# HOW DO I FAST?

Fasting is something we all know about, but not genuinely practice every day.   So... when we come to fasting I think we have a lot of questions in our minds.

With the 40 days of worship for South Africa being run in South Africa, I saw that they also suggested fasting from 1 October 2017 to 9 November 2017.  And suddenly a lot of questions came to mind about fasting.  So... I looked for answers and just want to share this with you.  Dr Bill Bright has great answers on this!!  I have made it more compact and tried to keep it as short as possible!  I would encourage you STRONGLY though to read the full article here:

https://www.cru.org/train-and-grow/spiritual-growth/fasting/7-steps-to-fasting.2.html

BEGINNING YOUR FAST

1.     Why are you fasting?

ü Establish why you are fasting.    It could be for guidance, to renew your spirit, for problem solving, for your country – like we are doing with the 40 days of worship for South Africa.  Be specific in your goal!!

2.     Committing to fasting

ü How long will you fast?  

ü You can fast for: one meal, a full day, a week, several weeks or forty days

ü Fasting could be:  only water, water and fruit juice

ü Plan on how much time and when you will spend time to pray and read the Bible. 

3.     Get ready – spiritually

ü Confessing sins is of the utmost importance!!!!!!  Unconfessed sin will block your prayers!!!

ü Ask God to help you and jot down all your sins

ü Confess every sin and accept God’s forgiveness.  See this link for more about confessing sins https://babsgeldenhuys.blogspot.com/2017/09/confess-my-sins.html

ü Ask people whom you have sinned against to forgive you – as the Holy Spirit leads you

ü Forgive those that has hurt you

ü Forgive yourself

ü Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit

ü Give your life to Jesus Christ

ü Tell God how wonderful He is.

ü Don’t underestimate satan.  He would try to hold you back!

 

4.     Get ready – physically

ü Please consult your doctor if you use chronic medication or have a chronic illness.

ü Don’t rush into fasting.

ü Eat smaller meals before starting to fast.  Cut high fat and sugars.

ü Two days before starting to fast:  eat only raw fruit and vegetables.

DURING YOUR FAST

1.     Physical stuff

ü Don’t drink drugs or homeopathic medication.  But… please ask your doctor first!!!

ü Don’t be as active as before

ü Cut the exercises

ü Rest as much as possible

ü You might be impatient, irritated and anxious

ü On the second day you may feel hunger pains and dizziness.  You might get headaches from caffeine and sugar withdrawal as well as feel weak, tired or experience sleeplessness.

ü The first 3 days is the worst!

ü If you have hunger pains, just increase liquids

2.     Get a schedule

ü MORNING:

·  Begin with praise and worship

·  Read the Bible

·  Invite God to use you.  Be His arms and legs here on earth.

·  Pray for His vision in your life

·  Pray together with your spouse and kids – if possible

ü AFTERNOON

·  Pray and read Bible

·  Take a prayer walk (short distance)

·  Pray for your country, unsaved people, your family, special needs

ü EVENING

·  Seek God’s face in alone time

·  Meet together with others that are also fasting

·  Cut TV and focus on God.  Cutting TV can also be fasting.

·  Read Bible with your family and pray together rather than watching TV.

ü SUGGESTED DIETARY ROUTINE BY DR JULIO C. RUIBAL

·  5-8 am:  Fruit juices – freshly squeezed/blended and diluted with 50 % water if fruit is acidic.  Great fruits is:  apple, pear, grapefruit, papaya, watermelons

·  10:30 to noon:  Fresh vegetable juice made from lettuce, celery and carrots – equal parts

·  2:30 pm to 4 pm:  Herb tea with honey.

·  6pm to 8:30 pm:  Broth made from boiled potatoes, celery and carrots.  Boil for half an hour, pour water in container and drink water.

3.     Juice fasting?

ü Fruit juice will lower hunger pains

ü Use this:  watermelon, lemons, grapes, apples, cabbage, beetroot, carrots, celery, leafy green vegetables or make a warm broth in winter

ü Avoid caffeine!!!

 

ENDING YOUR FAST

1.     Do not rush into ending it!

Ø Do not eat solid foods immediately!!!!

Ø Break you fast with something like watermelon

Ø Add the following:

I   Day one:  Raw salad

I   Day two:  baked or boiled potato with no butter or seasoning

I   Day three: Steamed vegetable

I   Day four:  eat your normal food, but try to keep to soup and fresh fruit

 May your fasting be a blessing to you and may God be next to you all the way!!

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