Psalm 139:1-6 (ERV)
Lord, you have tested me, so you know all about me. 2You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts from far away. 3You know where I go and where I lie down. You know everything I do. 4Lord, you know what I want to say, even before the words leave my mouth. 5You are all around me—in front of me and behind me. I feel your hand on my shoulder. 6I am amazed at what you know; it is too much for me to understand.
Fast Burnout?
There comes a point during every fast where you’ll just want some “real food”. Anyone who has been on the Daniel Fast before has hit a point where they would like some meat, bread, or cheese. There are five specific things that you can do during a fast that will help you focus on the reason why you’re fasting in the first place.
Pray
Praying to God is a good thing to do whether you are fasting or not. However, praying before you begin a fast and while you are on your fast will help tremendously. Open your heart and soul to God, tell Him what you are trying to accomplish during the fast. Go to Him during difficulties during the fast.
Be real with God, He knows who you are and He loves you just the way you are. You don’t have to pretend that you have everything figured out, because He really knows that you don’t. Be honest, tell Him “Lord, I really would love to have that double bacon cheeseburger that I had right before New Year’s Day but I’ll dig into this delicious tomato soup and love it because you provided it to me today. Lord allow me to come into your presence and focus my mind and my energy on Your Word and Your good works.” You may talk differently to God, and that’s okay, just be real, be honest, and be sincere. He knows what you’re thinking anyway!
Plan
Before you begin your fast plan, identify your purpose. An important item is to review your calendar for a start date. For example, you may want to wait until after a company banquet is over before you begin your fast, or you may let your caterer know that you require a special diet during the banquet. Decide when you’re going to begin and when you’re going to end.
During January the majority of Greater Light Church begins a corporate fast that will last for 21 days. However, you may decide that you’d like to fast for more or less time than that. In addition to the corporate fast in January, you may like to fast periodically throughout the year.
You should also plan your day out in advance. When will you focus your attention on prayer, meditation, and devotion? Will you get up early each day, will you devote your normal hour lunch period, and will you devote your normal dinner period?
How will you handle lunches for your children who are old enough to participate in the fast? How will you pack for work? How will you handle those occasional out to dinner events that may arise for business or personal reasons?
You may also use this time to decide if you’d like to devote your fast to a particular book or chapter of the Bible. Use this one-on-one time with God to really dive deeply into His word, ask the Holy Spirit to be with you as you study and to help you understand what God wants you to understand during this season of your life.
Prepare
Ten days before your fast begins try to drink at least ½ gallon (64 ounces) of water per day. Cut down on your caffeine and begin tapering off of sugary foods and foods that contain chemicals. Cleansing your body of these things prior to the fast will help the first week or so of your fast work so much smoother.
Participate
Be a participant in your fast. Your flesh may rebel against your choice of food and you may experience cravings or hunger pangs. Your body may ache from withdrawal of sugary foods. And you may even experience a certain amount of fatigue during the first week of your fast. Stick with it! You’ll feel better, cleaner, healthier the second week.
Drink lots of water during your fast, this will help. Also, when your flesh wants to take priority in your life let your spirit take control and allow it to be in the forefront of your fast. Put God in the first place of your day and your stomach. If you aren’t used to spending so much time with God, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and to teach you step by step. Remember God knows you! After all He made you, right? Allow Him to work in your life and invite Him to be the center of your fast and your life. He really wants to demonstrate His love for you. Allow Him to use this fast to give you a first-hand demonstration of how His love can work in your life.
Praise and Process
Remember to thank God for the experience He’s allowed you to have while fasting and for the lessons that He’s allowed you to learn as well. Spend some time reflecting on your experiences. You may have a particular sweet moment that God allowed you to experience, as you reflect on His goodness, praise Him for that memory.
You may even come out of the whole process with a healthier attitude or life style that you may choose to adopt going forward. What a praise moment that would be.
Daniel 1:11-17 (NKJV)
11 So Daniel said to the steward[a] whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” 14 So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. 16 Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Resources:
Franklin, Jentezen (2008) fasting. Jentezen Franklin Ministries.
Gregory, Susan (2010) the Daniel fast. Ann Spangler and Company.
http://danielsfast.weebly.com/
http://www.biblegateway.com
Lord, you have tested me, so you know all about me. 2You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts from far away. 3You know where I go and where I lie down. You know everything I do. 4Lord, you know what I want to say, even before the words leave my mouth. 5You are all around me—in front of me and behind me. I feel your hand on my shoulder. 6I am amazed at what you know; it is too much for me to understand.
Fast Burnout?
There comes a point during every fast where you’ll just want some “real food”. Anyone who has been on the Daniel Fast before has hit a point where they would like some meat, bread, or cheese. There are five specific things that you can do during a fast that will help you focus on the reason why you’re fasting in the first place.
