Christian Life Center of San Diego

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New Testament (Matt. 6: 16-18) NKJV

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly”

Jesus declared that while he (the Bridegroom) was with the disciples they did not need to fast as the Pharisees and the disciples of John did. But Christ does declare there would be a day when He would go away and in those days they would need to fast. Christ states that when we humble ourselves through fasting that we should not let men know what we are doing but perform fasting in secret. Jesus declared that when you place yourself in the Father’s secret place you will be rewarded. What happens in the secret place?

Well, my wife and I have found that Psalm 91 gives a glimpse of this secret place. The Psalmist and God speak of the heavenly exchange that takes place while a man or woman abides or dwells in this secret place. We know from experience that when we press into the secret place through worship, fastings and prayers and supplications that God gives of Himself the one thing that is needed, His Presence. When we expe- rience this secret place God chooses to reward us openly with answers to prayers, or whatever we have been seeking, knocking and asking from Him.

Old Testament (Isaiah 58)

The True Fast

The Issue-Wrong type of Fasting

“Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek Me daily, And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness, And did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God. 3’Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’

“In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers. 4 Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness

.You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high. 5 Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the LORD?

Improper Attitude and Actions during Fast:

1. First thing is to humble ourselves and repent
2. On your Fast day you exploit your workers
3. You fast for strife and debate
4. You strike the fist of wickedness
5. This type of fast is not what will have your voice heard on High

BEFORE YOU START FASTING

BEFORE YOU ENTER INTO A FAST of a week or more, it is best that you prepare your body a few days (3-5) in advance with a cleansing diet of fresh vegetables and fruits ending with days of liberal amounts of pure fruit juices. This will help greatly in easing the transition from stimulation (the average daily diet) to detoxification (rest, repair and healing process or a fast).

GOD DIDN’T TELL ME TO FAST? God will sometimes call you to fast and at other times we must humble ourselves or just be used by God to intercede, Mark 2:20 says…”Then shall they fast in those days” Remember you are fighting against spiritual forces of darkness (Satan) and he will come in many forms to defeat you if he can, so fast from food and “eat the Word”; study, search, meditate, declare on the Word and let the Word dig deep inside your inner man. There will be a craving for food and discomfort. Be aware that some of these things may occur, especially when rising from a sitting position too quickly, such as; “weakness, dizziness, sharp pains, vomit- ing, hot flashes, fever, insomnia, foul breath and etc. This is considered normal and will pass usually in 7-10 days.

How can we neglect so Many Promises?

We hope you will be inspired to seek God after reading just a little of what God has provided to us who believe through proper fasting and prayer. Our families and our Churches and this nation need believers who are willing to intercede on their behalf and destroy the strongholds that have been developed over generations. We at Christian Life Center have made up in our minds that “ordinary just won’t do” and we want all that God has for San Diego, this Nation and the World.

Now let us Pray:

Repeat these Words:

HOW DO I START FASTING?

Each day you should maintain a great attitude in all you do, while prayerfully grooming yourself so as not to appear to be fasting. Drink at least two quarts of water  every day of your fast. Drink water that is not too cold. IF POSSIBLE, DRINK DISTILLED WATER  ONLY,  AS  REGULAR  FAUCET WATER  IS HEAVILY

CHLORINATED. Water is vital to keep the channel of elimination (bowels and urinary tract) functioning properly. Bowels should move every few days, but if not, do not be alarmed but do continue drinking good amounts of pure water (distilled). DO NOT USE LAXATIVES, PURGATIVES, OR SUPPOSITORIES  DURING

A FAST.  Your bowels will move as often as they need to.

DURING YOUR FAST

The skin is the largest organ of elimination of the body and when fasting, as with all the other organs of elimination, it is really burdened with eliminating poisons. When one fasts, the pores excrete poisons and are covered with toxins, so it is important to keep your body clean and free of toxic buildup. This is done by thoroughly cleansing the skin daily with a loofa or skin brush. Unless one has deep-seated ailments, most wastes, poisons and toxins, will be oxidized and passed off in approximately seven  to ten days.

