“FASTING"

Mark A. Copeland, Dr. Bill Bright & Others

1

Table of Contents

Fasting In The Old Testament...................................................................................3Fasting In The New Testament..................................................................................8Fasting By Christians Today...................................................................................11WHAT IS A FAST?................................................................................................15Fasting In Repentance.............................................................................................15Fasting And Obeying God.......................................................................................16Some Red Flags of Fasting......................................................................................17Asking God to Change............................................................................................18Fasting As Part of Mourning...................................................................................19Getting Ready By Fasting.......................................................................................19

Notes on Why People Fast..............................................................................20Your Personal Guide to Fasting and Prayer............................................................21

Why You Should Fast.........................................................................................22How to Fast Safely..............................................................................................22How Long and What Type of Fast Is Right for You...........................................23

The Bible Recounts Primarily Two Types of Fasts.........................................23How to Prepare Yourself Spiritually and Physically...........................................24

Spiritual Preparation........................................................................................24Physical Perparation........................................................................................25

How to Manage Your Schedule While Fasting...................................................25Dealing with the Responses of Friends and Loved Ones....................................26How to Make Your Spiritual Experience the Best it Can Be..............................27How to Maintain Nutritional Balance and Health from Beginning to End.........28What Physical Effects to Expect.........................................................................29How to Finish Your Fast in a Healthy Way........................................................32

Breaking a Seven-Day Fast.............................................................................32

2

3

Fasting In The Old TestamentINTRODUCTION

1. In a culture where the landscape is dotted with shrines to the "GOLDEN ARCHES" and an assortment of "PIZZA TEMPLES", fasting seems out of place, out of step with the times - Richard Foster, The Celebration Of Discipline, p. 47

2. As I begin to deal with subject like fasting, I do so with some hesitation for several reasons:

a. It is a very EMOTIONAL and VOLATILE subject

1) Views about fasting usually go to extremes

"Some have exalted religious fasting beyond all Scripture and reason, and others have utterly disregarded it." -- JOHN WESLEY

a) Some consider fasting unnecessary, undesirable, and therefore to be ignored

b) Others think fasting is to be bound as a matter of faith (like baptism)

2) It touches upon a matter very personal to us: FOOD!

a) Many people are very dependent upon food

1/ Not just for survival

2/ But for dealing with anxiety, depression, boredom, etc.

3/ Rather than eating to live, they live to eat

b) It is like preaching on gluttony or smoking, it often touches on raw nerves

b. It is an UNTRADITIONAL subject

1) You rarely hear sermons on this subject

2) One person found in his research that not a single book was published on fasting among some brethren from 1861 to 1954

3. But the Scriptures have so much to say about fasting...

a. The list of Biblical persons who fasted becomes a "Who's Who" of Scripture:

1) Moses the lawgiver 5) Daniel the seer

4

2) David the king 6) Anna the prophetess 3) Elijah the prophet 7) Jesus the Son Of God 4) Esther the queen 8) Paul the apostle

-- Richard Foster, p.48, ibid.

b. There is more teaching in the NT on fasting than repentance and confession!

c. Jesus taught more on fasting than on baptism and the Lord's Supper!

4. What would account for this almost total disregard for a subject so frequently mentioned in Scripture?

a. FIRST, fasting has developed a bad reputation as a result of the excessive ascetic practices of the Middle Ages - Foster, ibid.

b. SECOND, many have simply concluded that fasting was a Jewish custom, of no value or need in the Christian age

c. THIRD, we have been convinced through constant propaganda that if we do not have three large meals each day, with several snacks in between, we are on the verge of starvation (we eat, not because we NEED to eat. but because it's TIME to eat) - Foster, ibid.

5. Because the Bible has so much to say about fasting, it is only right that we consider what it says. As we do so, I have several REQUESTS:

a. Please withhold judgment until you have heard all the material- cf. Pr 18:131) Let's be "SPELUNKERS" and not "ENGINEERS" with the Bible2) I.e., explore and follow what is there instead of rearranging what is there to fit

our designs

b. Don't be hasty in drawing conclusions or applying what you hear- cf. Pr 14:29

c. If you have any additional information, questions or viewpoints, please feel free to share them with me - cf. Pr 11:14

I. OCCASIONS OF FASTING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

A. THE "DAY OF ATONEMENT"...1. Lev 16:29-31; 23:26-32; Num 29:7

5

2. This was the only fast commanded by the Law, to be observed on the tenth day of the seventh month

3. Though not called "fasting", the phrase "afflicting one's soul" was understood to refer to fastinga. Cf. Ps 69:10 ("chastened my soul with fasting")b. Cf. Ac 27:9 (where the term "Fast" refers to the Day of Atonement)

4. The use of the phrase "afflict one's soul" to refer to fasting suggests a PURPOSE of fasting:a. To have an affect on the SOUL (not particularly the body)b. The goal of such affliction or chastening we shall notice later

B. OTHER FASTS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT...-- People often fasted without specific commandment in time of distress; some were communal affairs while others were acts of the private individual

1. THEY FASTED IN WAR, OR AT THE THREAT OF ITa. Israel fasted at Bethel in the war against the Benjamites

- Judg 20:26b. Also at Mizpah in the Philistine war - 1Sa 7:6

2. THEY FASTED WHEN LOVED ONES WERE SICKa. David fasted and wept for his son while the boy was ill

- 2Sa 12:16-23b. The psalmist also mentions fasting for his enemies

- Ps 35:11-13

3. THEY FASTED WHEN LOVED ONES DIEDa. The men of Jabesh-gilead fasted seven days for Saul

- 1 Sa 31:13; 1 Chron 10:12b. David and the people fasted for Saul and Jonathan

- 2 Sa 1:12

4. THEY FASTED WHEN THEY SOUGHT GOD'S FORGIVENESSa. Moses fasted forty days because of the sin of Israel

- Deu 9:15-18b. Ahab fasted to be forgiven

- 1Ki 21:17-29c. Nineveh fasted at the preaching of Jonah

- Jonah 3:4-10d. Daniel fasted as he confessed the sins of Israel

- Dan 9:3-5e. The general fast at the communal reading of the Law by Ezra was an act

of penitence- Neh 9:1-3

6

5. THEY FASTED WHEN FACED WITH IMPENDING DANGERa. Jehoshaphat fasted when threatened by Edom

- 2 Chron 20:3b. Ezra led a fast when seeking the favor of God toward his return from exile

(a journey fraught with danger) - Ez 8:21c. Nehemiah fasted when he heard of the state of Jerusalem

- Neh 1:4d. The Jews fasted when they heard that Haman had obtained the king's

decree against them- Esth 4:3

e. Esther and Mordecai fasted before she went before the king- Esth 4:16

6. THEY SET UP FASTS TO COMMEMORATE CERTAIN CALAMITIES-- During and after the Exile special fasts were observed on the days the calamities had befallen Jerusalema. The tenth of the fifth month was the burning of the Temple

- Jer 52:12,13b. The second day of the seventh month was the murder of Gedaliah

- 2Ki 25:23-95; Jer 41:1ffc. On the tenth day of the tenth month was the beginning of the siege of

Jerusalem- 2Ki 25:1

d. On the ninth day of the fourth was its fall- 2Ki 25:3,4

II. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT FASTING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