Pray
Praying to God is a good thing to do whether you are fasting or not. However, praying before you begin a fast and while you are on your fast will help tremendously. Open your heart and soul to God, tell Him what you are trying to accomplish during the fast. Go to Him during difficulties during the fast.
Be real with God, He knows who you are and He loves you just the way you are. You don’t have to pretend that you have everything figured out, because He really knows that you don’t. Be honest, tell Him “Lord, I really would love to have that double bacon cheeseburger that I had right before New Year’s Day but I’ll dig into this delicious tomato soup and love it because you provided it to me today. Lord allow me to come into your presence and focus my mind and my energy on Your Word and Your good works.” You may talk differently to God, and that’s okay, just be real, be honest, and be sincere. He knows what you’re thinking anyway!
Plan
Before you begin your fast plan, identify your purpose. An important item is to review your calendar for a start date. For example, you may want to wait until after a company banquet is over before you begin your fast, or you may let your caterer know that you require a special diet during the banquet. Decide when you’re going to begin and when you’re going to end.
During January the majority of Greater Light Church begins a corporate fast that will last for 21 days. However, you may decide that you’d like to fast for more or less time than that. In addition to the corporate fast in January, you may like to fast periodically throughout the year.
You should also plan your day out in advance. When will you focus your attention on prayer, meditation, and devotion? Will you get up early each day, will you devote your normal hour lunch period, and will you devote your normal dinner period?
How will you handle lunches for your children who are old enough to participate in the fast? How will you pack for work? How will you handle those occasional out to dinner events that may arise for business or personal reasons?
- Identify five things you’d like to accomplish over the fasting period.
- Identify two or three new habits you’d like to form.
- What fears are you wanting God to help you conquer?
- Identify any areas in your life that are missing God.
- Pick a time and place that you’d like to focus on Prayer, Meditation, and His Word.
You may also use this time to decide if you’d like to devote your fast to a particular book or chapter of the Bible. Use this one-on-one time with God to really dive deeply into His word, ask the Holy Spirit to be with you as you study and to help you understand what God wants you to understand during this season of your life.
Prepare
Ten days before your fast begins try to drink at least ½ gallon (64 ounces) of water per day. Cut down on your caffeine and begin tapering off of sugary foods and foods that contain chemicals. Cleansing your body of these things prior to the fast will help the first week or so of your fast work so much smoother.
- Prepare menus and a shopping list at the beginning of each week.
- Prepare the ingredients and meals in advance (especially if you will be having a busy week).
- Pre-pack lunch portions.
- Pre-package portions for hot breakfast meals such as nuts, fruits, and grains for hot oatmeal.
- Pre-make flatbreads, rice, and beans for easy access.
Participate
Be a participant in your fast. Your flesh may rebel against your choice of food and you may experience cravings or hunger pangs. Your body may ache from withdrawal of sugary foods. And you may even experience a certain amount of fatigue during the first week of your fast. Stick with it! You’ll feel better, cleaner, healthier the second week.
Drink lots of water during your fast, this will help. Also, when your flesh wants to take priority in your life let your spirit take control and allow it to be in the forefront of your fast. Put God in the first place of your day and your stomach. If you aren’t used to spending so much time with God, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and to teach you step by step. Remember God knows you! After all He made you, right? Allow Him to work in your life and invite Him to be the center of your fast and your life. He really wants to demonstrate His love for you. Allow Him to use this fast to give you a first-hand demonstration of how His love can work in your life.
- Learn to trust the Holy Spirit.
- Remember this is YOUR fast, you don’t have to fast the same way your friend is fasting.
- Know when to take a break. You may need to temporary break from a fast especially if there is an emergency, a health issue, or a crisis occurs.
- End the Daniel’s fast carefully – give your digestive track a few days before eating as much meat, dairy, and leavened bread as you did before your fast otherwise you’ll begin to feel lethargic and bloated very quickly.
Praise and Process
Remember to thank God for the experience He’s allowed you to have while fasting and for the lessons that He’s allowed you to learn as well. Spend some time reflecting on your experiences. You may have a particular sweet moment that God allowed you to experience, as you reflect on His goodness, praise Him for that memory.
You may even come out of the whole process with a healthier attitude or life style that you may choose to adopt going forward. What a praise moment that would be.
Daniel 1:11-17 (NKJV)
11 So Daniel said to the steward[a] whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” 14 So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. 16 Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Resources:
Franklin, Jentezen (2008) fasting. Jentezen Franklin Ministries.
Gregory, Susan (2010) the Daniel fast. Ann Spangler and Company.
http://danielsfast.weebly.com/
http://www.biblegateway.com