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.

Steps

Before the Fast

  1. Hold the right motives. Note that fasting as a Christian means to humble yourself before Him. It is a way to glorify our Lord. Keep these aspects in mind while you fast. Don't confuse this with any other reasons for fasting such as weight loss, etc. Center it around Jesus.
  2. Pray before your fast. Pray, confessing every one of your sins, and inviting the Holy Spirit to lead your life. Let Jesus know you wish to know Him personally. Acknowledge that He lived without sin, died in our place, on the cross for our sins and rose 3 days later, freeing us from condemnation, and giving us His free gift of eternal life. Humble yourself to ask forgiveness from everyone you have hurt; ask forgiveness from God. Forgive those who have hurt you. You do not want to enter into a fast holding grudges, carrying envy, pride, anger or hurt. The enemy will try to use those things to distract you from your fast.
  3. Meditate on the Gospel, and on the Holy traits of our Lord. These may include the ability to forgive, His strength or wisdom, His peace, the capacity to love unconditionally, etc. Praise Him for these attributes! Surrender your life and thank Him for all He has done for you!
  4. Determine the length of your fasting experience, whether this is for 1 meal, 1 day, 3 days or a week (Jesus and Moses fasted for a period of 40 days, but that is no sign that anyone else might do that). You may wish to try a shorter fast, and start slowly at first, if you have not previously fasted. You can also pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you how long you should fast.
  5. Note the type of fast you are being called to. You may feel that the Holy Spirit calls you to a specific type of fast. A partial fast may mean giving up only certain types of foods. Juice fasts remove the pleasure of chewing any type of solid food, yet fruit and vegetable juices are permitted.
  6. Drink enough water to support life, since it is not a food, observing this Absolute Caution: In an absolute fast one abstains from solid and liquid "foods" -- for example, fruit juices are foods -- but, water is essential for life much as breathing, as one may go into a foggy mental state, then coma and die after a mere 2 or 3 days of dehydration.

During the Fast

  1. Hold morning worship. Worship Him and praise Him for His attributes. Read God’s Word, and meditate that God will lend me His Wisdom, so that I can input His Word into my life, and I can gain a fuller understanding of it. Pray for God’s Will to be done, and for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Ask God to lead you in spreading His Glory into the world we live in.
  2. Go for a prayer walk. Walk outside, hand in hand with nature, while noticing God’s wondrous creation. Thank Him for everything He has created as you walk. Ask Him to give you a spirit of thanksgiving and appreciation.
  3. Pray for the welfare of others. Pray for church leaders to preach His Word as God intended, so that your friends and family members will grow closer to Him or accept Him into their lives; pray for government leaders to come to Him, and ask Him for His Will.

Breaking (after) the Fast

  1. Avoid gorging, as one of the recommended ways to return to a regular eating habit after fasting.
  2. Gradually add in a raw salad the first day of breaking your fast.
  3. The 2nd day, add a baked potato, avoiding any fat or salt on the potato.
  4. The 3rd day, add a steamed vegetable. Afterwards, progressively initiate additional foods into your eating.

Tips

  • Make time for personal prayer. Cast all cares unto Him. Remember to pray about everything and worry about nothing
  • If you accidentally eat something while fasting, repent and get back on your fast. This may happen, because you eat by habit.
  • To begin, you may wish to try spending about 1 week, or so, eating smaller meals and abstaining from sugary foods and caffeine to prepare yourself for total fasting. The 2 days before you begin your actual fast, you might eat only fruits and vegetables, while drinking only water. This will prepare your appetite (physically) and your mind for going without your favorite foods.
  • For those who drink juice during the fast: Fresh watermelon, grapes, apples, cabbage, beets, carrots, celery, and leafy green vegetables are the very healthy. Avoid citrus and other acidic juices.
    • Wake in the morning to a glass of freshly juiced or fresh frozen, non-acidic fruit juice.
    • Around midday, drink a cup of fresh vegetable juice.
    • Around 3:00 P.M., try a glass of herbal tea, making sure it does not contain caffeine.
    • In the evening, drink vegetable broth -- letting someone else eat the veges. To make broth, you can heat up some carrots or mixed vegetables in boiling water. Do not add salt or oils.
  • Put up scriptures around your house to remind you that you're fasting and why you're fasting. Replace meals and snacks with prayer, which can better yourself.
  • It you have children, explain fasting to them. It's an important part of every Christian's life!

Warnings

  • Be sure to get plenty of rest.
  • Fasting should not be used as a method of weight control, or it will lose much of it spiritual meaning and reward.
  • Avoid overeating or even gorging when you come off your fast.
  • You may become dizzy during fasting, if you're doing a juice fast.
  • Those suffering from eating disorders of any kind should not fast.
  • Beware of the breakdown of tissues and electrolyte loss. Include your doctor's advice and care in your fasting experience.
  • Don't boast when you fast. Matthew 6:17 When you fast don't tell anybody. But your Heavenly Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Things You'll Need

  • The Bible
  • Song book
  • Prayer request

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

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