More of You- 7 Day Fasting Guide to Empty Ourselves and Be Filled With God's PresenceShembull

Day 7: HEART + HOW

Can I just take a moment and say that I’m proud of you? As you are here, taking this step in your faith to fast and pray in order to draw closer to God, I can’t help but be excited for you. We are praying over every person that reads this; that as you open up your hearts, offer your life, future, time, goals, dreams and requests in surrender… that the Holy Spirit will meet you in supernatural ways.

On this last day’s devo, we wanted to give you practical reminders that help us with the ‘how’’ of fasting and yet guard the ‘heart’ in the process. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Let go of expectations and comparison. You can never measure the ‘success’ of your personal fast based on someone else's experience. Every time I fast it feels different and produces something different in my life. Let the Holy Spirit guide what the outcome should look like. Just seek, listen, pursue and obey as unto the Lord. Keep those eyes off others’ journeys and up towards heaven.
2. It’s ok to ease into this, just start somewhere. Set goals realistic for accomplishing the purpose, not setting you up to fail. Just like in the physical, you wouldn't start in the weight room picking up 200 lbs on the first go around after 5 years of dusty gym shoes. That would do more damage than good. Fasting is a spiritual discipline, a practice we develop and grow into.
3. Even though you may invite friends, family or your church group to do this with you, don't brag about it. The Bible tells us that fasting is something that should be done with a pure heart not looking for attention or praise from people. We do see in scripture quite often a call for large gatherings or a city-wide fast, so it can be powerful and effective when people join in unity of heart seeking the Lord with desperation and surrender.
   

• Find devotionals and books that align with what you are fasting “FOR.” (Day 2)
  
• Start your days in a physical posture of prayer
  (bowing, hands raised, kneeling)
  
• Incorporate worship all throughout your day.
  (worship louder than the worries)
  
• Pray + read the Bible. Journaling your thoughts is helpful too. (seriously, making time for this is the key)
  

Let’s remember to keep the main thing - the main thing. Simply put, God wants your heart, time and attention, and everything else will flow from there. It’s not as much about what you're giving up; it's about what we gain in His presence. So practically, we don't just go without, we go after the overflow and fullness of our God. This is an active pursuit. It takes intentionality to get hungry and then fill our lives with spiritual ‘food.’

Believing that God will meet you + speak to you as you pour your heart out to Him. Declaring “There will be Victory” in every area of your life in Jesus name!