The Preparation for the fast!

When I first seriously considered this fast I knew that I needed to go into it more informed then I did the last time I tried this fast.  40 days is a long time so I knew I needed to have people who prayed for me throughout the fast or else I knew I would fail.  So I gathered about 10 of my friends together and asked them to be my prayer warriors during the fast.  I talked to 1 person who had completed a 40 day fast but his fast consisted of juicing fruit and vegetables and I knew I wanted to try to just drink fruit juices and lemon water.

I knew that this fast would be hard for me because I rely so much on food for my comfort but I really felt like God was asking me if I wanted to be healed from my food addictions and that He wanted to do miracles in me.  Looking back I know I started this fast a little rebelliously and had the attitude “fine I will do the fast but don’t expect me to enjoy myself, I will complain the whole time”.  At the same time I was desperate for God to do something new in me!  I prayed this simple prayer “Please God, don’t let me be the same at the end of this as I am today!”

Some keys I have discovered to begin a fast of any kind;

1.  Take 2 days before you start to eat lighter to prepare your body.  If you eat a steak dinner the day before you begin the fast, that steak will sit at the bottom of your stomach and rot for the entire time.  Definitely not good for beginning a fast.

2.  Gather people to pray for you during your fast.  You will never regret it!  At the same time do not announce it to the world either.  Try to keep it something that is sacred between you and God!

3.  Know your body and choose your style and length of fast.  Base it on what you feel God is asking of you,  this will take some prayer and sitting quiet to hear His answer.  There are several different kinds of fasts.  The juice fast (using a juicer with fresh fruit & veggies, not store bought juices),  The limited diet fast (where you restrict the kinds of food you eat.  ie: No desserts) and then there is the hardest fast of all, the water only fast!

4.  Be prepared for the worst detox, headaches & withdrawal(from caffeine, sugar & salt).  If you are prepared mentally it will help you stay determined when temptation hits.  Try to make sure you plan it so you are not doing any major family get togethers or formal dinners during this time.  If you are doing a longer fast you will need to plan carefully!

Any kind of fast is hard.  We live in a society that lives for instant gratification so it will take some time to get use to the idea of letting your stomach growl without panicking.   Prepare yourself mentally but having reassuring verses by the refrigerator and all the mirrors in your home so that you can remind yourself of why you are doing the fast when the going gets tough (and believe me it gets really tough).

I was reminded by one of my Pastors recently that we live in a society that feel that if they follow God that their lives will be easier and filled with blessings. In reality though if we are true followers of Jesus it involves sacrifice and the fast is one way to sacrifice for God’s glory.

Join me for the next installment of my journal on the fast I just completed…Stay posted cause I don’t know exactly when my next post will happen!

Thanks for stopping by!