A. THE PURPOSE OF FASTING...

1. Some fasting was a natural reaction to grief over the loss of a loved one (like the men of Jabesh-gilead and David)

2. But more often, fasting was done to purposely: a. "afflict the soul" - Lev 23:26-32b. "chasten the soul" - Ps 69:10

3. The purpose of such affliction or chastening was to "humble" the soul(Ps 35:13), and not for any affect it might have on the body

4. Evidently, they felt that by so humbling themselves they would more likely incur God's favor - cf. Ezra 8:21-23; Is 57:15; Isa. 66:1-2

5. So they would fast when they needed:a. Forgiveness for sin (Moses, Ahab, Daniel)b. Their loved ones restored to health (David)

7

c. Protection from danger (Ezra)d. Deliverance from their enemies (the Israelites)

6. Because they were seeking God's favor, FASTING WOULD ALMOST ALWAYS BE ACCOMPANIED WITH PRAYER

B. THE NATURE OF FASTING...

1. The NORMAL means of fasting involved ABSTAINING FROM ALL FOOD BUT NOT WATER

2. Sometimes the fast was but PARTIAL - a restriction of diet but not total abstention - cf. Da 10:2-3

3. On rare occasions there was the ABSOLUTE fasta. As in the case of the people of Nineveh, who also included the animals in

their fast - cf. Jonah 3:5-10b. As in the case of Queen Esther - Esth 4:16 (cf. Paul, Acts 9:9)c. The absolute fasts of Moses and Elijah must have had divine assistance -

Deut 9:9; 1Ki 19:8

C. THE LENGTH OF FASTS...

1. A fast was often for ONE DAY, from sunrise to sunset, and after sundown food would be taken - Judg 20:26; 1Sa 14:24; 2Sa 1:12; 3:35

2. A fast might be for ONE NIGHT - Dan 6:18

3. The fast of Esther continued for THREE DAYS, day and night, which seems to have been a special case - Esth 4:16

4. At the burial of Saul, the fast by Jabesh-Gilead was SEVEN DAYS - 1Sa 31:13; 1 Chron 10:12

5. David fasted SEVEN DAYS when his child was ill - 2Sa 12:16-18

6. The longest fasts recorded in Scripture were the FORTY DAY fasts by Moses, Elijah, and Jesus - Exod 34:28; Deut 9:9; 1Ki 19:8; Mt 4:2; Lk 4:2

D. WARNINGS CONCERNING FASTING...

1. Fasting CAN EASILY TURN INTO AN EXTERNAL SHOW AND CEREMONIAL RITUALISM; when it did, the prophets spoke out against it

2. The most vigorous attack against such fasting is made in Isaiah 58

8

a. The people complained that they had fasted and God had not seen - Isa 58:3a

b. But they had not been fasting for the right reason (to be heard by God) - Isa 58:3b-4

c. In contrast to simply an external display of bowing one's head like a bulrush and spreading sackcloth and ashes, the Lord would rather they:1) Loose the bonds of wickedness2) Let the oppressed go free3) Share bread with the hungry4) Bring the poor into one's house5) Cover the naked

-- Then they should be heard in their prayers - Isa 58:6-9d. I.e. fasting without true repentance defeats the purpose of fasting: to have

your prayers heard by the Lord!

3. The same point was made about the ceremonial fasts that had been added by the Israelites to commemorate certain occasions - Zech 7:1-14a. The people wanted to know if they should fast on the special occasions as

they had done - Zech 7:1-3b. The Lord responded that the fasts had not be done for Him - Zech 7:4-6c. They should have instead done the will of the Lord – Zech 7:7-10d. But because they did not, the fasting in the past was of no value - Zech

7:11-14

CONCLUSION

1. At this point we have not tried to establish whether fasting is for Christians today

2. Rather, we have just considered the practice of fasting as found in the O.T., to have a better understanding of why people of God fasted

3. What have we learned?a. Only one fast was specifically commanded in the O.T. (The Day Of Atonement)b. But people often fasted when they wanted God to hear their prayers

1) The purpose of the fast was to humble themselves by "afflicting their souls"2) Believing such humiliation would be pleasing in God's sight (and it often was)

c. However, fasting was fruitless...1) When it was done for the wrong reason2) When it was done without true repentance

d. We have also seen that there were no set principles concerning the length or nature of fasting

Fasting In The New Testament

9

INTRODUCTION

1. In our previous lesson, we examined the subject of "Fasting In The Old Testament".

2. Here is what we found:a. Only one fast was specifically commanded in the 0. T. (on the Day of Atonement)b. But people often fasted when they wanted God to hear their prayers:

1) In times of war or at the threat of it2) When loved ones were sick3) When seeking God's forgiveness4) When faced with impending danger5) When seeking God's will

c. The purpose of such fasting:1) To humble themselves by "afflicting their souls"2) Believing that such humiliation would be pleasing in God's sight (and it often

was)d. However, fasting was fruitless when:

1) It was gone ceremonially2) It was done without true repentance

e. There were also no set principles governing the length or nature of fasting

3. We shall now examine "Fasting In The New Testament", as taught and exemplified by:a. Jesusb. His churchc. The apostle Paul

...in an effort to determine whether Christians can or should fast today!

[We begin by considering...]

I. FASTING IN THE LIFE OF JESUS

A. JESUS FASTED FORTY DAYS IN THE WILDERNESS - Mt 4:1-9; Lk 4:1-21. He was led into the wilderness "to be tempted" (Mt)2. He was "tempted for forty days by the devil" (Lk)3. "in those days He ate nothing" (Lk) -- Throughout this forty day period of

temptation, Jesus felt it appropriate to fast

B. JESUS TAUGHT ON FASTING IN HIS "SERMON ON THE MOUNT" - Mt 6:16-181. Jesus said "when", not "if"; assuming his disciples WOULD fast2. When done properly a person would be rewarded by the Father...

a. Suggesting that fasting was like prayer and giving almsb. I.e., an act of righteousness done to please the Father

-- Fasting appears to have a place in the righteousness expected of those who would be citizens of the kingdom of heaven

10

C. WHEN QUESTIONED BY JOHN'S DISCIPLES - Mt 9:14-17 (Mk 2:18-20; Lk 5:33-39)

1. Jesus described a time when his disciples would fast2. But it is inappropriate to fast when the occasion does not call for it

-- Fasting would have a place in the disciples' lives, but only on appropriate occasions (not as a ceremonial rite)

D. THE COMBINED POWER OF PRAYER AND FASTING - Mt 17:14-21 (Mk 9:14-29)1. There are times when faith alone is not enough2. At these times prayer joined with fasting is necessary

-- Fasting joined with prayer may accomplish things which normal faith may not

[Now let's take a look at...]

II. FASTING IN THE LORD'S CHURCH

A. THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH - Ac 13:1-31. They were fasting as a group while ministering to the Lord2. They fasted and prayed in preparation to sending out Barnabas and Saul

-- Fasting, when accompanied with prayer, can done as a group when involved in serving the Lord

B. THE CHURCHES IN GALATIA - Ac 14:21-231. Again, an example of fasting and prayer as a group; this time, in conjunction

with the serious task of appointing elders2. Notice that this was done "in every church"

a. Not just in one or two churchesb. Not just in what might be consider "Jewish" churches where fasting might be considered "just a Jewish custom"-- Again, fasting can be a group activity in the work of a local church

[Now let's examine...]

