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ChooseWhyWhyareyoufasting?Isitforspiritualrenewal,forguidance,forhealing,forspiritualstrength,orsimplytobewithGod?Startingyourfastwithadefinitepurposewillhelpguideyouandhelpyoupraymorespecifically.

ChooseWhat• Howlongwillyoufast-Onemeal,oneday,oneweek?

Itisrecommendedtostartgradually.Youmayliketobeginwithonemeal,thenoneday,thenthree,sevenorevenuptotendays.Somepeoplechosetofastregularlyeachweek,ie,onemealonaparticularday,orthewholedayeachweek.

• Whattypeoffastwillyouundertake-Food,TV,yourmobile?• Whatphysicalorsocialactivitieswillyourestricttogainthemostoutofyour

fastingtime?• HowmuchtimewillyouputasidetoprayandreadGod’sword?

Havingaplantocommittoowillhelpyougetthemostoutofyourfastingtime,andwillhelpyoutoonotgetaseasilydistracted.

BeginningYourFastFastingdoesrequirereasonableprecautions&preparation.YoumaywanttoconsultyourDoctorifyouhaveanyouconcernsaboutyourabilitytofastsafely.(Especiallyifyoutakeprescriptionmedicationorhaveachronicailment.)Itisagoodideatoprepareyourselfforyourfast:• Donotrushintoyoufast.• Prepareyourbody,byeatingsmallermealsasyouleadintoyourtimeoffasting.

Inthistime,avoidhigh-fatandsugaryfood.

fastingfirststeps

Psalm73:25-2625WhomhaveIinheavenbutyou?

AndearthhasnothingIdesirebesidesyou.26Myfleshandmyheartmayfail,butGodisthestrengthofmyheart

andmyportionforever.

Psalm42:1-11Asthedeerpantsforstreamsofwater,

somysoulpantsforyou,myGod.2MysoulthirstsforGod,forthelivingGod.

WhencanIgoandmeetwithGod?

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• Includerawfruitandvegetablesinyourdietinthetwo-dayleadupbeforeyourfast.

DuringYourFastHereareafewsuggestionstoconsiderasyoufast:SetasidetimeforprayerandBiblereading.Youmayliketodothisinthetimethatyouwouldusuallyeatyourmeals.Youmayalsoliketogoonaprayerwalks,orlistentoorplaysomeworshipmusic.DowhateverwillhelpyoufocusonGodinthesetimes.

PhysicalSuggestions&Expectations:• Limityouractivity,andexercisemoderately.(Nomarathons.)• Makesuretotakemoretime(thanusual)torest.• Prepareyourselffortemporarymentaldiscomforts,suchasimpatience,

crankinessandanxiety.• Expectsomephysicaldiscomforts,especiallyonthesecondday.Youmayhave

fleetinghungerpains,dizziness,orthe‘blahs’.Withdrawalfromsugarandcaffeinemaycauseheadaches.Youmayalsofeeltired,weak,orextrasleepy.

• Ifyoufeelhungerpains,increaseyourliquidintake.Thefirsttwoorthreedaysareusuallythehardest.Asyoucontinuetofasthowever,youwilllikelyexperienceasenseofwell-beingbothphysicallyandspiritually.DavidYonggiChowrites–“Inmyexperienceonthefirstdayoffasting,thereisnosignificanteffectonthebody.Onthesecondday,hungerincreasesmoredramatically.Onthethirdandfourthday,thebodybeginstodemandfoodandyoufeelthefullphysicaleffectsoftheabstinence.Afterthefifthandsixthdays,thebodyadjuststothenewcircumstancesandyoufeelbetter.Whatishappeningisthatthebodyisnowmoreefficientinbreakingdownthebodyfatsthathavebeenstored.Aftertheseventhday,thehungerpainsdisappear,althoughthebodygetsmuchweaker.However,therecomesaclarityofthoughtandafreedominprayerthatisunusual.“

EndingYourFastWhenyourfasthascometoanend,itisimportantto‘easeyourway’backintoyournormalroutine.Itisnotadvisabletohaveaheavyfirstmeal,orcelebratewithanall-you-can-eatbuffet.Beginbyeatinggradually,startingwithsomelightsnacksthatincludefruit(likewatermelon)andvegetables.Smallerportionsthatincludesaladorsoupareagreatwaytoexitafast.Ifyouhavefastedforanextendedtime,aimtoincreaseyourintakeoffoodgraduallyoveraperiodofthreedays,returningtoyournormaldietbyday4.Ittakestimetobuildyourspiritualfastingmuscles!Ifyoufailatyourfirstattempts,donotbediscouraged,butletthisstrengthenyourresolveforthefuture.

Furtherhelpfulreading:

- “God’sChosenFast”–ArthurWallis- “AHungerforGod”–JohnPiper,freeonlinehttp://www.desiringgod.org/books/a-hunger-for-god