5 Days To Victorious FastingSample

Step 2: Prepare for Your Fast Several Days In Advance

If you want your fast to be victorious, prepare for your fast several days in advance.

Here's how:

1. Pray about your fast through the day for several days before you start:

• Ask God to give you the desire and the grace to fast, so that fasting will be easy. (Yes;  fasting can totally be easy!)
• Pray also that God would give you so much hunger and passion for Him that your desire for food pales in comparison to your desire for Him.
• Ask Him to keep your body strong and steady during the fast. Ask Him to keep your mood steady; your insulin and glucose steady; and your stomach calm.

If we dwell in the secret place of the Most High, God's Word promises that He will keep us stable and steady. Read Psalm 91:1 in the Amplified Classic version for more about that. And yes, we can take that literally--and we should. 

2. Write down your prayer list.

Decide why you're fasting in advance, and write down a prayer list that you will pray over repeatedly during your fast. For example:

• Are you fasting to draw closer to Jesus (also often referred to as a "Bridegroom fast")? 
• Are you fasting because you sense God wants to do something new in your life, and you are drawing closer to Him and asking Him to do it? 
• Are you fasting for breakthrough in your own life or someone else's regarding a particular situation?

No matter why you are fasting or what you need, write down your prayer list. Use that list to inspire you to stay on your fast. Keeping a list will also help you notice God's answers!

If you haven't already done so, write down a list of your 10-or-so biggest needs right now. Then pray through the list each day.

3. Schedule time to pray and read the Bible during your fast.

Fasting without prayer equals a really miserable form of dieting. Nobody has time for that! Be sure to set aside time in your schedule in advance so that you can pray and spend time alone with the Lord every day during your fast.

4. Prepare your body practically.

First, drink lots of water. Drinking water while you fast will curb your hunger and will help you feel full. It will also cleanse your body and help eliminate the headaches that can occur when people fast.

If you can, try to drink distilled water while fasting. Filtered, tap, and spring water have lots of things in them that can make you feel sick without food to offset them. 

I get chlorine-sick when I drink tap water or even spring water while fasting. Distilled water, however, will help you feel good. And if you have access to distilled water with added electrolytes in it, so much the better.

Secondly, pare down your eating for a few days before your fast. If you eat fewer (or no) sugary snack foods (or high-calorie meals) for a few days before your fast begins, your body will have an easier time adjusting to your fasting regimen.

If you desire to fast, begin preparing today! 

Then begin the fast after 2-4 days of preparation time. And, check back tomorrow for Step 3: how to honor God in your fast so you can see miracles!