III. FASTING IN THE MINISTRY OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

A. FASTING WAS A MARK OF HIS MINISTRY...1. We have already noticed where he fasted with several churches2. But notice also:

a. 2Co 6:4-10 (cf. verse 5)b. 2Co 11:23-28 (cf. verse 27 where fasting is mentioned separately from

normal hunger and thirst)-- In both of these passages, Paul mentioned fasting as a mark of his ministry and of his good standing as a minister of Christ!

11

B. HE ALSO TAUGHT THAT FASTING MIGHT HAVE A PLACE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS...1. Cf. 1Co 7:52. The only time husbands and wives may deprive one another is when by consent

they devote themselves to fasting and prayer for a specific period of time

CONCLUSION

1. Though not actually Christians at the time, we also have other examples of those who fasted and were blessed by God...a. Anna - Lk 2:36-38b. Saul - Ac 9:9c. Cornelius - Ac 10:30-31

2. As a summary, then, here is what we have seen in this study:a. That our Lord fasted in time of temptationb. That He taught His disciples about fasting on several occasionsc. That He foretold of a time in which His disciples would fastd. That there are times when the combination of fasting and prayer might be more

efficacious than prayer alonee. That the early church fasted in their service to the Lordf. That Paul regarded fasting as a mark of his ministryg. That prayer and fasting often go hand in hand, utilized whenever there was a strong

desire for God's blessing and guidance-- In view of such things, I can only conclude that fast does indeed have a place in the lives of Christians today

Fasting By Christians TodayINTRODUCTION

1. Our two previous lessons sought to educate us on the subject of fasting as found in the Old and New Testaments

2. In this final lesson, we shall directly address the questions that brought up this subject:

"Should Christians fast today, and if so, why? When would they do it, and how?"

[Starting with the first of these questions...]

I. SHOULD CHRISTIANS FAST TODAY?

A. YES! BECAUSE OF THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS...1. He assumed his disciples would fast ("when," not "if") - Mt

6:16-17

12

2. He said they would fast when He was gone - Mt 9:14-153. He taught His disciples...

a. How to fast so as to incur God's favor - Mt 6:16-18b. That when done properly, fasting WOULD incur God's good favor - Mt

6:18bc. That fasting should be done only when the occasion properly calls for it -

Mt 9:14-17d. That there would be occasions when prayer joined with fasting might be

needed - Mt 17:20-21

B. YES! BECAUSE WE HAVE EXAMPLES OF THE CHURCH FASTING...1. The brethren at Antioch - Ac 13:1-3

a. Fasting in their service to Lordb. Fasting and praying when they send out Paul and Barnabas on their

missionary journey2. The churches in Galatia - Ac 14:21-23

a. There was fasting in every churchb. When appointing elders to watch over the flock

C. YES! BECAUSE PAUL FASTED AS A MINISTER OF CHRIST...1. He listed fasting among those things which proved him as a minister of Jesus

Christ - 2Co 11:23-282. Are we not commanded to imitate him, even as he imitated Christ? - 1Co 11:1

(and they both fasted in their service to God!)

[At the very least, we can say that it would not be inappropriate for Christians to fast today. Unless there are medical reasons not to fast, we have very good examples to motivate us to utilize fasting inour service to the Lord!

But to ensure that we fast for the right reason, consider our next question...]

II. WHY SHOULD CHRISTIANS FAST?

A. PEOPLE FAST TODAY FOR VARIOUS REASONS...1. Some purposefully, for health reasons2. Some without thinking, in times of grief and sorrow3. Others, in an effort to gain some kind of self-control

-- But these are not the reasons Christian should fast in their service to God - cf. Col 2:20-23

B. CHRISTIANS SHOULD FAST, FOR THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE ARE NEED OF DIVINE HELP...1. This is consistent with the majority of fasting in the O.T.; they fasted...

a. In times of war or at the threat of it (Israel)b. When loved ones were sick (David)c. When seeking God's forgiveness (Ahab, Daniel)

13

d. When seeking God's protection (Ezra)2. This is consistent with the examples of fasting in the N.T.; they fasted...

a. When dealing with temptations (Jesus)b. When serving the Lord (Antioch)c. When beginning a work for the Lord (Antioch)d. When selecting and appointing elders (Galatia)

3. Such fasting is should be done in conjunction with prayera. For fasting, when done properly...

1) Humbles the soul - Ps 35:132) Chastens the soul - Ps 69:10

b. And the prayers of a humble person are more likely to be heard! - cf. Ezra 8:21-23

[If fasting does have a part in the Christian life, then let's look more closely at...]

III. WHEN SHOULD CHRISTIANS FAST?

A. WHENEVER OCCASIONS REQUIRING DIVINE HELP SHOULD ARISE...1. These may be occasions on an individual level

a. When faced with difficult temptationsb. When faced with the serious illness of a loved one

2. These occasions might be on a congregational levela. As when appointing eldersb. As when sending out missionaries

B. WHATEVER OCCASIONS CALL FOR PERSISTENT PRAYERS MIGHT CALL FOR FASTING JOINED WITH PRAYER...1. Are we not taught that God is more likely to answer our prayers if we are

persistent? - cf. Lk 18:1-82. And also if we fast in the proper manner? - Mt 6:17-18

[So whenever there is a matter requiring much prayer, fasting in conjunction with prayer would seem appropriate.

Finally, let's take a look at...]

IV. HOW SHOULD CHRISTIANS FAST?

A. NOT TO BE SEEN OF MEN...1. Cf. Mt 6:16-182. Whether fasting as individuals or with others, it is important that we not do it

for "show"

B. NOT AS SOME REGULAR RITUAL...1. Cf. Mt 9:14-172. It should be done only when the occasion calls for it

14

3. Such as situations where you would be spending much time in prayer

C. NOT WITHOUT TRUE REPENTANCE...1. Cf. Isa 58:3-92. All the praying, all the fasting, is of no avail if not accompanied with penitent

obedience

D. SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS...1. Don't go out and fast just because it sounds like a neat thing to do

a. Take the subject seriouslyb. Fast only when the occasion is a serious onec. One in which you desperately desire God's help

2. If you have never fasted before...a. Start slow, fasting only for brief periods of timeb. End slow, gradually breaking your fast with fresh fruits and vegetables in

small amounts3. Fast when you have time to spend in prayerful meditation

a. Remember the purpose for fastingb. To humble oneself in God's sightc. To seek favorable answer to prayer for some important plea

CONCLUSION

1. There is probably much more that could be said on the subject of fasting

2. But I hope that this is enough to stimulate our thinking on a subject which has often been neglected in both study and practice

3. As with any subject, the Word of God is the last word, and I hope that this study has shed some light on what His Word says on the subject of fasting

15

WHAT IS A FAST?Fasting is part of the faith life of religions old and new all over the world. In a fast, the believer chooses, for a set time, to do without something that is hard to do without. This is done so it does not come between the believer and God, so it cannot act as a god over that relationship and over the life of the believer.

