- 10 things you must never do in a fast.
Number one, fasting is not a Christian diet.
You should not fast to lose weight,
although weight loss is a natural side effect.
The world calls not eating dieting,
and usually does it to lose weight or for health reasons,
but some go without eating for spiritual reasons.
This is referred to in the Bible as fasting.
Fasting is not the same thing as dieting,
and fasting is not the same thing
as eliminating food for health.
Fasting is not a required discipline.
You don't have to do it.
While you alter your diet,
there are many kinds of fasts for a spiritual reason.
There are many reasons to fast,
and accompany the experience with prayer.
Fasting is a biblical discipline
that can help anyone improve their spiritual fitness
and become a prayer warrior for God.
Number two, you do not fast so that others will notice you.
Matthew 6:17 to 18, New King James Version.
"But you, when you fast, anoint your head
and wash your face,
so that you do not appear to men to be fasting,
but to your Father who is in the secret place,
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."
Jesus reminded us
not to make a show of our religious devotion to God.
Fasting, on the other hand,
is a personal commitment between you and God.
Fasting can be done privately without telling anyone.
Occasionally, you will participate in a public fast
with your church or another individual.
The purpose of fasting
is not to show off your profound spirituality to others,
but to focus on the needs of others.
When you give up food, both enjoyable and necessary,
you draw God's attention.
Instead of eating, you devote yourself to secret prayer.
However, if your goal in avoiding food
is for others to compliment you on how spiritual you appear,
then their approval will be your reward.
Some people are worried about
how their friends will perceive them if they fast.
Will my friends think I'm weird
if they find out I'm fasting?
The answer is simple.
You don't fast to impress your friends,
and you usually don't even tell them.
Number three, not expecting opposition.
Expect opposition when fasting.
When you are going into a fast, you are opposing your flesh.
Expect some opposition.
If there is food on your table when fasting,
it'll be more difficult.
Do not put on Food Network on your TV.
You may have to avoid some get-togethers.
Food commercials on television
are more appealing than usual.
The same can be said for drive-through windows
at fast food restaurants,
including places you never considered eating.
Whenever food temptations arise, pray immediately.
According to contemporary authors,
praying is like a hacking cough
that comes and goes on an irregular basis.
We should be reminded on a regular basis to pray.
When you start to feel hungry,
pray for the reason you're fasting.
Number four, starting too big.
Start reasonably.
So if you have never fasted before,
start with one meal skip fast.
In the Old Testament, Jews were required to fast for one day
on Yom Kippur every year.
A day began at sundown
and ended at sundown the following day,
according to the Jewish calendar.
God taught the Jews how to count their days.
Start small if this is your first fast.
God will honor your first step of faith,
which may appear small to others,
but be a giant one for you.
Number five, forgetting your heart.
During a fast,
God is also concerned about your heart's response.
Fasting is very much about your attitude.
Just like when a man proposes to a woman,
it is not the length of his proposal that gets a yes,
but his heart.
Make sure your relationship with God
is in good working order.
God is aware of everything.
Your sincerity is more important to him
than the length of your prayer.
Genesis 1:5, New King James Version.
"God called the light day, and the darkness he called night.
So the evening and the morning were the first day."
Number six, do not rush.
You should start your fast when the sun goes down,
or perhaps a little before.
This means you are going to do
without the normal evening meal.
Then skip breakfast and lunch the following day.
After the sun went down,
most Jews broke their fast by eating a typical meal.
Number seven, always going alone.
Fast with a pal.
Even though private prayer and fasting
is the foundation of all intercession,
if you have never walked this path before,
you may want to start your fasting journey
with someone else.
Invite someone else to fast and pray with you
if you are praying for a specific answer to a prayer.
There's strength in numbers.
Jesus said, Matthew 18:18 to 19, New King James Version,
"Assuredly I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth
concerning anything that they ask,
it will be done for them by my Father in heaven."
These verses are not just about prayer.
They are also about the commitment we make
in agreement with someone else.
Take this into consideration.
When planning a vacation with someone else,
it is more memorable if you plan, dream,
and share experiences together.
You probably get more enjoyment from your vacation
if you share it with someone else.
The same is true for fasting.
When you share the experience
of fasting and praying together,
your prayers are likely to be more focused.
