How Much? How Long? How Healthy? Chapter 3-"Fasting"

Job 23:12

Exod. 34:27-28

It was during a 40 day fast that Moses received the Ten Commandments.

Esther 4-7

When Haman ordered the annihilation and plunder of all Jews, Esther called for all the Jews of her city to join her on a 3-day fast from all food and water. As a result, the Jews were spared...

Hannah, greatly distressed over not being able to bear a child, "wept and did not eat." God heard her plea, and the prophet Samuel was soon born. 1 Sam. 1:7

Judah, Ezra, the people of Nineveh, Nehemiah, David and Anna are also among those whose fasts are noted in the Word. In addition...Joshua fasted 40 days, Daniel partially fasted 21-days, Paul was on at least 2 fasts: one for 3 days, one for 14-days, Peter fasted 3 days, and we know that Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness.

There are 3 types of fasts found in Scripture: Absolute fast, normal fast and the partial fast.

Absolute Fast: Extreme & should be done only for very short periods of time. You take in nothing--no food, no water. Depending on your health, this fast should be attempted only with medical consultation and supervision.

Normal Fast: You typically go without food of any kind for a certain number of days. You do drink water and plenty of it! Depending on the length of the normal fast, you may also choose to take clear broth and juices in order to maintain your strength.

Partial Fast: This can be interpreted in many ways. The way it CANNOT be interpreted is to include that time between about 11 PM and 6:00 AM-when you're sleeping! This fast usually involves giving up particular foods and drink for an extended period of time.

The most commonly used example of a partial fast is found in the book of Daniel. He and his 3 companions refused to eat choice meats and sweets, asking instead to have only vegetables and water. In chapter 10, he began another fast, taking no sweets, no meat, and no wine for 3 weeks.

The duration of fasts can vary. There are significant numbers we find in the Bible, which include 3 days, 7 days, 21-days and 40-days. But there are also references to half-day fasts adn 24-hour fasts.

The length of time that you choose to fast should depend on your circumstances, but don't get bogged down in the details.

Don't bite off more than you can handle. There is no need to be heroic and attempt a 40-day fast if you have never fasted a day in your life. Just start. Once you discover the benefits, you'll be on your way to making it a life practice. For most folks, a 3-day fast is very practical. A "Daniel fast," eliminating meat, bread, and sweets for 21-days is a fast just about anyone can handle as well. If it means something to you, it will mean something to God. After all, when was the last time angels were released to speak mysteries to you like the archangel Michael spoke to Daniel?

On longer fasts, I drink water, juice, and even broth when I feel I need a little extra strength. The local Chic-fil-A has grown so accustomed to our annual fasts at Free Chapel that they now readily strain their chicken noodle soup so we can buy just a cup of broth!

TIPS: Whenever you begin a fast, remember, if it doesn't mean anything to you, it won't mean anything to God. Without being combined with prayer and the Word, fasting is little more than dieting. Fasting itself is a continual prayer before God. There may be days when heaven opens and your heart is prompted to deep times of prayer. There may be other days when your energy is sapped and you just cannot seem to focus in prayer at all. Don't condemn yourself. God sees your sacrifice. When you are fasting, it's not the time to sit in front of the TV. Why would you torture yourself with all those food advertisements anyway?

Fasting is like spring cleaning for your body!

When you begin longer fasts, it is not a good idea to gorge yourself the days before. You should actually begin tapering off your food intake in preparation.

...when you begin, try to drink at least one gallon of purified water throughout the first day. Purified or distilled water flushes the toxins and the poison out of your system...Water is the faster's best friend.

I often get a headache the first day or two...it is likely your body getting rid of the toxins that have built up over a period of time. ...fasting...it gives your whole digestive system a break, and, medically speaking, that is very healthy. If you experience a headache while fasting, it is a sign that you needed to fast.

When you fast for at least 3 days, your digestive system shuts down...some feel sluggish, have headaches, and can't sleep, and, let's face it, you are going to get hungry! If you will keep drinking plenty of water and juice, those toxins that poison your body will get flushed out, and you will find what can only be described as a sweet place in the fast!...you find a deeper place in God where the rest just does not matter.

As you begin a fast, you will notice a sort of coating on your tongue for a few days. It is a sign the fast is helping your body eliminate toxins. Tests have proven that the average American consumes and assimilates four pounds of chemical preservatives each year. These build up in our bodies and cause illness and disease. Periodic fasts are necessary to flush out the poisons.

Don Colbert, MD author of the book, "Toxic Relief " says, "Fasting does not only prevent sickness. If done correctly, fasting holds amazing healing benefits to those of us who suffer illness and disease. From colds and flu to heart disease, fasting is a mighty key to healing the body."

Dr. Oda H.F. Birchinger, who supervised more than 70,000 fasts stated, "Fasting is a royal recovery and regeneration of the body, mind and spirit." "Fasting can heal and help rheumatism in the joints and muscles, diseases of the heart, circulation, blood vessels, stress-related exhaustion, skin diseases--including pimples and complexion problems, irregular menstrual cycles and hot flashes, disease of respiratory organs, alergies such as hay fever and other eye diseases."

Dr. Tanner decided at the age of 50 to fast 43-days without food. He did so under strict medical supervision. At the conclusion of the fast, he was much healthier. At age 60 he fasted 50 days and in the middle of his fast, he said he saw the unspeakable glorief of God. At 77 he fasted 53 days, and among other things that happened, his once thin, gray hair was replaced by new black hair! Dr. Tanner lived to be 93 years old.

Fasting slows your aging process. Moses fasted often, including two 40-day fasts and the Bible says, he was 120 old when he died. (Deut. 34:7)

When you fast drink plenty of water...great flushing agent. One of the signs that these toxins and poisons are being eliminated can be seen by the concentration of toxins in your urine. The urine turns darker because the disease-causing poison and toxins locked in your body because of terrible diets begin to be washed out.

It is also proven that fasting sharpens your mental process and aids and improves your sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell, and all sensory faculties.

Fasting breaks the addiction to junk food. Fasting can break the power of an uncontrollable appetite.

Each year I encourage all the members of Free Chapel to join us in our 21-day fast. If in 21-days you can become a new person, why go the rest of your life feeling sick, weak, overweight, and run down? Why not take a radical step of faith? We have only one life to give to God--let's get control of our bodies and go for God with the best we have!

Now that's some food for thought!