Usually, the fast is to do without food. Food is one of the great blessings of God in our lives, a true pleasure and a true necessity. But humans tend to be gluttons; we want to eat more. Our hunger can compel us, force our hand, occupy our thoughts. When we have anything in our lives that we don't or can't say no to, then it is lording over us. But God is in control. If something else takes up God's place in our lives, it is an idol, and we are living in something akin to idolatry. Fasting helps to bring it back into enough control for us to surrender it to God so it can be returned to its rightful place in life. Food is the foremost example of such a thing.

You can fast from some foods, and not others. You can fast from watching television, having sex, and buying pleasure items, even from buying ordinary stuff. You can fast from hobbies you crave, places you are unhealthily drawn to, music, books, news, and movies. You might even find it necessary to be fasting from use of the Internet -- though please don't start until you're done using this site. :) If you can be described as a 'junkie', 'freak', or 'fanatic' about something, that's a good thing to fast from. For most people in North America, and the upper classes all over the earth, the most important it is to fast from being a consumer of goods, for our role as a consumer can consume us spiritually. For Catholics, fasting for Lent is one of the most enduring hallmarks of their tradition.

Fasting In Repentance1 Samuel 7:6 (national);

Joel 1:14; Jonah 3:5-9 (Nineveh);

Mark 2:18 (re John the Baptist's followers)

How does fasting in repentance work? You realize what you did was very wrong. Doing things that way is destructive; it harms others, and thus yourself. Wrongdoing blocks the value you have as a person; it adds to you a hellishness which saps you spiritually. To repent is to reject this hellishness.

What does fasting do that furthers the repentance/healing? Fasting is a discipline. Through it, you change your way of living for a while, taking away something very basic to your body's health. The whole You enters into [ or 'experiences' ] the unwholeness that your sin creates. Things are not right, and feeling that unrightness through the

16

discomforts of hunger helps to firm up your resolve not to do it again, a resolve to live a different kind of life.

Leviticus 16:29-34 (Yom Kippur), done "that you may humble your souls", and Numbers 29:7-11.

Fasting And Obeying God"First, let [fasting] be done unto the Lord with our eye singly fixed on Him. Let our intention herein be this, and this alone, to glorify our Father which is in heaven."------- John Wesley, as found in the collection *Sermons On Several Occasions* (Epworth, 1971), p.301

If one of the purposes of fasting is to bring yourself to obey and follow God, then what can it mean when life after fasting does not bear the marks of such obedience? In the face of a nation that fasted and wailed before God as if they were holy, but did not live Godly lives, the prophets spoke of the kind of 'fasting' God wanted. Or, as Isaiah said, especially Isa. 58:6 :

"Isn't this the fast that I want :to loosen the bonds of wickedness,to undo the bands of the yoke,to let the oppressed go freeand break every yoke?"

The disciples often did not fast at the usual times specified by the Jewish faith. (This was so very different from the Pharisees and the followers of John the Baptist, who would fast regularly.) This was not done to make a point about fasting, but a point about Jesus, since Jesus' coming was God's response to the pleas of all those who had been fasting in repentance and for God to rescue them. Jesus spoke little of fasting, and when he did, it was about the right spirit to fast in. Jesus spoke more often about feasting, comparing the Kingdom of God to a banquet. This was foreshadowed by Zechariah, who prophesied that one day the solemn fast days of the Jewish faith would become "cheerful feasts". Not that Jesus was against fasting. He himself fasted and faced the temptation to use His power to get food to break His fast. He spoke of the role of fasting and prayer in healing and in casting out evil spirits.

The early church expected those who fast to give away what they would have eaten, either in money-value or in food, to those in need. (Shepherd of Hermas 3.5.3; Augustine's Sermon 208). Origen (Homilies on Leviticus, 10) even praised those who fasted in order to give to the poor.

"Is not the neglect of this plain duty (I mean fasting, ranked by our Lord with almsgiving and prayer) one general occasion of deadness among Christians?"--- John Wesley, *The Journal of John Wesley*

17

Some Red Flags of FastingIs there a time not to fast? Yes. Don't fast when it's time to celebrate and have fun. For instance, your wedding anniversary. For Christian believers, Easter is the resurrection of Jesus, the happiest thing that's ever happened, so the time between Easter and Pentecost is a season to celebrate and feast, not fast. The birth of Jesus is cause for celebrating that God is with us, so the days between Christmas and Epiphany are for celebration. Jesus' disciples generally didn't fast on the usual Jewish fast days, because they were with One who was so great they had to use all the time and energy they could muster to sink into Him. They fasted after He was gone, as part of their standing as apostles before God for the whole Church.

Fasting from food is not dieting. It's not a divine weight-loss plan. Treated that way, it could be a thin disguise for an adult version of anorexia, a psychological eating illness which has strong physical effects on the body. Many people have died because of this abuse of fasting. If you're overweight because you have no self-discipline about eating or exercise, then short or selective fasts may be helpful as part of the larger process of developing self-discipline about food -- but spiritually helpful due to the discipline, rather than the weight loss.

Fasts are not for self-punishment. The Qumran sect and some apocalyptic Jews of Jesus' day took on extreme food-free periods, in hopes of making themselves pure before the end-times arrived. They would sometimes prohibit marriage and require abstinence from foods. To the early Christians, this made no sense. They thanked God for God's good creation, including all kinds of food. And they would not stand for setting a new law over themselves, since Christ has just freed them from the burdens of the law. Some folks of their era (and ours) sought to enter into the drug-like experience which happens as the body gets seriously weakened by the fast. More often, they have a sadistic drive to destroy themselves. Many monks, especially from Europe's Middle Ages, and also many holy people of other major religions, believed that one should force one's body into submission to God. But self-punishment is a form of self-destruction and self-hatred. This attitude bleeds over into everything else about the way you think of yourself and your body, even when you are not fasting. God didn't love you and then tell you to go hate yourself. God wants you to see you and your body through God's eyes -- as being well worth loving. Or perhaps, you might dare treat The Almighty Creator as a fool for loving you? This is true of both foods and people: God did not create mistakes.

It is also not right to harm yourself in a way that might make you a burden to others who would have to give you physical care. Mohammed was a strong believer in fasting as a discipline, but even he had to act against the extreme fasting of his Companions in Medina when it weakened them up to the edge of death. The lengthy Ramadan fasts are only for daylight hours. King Saul put his soldiers under oath of death not to eat, leaving them too weak to succeed. His son Jonathan understood how wrongheaded this was, but his disobedience almost got him killed by his own father. Thus, do not fast in a way that seriously harms your health.

Stop fasting for preparation when the time has come to do what you're preparing for. Better yet, following Jonathan's lesson, give yourself at least a short time between the end of the fast and the moment you're about to seize. That will make you stronger for the task.

18

(There are a very few special situations where fasting is part of a larger effort of achieving something really big and good for others beyond yourself -- Gandhi's fasts for Indian independence come to mind -- in which the faster's own physical good is in the far background. But that's almost certainly not your case, and don't fantasize that it is. Some would not even label this as 'fasting', but as a political 'hunger strike'. However, in many if not most actual cases it is done with a very clear spiritual dimension, and when that is true it is very hard to separate it out from fasting. Justice is, after all, a serious concern of God and a part of God's character that the Spirit is writing into us, in part through fasting.)

You don't need to fast to be saved, at least not according to Scripture. Each church body has its own rules and practices about fasting, as part of their own way of living the Christian life. Many millions of people live good and faithful Christian lives without ever fasting. It can be helpful, but is not at all required.

