Devotional Reading Plan

Step 5: Breaking Your Fast Successfully

Every fast gets "broken" at some point:

If you mess up on your fast and you eat the thing you were giving up, that's one kind of "breaking your fast."
But, if you finish the entire time period you planned to fast without eating or doing the thing you gave up, you still have to "break your fast."

So how do you do that?

Here are some keys to successfully breaking your fast:

If you break your fast early:

If you find yourself breaking your fast before you planned to, don't beat yourself up. However, if God called you to fast for that original time period, I encourage you to simply jump right back onto your fast.

Psalm 103:8-14 says this:

"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust."

Sometimes we may fail when we set out to do something for God.

When it comes to fasting, that may mean that you broke your fast before you knew you were supposed to. If God commanded you to fast and you disobeyed Him, know this: He remembers that you are but dust. Repent and confess it to the Lord, and He will forgive you.

Nevertheless, don't let God's mercy be an excuse! Get up, get going, re-dedicate yourself and your fast to the Lord, and get right back on that fast! The Bible continually reminds us to pay our vows to the Lord. So, go ahead and finish all the days you originally promised Him. You will be glad you did.

But if you finish all your fasting days successfully, you still must be careful breaking your fast.

If you have abstained from all food, take great care when you begin eating again. Eat only light foods that are easy on your stomach — nothing heavy or fatty at first. Eating heavy foods too soon can hurt you and send your body into a tailspin. If you are breaking your fast and aren't sure what to eat or when to eat it, talk to your doctor.

It's good to bring your fast to a spiritual conclusion as well.

When your fast is over, sit down with the Lord and talk to Him about how it went. Talk with Him (pray) about what you learned, what He did, and what He taught you during the fast.

Also, don't be like the lepers who got healed, but never turned around to thank Jesus. Be sure to thank the Lord for everything you can think of, and write down what He did in your journal as a memorial to His work!

Fasting can be easy, fun, and glorious.

It doesn't have to be hard. The keys to victorious fasting are simply to:

keep your mind on Jesus at all times;
seek God first;
prepare for your fast in advance; and
cast all of your cares upon the Lord — even your cares about the fast itself.

If you will do these things, you will see the Lord use your fast to take you into a whole new experience with Him!

Have you been encouraged by these 5 Days to Victorious Fasting? If so, you may also be encouraged by my article about how Fasting Brings Acceleration. Check it out today, and sign up for my free email updates while you're there to receive encouraging words like this Plan in your inbox!