How To Properly Do A Spiritual Fast

I think that the spiritual atomic bomb that our Lord has given us in the form of fasting in relation to prayer is the spiritual atomic bomb that will smash the strongholds of evil and bring in a vast revival and spiritual harvest over the world.

I've been increasingly gripped by a growing sense of urgency to pray to God for revival in our dear country. In the spring and summer of 1994, I became increasingly convinced that God wanted me to fast and pray for forty days in response to our Lord's mandate for revival in the United States and the accomplishment of the Great Commission.

At first, I was skeptical “Is this really God's calling on my life?” Forty days without solid meals was a long time. But His call grew louder and clearer with each passing day. I was finally persuaded. God was calling me to fast, and He wouldn't do so unless there was a definite cause or purpose in mind. With this conviction, I began my fast with a growing sense of excitement and anticipation in my heart, saying, “What do you want me to do, Lord?”

Because of the severity of the United States' and the church's sins, I feel such a long fast was a sovereign call from God. That, as well as the urgent need to aid hasten the completion of the Great Commission in our generation, was impressed upon my heart by the Lord.

I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep my fast going for forty days when I started it. But I had faith in the Lord to help me. Every day, His presence inspired me to keep going. The longer I fasted, the more I felt the Lord's presence. My soul and spirit were cleansed by the Holy Spirit, and I felt the pleasure of the Lord like I'd never felt before. From the pages of God's Word, biblical truths jumped out at me. As I humbled myself and cried out to God, my trust rose, and I rejoiced in His presence.

This was the most significant forty days of my life. As I waited on the Lord, the Holy Spirit assured me that the United States and much of the rest of the globe will experience a huge spiritual awakening before the year 2000 ends. The greatest spiritual harvest in the church's history will be sparked by this miraculous visit from above. However, before God sends revival power, the Holy Spirit will call millions of God's people to repent, fast, and pray in the spirit of 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV):

If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

The extent of this revival will be determined by how believers in the United States and around the world respond to this appeal. I've spent the last 50 years studying God's Word and listening to His voice, and His message has never been clearer.

This useful reference book, “7 Basic Steps to Successful Fasting and Prayer” can help you get more spiritual out of your time with the Lord. I recommend that you keep it with you during your fast and refer to it frequently because it contains simple instructions on how to begin your fast, what to do during your fast, and how to properly conclude your fast.

I recommend that you read my book before you fast “America's Call to Fast, Pray, and ‘Seek God's Face.'” It will assist you in preparing for the upcoming spiritual awakening.

How do I do a spiritual fast?

So, now that you know what fasting is and why it's important, where do you start? Twenty various recommendations are provided here to assist you get started fasting and stay motivated.

Identify The Purpose

The first step in fasting for any Christian is to figure out why you're fasting. Do you want to empty your stomach through fasting? Do you want to improve your connection with God? Are you fasting to show your support for the poor? It's crucial to understand why you're fasting. It establishes a context for your experience.

Commit to a Time Period

The second stage in fasting is deciding on a certain time period and committing to it. When you're a newbie, it's not a good idea to go for a long period of time without eating or drinking anything.

Try to work out what is realistic, and keep your commitment fresh in your mind.

Find Your Weaknesses

Try to predict your weaknesses, or the times when you will feel the worst or most tempted to eat, before the fast begins. Pray for God to provide you with the strength you require when you require it, and He will.

Tell only a Few People

According to Acts 16, when a believer in Christ fasts in secret, he or she will be blessed. You should just tell two or three people that you're fasting. It doesn't matter if it's a spouse, a sibling, or a friend. They may also serve as a partner in terms of accountability.

Returning to our spiritual disciplines series, which focuses on exercises that can be used to train the soul. These disciplines' goals and practices are approached in such a way that they can be adaptable to a variety of belief systems.

“By suffocating the soul with food, you suffocate it and make it less active.” —Seneca

We looked at the spiritual discipline of simplicity in the previous edition of this series, defining it as having a clear goal in life and then prioritizing how we spend our time and resources in accordance with that purpose. While we previously discussed numerous methods for keeping one's priorities in order, today we'll focus on one of the most effective – a practice that also serves as a spiritual discipline in and of itself: fasting.

Fasting is an old practice that is practiced by practically every religion (as well as philosophical systems such as Stoicism) and is mentioned in the Bible more than baptism. There's a reason for this widespread acceptance.