If fasting scares you,
the strength of another person can help you get through it.
You can always call each other for advice and ask,
"How's it going?"
That phone buzz might give you
the inspiration you need to keep going.
Remember the celebration.
When you climb the mountain by yourself,
you are doing so to prove something to yourself,
and the victory is yours alone.
In contrast, when you climb the hill with others,
you have many people to celebrate with
when you reach the top.
Simply being together makes victory taste even sweeter.
Number eight, going in without a purpose.
Purposeful fasting.
If you're getting ready to fast,
ask yourself why you're fasting.
Fasting has numerous benefits.
You might already have a good reason to fast.
When young David went down to face Goliath,
no other Israeli soldier would face the colossus.
They not only refused to fight Goliath,
but each gave David a different reason to avoid the battle.
But David would not be deterred.
He had a compelling reason
to fight this particular giant and battle.
It isn't just a matter of praying and fasting.
We are fasting for a reason.
Are you willing to fast and abandon your pleasure?
Make a list of your cause.
Put it down on paper so you can see it with your own eyes.
When you keep a cause ramped up in your mind,
it can become blurred or vague.
You may have a general idea
about why you should fast right now,
but take the time to write down your reasoning.
It will sharpen your focus if you see it written down.
Number nine, pick an appropriate fast.
There is several types of fast,
and you have to pick yours wisely.
There is the absolute fast.
This is a fast where you eliminate all food and water.
Paul followed this fast for three days
after seeing the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus
and was struck blind.
Do not follow the absolute fast during your first fast.
This fast is intended for those who are deeply distressed,
or who are fasting to solve a severe problem.
There is also the normal fast.
During this fast,
you avoid all solid foods and drink only liquids.
Usually, fasting in the Bible
refers to people who do not eat solid food.
Luke 4:2, New King James Version.
"Being tempted for 40 days by the devil,
and in those days he ate nothing,
and afterward, when they had ended, he was hungry."
There is no mention of Jesus drinking liquids.
When people fast, what do they drink?
Many people cut out enjoyable drink items,
like soda and various types of fruit drinks.
This corresponds to the Old Testament description
of them afflicting themselves in fasting.
Isaiah 58:3.
"Why have we fasted?" they say, "And you have not seen?
Why have we afflicted our souls, and you take no notice?
In fact, in the day of your fast, you find pleasure,
and to exploit all your labors."
The partial fast.
In this fast, you eliminate certain liquids
or certain solids,
but not all liquids and solids.
This is also called the Daniel fast,
because he would not eat at the king's table
but insisted, Daniel 1:12,
"Please test your servants for 10 days,
and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink."
Fast did not harm Daniel or his friend.
At another time,
Daniel reflected the spirit of the partial fast.
Daniel 10:3.
"I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth,
nor did I anoint myself at all,
till three whole weeks were fulfilled."
This is a partial fast that specifies what Daniel avoided.
One, pleasant food, similar to our donuts or cakes,
a dessert fast.
Two, meat.
This was a non-meat diet.
And three, wine, that which is pleasurable or brings joy.
The question is, how do you choose a fast?
When preparing to fast,
there are several factors to consider.
Consider your specific situation
before deciding on the best approach for you.
Here's a few ideas.
The first fast factor.
As mentioned before, if this is your first fast,
I recommend starting with a one-day fast.
If you want to fast for a more extended period
to address a severe or ongoing problem,
fasting one day per week for three weeks
is preferable to starting with a three-day fast.
Remember that if this is your first fast,
you are embarking on an unknown journey.
You should proceed with caution,
because you are learning new skills and attitudes
for your body and soul.
Your first fast should be a normal fast,
in which you eat only liquids for one day.
Next, you should try to match the reason for your fast
with the type of fast.
Choose a normal fast for a routine request.
Choose a fast with more stringent requirements
for a more serious problem.
There's also the comfort factor.
You should feel at peace with both the length
and type of fast.
As you decide what you will eliminate when you pray,
you should not second-guess yourself,
nor should you feel guilty
that you are doing the wrong thing.
Choose a type of fast
that allows you to be comfortable with your decision.
There's also the time factor.
Obviously, a variety of factors
influence your decision to fast or the length of your fast.
You must think about your weekly schedule.