Jesus speaks of the hypocrites who fast so that other people are impressed. Fasts are not for getting others to say, "wow, this is one holy dude". Fasts are between yourself and God. Even a fast as an act done publicly with others (as, for instance, in Lent, Ramadan, or Yom Kippur) is not about showing non-believers or fellow believers how holy you are. They are not the point; the relationship between you and God is the point of a fast. (The same can be said of most of those who rhapsodize about fasts in their sermons. Talk is getting cheaper with each new day.)

Sufferings caused by fasts are not an excuse for being grouchy, stingy, or rude. Going without food can make your mind get weak and unable to focus, which can make for angry or delusional reactions. When it does, stop fasting, because you're starting to harm yourself and you're bearing a bad witness to God's love.

"He wants nothing at all to do with you if by your fasting you court Him as if you were a great saint, and yet meanwhile nurse a grudge or anger against your neighbor."Martin Luther

Asking God to ChangeFasting to ask God to change course: Ezra 8:21-23

-- why would this matter to God? Because God cares that we care.

When King David had been caught by Nathan the Prophet in his evil deed of murder and adultery (2 Sam 12), Nathan ended by forgiving David of his sin, but telling him that the son born from this relationship was to die (verses 13-14). David took his sorrow over this to the Lord in prayer and fasting and tears, laying on the ground, doing nothing else for a whole week (try doing that when you're the sole leader of a nation). But this did not save his son. Once the baby died, David immediately got up, washed and clothed himself, went to worship, and then went to eat. This puzzled the people around him: shouldn't he be fasting over the child's death? David's answer showed how deeply he understood what he was fasting for :

19

"While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, thinking, 'Who knows, maybe the LORD will be gracious to me so the child may live.' But now that he has died, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again??" (2 Samuel 12:22-23)

David was fasting and weeping out of love for his son, the son his own evil deeds created, the son his own evil deeds killed. He had already come to hate the great sins that he did. He had already mourned as terribly as he could. It was now his task to lead a nation (God's own covenant people), follow God, and comfort Bathsheba who was also mourning over the child that was hers as well as his. But he can't do any of that while he's on the ground starving and wailing. The time for fasting was over; the time for renewed living was at hand. By setting himself right with God, David was once again blessed by God, as the Lord took that twisted relationship and made from it David's eventual heir, Solomon.

Fasting As Part of MourningFor most of the rest of us, we have no nation to run. The loss of a loved one affects us so much that we may not care to eat. Or we may come to understand the damage of all those little wrongs we did to that someone, and plead for forgiveness to God. The Bible has many examples of fasting as part of mourning :

1 Samuel 31:13; 2 Samuel 1:12; Joel 2:12; Nehemiah 1:4 (sad news)

Fasts are also done to commemorate a catastrophe -- the traditional Jewish fasts for the events described in :

Jeremiah 52:12-13, 39:2; 2 Kings 25:1-2; Ezekiel 24:1-2; Jeremiah 41:1-2; Esther 4:16.

Getting Ready By FastingThe Bible shows fasting as preparation for major moves and deeds:

1 Samuel 14:24; Judges 20:26; Acts 13:2-3 (when Barnabas and Paul were called as a team).

Also:

20

How does fasting help us prepare? By helping us put even our most basic urges and needs into a lower priority than the task at hand, so we can put our whole selves into it.

What effects make fasting useful for preparation? Jesus fasted 40 days in the desert. That led to the temptations, the first of which was to

use his powers to make food for himself. Since he was in a fast period preparing himself for the ministry and the trial ahead of him, feeding himself would have made the preparation incomplete. The task ahead was way too important. He had to maintain focus on God.

Paul spent much time isolated after conversion; as a good Jew, periods without food were a part of that time.

In Didache 7.4, days of fasting were specified for the ones being baptized and the ones baptizing them.

In some Jewish traditions, the bride and groom fast in preparation on their wedding day up to the time of the ceremony. Then, of course, they feast.

Notes on Why People Fast

Most religions use fasting, usually as self-discipline and preparation. They use it as :

self-purification; defeating evil spirits which show forth in the desire for material things; a discipline for one's 'evil' bodily (material) nature, to force it to submit to God. a way to become one with the experience of Christ's suffering by way of one's own

suffering.

These ideas carried over into the monastic traditions of the Middle Ages and of Eastern Orthodoxy.

It is common for rulers to declare national days of fasting, by even the most secular of governments, especially during wartime.

One of the most powerful discoveries of small prayer groups is the use of fasting with intensive prayer over urgent matters. Someone can even challenge the whole small group to fast together during the time period when they are holding the urgent matter in prayer. This is usually done over a specific turning point in congregational life, or an acute illness, or after a disaster.

21

Your Personal Guide to Fasting and PrayerBy Dr. Bill Bright

Fasting is the most powerful spiritual discipline of all the Christian disciplines. Through fasting and prayer, the Holy Spirit can transform your life.

Fasting and prayer can also work on a much grander scale. According to Scripture, personal experience and observation, I am convinced that when God's people fast with a proper Biblical motive-seeking God's face not His hand-with a broken, repentant, and contrite spirit, God will hear from heaven and heal our lives, our churches, our communities, our nation and world. Fasting and prayer can bring about revival - a change in the direction of our nation, the nations of earth and the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

The awesome power can be released through you as you fast through the enabling of the Holy Spirit.

Fasting is one of the most neglected spiritual admonitions. In fact, it has been ignored for so long that it is difficult to find information on the "how-to's" of this life-changing experience. When I first undertook an extended fast, I had a difficult time finding information on the nature of a Biblical fast, how to start, what to expect physically and spiritually, and how to terminate a fast.

These pages are designed to answer your practical questions about fasting and ease any concerns you might have. In this series, you will learn:

Why you should fast How to fast safely How long and what type of fast is right for you How to prepare yourself spiritually and physically How to manage your schedule while fasting How to deal with the responses of friends and loved ones How to make your spiritual experience the best it can be How to maintain nutritional balance and health from beginning to end (including specific

juice and broth recipes) What physical benefits to expect How to finish your fast and return to your normal schedule in a HEALTHY way

I want to be of help to you so I will be speaking to you from these pages at various points in the study. I have completed five 40-day fasts. I want to share with you what I have learned and what has helped me. Whether you hold a 1-day fast or an extended 40-day fast, I pray that our Lord's most wonderful love and blessings will be poured out on you as you take this exciting step of faith.

22

Why You Should Fast

If you do not already know of the power and importance of fasting, here are some very important facts:

Fasting was an expected discipline in both the Old and New Testament eras. For example, Moses fasted at least two recorded forty-day periods. Jesus fasted 40 days and reminded His followers to fast, "when you fast," not if you fast.

Fasting and prayer can restore the loss of the "first love" for your Lord and result in a more intimate relationship with Christ.

Fasting is a biblical way to truly humble yourself in the sight of God (Psalm 35:13; Ezra 8:21). King David said, "I humble myself through fasting."

Fasting enables the Holy Spirit to reveal your true spiritual condition, resulting in brokenness, repentance, and a transformed life.

The Holy Spirit will quicken the Word of God in your heart and His truth will become more meaningful to you!