Fasting is the most tangible and viscerally embodied of the spiritual disciplines, and its confluence of the physical and metaphysical produces profound, palpable, senses-arousing consequences that bridge the sometimes too-wide divide between body and soul.

Fasting has recently gained popularity for its health benefits alone, but when used as a spiritual discipline, it can open up far more possibilities than can be measured on a scale.

Today, we'll look at how to get the most out of fasting, including how to use it as a critical tune-up for both physical and spiritual fitness.

What Is Fasting?

Fasting is defined as intentionally abstaining from something for a set period of time; it is not fasting if you want to give up the item permanently, however you may choose not to reintroduce it into your life when the fast is completed. Fasts can last anywhere from days to weeks, depending on what is being fasted from.

Some people will abstain from eating solid foods but instead drink juice. Others will abstain from certain foods; Eastern Orthodox Christians, for example, abstain from meat, fish, dairy, olive oil, and wine every Wednesday and Friday.

Fasting from non-nutritive items, such as technology or certain behavioral habits, is also an option.

Fasting, in its most basic and traditional form, entails abstaining from all food and caloric drink (sometimes water as well). While we shall discuss non-dietary fasting later, this is the form that will be the emphasis of this article.

Fasting has received a lot of attention in recent years due to the health benefits it provides. Fasting may help you lose weight, normalize insulin levels, strengthen your immune system, raise human growth hormone, promote cell regeneration, and lengthen your lifespan, according to study. When you give your body a break from processing meals, fat stores are fed, and cells have a chance to repair themselves by destroying old and damaged cells and generating new ones. Fasting, as Fr. Thomas Ryan puts it in his book The Sacred Art of Fasting, “allows the body to rejuvenate itself.” It is a period during which the body burns its waste. It's like spring cleaning.”

Fasting appears to have a vitalizing, balancing effect on the body's hormonal and metabolic systems by “cleaning out the trash,” and practitioners have claimed a sharpening of mental processes as well.

While fasting isn't done for the sole goal of improving one's physical health, the benefits should not be overlooked. As Ryan notes, the discipline has both physical and spiritual benefits:

“It doesn't have to be a binary choice…

Because we are more than our bodies and spirits, it can and should be both. We are spiritual beings who have taken physical form. Energetic flesh. Physically, what is good for me is good for me. And what is excellent for my spiritual well-being is also beneficial for my physical well-being. There's only one'me' to whom everything returns.”

That said, it's vital to remember that the physical is secondary to the spiritual in fasting as a spiritual discipline; as Ryan puts it, “We manage the physical to get access to the spiritual”; fasting “provides bodily experiences that lead to spiritual reality.” The hunger of the stomach is meant to awaken us to the hunger of the soul.

Fasting's physical benefits, in fact, metaphorically reflect its spiritual benefits; just as fasting balances the body's hormones and renews its cells, it recalibrates the soul's priorities and heals damaged and diseased areas in one's character. Fasting purifies the body while also clarifying the soul.

If you don't view fasting as a spiritual discipline, it won't attain to the level of a spiritual discipline. If you fast for spiritual reasons, you'll still reap the physical benefits; however, if you fast for other reasons, the results will be limited to the body, with little impact on the soul.

While the exact spiritual goals of fasting differ depending on one's religion system, there are a number of purposes that are universal:

Teaches That Discomfort Bad

Fasting is, without a doubt, the most countercultural of spiritual practices. In an age of unprecedented conveniences — when every environment is climate-controlled, food can be ordered at the touch of a button, entertainment can be perfectly curated to personal taste, and we feel entitled to immediate satisfaction of every desire — anything unpleasant seems like an entirely unnecessary annoyance. We expect to be constantly filled and satisfied.

However, fullness isn't always desirable, and emptiness isn't always undesirable. The incessant need for pleasure can be harmful, and a little discomfort now and then can be precisely what we need.

In The Celebration of Discipline: A Memoir, Richard Foster describes how he came to this realization.

“In my early fasting experiences, the first reality that was exposed to me was my craving for good feelings. It's not a bad thing to feel wonderful, but we need to be able to channel that feeling into a place where it doesn't rule us.”

We have come to understand that if we want to improve our physical health, we must endure the agony of exercise. However, we rarely extend this acceptance to other areas of life, where it is equally valid. In order to improve, you must sometimes, almost always, make yourself uncomfortable.

