Prayer & Fasting: A Beginner's GuideSample

WHY PRAY AND FAST?

For years I assumed that I could not complete a fast, but I couldn't shake the conviction that came from knowing Jesus spoke about it in terms of 'when you fast,' not 'if you fast.' I believed that to walk in obedience, I would at least have to attempt prayer and fasting.

I needed specific guidance on how to fast and didn't have it, so I started with baby steps in 2013. That first time I fasted Social Media and some food between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. My prayer list was made up of only one thing. God answered that specific prayer, which sold me on prayer and fasting.

The second time I fasted, I tried liquids only from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. and no meat for the duration of the fast. Then, in 2018 I did the Daniel fast for the first time. Prayer and fasting together is now a spiritual discipline I engage in yearly.

Each season of praying and fasting results in benefits, one of which is the spiritual clarity we experience during that time. Significant moments in my life, and even turning points, came after times of prayer and fasting. In addition, during prayer and fasting, we may get words from God that change our perspectives, opening our spiritual eyes in new ways.

This kind of fasting is not about losing weight, cleansing the body, or being healthy; it is about joining our Father in what He wants to do in and around our lives. It says we care enough about that to go without something for a season. It is joining the battle against principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this age, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph 6:11-13) by proactively choosing what to eat, drink, partake of, and enjoy.

In this plan, we will discuss the following:

• Before, during, and after the prayer and fasting
• how to prepare a prayer list
• and what to expect in the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of prayer and fasting.

This beginner's guide will provide the basics about prayer and fasting I wish I had when I first started. I pray it will spark an idea within you of how to get started in a way that works for you and where you are.