What days of the week are not suitable for fasting?
What special event is coming up when fasting's not advised?
Thanksgiving, Christmas, weddings, and so on.
Never start a fast with a long fast.
You have no idea what to expect from your body
or how you will react emotionally.
A one-day fast is very simple.
Whatever fast you choose as your first,
keep in mind that it's a leap of faith.
God sees your heart and will reward you accordingly.
Number 10, abandoning prayer.
Learning to pray while fasting.
Have you tried and failed to serve God?
Have you ever asked God to do something
and he did not respond?
Consider how the disciples felt when they attempted
and failed to accomplish something significant.
Jesus led three disciples, Peter, James and John,
to the summit of Mount Transfiguration.
He left nine disciples at the mountain's base.
A father brought his son to the nine
to have a demon cast out of him
because the boy couldn't speak or hear.
The disciples tried,
but they were unable to expel the demon.
Can you imagine how humiliating that had to be?
They were surrounded by a cheering crowd looking for Jesus.
The crowd, the father, and the disciples
were all disappointed.
It was a lack of faith on their part.
However, the disciples did not inquire
as to how they could gain more faith at the time.
They had only inquired
as to why they were unable to expel the demon.
All of their questions were answered by Jesus
in one simple statement.
"This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."
Matthew 17:14 to 21, New King James Version.
"And when they had come to the multitude,
a man came to him, kneeling down to him and saying,
"Lord, have mercy on my son,
for he is an epileptic and suffers severely;
for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.
So I brought him to your disciples,
but they could not cure him."
Then Jesus answered and said,
"O faithless and perverse generation,
how long shall I be with you?
How long shall I bear with you?
Bring him here to me."
And Jesus rebuked the demon, and he came out of him;
and the child was cured from that very hour.
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said,
"Why could we not cast it out?"
So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief,
for assuredly, I say to you,
if you have faith as a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there,"
and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
However, this kind does not go out
except by prayer and fasting."
In a nutshell,
Jesus told them that prayer and fasting yielded results,
and that prayer and fasting could heal the boy.
Perhaps you are fasting because you've been praying
but haven't received an answer.
Whatever your motivation,
fasting will alleviate prayer and faith to a higher level.
It will bring you closer to God.
Just because your fast does not guarantee
that God will hear or answer your prayers,
furthermore, abstaining from food
will not make you more spiritual.
Spirituality is a heart response to God
in which you seek his presence and yield to him.
When you allow the Lord to flow through your life,
the Holy Spirit will make you more holy.
When you are filled with the Holy Spirit,
you'll become more spiritual.
Remember that the most important aspect of fasting
is to seek and touch God and to allow him to touch you.
When to pray.
There are many times when you will pray while fasting.
Your choice of when to pray during a fast
will be dependent upon your schedule
and other factors in your life.
I'll give you some tips
on how to incorporate prayer into your fasting.
Determine the best time for you.
The following will give you some ideas
for how to plan your fasting prayer time.
Praying during mealtime.
When you are fasting, you can use mealtime for praying.
This gives you three times a day,
breakfast, lunch, and dinner,
that you would not otherwise have to devote to seeking God.
Consider how you could replace a meal with prayer.
Do whatever works best for you and your schedule.
One special prayer time.
Attempt to devote special extra time to prayer
during your fast.
This could mean getting up earlier in the morning,
substituting prayer time for regular daily activities,
or devoting any downtime you have to prayer.
Praying through your prayer list.
You may not have made a prayer list
if this is your first fast.
This is an excellent time to begin.
Break it down into several sections
and use these sections
to create a list of things to pray for.
Circle the most significant answers to prayer
in the previous month at the end of each fast.
This is the time to rejoice and express gratitude to God,
saying, "Thank you, God,
because you still answer my prayers."
This exercise, on the other hand, serves a dual purpose.
Some believe that that Christians do not require discipline.
However, we build our strength through spiritual exercises.
We must remember that we are Christ's soldiers.
A good soldier is well-versed in a variety of disciplines.
Fasting is just one of a Christian's many disciplines.
You can always find a reason not to fast,
so you have to decide that you are going to do it,
and everything else will take care of itself.
If you decide to set aside
the first days of the year for fasting,
you will set the course for the whole coming year.