Strengthens the Will

“Fasting shows the things that control us more than any other discipline.” —Fasting author Lynne M. Baab

The spirit's will is a muscle similar to the body's; the more it is worked, the stronger it becomes. Fasting, on the other hand, gives our willpower muscle an unrivaled workout that strengthens it not only in terms of what we eat, but in all aspects of life.

This is where fasting and simplicity intersect. To live a simple life, one must maintain order in his purpose-driven priorities — his loves. The problem is that baser desires always try to triumph over nobler aspirations.

Fasting allows you to practice choosing higher principles over lesser cravings in a tangible and visceral way. By feeling bodily hunger but ignoring it, you teach yourself that you are in charge of your body and don't follow your stomach's dictates. You teach yourself that you are the master, not the slave, of your appetites.

We must face down our hunger for food when fasting, but this hunger stands in for all of our other gnawing appetites. We learn that by fighting what appears to be an insatiable want to eat, we may postpone other desires that appear to demand immediate attention. We understand we can live without it. We have control over the forces that aim to subjugate us.

Fasting from eating builds self-control, which helps us keep all of our priorities straight and have a better handle on the never-ending conflict between short-term pleasures and long-term ambitions. It's a tangible exercise that aids in the development of that ethereal concept known as character.

Intensifies Prayer

“Fasting has been an instinctual and important language in our relationship with the Divine in every culture and religion throughout history.” —Fr. Thomas Ryan, C.S.C.

While this is obviously only applicable to theists, it is very important for those who truly believe in God; whenever fasting is addressed in religious literature, it is usually always associated with prayer.

To begin with, combining prayer and fasting demonstrates earnest purpose. “The fast is a declaration,” writes Lynne M. Baab, “that this thing I'm praying for is so vital that I'm ready to set aside my entire life — including food — to pray for it.”

Second, spiritual fasters will frequently designate a specific goal for their fast (answering a question; curing a loved one) and then utilize the hunger pangs generated by fasting as a reminder to pray for it; everytime they notice the bite of their appetite, they offer up a petition. This ritual, according to Baab, is similar to “putting a ribbon around your finger to remember God.” Fasting increases the amount of times you pray during the day in this way.

Physical hunger heightens the importance of one's prayers. If fasting “provides bodily sensations that speak to spiritual reality,” hunger heightens the need to express one's deeper demands. Petitioning transforms into pleading.

Finally, because fasting eliminates the need to eat, the time that would have been spent eating can be spent praying, increasing the frequency and focus of prayers.

What impact do these fasting-induced intensifications have on prayer effectiveness? Depending on your theology, the answer is yes or no.

Some argue that fasting can “release” a blessing or answer that would otherwise be denied – that, like the woman and the unjust judge in Jesus' narrative, God will listen to those who put forth consistent effort. Others would argue that you can't “manipulate God into doing what we want,” as Baab puts it. Instead, the petitioner receives advice on how to pray and discovers a stronger relationship to God via deeper prayer.

Whether fasting-enhanced prayer alters God's responsiveness to supplications or not, both sides agree that it alters the supplicator's receptivity to God's guidance. The physical emptiness of fasting clears communication channels, allowing spiritual intuitions to be discerned more easily. Fasting is “an action that renews contact with God, like eliminating rust and corrosion from a vehicle battery to allow the electricity to flow more easily,” as Ryan puts it.

If you're having trouble making a decision, rather of merely praying about it, try fasting with your prayers.

Establishes Rhythms Between Absence and Abundance

Fasts are required before several religious feasts: Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians are required to fast on Good Friday before celebrating Easter; Jews are required to fast for 25 hours on Yom Kippur before concluding the holy day with a massive, joyful meal. Christians may feast on “Fat Tuesday” (also known as Mardi Gras) before beginning Lent fasting on Ash Wednesday, while Jews may feast the afternoon before beginning Yom Kippur fasting.

While dedicated followers of these religions continue to follow similar rituals today, most modern people live in continual feast mode, rather than following a periodic cycle of fasting and feasting. We eat quite well all year and then attempt to eat even more during the holidays.

There's no texture to our days, no ying and yang to our timetables, no real anticipation of our holidays in this undeviating, linear state of satiation.

You've certainly heard of the “hedonic treadmill,” which states that while new experiences provide us with a lot of pleasure at first, we quickly adapt to them and our happiness fades. The only way to reclaim the former “high” is to keep chasing it. However, the loop simply repeats itself, trapping us in an endless, unsatisfied circle of longing.

