Your Personal Guide to Fasting and Prayer

How desperate am I for God?

Fasting is one of the most powerful spiritual disciplines of all the Christian disciplines. It is a way to align our hearts with the psalmist: “My soul thirsts for God, the living God” (Psalm 42:2). “It’s a means of God’s grace to strengthen and sharpen our Godward affections,” writes David Mathis in his book “Habits of Grace.”

Through fasting and prayer, the Holy Spirit can transform your life.

According to Scripture, personal experience and observation, fasting and prayer can also effect change on a much grander scale. 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. He will heal our lives, our churches, our communities, our nation and our world. Fasting and prayer can bring about a change in the direction of our nation, the nations of the earth and the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This is a powerful motivation in today’s unsettled world.

For those who desire both inward and outward impact, humbling yourself before God through fasting is a good place to start. His power can be released in and through you by the enabling of the Holy Spirit.

Fasting is one of the most neglected spiritual practices. 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 end 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 and how to do it safely.
• What length and type of fast are 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 have completed five 40-day fasts, and I want to share with you what I have learned and what has helped me. Whether you hold a one-day fast or an extended 40-day fast, I pray that the Lord’s love and blessings will be poured out on you as you take this exciting step of faith.

Next: Why You Should Fast

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