Fasting can transform your prayer life into a richer and more personal experience. Fasting can result in a dynamic personal revival in your own life-and make you a channel

of revival to others. Fasting and prayer are the only disciplines that fulfill the requirements of II Chronicles

7:14:

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

If you fast, you will find yourself being humbled as I did. You will discover more time to pray and seek God's face. And as He leads you to recognize and repent of unconfessed sin, you will experience special blessings from God.

How to Fast Safely

As you begin your fast, you may hear from concerned loved ones and friends who urge you to protect your health. And they are right. You should protect your health. But I assure you, if done properly, fasting will not only prove to be a spiritual blessing, but physical blessing as well.

By all means, consult your doctor before you begin your fast. But, be aware that many doctors have not been trained in this area and so their understanding is limited. Even so, it would be wise to ask your doctor for a physical exam to make sure you are in good health. You may have a physical problem that would make fasting unwise or dangerous. Also, if you are under any type of medication, make sure you talk to your doctor before changing your regime. Prudence and caution are in order.

23

When you are assured that you are in good health, you are ready to begin your fast. Follow the guidelines in the Physical Preparations and Maintaining Nutritional Balance and Health parts of this website.

In spite of the absolute safety and benefits of fasting, there are certain persons who should NEVER fast without professional supervision. For example:

Persons who are physically too thin or emaciated. Persons who are prone to anorexia, bulimia, or other behavioral disorders. Those who suffer weakness or anemia. Persons who have tumors, bleeding ulcers, cancer, blood diseases, or who have heart

disease. Those who suffer chronic problems with kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, or other important

organs. Individuals who take insulin for diabetes, or suffer any other blood sugar problem such as

hyperglycemia. Women who are pregnant or nursing.

How Long and What Type of Fast Is Right for You

If you have never fasted before, I applaud your present interest! Fasting has been a major emphasis in the lives of many of the great spiritual leaders throughout history. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist denomination, fasted every Wednesday and Friday and required all of his clergy to do the same. Effective ministers of God from the apostle Paul to Martin Luther to John Calvin made it a continual part of their walks with God.

None of those men had a "formula fast" that was the only "right" way. Fasting is about the condition of the heart, not the number of days. Each time that I have fasted for forty days, it was because I felt impressed by God to do so.

So, start slowly. Fast for one meal a day, or one day a week, or one week a month. Build up your spiritual muscles so that you will be prepared in a period of several months to fast for an extended 40 day period.

The Bible Recounts Primarily Two Types of Fasts

A partial fast is described in the book of Daniel. Although the water fast seemed to be the custom of the prophet, there was a three-week period in which he only abstained from "delicacies," meat, and wine (Daniel 10:3).

The two primary types mentioned in the Bible are the "absolute" and "supernatural absolute" fasts. These are total fasts-no food (solid or liquid) and no water. Paul went on an absolute fast for three days following his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:9). Moses and

24

Elijah engaged in what must be considered a supernatural absolute fast of forty days (Deuteronomy 9:9; I Kings 19:8).

So, I strongly advice you to drink plenty of liquids. Obviously, if God leads you to undertake an absolute fast, you should obey. If so, be certain, without doubt, that God is leading you.

Water-only fasts that last for more than several days need to be undertaken with complete rest and under medical supervision because of the extreme danger of over-toxification, breakdown of vital body tissues, and loss of electrolytes.

I personally recommend and practice water and juice fasting, especially if you are going to fast for an extended period of time. This type of fast will provide you with more energy than absolute or water-only fasts and still lead you into the humbling experience of denying your desire for solid food that you can chew.

When it comes to making your final decision about what type of fast is right for you, the best advise I can give you is to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. He will guide your heart and mind as to what is best for you. Remember, the most important consideration in fasting is your motive. Why are you fasting? To seek something personally from God's hand or to seek His face in worship, praise and thanksgiving?

How to Prepare Yourself Spiritually and Physically

Spiritual Preparation

In preparation for this special time with God, I strongly urge you to examine your heart, and detect any unconfessed sin. Scripture records that God always requires His people to repent of their sins before He will hear their prayers. King David said:

Come and hear, all of you who reverence the Lord, and I will tell you what he did for me: For I cried to him for help, with praises ready on my tongue. He would not have listened if I had not confessed my sins. But he listened! He heard my prayer! He paid attention to it!

Blessed be God who didn't turn away when I was praying, and didn't refuse me his kindness and love. (Psalm 66:16-20)

In your prayers, confess not only obvious sins, but less obvious ones as well. The sins of omission as well as the sins of commission experiences. These may be experiences leaving your first love for our Lord: worldly-mindedness, self-centeredness, spiritual indifference, and unwillingness to share your faith in Christ with others, not spending sufficient time in God's Word and in prayer, a poor relationship with your spouse, your children, your pastor, or other members of your church.

25

Another great way to prepare for your fast is to practice what I call "Spiritual Breathing." The concept is simple, but it has changed my own life and that of millions of others.

Like physical breathing, Spiritual Breathing is a process of exhaling the impure and inhaling the pure. If you knowingly sin, breathe spiritually to restore the fullness of God's Holy Spirit in your life. You exhale by confessing your sins immediately when you become aware of them, and you inhale by inviting the Holy Spirit to re-take control of your life. As an act of faith, trust Him to empower you. During the fast, spiritual breathing-constant reliance on the Holy Spirit-will enable you to resist temptation, not only to sin but to abandon your fast.

Physical Perparation

Although fasting is primarily a spiritual discipline, it begins in the physical realm. You should not fast without specific physical preparation.

If you plan on fasting for several days, you will find it helpful to begin by eating smaller meals before you abstain altogether. Resist the urge to have that "last big feast" before the fast. Cutting down on your meals a few days before you begin the fast will signal your mind, stomach, and appetite that less food is acceptable.

Some health professionals suggest eating only raw foods for two days before starting a fast. I also recommend weaning yourself off caffeine and sugar products to ease your initial hunger or discomfort at the early stages of your fast.

How to Manage Your Schedule While Fasting

How long you fast, the kind of fast you undertake, and how you adjust your work schedule depends mostly on your occupation. Persons with office jobs, pastors, or homemakers may find it easier to continue their duties and fast for longer periods of time. In fact, on the basis of my personal experience, worldwide travels and the many letters, which I have received, I am confident that many, many thousands of pastors and lay men and women have already completed a 40-day fast!

Though there are many who engage in strenuous physical labor and have enjoyed their extended fast, if you are so engaged, you may wish to fast only one or more days of the week, limiting yourselves to partial fasting if you are so engaged. Or you may look to weekends as the prime time to abstain from food. Remember, too, fasting during major holidays is not always a good idea. Families may be inconvenienced, and temptations to eat can be overwhelming.

Reasons for schedule adjustments, especially during an extended fast, are two-fold...

26

The first is physical. Throughout your fast, you may feel somewhat weaker than normal. During the first few days, you may feel tired and irritable. Lightening your workload and cutting down on strenuous exercise would be a very good idea to maintain your health and your morale.

The second reason is spiritual. Fasting is not just denying yourself food. It is exchanging the needs of the physical body for those of the spiritual. Long times of prayer and reading God's Word will be very essential if you are to enter into a more intimate communion with God to maintain your fast to its completion. While fasting, if you dissipate your energy on numerous errands or busy-work to the neglect of spending special time with God, you will starve both physically and spiritually. You will find yourself becoming discouraged and frustrated with your fast instead of being benefited and uplifted and blessed. I don't want that to happen to you.