The hedonic treadmill is disrupted and reset by fasting. It rekindles a long-forgotten sense of hunger for food. Our normally saturated senses have a chance to reset during abstention, so that when we eat again, the food has regained some of its “newness” and tastes better than ever. “Hunger is the best spice,” as the adage goes.

Instead of sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner slightly stuffed and then eating till you're bursting at the seams, try not eating for 24 hours before the meal. If you fast before a meal, you'll find a rhythm that makes exceptional events feel even more special.

Fosters Gratitude and Humility

“Drawing on the lessons of great men, I will also teach you a lesson: Set aside a set number of days during which you will be content with the scantiest and cheapest of fare…that it may be a test of yourself rather than a mere hobby…” Then, I guarantee you, my beloved Lucilius, when you are stuffed with a penny's worth of food, you will leap for delight.” —Seneca

Fasting, in the context of Thanksgiving, can boost your enjoyment of eating while also making you more appreciative for what you have. You'll be less prone to take it for granted if you go without it for a while.

Fasting also promotes humility in different ways. It's an excellent time to consider your mortality and finiteness – your frailty, neediness, and brokenness. You're a delicate organism who need continual external nourishment to function. You'll die if you don't have it for several weeks. You aren't all-knowing and all-powerful. You're not entirely self-sufficient.

For a theist, this feeling of fasting-induced humility can extend to contemplating their ultimate source of life: God. Fasting is typically associated with repentance in religions because it is an outward expression of interior abasement.

Gets You Out of a Rut and Re-Asserts Your Humanity

Regardless of how intelligent, clever, intriguing, or intellectual we feel ourselves to be, our actions can occasionally be Pavlovian. We want a can of Coke if we hear someone open one. We're quickly hungry when we smell anything cooking. Our bellies grumble like clockwork around noon, because that's when we always eat lunch.

And those are simply our eating habits. Then there are our cellphones, which can make us feel like lab rats learning to press a lever in order to acquire their sweets. Check your phone when you get a notification, check your phone when you get a notification, check your phone when you get a notification, check your phone when you get a notification, check your phone when you Press the lever three times, three times, three times. Even if our phone isn't ringing, we'll take a detour to check the screen if we notice it on our dresser.

Even if our actions aren't dictated by reptile instinct, we can fall into some very rigid, and not always beneficial, habits.

Fasting is one of the “dhutanga” austerities – a series of 13 ascetic practices — according to Buddhist “Forest Monks.” Dhutanga means “to enliven” or “to shake up,” and fasting (whether from food or electronics) can do just that to the dehumanizing ruts you've fallen into. It creates a life-affirming disruption in your routine.

You are aware of a hunger sensation but choose to ignore it. You usually eat at noon, but you're not planning to eat anything today. You don't pay attention to your phone pinging. You stroll right past your phone on your dresser. “Fasting transmits a great freedom,” argues Baab. I'm not obligated to do things the same way every day. My habits do not enslave me. I have the ability to rearrange things and attempt new ideas.”

Humans are the only creatures capable of choosing to turn off a lower inclination in order to pursue a higher goal.

Builds Solidarity With the Suffering, and Within a Community

The saddest part of having a friend or loved one go through a difficult time is feeling useless and powerless as a bystander to their misery. There's not much you can do except provide words of support, cook them a meal, and send them your thoughts and prayers.

Fasting, at the very least, lends authenticity and pizzazz to those all-too-common thoughts and prayers. By voluntarily enduring a small amount of misery, you allow yourself to feel a small amount of the pain that someone else is experiencing, which makes your empathy more visceral and real, and keeps the person at the forefront of your mind.

Fasting can help people turn their own fears into specific actions, as well as motivate a community that wants to help. When a loved one is in need, a group of friends or a church congregation may unite to fast and pray for him or her on the same day. Even if the fast has no metaphysical effect on the condition of the person going through a difficult time, the fact that a group of people were willing to go beyond their normal routine is comforting “Sending a powerful message of love and support by going beyond “thoughts and prayers” and actually sacrificing something sends a powerful message of love and support. At the same time, the community of fasters comes together since they are unified in purpose and share a little hardship.

