How to Prepare for your Spiritual Fast8 minute read
This is a part of a 3 part series on fasting. You can find the link to the next post at the bottom of this one.
Before we begin, if you don’t know what fasting is or if you just want to better understand what fasting is on a deeper level, read part 1 of this mini series What is Fasting? It’s more then just a diet. It covers the point of fasting and the many different types of fasting. Once you have read that, come back here to learn how to prepare for your fast.
Fasting can be difficult. Without the proper mindset and preparation, we can easily get discouraged and even quit our fast. Knowing the challenges and preparing for them spiritually and physically will make all the difference in the world. So let’s jump right into how we can prepare for our Fast.
Know why you want to Fast
The first step to any fast is to know exactly why you want to fast. Without knowing your “why”, there is no point in going through with it because you don’t have a clear direction or goal. There can be many different reasons why we fast. The previous post, “What is Fasting?[…]“, mentions some more general reasons why a person might fast. While it is okay to stay general to a degree, it is important to get as specific as you can on the reason why.
For instance, you might say “I am fasting to get closer to God”. Good answer, but why do you want to get closer to God? What areas in your life do you not feel close to God? Is it in your business? Maybe you need to fast to allow God to be a part of your business or career. Or maybe he needs to be more prevalent in your families everyday life. Instead of just saying, “I want to get closer to God”, say “I want God to guide my career”. And you could even drill down too, “I want God to guide me through this major project I am in charge of”. Just remember, the more specific the better.
Find a Support System
There are some problems we face that just feel too big for us to tackle on our own. Finding a family member or a close friend to fast with you can be a great way to keep you focused and accountable during your fast. It also pleases God when 2 or more gather in his name and are of one accord. Take the story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles chapter 20. The king heard of an invasion coming his way that was too great for him to handle. So he proclaimed a fast throughout all of Judah. So all the people of Judah fasted together with the same “why” in mind, and because of that fast, God spared Judah.
verse 15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
I don’t want to go without saying, fasting with someone is great, but don’t feel you must do that. Matthew 6:18 actually tells us to fast in secret with the father. We are not supposed to brag about our fasting or have a sad countenance so people feel sorry for us. So if you do fast in a group or with just one other person, do it in secret with only God in mind.
Decide what Type of Fast you Want to Do
We have discussed in the past the different types of fasts. To recap, there is a;
- Full Fast – abstaining from all food and drink for a short period of time
- Regular Fast – Only drinking water
- Partial Fast – only abstaining from certain types of food and drink.
- Material Fast – cutting out material things or activities such as TV, social media or habits.
- Supernatural Fast – a fast that can only be done while in the supernatural presence of God. Think of Moses fasting for 40 days and nights with zero food.
There really isn’t a right or wrong answer to picking what type of fast you choose. I will say, if you are new to fasting, start small. Cut out a meal and then the next time, fast for the day. After that, move to three days and then a week. To exercise your spiritual muscles, you must start small and work your way up.
But, the right answer really comes down to one thing. What is the Holy Spirit leading you to do? Whenever someone fasted in the bible, the number of days wasn’t the important part. They focused on the motive and did what they felt God wanted them to do. So what is your motive and what are you feeling led to do? Do that.
Plan your Meals
If you are doing a full or regular fast, for obvious reasons, you can skip this part. But if you are doing a partial fast, meal planning is so important to keep you on track. It wasn’t something I felt was too important until I went into a fast without a plan. While fasting, you are hungry and most likely experiencing little pains. There is nothing worse than coming to a meal time and you realize there is nothing for you to eat because you can’t just grab something as normal. That is a recipe to make anyone hangry.
At least a couple days before your fast, make out a meal plan and a grocery list. Prepare your meals ahead of time and get them out of your way. Remember, fasting is about focusing your time on God. So don’t let last minute shopping and meal prep take up all that time. It will just frustrate you and take you out of the mental state you had coming into the fast.
Plan your Devotionals
Fasting is all about spending more time with God in prayer. It is a good idea to have a devotional you want to go through in mind. Your “why” could dictate what devotion you choose or passages of scripture you focus on. For instance, if you are seeking healing, find passages that speak to that such as Psalms 103:2-3 or James 5:15. Or maybe you are seeking wisdom. Reading Psalms through The Song of Solomon will cover that topic well.
One place I love to find devotionals are through the YouVersion Bible app on my phone. You can find a devotional on just about any topic you desire. But if you enjoy good ol’ fashioned paper, here are some devotionals that might serve you well during a fast.
Forgiveness: A Devotional: Learning the Mind of Christ
Triumph at the Cross: Lenten Devotions for Repentance and Renewal
Physically Prepare your Body
I think it is pretty safe to say, the first few days of a fast is the worst. Your body is freaking out wondering what the heck is going on. You will get headaches, muscle aches and all kinds of other aches you didn’t expect. To mitigate this reality, I suggest getting ready ahead of time. There are a few ways to do this.
First, start cutting out certain foods at least three to five days before your fast. I highly suggest sugar, caffeine and breads. These seem to be the foods that cause the pain, at least in my case. Don’t cut them out cold turkey though all at once. Maybe start with sugar on day one and every couple days after that, cut out caffeine and then breads. Doing this will slowly get your body ready to cut out these foods completely.
Second, drink plenty of water. This will help jump start the detox your body is about to go through. The water will help flush out any of those toxins that will cause you headaches in the future. Doing these things will prepare your body and slowly acclimate you to your fast.
Spiritually Prepare Yourself
The majority of this post covered how to physically prepare yourself. Now we need to cover how to spiritually prepare yourself. Since fasting is mainly a spiritual exercise, this step can’t be skipped. The only way to spiritually prepare yourself is through prayer. Examine your heart through prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any sin you may have in your life. This is hard because we don’t want to think about our sin. It doesn’t feel good, so we like to ignore it. But remember, you are not bringing up something God doesn’t already know about. Doing this will clear your mind and your conscious allowing you to focus more on God.
Next we need to meditate on what God has revealed to us and make it a point to pray on those things daily. We need to know that while we fast, it is essential to spend longer times in prayer and reading Gods word. Otherwise, there is no point in doing the fast. So getting in the habit now will better prepare you for a more intimate relationship with God during your fast so you can be better blessed.
Read Part 3 of the Fasting Series: 5 Reasons Fasting is Hard and How to Overcome the Challenges
Start at Part 1 of this series on Fasting: “What is Fasting – Its more than just a Diet”
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Travis Haines
Husband | Father | IT Guy | Blogger | Author and Creator of ChristianIntrovert.com wanting to encourage those who question their abilities in Christ. Don't let your Introversion define who you are and don't use it as an excuse to shut yourself out from the world.