Fasting- Part 1

So what is one thing that most Christians seem to want to do at the beginning of the year and never again until next year? Fasting. What's one thing that should be part of EVERY Christians walk? Fasting. What's one thing that can help get rid of some of the issues that you go through. Fasting. What's one way that any Christian can develop a deeper relationship with God? Fasting. Do you need an answer to a serious question and want to solve it right? Go on a fast.
One of the most important aspects of a Christian life is to go on a fast. However most Christians are numb to the ieda because they aren't taught to go on one, or they aren't taught how to correctly perform one. There really is so much information in regards to a fast, especially in doing it right that I won't go into ALL the details, however I will speak on what I know, and a little bit of what I have experienced.
So what exactly is a fast? Ina nutshell it is denying the body/flesh what it wants through food, movies, games, or any other things that it finds pleasurable and giving yourself wholeheartedly to reading your bible, praying, and meditating on God. You perform a fast for a set amount of time, which is usually dictated by your ability. In looking at the bible, you see certain numbers that seem to pop up throughout the bible, 3, 7, 21, 30, and 40. So, at least in my church, we try to follow by one of those number, but again, it is dictated by your ability.
There are so many variations and combinations to a fast, for instance, you could do a 3 day water fast which is just what it means, nothing but water for 3 days (understand that this is a strenuous task on your body and you should seek medical advice before attempting this one). You could do a Daniel fast which is nothing but fruits and veggies and juices for 3 weeks (21 days). You could do a Daniel fast, but perform it for 40 days. Or you could do a fast for say 6 months and do the Daniel fast but after a certain time in the afternoon, allow yourself certain foods. The possibilities are endless. Regardless of what fast you do, drink plenty of water!

So here's what I've done in the past. I read a book on fasting by a pastor by the name of Jentezen Franklin. Very good read! Not a long book, easy to read in about a week or so. I THOROUGHLY suggest reading his books for more information. You WILL learn something. After reading his book I immediately went on a 3 day water fast (I did not consult a physician of some sort, I just had that much faith that I'd be fine). After the 3 day water, I did a Daniel fast for 37 days, making it 40 days. At the end of the 40, I didn't feel as if I had completed my end of the bargain, so I went on for another 20 days, making it a total of 60 days of nothing but water, fruits, vegetables, juices, nuts, no wheat, no sweets, and no meats. The first 3 days were rough, I think mostly in part to the fact that I didn't prepare for it, I just did it. The 2nd day was the worst, and the 3rd day was better. At the end of the 3rd day, that small salad tasted SO GOOOOOD!! I never knew greenery could taste that good! Anyway, I did my Daniel fast for the next 57 days. It wasn't so bad, it's just changing your eating habits. You get used to it. My only regret is that I didn't go for a full 100 days. I was already on it, already did 60 days, another 40 would not have hurt me. Understand that you will lose weight in doing a fast, especially a long one. I myself am not all that big, most times I weigh in at about 125, but I still lost weight-weight I never knew I had!

Go to the next blog for the remainder of this post!