According to Baab, there was a time in this country when fasting was considered a communal and civic duty:

“When the British Parliament imposed an embargo on the Port of Boston in 1774, the State of Virginia's legislative body called for a day of public humiliation, prayer, and fasting. In his journal, George Washington noted that he had fasted that day. When the US was about to go to war with France in 1798, John Adams declared a day of profound humiliation, prayer, and fasting. The two chambers of Congress issued a joint resolution during the War of 1812 asking for a day of public humiliation, prayer, and fasting.

Abraham Lincoln called for a day of national humiliation, prayer, and fasting three times during the Civil War. Fasting and prayer were advocated in both places of worship and at home by Lincoln.”

These national days of fasting were intended to beg for heavenly protection and guidance, to strengthen citizens' character in preparation for the challenge ahead, and to foster unity among them.

Evokes Sympathy (and Charitable Giving) for the Poor

While most of us in the modern Western world have enough food to eat every day — perhaps too much — there are still individuals in the globe, including in our own country, who do not.

Fasting develops a sense of solidarity with these needy and often neglected people; by going without food for a short period of time, you may feel more sympathy for those who do without on a regular basis. However, the goal isn't just to feel sorry for the impoverished; it's to use that sympathy to motivate you to take action. In fact, practically every faith advocates almsgiving as part of the fasting discipline.

Most faiths have rules for how “official” fasts should be observed, but they also urge their followers to fast on their own time outside of prescribed holy days and other required times.

Whether you're religious and want to start your own fasts or you're not religious but want to give fasting a try, the following guidelines will help you make it a successful and enlightening habit:

Decide the Parameters of Your Fast

During a typical fast, you will abstain from eating and drinking caloric beverages. You might also decide to stop drinking water.

According to research, 16 hours of fasting appears to be the bare minimum required to reap some of the physical health benefits of fasting. So, on the first day, you stop eating at 8 p.m. and don't eat again until noon the next day; you basically skip breakfast. While this is the case, “While “intermittent fasting” is simple enough to practice every day and beneficial to the body, it isn't physically demanding enough to have much of a spiritual impact. However, it can be an excellent approach to start fasting because it helps to balance your blood sugar, making prolonged fasts simpler.

Even if you're new to fasting and haven't done it before, you should be OK stepping right into a 24-hour fast in which you forgo breakfast and lunch the next day, breaking your fast with your next dinner. While exercising on a fasting day is possible, it can increase your hunger and make keeping your fast more difficult, so you may choose to fast on a day when you will be less active.

I'd also advise the newbie to keep drinking water and other non-caloric beverages (which is a must if you're exercising that day). Abstinence from water during a fast has no additional benefits for me; it just makes me feel bad instead of spiritual, and a little coffee can help you resist eating. Keep in mind, though, that artificially sweetened beverages can cause you to salivate for food.

I fast for 24 hours once or twice a week, but even once a month has been proved to have the health benefits indicated above.

Once you've mastered 24-hour food-only fasts, you might wish to try longer fasts or fasting while also avoiding water. Use common sense when fasting, and consult a doctor if you have any medical conditions that would prevent you from fasting.

If you have a health problem that prohibits you from fasting completely, consider limiting your fast to just a few things or going on a non-dietary fast.

Yes, you may “Try fasting from anything in your life that is taking up more space, attention, power, or influence than you'd like, causing your loves to become disordered; consider fasting from anything in your life that is detracting from your greater priorities and needs to be rebalanced.

You can examine the role the thing you're fasting from plays in your life throughout a small period of abstaining. How much do you yearn for it? How important is it to you? Is your life better since it's not there?

You can determine how/if to re-introduce the habit into your life after this evaluation time. You may opt to give it up for good if you realize your life is better without it. Even if you do re-introduce the habit, fasting on a regular basis will help you exercise it with more restraint.

Dedicate Your Fast to a Spiritual Purpose

You won't obtain any spiritual benefit from a fast if you don't go into it deliberately seeking it, as we indicated at the start. None of the aforementioned goals will be realized unless you deliberately focus and think on them during your fast. It's like going for a run; if you want it to be a spiritual experience, it can be, but if you don't, it'll just be a run; the mindset you bring to the practice matters.

So the first step to a successful fast is to know why you're doing it in the first place. You can use your fast to focus on one of the general objectives listed above, such as feeling more appreciative or strengthening your willpower. Your goal could be more specific, such as seeking an answer to a question or praying for someone who is ill. Fasting and sorrow often went hand-in-hand in ancient times, and there is one reason we haven't discussed yet. Fasting on the anniversary of a loss can make the remembrance more visceral and real, and it can simply seem natural to be physically empty to mark the day someone you cared about was stolen from your life.

