Hello Friends,
This year I will be doing a fasting along with the Church I use to attend when I lived in Georgia. I am doing the fasting for several personal reasons, but most importantly to be more connected with my Source, with my Creator and in the process continue to pursue my life purpose with a clearer vision.
Fasting is a personal and unique experience with God for each individual. You may choose to fast from food, tv, internet, facebook,sex, sports, texting, vices etc. Fasting is a sacrificial act of obedience and commitment. Although not always an easy venture to begin, in the end its reward will surpass our expectations. It will creat a different type of hunger."When you fast… you become hungry. At first it may be hunger for food or whatever you are fasting from, but as the initial hunger pangs or longings cease, a new desire is formed. Fasting causes you to hunger in the midst of abundance."
I look forward to sharing this fasting experience with you for the next 21 days. I will post every weeks fasting theme and readings. This will be an amazing year for all us. One that will be filled with abundance of health, joy and above all love when we focus not on ourself, but on the power and purpose of our Creator for our lives.
Let this journey begin!! :)
Ivis
PREPARING:
21 Days of Prayer & Fasting by Victory World Church.
Isaiah 58:6-9 NIV84“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
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Why Everyone Should Fast
If you’ve never fasted, now is the best time, as this is a joint venture! In the New Testament, Jesus made mention of “when we fast” (not “if”), telling us that this should be a regular discipline in our lives. Types of Fasts You may choose a “Daniel Fast” – a diet consisting of fruits and vegetables, or you can participate in a total fast, consisting of water only, or a liquid fast of fresh juices. Other was to participate include fasting from television, radio, internet or anything that you recognize as having control over your life. Fasting is something the entire family can participate in to varying degrees – each person in his/her own way. About Fasting It is much easier to fast while active. Fasting will cause hunger pangs initially, but you will get the energy you need from stored fat in the body. If you are under the care of a Physician, please seek his/her advice regarding the level of participation that is best suited to your physical condition. Why Fast? Fasting is the most powerful spiritual discipline of all those discussed in the Bible. Through fasting and prayer, the Holy Spirit can transform your life and produce incredible results. Prayer alone is mighty, but when combined with fasting, it produces a powerful force which hell cannot prevail against. Filling Ourselves During a Fast The secret to being filled with the Spirit of God is first to empty ourselves. Through fasting, we empty ourselves of food so that He can fill us. Food is man’s greatest carnal impulse. Fasting helps you “master” this appetite. When you can control the strongest appetite, you can gain control of the other carnal appetites as well. Your appetite acts as a prayer alarm. Instead of eating to satisfy your cravings, you pray. This keeps you focused all day long. We replace pleasures of the flesh with spiritual pleasure. Psalm 34:8 says, “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Taste is a trigger, which sets off certain physical and mental reactions or connections. When you taste the Lord through fasting and prayer, it triggers various reactions in your heart.
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Best Ways to Prepare for a Fast
Best Ways to Prepare for the Fast While hunger pangs and weakness can be an expected part of many fasts, you need not dehydrate, faint or get sick while fasting. There are several ways to prepare yourself physically for a healthy fast. Days Before the Fast • Stop eating foods that are high in caffeine and sugar • Begin drinking more water than usual Day Before the Fast • Eat something small every two hours • Avoid foods with caffeine and salt • Drink plenty of water Final Meal Before the Fast • Plan the final meal early enough in the afternoon so that there’s no rush to finish before your fast begins • Plan the menu of this final meal so that it contains high carbohydrates and low salts • Do not eat too much in the meal before the fast, but drink plenty of water Good Advice for Ending Your Fast After 21 days of fasting you may be tempted to “jump right back in” and eat some of the foods you’ve missed. However, it’s much better to ease back into your normal eating habits rather than suffer from an upset stomach by loading it with foods it’s not ready to digest. Here are some healthy ideas for ending your fast: • Begin with the simple B.R.A.T diet recommended for upset stomachs – Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast • Begin with brothy soups and avoid heavy carbs and proteins • Eat something small and light every two hours and drink plenty of water Health Benefits of a Fast In addition to the countless spiritual benefits a person experiences through fasting, there are also many valuable health benefits. • The body goes through a natural detoxification process, allowing the release of poisons and toxins from the system • Energy is diverted away from the digestive system due to its lack of use, and instead is routed to the metabolism and immune system • You become rejuvenated due to an improved immune system, as well as the increased production of hormones • The body begins to use its fat stores as an energy source, which positively affects your cholesterol levels, blood pressure and weight.
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Fasting Increases Sensitivity to God
Luke 2:36-38 NIV84
There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty‑four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
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Fasting Increases Sensitivity to God
From this account of the widow woman, Anna, we can see that fasting and prayer had developed such a keep sensitivity in her that she perceived the Christ child at only a few days old. She could hear clearly what God was saying.
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Fasting Works Humility
Psalm 35:13 NIV84
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
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Fasting Works Humility
When we fast, we deny ourselves food; we often feel our natural strength waning. In our weakness, we find ourselves more dependent upon God. It is a confrontation with the flesh; a time when we deny it satisfaction and provision. It is a time of turning aside from what we can provide, and turning toward what God alone can give. This is often the setting for a confrontation between the spirit and the flesh. After forty days in the wilderness, Jesus was hungry physically; Satan came to tempt Him – to use His position as the Son of God to create bread from stone. But, instead, Jesus humbled Himself and answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” ~Matthew 4:4
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