The more time you spend with God in fellowship, worship, and adoration of Him, and the more you read and meditate upon His Word, the greater your effectiveness will be in prayer and the more meaningful your fast will be. So I encourage you to arrange your schedule accordingly!

Dealing with the Responses of Friends and Loved Ones

Many people are reluctant to tell others that they are fasting so they will avoid the sin of the Pharisees: fasting just to gain recognition for themselves. I strongly believe that attitude is a result of a wrong interpretation of our Lord's teaching and that it is a trick of the enemy who does not want us to fast, nor to share with your loved ones, neighbors and friends the benefits of fasting.

By isolating ourselves from the support of other Christians, we will be more susceptible to doubts and negative influences (both human and demonic). We need the prayer shield of our Christian friends and family members to help us continue when we feel alone and when the enemy tempts us to give up Our Lord as he did Jesus Christ. Eventually, people will notice you are not eating.

However, I have found that unless you see them daily, they do not consider your skipped meal much of a concern. If you are asked, nonbelievers may be satisfied by such a brief answer as, "I have other plans for lunch today." Or Christians should be satisfied when you answer that you are fasting today.

If friends and family express concern for your health, ease their fears by telling them that you will stop fasting the moment you feel you are harming your body or if the Lord leads you to end your fast. Tell them you are fasting under your doctor's care, which I urge you to do if you have any question concerning your health.

There is usually no reason for telling strangers or casual acquaintances that you are fasting. If you do, they may subject you to a lot of questions that you may not want to answer. But in any case, use your best judgment and the Lord's leading in telling people about your fast.

27

How to Make Your Spiritual Experience the Best it Can Be

Receiving God's best blessing from a fast requires solid commitment. Arranging special time each day with God is absolutely crucial in attaining intimate communion with the Father. You must devote yourself to seeking God's face, even (and especially) during those times in which you feel weak, vulnerable, or irritable. Read His Word and pray during what were mealtimes. Meditate on Him when you awake in the night. Sing praises to Him whenever you please. Focus on your Heavenly Father and make every act one of praise and worship. God will enable you to experience His command to "pray without ceasing" as you seek His presence.

As you enter this time of heightened spiritual devotion, be aware that Satan will do everything he can to pull you away from your prayer and Bible reading time. When you feel the enemy trying to discourage you, immediately go to God in prayer and ask Him to strengthen your resolve in the face of difficulties and temptations.

The enemy makes you a target because he knows that fasting is the most powerful of all Christian disciplines and that God may have something very special to show you as you wait upon Him and seek His face. Satan does not want you to grow in your faith, and will do anything from making you hungry and grumpy to bringing up trouble in your family or at work to stop you. Make prayer your shield against such attacks.

My major reason for fasting is for personal revival, revival for our nation, for the world and for the fulfillment of the Great Commission. But praying for our own needs and interceding for others are also important reasons to fast and pray. Bring your personal needs before the Lord, intercede for your loved ones, your friends, your church, your pastor, your community, your nation, and the world. By your prayers of humility, as you fast, you will help the Great Commission be fulfilled.

However, do not become so caught up in praying for yourself and others that you forget about simply reverencing and praising God. True spiritual fasting focuses on God. Center your total being on Him, your attitudes, your actions, your motives, desires, and words. This can only take place if God and His Holy Spirit are at the center of our attention. Confess your sins as the Holy Spirit brings them to your attention and continue to focus on God and God alone so that your prayers may be powerful and effective.

A renewed closeness with God and a greater sensitivity to spiritual things are usually the results of a fast. Do not be disappointed if you do not have a "mountaintop experience," as some do. Many people who have successfully completed extended fasts tell of feeling a nearness to God that they have never before known, but others who have honestly sought His face report no particular outward results at all. For others, their fast was physically, emotionally, and spiritually grueling, but they knew they had been called by God to fast, and they completed the fast unto Him as an act of worship; God honored that commitment.

28

Your motive in fasting must be to glorify God, not to have an emotional experience, and not to attain personal happiness. When your motives are right, God will honor your seeking heart and bless your time with Him in a very special way.

How to Maintain Nutritional Balance and Health from Beginning to End

I know the prospect of going without food for an extended period of time may be of concern to some. But there are ways to ensure that your body is getting the nutrients it needs so you can remain safe and healthy during your fast.

For an extended fast, I recommend water and fruit and vegetable juices. The natural sugars in juices provide energy, and the taste and strength are motivational to continue your fast. Try to drink fresh juices, if possible. Off-the-shelf juice products are acceptable, as long as they are 100% juice with no sugar or other additives.

If you are beginning a juice fast, there are certain juices you may wish to avoid and certain ones that are especially beneficial. Because of their acid content, most nutritionists do not advise orange or tomato juice (these are better tolerated if mixed with equal portions of water). The best juices are fresh carrot, grape, celery, apple, cabbage, or beet. They also recommend "green drinks" made from green leafy vegetables because they are excellent "de-toxifiers."

Fruit juices are "cleansers" and are best taken in the morning. Since vegetable juices are "restorers" and "builders," they are best taken in the afternoon.

I usually dedicate a portion of my 40-day fast to a special liquid formula, which I have found to be effective over many years. A few recipes and my comments are on this page, as well as a helpful schedule.

One gallon distilled water1-1/2 cup lemon juice3/4-cup pure maple syrup1/4-teaspoon cayenne pepper.

The lemon juice adds flavor and vitamin C, the maple syrup provides energy, and the cayenne pepper -- an herb -- acts to open small blood vessels which, I believe, helps the body as it cleanses itself of stored toxins. (A word of caution: although I use this formula with no ill effects, cayenne pepper could cause severe physical reactions in persons with a specific allergy to this herb.)My favorite juice is a mixture of 100% pure white grape juice and peach juice. The juice is available in frozen cans under the Welch label. Most knowledgeable nutritionists recommend:

Watermelon -- just put it in the blender without adding water Fresh apple juice

29

Green juice -- blend celery, romaine lettuce, and carrots in equal proportions. (Vegetable juices like this one are important, for they supply the electrolytes necessary for proper heart function!)

Some nutritionists recommend warm broth, especially if you live in a colder climate. You may find their recipes helpful:

Boil sliced potatoes, carrots, and celery in water.Do not add salt.After about a half-hour, drain off the water and drink.

Gently boil three carrots, two stalks of celery, one turnip, two beats, a half head of cabbage, a quarter of a bunch of parsley, a quarter of an onion, and a half clove of garlicDrain off the broth and drink up to two or three times daily.

You may find the following daily schedule helpful during your fast. I recommend you print it and keep it handy throughout your fast.

5:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.Fruit juices, preferably freshly squeezed or blended, diluted in 50 percent distilled water if the fruit is acid. Orange, apple, pear, grapefruit, papaya, grape, peach or other fruits are good.

10:30 a.m. - noonGreen vegetable juice made from lettuce, celery, and carrots in three equal parts.

2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.Herb tea with a drop of honey. Make sure that it is not black tea or tea with a stimulant.

6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.Broth from boiled potatoes, celery, and carrots (no salt).