Take a few moments as you start a fast to think about the reason you're doing it. During your fast, if you pray, tell God your intentions and ask for direction, discernment, insight, strength, and other things. Bring the fast to a close with another period of reflection or prayer, reflecting on how you felt during the fast and what you learned from it.

Follow Strategies That Will Help You Stay the Course and Make Fasting a Cheerful, Even Pleasurable Discipline

You may have tried fasting earlier and discovered that instead of achieving nirvana, you become irritable. Perhaps you were frustrated and upset, and you threw in the towel too soon.

Fasting is supposed to be tough and uncomfortable, and that is part of its appeal. However, sticking to it can be very doable and even enjoyable in its own right. (It's kind of like how a good workout hurts so much.)

Use the following ideas to help you stick to your fasting and make it a pleasurable experience:

Reflect and/or pray about your purpose whenever you get a hunger pain. Allow the ribbon tied around your finger to represent your fast. Instead than seeking for food when you're hungry, take the opportunity to reflect about why you're fasting.

If you can, avoid eating and use mealtimes for spiritual practice. While being in the presence of food and refusing it increases the will, don't go beyond what you can bear. It will be more difficult for you to keep to your fast if you hang out in a kitchen while cookies bake or sit at a table where everyone else is eating.

Stay away from food-filled environments if at all possible, and utilize the time you've saved by skipping meals to engage in some other spiritual practices — seek solitude, pray, meditate, study, and, of course, think on why you're fasting.

Expect “clockwork” hunger pangs and ignore them. If you eat at the same times every day, your body will begin to release hunger-inducing chemicals as the times get closer. When you feel these pains, remember that you aren't actually hungry and that your body is only acting on instinct. In fact, part of what makes fasting healthy is that it disrupts these routines on occasion, and knowing that fact can be motivating.

When you're tempted to give in, repeat mantras to yourself. When hunger starts to get the best of you, repeat mantras like these to remind yourself of your purpose:

Remember that this is something that billions of people do all the time. Fasting can feel like a huge, nearly impossible effort if you're new to it. Just keep in mind that this is something that a lot of individuals do on a regular basis. Once a month, Mormons observe a fast. During Ramadan, Muslims fast for the entire month.

How do you fast and pray properly?

These are trying times that necessitate prayer and fasting. Disease is rife; the global economy is shaky; and peace and security are challenged at every step. Now it's your turn “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Regardless of the difficulties we endure, all of Christ's disciples are united “by him who loved us, we are more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37). Even Nevertheless, many of us are dealing with pessimism, loneliness, financial devastation, fear of violence, disease, and mortality in greater numbers than ever before. When Christians experience hardships like these, the Bible instructs us to seek God's help via prayer and fasting. When Jesus left his disciples and ascended into heaven, he stated, “They will then fast” (Matthew 9:15).

Fasting is defined in the Bible as the self-denial of some or all food or drink as a means for believers to convey their deepest worries to God during specific times of prayer and worship. It was used in both private and corporate settings, and for both short and extended periods of time. Fasting was practiced in numerous places during the Bible's time. Fasting was used by God's people to mourn the loss of loved ones (2 Samuel 1:11-12). They fasted in order to be ready for special times of rejuvenation in God's presence (Numbers 29:7). Fasting allowed the faithful to demonstrate real contrition for their own sins as well as the misdeeds of others (Ezra 10:6). They fasted as they called out to God in times when they needed God's help the most (2 Chronicles 20:3). It's no surprise, then, that Christians have always turned to God in difficult times through prayer and fasting throughout church history.

Unfortunately, many modern evangelicals have forgotten about God's merciful provision of fasting. We bear the weight of believing that the faithful will be content, even pleased, regardless of the horrible circumstances that may befall them. As a result, we deny ourselves the chance to express our deep sorrow for sin, our terrible need for Christ, our hunger for church renewal, and our burning desire to see Christ's merciful and just Kingdom extend across the world. However, as our terrible days make us realize how desperately we need God's mercy, we must once again humble ourselves before Him through prayer and fasting.