EXERCISE AND REST

You must get adequate rest (mentally and physically). You should participate in light exercise every day. During your fast use wisdom when exercising. While some form of exercise is needed, you must not participate in strenuous exercise. Just don’t go beyond what your body can bear. Get some sunshine each day if possible. Walking and small periods exercise allow your pulse rate to increase and the blood to circulate which will expel and move toxins and poisons out of the body. Remember if fasting is new to you, be aware that insomnia can take place because of all the changes in the body so find a good book or whatever can bring you to a restful state. Don’t be alarmed at those late nights, (I am a witness) just remember that fasting and prayer go together.

FUNK PATROL

IF YOU ARE MARRIED,

You should consider 1 Cor. 7:5, “Do not deprive one another (of your due marital rights) except with consent for a time that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer. And come together again so that Satan does not tempt you (to sin) because of your lack of self-control” One should seek the Lord for knowledge, wisdom and harmony, especially if their spouse is unbelieving. (James 1:5)

Every couple should understand the benefits and warnings of fasting. My wife and I have had nothing but benefits as two believers seeking God’s face. But there are times when my wife will ask for my consent on a longer fast and I will request for her to fast during another time frame. God gave us this advice so the enemy would not have his way with our marriages. My wife always submits in this area because she understands God Word. When prayer and fasting are entered into by a couple in one accord (watch out!) because they will defeat the enemy and their relationship will become more intimate and you know there will be no problem with mutual consent (smile).

FASTING IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE CLEANSING FROM SIN, BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS CLEANSES FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS (1 JOHN 7:1)

BREAKING YOUR FAST

MODERATION IS THE KEY

Always break a fast slowly and by gradually adding things back to your diet. Eat light breakfasts (juice and fruit), light lunches (salads), and maintain very light dinners for several days following the fasting time. This is a great time to begin wise eating decisions. Any meal you eat after the fast will be the “break-fast,” whether morning, noon or night. Eat as little as possible, don’t go back to the garbage gut lifestyle (smile) WHEN BREAKING THE FAST EAT SLOWLY AND CHEW THE FOOD THOROUGHLY. This helps in proper digestion. Don’t break your fast with spicy meals because they stress the digestive system that has been in a state of relaxation. Again do not overeat! Always take several days (one day of fresh juice for every five days of fasting) to gradually transcend to a vegetable diet. Whether you have fasted three days or 24 days, THE FIRST THREE DAYS AFTER YOUR FAST ARE THE MOST

IMPORTANT.  No matter how long you fast, if you do not break it right you could do more harm to your physical body. It takes just as much (maybe more) discipline to break a fast than to start a fast.

During a fast, especially the first few fasts, the body is still quite toxic and certain cleansing and healing sensations can be experienced. It is best to know about this in advance so as not to become alarmed or discouraged if and when they occur.

Sometimes when a fast is improperly broken, many uncomfortable conditions can arise. Bloating and other conditions can be corrected by spacing your meals at longer intervals, going on a partial fast again, and then proceeding to break the fast properly.

“If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speak- ing wickedness, 10 If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. 11 The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. 12 Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

More things He expects you to do during your Fast

WHICH FAST TO CHOOSE

The kind of fast you will choose will depend on your spiritual pilgrimage. You will learn how to use the tool of Prayer and fasting for different times in your life, but prayer is the vital component to any fast. We have chosen to expound on 3 types of fasts but there are numerous types. You can add to the list.

• One-meal-a-day-Fast
• Full Fast
• Daniel’s Fast
• 6am-6pm Fast

Daniel’s Fast or 6am – 6pm

Abstaining partially from food

The book of Daniel gives the wonderful story of Daniel who after realizing that eat- ing the King’s food would defile him and His friends requests a special diet that was different than the others who were in confinement under the King’s order. Daniel requested from his captor that he and his friends receive vegetables and water and abstain from the King’s delicacies and wine. Daniel requested 10 days for a testing period and after the ten days Daniel and his companion’s features appeared healthier and better than the young men who ate the King’s delicacies.

Daniel (Daniel 9:3) also set himself apart to understand more concerning His people and the fulfillment of their return from exile. He “set His Face (act of his will) toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplication with FASTING, sackcloth, and ashes”. We find that the angel Gabriel (messenger angel) breaks through to give him the Word of God.

