the sabbath a delight, the holy {day} of the LORD honorable, And honor it, desisting from your {own} ways, From seeking your {own} pleasure And speaking {your own} word,
Isa 58:14 Then you will take delight in the LORD, And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; And I will feed you {with} the heritage of Jacob your father, For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
It is vitally important to prepare your temple for fasting. Consuming the right foods and beverages before fasting helps sustain your body while it going without its regular intake of food. Improper prepration or negligence to prepare the body can result in sickness, pain and hardship, during and following the time of Fasting. Illness is a serious matter for the temple of the Holy Ghost and if you experience it during fasting, your mind will associate the fasting with the illness or pain. Fasting should never make you ill or feel sick. It is improper preparation, or failing to prepare which leads to illness.
4. Things I Do to prepare my body for successful fasting
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables leading up to the time of fasting. The longer the fast period, the more fruits and vegetables should be eaten as preparation. Fruits and vegetables do not turn rancid in the digestive system like meat does.
- The last meal before fasting should be meat-free. This is particularly true for extended fasting over several days.
- Consume more fruit than cooked vegetables. The fruit will preserve in your digestive track and helps clean out toxins in your system.
- Drink plenty of water leading up to the fast. The human body is made up of a large percentage of water. According to some sources, between 60%-70% (http://ad.vu/rkhb, http://ad.vu/9gnq). It is vital to avoid dehydration during extended times of fasting.
- Eat a slice of fresh lemon at end of last meal. The acid in the lemon acts as a preserver in the system.
- Eat simple foods after extended fasting such as breakfast cereal, bread or crackers. This gently increases demand on your digestive system to get it back up to full speed.
- Avoid dry fasting if you are ill. Your body has a built in immune system which depends on receiving nourishment and liquids to continue working properly. In my experience it is to wait until the illness has cleared up before dry fasting. If you are dealing with a chronic illness, you should consider other types of fasts, such as juice fasting, or a restriction fast where you eliminate all pleasure foods. You do not want to do anything that can contribute to the illness growing worse. There are people who believe that God leads them on a dry fast despite their illness. If you have specific leading from the Holy Ghost regarding this, then by all means obey God. However, keep in mind that scripture also says in 1 Corinthians 3:17 If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. So you must be cautious in this area, and truly have the leading of the Holy Ghost.
- Avoid eating meat immediately before fasting. When your body is not receiving food, your digestive systems can go into what I call "sleep mode." Basically since it is not being used, it tends to slow down, and blood flow to those organs is reduced in the same way it does with any organ in the body that places less demand on your body. Meat can putrify if it stays in your body too long, resulting in toxins being released in your body.
- Avoid eating meat immediately after fasting. Since your digest system has slowed down, you should avoid greasy food.
- Avoid fast-food restaurants when ending a fast, the complex food can be too much on your body, especially after extended fasts.
- Avoid "pigging-out" after fasting. You cannot make up for lost time by overeating after the fast is over. Your body will crave food because it is trying to replenish vitamins, minerals and energy that has been depleted. Several smaller meals increasing in complexity and variety are better than one big buffet.
- Avoid eating tough, raw vegetables immediately after fasting. They are more difficult for your body to digest than steamed vegetables and your body is recovering from a weakened state.
- Avoid foods cooked in animal fat immediately after eating. Steamed or boiled is easier on the system when it is in recovery mode.
- Avoid a lot of sugary foods and beverages immediately after fasting. The sugar will give you a rush of energy but you will also have that "crash and burn" feeling after the sugar wears off. The best drink after fasting is water, unsweetened fruit juice, or milk (if you are not lactose intolerant). Some people suggest sports drinks with electrolytes in them, but I prefer water, and slowly building back up to regularly consumed beverages. I often dilute fruit juice with water to cut down on the amount of sugar intake, but that's just me.
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