First and foremost, participating in a day of prayer and fasting is a spiritual decision. The Bible does not tell us exactly what we should do or say. As James stated, “God will approach near to you if you draw near to him. Purify your souls, you double-minded, and cleanse your hands, you sinners” (James 4:8). Above all, we must seek out ways to humble ourselves before the Father in the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. If you have children, you can simply lead your entire family in special prayer sessions during one or more meal times while fasting. The children may be cared for by one parent while the other spouse spends time alone with God. Throughout the day, couples might alternate between praying alone and praying together. You might be able to meet up with other Christians for a time of prayer outside of your home during the day. The many biblical instances show that God gives us a lot of freedom.

Even so, I've noticed throughout the years that many evangelicals now find it difficult to devote an entire day to prayer and fasting. So, here are two straightforward options.

• Plan Scripture, hymnal, or prayer book readings for each time of prayer.
• Read aloud from the Scripture passage, hymnal, or prayer book you've chosen. (duration: 10 minutes)

Excerpts from Richard L. Pratt, Jr.'s book, Pray with Your Eyes Open, by Third Millennium Ministries President Richard L. Pratt, Jr.

What can I drink during spiritual fasting?

If the fruit is acidic, dilute it with 50 percent distilled water. Fruits such as oranges, apples, pears, grapefruit, papaya, grapes, peaches, and other fruits are delicious. In three equal parts, lettuce, celery, and carrots are used to make vegetable juice. Tea with herbs and a smidgeon of honey.

What happens to your spirit when you fast?

Fasting humiliates our natural inclination to rely on nature and compels us to live from the spiritual. God's voice becomes more audible as a result. Fasting is an excellent technique to obtain insight before making a major decision.

When I read Scripture during a fast, the Word has a lot more power, urgency, and clarity to it. It's as if a veil has been lifted, allowing me to view the intricacies of Scripture with greater clarity than before. As I mentioned in part two of this series, I am constantly learning new things “feed” on the Scriptures (Matthew 4:4) and receive true nourishment from it. I learn to prefer the Living Food to the world's dead food (have you ever noticed that everything you eat is a dead carcass?). (How macabre!).

Fasting makes it simpler to see where and how God is at work. When we practice a spiritual lifestyle, it becomes more natural to live, move, and perceive in the spiritual sphere. Our fleshly nature has been tamed and is no longer a force to be reckoned with “Our spiritual sense is “clouded.”

I've probably only fasted for about 10% of my life, yet I've probably received over 80% of my visions and direct communications from God during or as a result of a fast. I don't want to instill excessive expectations of supernatural occurrences, but there's no denying that fasting increases spiritual sensitivity and obedience. Anyone who has fasted for a long period of time for the Lord will tell you the same thing.

Shall we sleep during fasting?

Sleeping is not recommended. Because the body is absent of salts and sufficient nourishment while fasting, one is likely to feel sluggish and fatigued all of the time. However, rather of succumbing to tiredness, it is critical to remain active.

How long should I fast for God?

Fasting duration is also determined by personal inclination and ability. Fasting for long periods of time is not possible for certain people due to health issues. Others may fast for several days at a time. Remember, the purpose of fasting is to strengthen your relationship with God. It is not a question of how many days or how long one can fast. Fasting is a very personal experience with the Lord. As a result, there's no need to compare how long you've been fasting to how long others have been fasting.

Before you start fasting, I urge that you pray and ask the Lord how long you should fast for. If you're new to fasting, I recommend beginning with one meal or one day. You can continue for extended lengths of time after you are more conscious of and familiar with the topic. You may decide after the first day that you want to continue for a longer period of time. Keep track of how your body feels if this is the case. You may feel lightheaded and weak if your body isn't used to fasting. Once your body has become accustomed to fasting, you will be able to fast for extended periods of time without experiencing these symptoms.

The length of your fast is also determined by what you're fasting from. You should not fast for longer than two or three days if you are fasting both food and drink. Furthermore, if you are only fasting from food, you can fast for extended periods of time. Some people will abstain from eating and drinking, but will sip juice to stay energized.

Types of Fasting

Abstaining from social media, entertainment, sex, sweet meals, or a variety of other things is another type of fasting. You can fast for substantially longer lengths of time if you choose to fast from the following items. This is due to the fact that these fasts have no negative impact on your health. In fact, they may help you live a healthier life. Fasting from these foods for prolonged lengths of time is something I suggest.

If you're married, make sure you have an agreement on sex abstinence with your partner. “Do not deprive each other except by mutual permission and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer,” Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 7:5. Then get back together so Satan can't tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”