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How
you begin and conduct your fast will largely determine your
success. By following these seven basic steps to fasting, you
will make your time with the Lord more meaningful and spiritually
rewarding.
STEP 1: Set Your Objective
Why
are you fasting? Is it for spiritual renewal, for guidance, for
healing, for the resolution of problems, for special grace to
handle a difficult situation? Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify His
leading and objectives for your prayer fast. This will enable you
to pray more specifically and strategically.
Through
fasting and prayer we humble ourselves before God so the Holy
Spirit will stir our souls, awaken our churches, and heal our
land according to 2 Chronicles 7:14. Make this a priority in your
fasting.
STEP
2: Make Your Commitment
Pray
about the kind of fast you should undertake. Jesus implied that
all of His followers should fast (Matthew 6:16-18; 9:14,15) For
Him it was a matter of when believers would fast, not if they
would do it. Before you fast, decide the following up front:
- How long you will
fast – one meal, one day, a week, several weeks, forty days
(Beginners should start slowly, building up to longer
fasts.)
- The type of fast
God wants you to undertake (such as water only, or water and
juices; what kinds of juices you will drink and how often).
- What physical or
social activities you will restrict.
- How much time
each day you will devote to prayer and God's Word.
Making
these commitments ahead of time will help you sustain your fast
when physical temptations and life's pressures tempt you to
abandon it.
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STEP
3: Prepare Yourself Spiritually
The
very foundation of fasting and prayer is repentance. Unconfessed
sin will hinder your prayers. Here are several things you can do
to prepare your heart:
- Ask God to help
you make a comprehensive list of your sins.
- Confess every sin
that the Holy Spirit calls to your remembrance and accept
God's forgiveness (1 John 1:9).
- Seek forgiveness
from all whom you have offended, and forgive all who have
hurt you (Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4; 17:3,4).
- Make restitution
as the Holy Spirit leads you.
- Ask God to fill
you with His Holy Spirit according to His command in
Ephesians 5:18 and His promise in 1 John 5:14,15.
- Surrender your
life fully to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Master; refuse
to obey your worldly nature (Romans 12:1,2).
- Meditate on the
attributes of God, His love, sovereignty, power, wisdom,
faithfulness, grace, compassion, and others (Psalm 48:9,10;
103:1-8, 11-13).
- Begin your time
of fasting and prayer with an expectant heart (Hebrews
11:6).
- Do not
underestimate spiritual opposition. Satan sometimes
intensifies the natural battle between body and spirit
(Galatians 5:16,17).
STEP
4: Prepare Yourself Physically
Fasting
requires reasonable precautions. Consult your physician first,
especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic
ailment. Some persons should never fast without professional
supervision.
Physical
preparation makes the drastic change in your eating routine a
little easier so that you can turn your full attention to the
Lord in prayer.
- Do not rush into
your fast.
- Prepare your
body. Eat smaller meals before starting a fast. Avoid
high-fat and sugary foods.
- Eat raw fruit and
vegetables for two days before starting a fast.
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