I suggest that you do not drink milk because it is a pure food and therefore a violation of the fast. Any product containing protein or fat, such as milk or soy-based drinks, should be avoided. These products will restart the digestion cycle and you will again feel hunger pangs. Also, for health reasons, stay away from caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, or cola. Because caffeine is a stimulant, it has a more powerful effect on your nervous system when you abstain from food. This works both against the physical and spiritual aspects of the fast.

Another key factor in maintaining optimum health during a fast is to limit your physical activity. Exercise only moderately, and rest as much as your schedule will permit (this especially applies to extended fasts). Short naps are helpful as well. Walking a mile or two each day at a moderate pace is acceptable for a person in good health, and on a juice fast. However, no one on a water fast should exercise without the supervision of a fasting specialist.

What Physical Effects to Expect

30

Although fasting can be an indescribable blessing, it is not always easy for everyone. In this time of discipline, self-sacrifice and reflection, do not be surprised if you experience mental and physical discomforts.

To begin, you may experience some inner conflict when you deny yourself the pleasure of eating delicious food. Any sort of fast may sometimes leave you feeling impatient and irritable. During a 3-day fast, this struggle can intensify toward the end of the second day. That seems to be a favorite time for the "self" to rise up and say, "This is as far as I want to go. I have done enough."

Physical Effect

Hunger Pangs: These are greatest usually during the first three days of the fast. Your body is adjusting from using the food in your digestive tract (which remains about three days) to consuming stored fats.

Suggested Relief:

Psyllium Bulk: Help eliminate hunger pangs and also aids in cleansing the body. Several capsules can be taken throughout the day with plenty of water.

Silymarin tablets may also be helpful, for they are believed to protect and enhance the cleansing of the liver.

Physical Effect

Coldness, bad breath and heightened body odor, changes in elimination (constipation or diarrhea), light-headedness, changes in sleeping and dreaming patterns, aches and pains.

A white-coated tongue at the beginning of a fast may be a part of the body's pattern of throwing off toxins.

Also expect to go the the bathroom often (you will be drinking lots of water!)

Suggested Relief

After the first two weeks of an extended fast, many of these symptoms subside. Continuing aches in a certain area of the body usually means elimination of fatty tissue is going on in that area, which is not harmful. However, any extensive pain should be examined immediately.

YOU SHOULD STOP FASTING IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SEVERE PAIN OR SWELLING.

31

Physical Effect

Headaches or stomachaches may be a result of salt, sugar, or caffeine withdrawal.

Suggested Relief

Eliminating those items from your diet prior to fasting is the best way to avoid these pains.

Physical Effect

Lower back pain may indicate that you are dehydrating

Suggested Relief

Drink more fluids

Physical Effect

Dizziness may be caused by a sudden change in position, such as rising suddenly from a chair.

Suggested Relief

Stop for a second or two, then recover. Move slowly. (A word of caution: these conditions may be symptoms of other problems requiring medical attention).

Physical Effect

Minor fasting discomfort

Suggested Relief

Take one teaspoon of psyllium seed powder morning and evening. Mixed in lukewarm water, it becomes like Jell-O. This powder will hasten the elimination of toxins from your colon and help to prevent headaches and dizziness for most healthy people. Alfalfa tablets can help control bad breath and cleanse the system. Two tablets at a time can be taken several times a day.

32

In my desire to be absolutely faithful to my first 40-day fast, I stopped taking my usual vitamins and minerals. However during subsequent fasts, I have felt strongly impressed to continue my vitamin and herbal therapy and also using psyllium. I do this to keep my "temple" healthy while continuing to deny myself the pleasure of eating solid food.

During your fast, you may have your struggles, discomforts, spiritual victories, and failures. In the morning you may feel like you are on top of the world, but by evening you may be wrestling with the flesh-sorely tempted to raid the refrigerator and counting how many more days are left in your fast. This is especially true if you are new at fasting. To counteract temptations like these, take extra time with the Lord to spend with God. Step outside for fresh air and a moderate walk of a mile or two, and talk to the Lord as you walk along. And in the process always keep on sipping water or juice frequently during your waking hours.

How to Finish Your Fast in a Healthy Way

All the experts agree that "breaking the fast" is the critical phase of fasting. While your body is in the resting mode, your stomach shrinks and your intestines become idle, so solid food must be re-introduced very slowly to avoid kidney failure or digestive distress. In fact, after a 40-day fast, you should make a careful transition for at least three days before returning to eating meats or fats or normal foods.

Further, if you end your fast gradually, the beneficial physical and spiritual effects will linger for days. But if you rush into solid foods, you may lose much of your deep sense of peace and experience physical problems such as diarrhea, sickness, fainting, and frankly even death in some cases, due to shock!

Dr. Paul Bragg and his daughter Patricia have conducted fasting clinics for many years. Their book, The Miracle of Fasting, gives a specific daily food plan for breaking a 7-day fast that could be adapted and stretched out over several more days for a 40-day fast.

Breaking a Seven-Day Fast

5 o'clock as you end your 7th day of the fast

Peal four or five medium-sized tomatoes - cut them up, bring them to a boil and then turn off the heat. When they are cool enough to eat, have as many as you desire.

Morning of the 8th day

Salad of grated carrots and grated cabbage, with half an orange squeezed over it. Bowl of steamed greens and pealed tomatoes (spinach, Swiss chard, or mustard greens).

Bring the greens to a boil, then turn off the heat. You may eat two slices of 100 percent whole-wheat bread, which has been toasted until it

is thoroughly dry-this is called "Melba toast." After it has been cooled, the toast should

33

be so dry that it would powder if you squeezed it in the palm of your hand. As I have stated, this first food should be in the morning.

During the day, you may have all the distilled water you wish to drink. For dinner, you may have a salad of grated carrots, chopped celery and cabbage, with

orange juice for dressing. This will be followed by two cooked vegetables, one such as spinach, kale, shard, or mustard greens, and one such as string beans, carrots, steamed celery, okra, or squash. You may have two pieces of whole-grain "Melba toast." These meals are not to contain oils of any kind.

Morning of the 9th day

You may have a dish of any kind of fresh fruit, such as banana, pineapple, orange, sliced grapefruit, or sliced apples. You may sprinkle this with two tablespoonfuls of raw wheat germ, and sweeten it with honey, but not over one tablespoonful

At noon you may have a salad of grated carrots, cabbage, and celery, with one cooked vegetable and one slice of "Melba toast."

At dinner you may have a salad dish of lettuce, watercress, parsley, and tomatoes, and two cooked vegetables.

Most experts agree that breaking a fast with vegetables, either steamed or raw, is best. Your stomach is smaller now, so eat lightly. Stop before you feel full. Stay away from starches like pastas, potatoes, rice, or bread (except for "Melba toast") for at least a week. Also avoid meats, dairy products, and any fats or oils for a week or more. Introduce them very slowly and in small amounts.

Extended fasts are not the only fasts which need to be ended with caution. Even a 3-day fast requires reasonable precautions. It is wise to start with a little soup -- something thin and nourishing such as vegetable broth made from onion, celery, potatoes, and carrots -- and fresh fruits such as watermelon and cantaloupe.

In terms of resuming any sort of exercise routine, the advice is the same. Start out slowly, allowing time for your body to re-adjust to its usual regime.

34