Daniel (Daniel 10) set himself apart and mourns for 3 full weeks and “ATE NO PLEASANT FOOD, NO MEAT OR WINE “ and fought a spiritual battle that brought even the archangel Michael into the battle. Daniel participated in Spiritual Warfare and prevailed for his people.

A Daniel’s Fast is the restraining of one’s appetite – especially rich foods, alcoholic beverages, etc. To abstain involves moderate or sparing in one’s eating or drinking. Many choose this type of fasting and some call this kind a “Daniel’s Fast.” (DAN. 1:8-20)

Full Fast

Abstaining from all food

The true form of fasting is a pure water fast. However, many have chosen juice fast- ing over water fasting. It is considered a very effective form of cleansing the body of wastes, building physical stamina and resistance of diseases. The world wide web has more information on this area so we encourage you to do your own research.

The only difference between the two is that one feels less fatigued with a juice fast. (There are many other rewards to a Juice Fast besides this) Rapid elimination of dead cells stimulates the building and growth of new healthy cells. My wife and I have found that fresh raw fruit and vegetable juices help with the digestive system which gives more time for expedition of detoxification and purification, without a great feel- ing of fatigue.  A “just water” fast can really make you feel fatigued and tired.

One Meal a Day

Many have chosen because of the daily activity and pressures of their jobs to partici- pate in a one meal per day fast or a hybrid of each type of fast. For example, an indi- vidual will fast (water or juice only on their days off) and eat one meal a day during their most active days and have a Daniel’s fast on other days.

Remember to use wisdom and ask advice when you are not disciplined in breaking a fast. Your digestive system will thank you for it! If you need more insight and wisdom concerning your planned fast and you are a healthy individual, seek the advice of your leadership and research answers for yourself. As we have said before, if you have any medical problems, you need to check with your medical professional concerning fasting.

FASTING

Fasting coupled with prayer is one of our highest forms of spiritual warfare, (11 Cor. 10:4-6) and should always be done with the right attitude and to the glory of God (Col. 3:23). Prayer alone is mighty, but combined with fasting it produces a force so powerful that all the demonic attacks of Satan and hell cannot prevail against it. (Mark 9:29)

We are convinced that throughout church history many breakthroughs took place be- cause of an individual or group of people decided in their hearts to fast and pray for God’s will to be established in the Earth.

Warning!

Anyone who is on medication or has ill health, such as cancer, diabetes, tuberculosis, cardiovascular disorders, etc. (any sickness) should not enter into a fast (especially a prolonged one), without the advice and supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Why Fast?          Biblical Help

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.  (Matt. 6: 16-18) NKJV

WHAT IS FASTING?

Fasting is to completely abstain from all solid foods for a period of time. (Matt. 4: 1-2) Pure water is not food, it is colorless, it is odorless, it is tasteless, it evaporates, and is not stimulating. Wisdom must be used when going on any extended fast and especially if going without water. The authors of this book do not recommend fasts without water. The scriptures say that Jesus was hungry , not thirsty. (Matt. 4:2-11) Fasting a few days without water is still practiced by many for a few days, but should not be done when fasting more than three to five days. (Esther 4:16)

Fasting is a, humbling act of one’s will. To fast means to elect to live “off oneself.”

AFTER A FEW DAYS THE BODY LIVES ON ITS OWN SUBSTANCE.

A Great Attitude is a Must

Give me a great Attitude and the world is yours. You stand to benefit most if you approach this experience prayerfully and in a positive frame of mind. To prepare ourselves both mentally and emotionally we must understand and know that fasting is a perfectly normal process and can be entered into without fear and anxiety. Fasting empowers one to abstain from every passion and temper which is unpleasing to God. It allows us to focus our prayers and helps to obtain and apply the precious promises of God.

My wife and I have been convinced in most circumstances that attitude is the first thing the Spirit holds us accountable for while we are fasting. We will share more later in the book concerning the great passage of Isaiah 58. Nevertheless be aware that attitude has a lot to do with the rewards you will receive in a fast according to Isaiah 58.