Today’s Prayer Directive and 10 Practical Tips for Easy Fasting
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Hey everybody, I wanted to post a prayer directive and some practical tips for fasting today.
First, the prayer directive for Day 5 of our Jubilee season of fasting and prayer (and this is still for you to pray whether you happen to be fasting or not!):
When was the last time you truly, with a loving heart, sat aside time to pray for your enemies? (Don’t answer that.) 😉 I know, it’s hard. But … how does today work? 🙂
I felt like the Lord wants us today to stop for a few minutes and pray for our enemies. To pray for those who have hurt us, spitefully used us, or persecuted us. That’s what Jesus said, right? Matthew 5:43-48 says:
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You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
So today, I encourage you to stop and pray for your enemies. If you’re not sure what to pray, here are some starter points:
- Pray for God to bless them.
- Pray for God to provide all their needs.
- Pray for Him to overwhelm Him with His goodness (which brings men to repentance).
- Pray for them to see things the way God sees them.
- Pray for them to sense God’s love and affection for them.
- Pray for God to fill them with His Holy Spirit and draw them closer to Himself.
- Pray that anything in your relationship with this person that grieves the heart of Jesus would be fixed and healed.
- Pray for true and complete reconciliation and godly unity between you.
I wrote more about how to pray for those who hate you here, if you want to dig into that. Basically, I learned the hard way that it’s all about praying in sympathy with the heart of Jesus. 🙂
And now for 10 practical tips for fasting:
Related: Read my other posts about fasting here:
- Prophetic Word: January Is a Time for Healing;
- Fasting Brings Acceleration;
- The Supernatural Grace for Glorious Fasting;
- Field Notes From My Fasting Failures;
- On Intercessory Fasting.
1. Pray about your fast through the day, every day you are fasting (and 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! I recorded a whole MP3 on that, called Supernatural Grace for Glorious Fasting. Read more about the supernatural grace for glorious fasting here.
I know it sounds strange, but even going without food completely doesn’t have to be hard. It’s a little-taught fact in the modern church, but it’s been practiced by Christians for centuries.
Pray also that God would give you more hunger and passion for the things on your prayer list than you have for food. His answer to that prayer will help you tremendously.
2. Ask God to keep your body strong and steady (steady mood, steady insulin, glucose, etc) while you fast.
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. 🙂
3. DRINK LOADS OF WATER–distilled water, if possible.
If you can help it, don’t drink tap water, filtered water, or spring water. 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, and even spring water, while fasting.
Distilled water, however, will help you feel good. (Of note, the brand SmartWater has a distilled water that also includes electrolytes. I love that stuff; it helps me a lot.)
Drinking distilled water will curb your hunger and will help you feel full. It will also cleanse your body. Especially if you have headaches right at the beginning, drinking more water will help eliminate that.
4. Set aside time to pray and read the Bible during your fast.
Fasting without prayer equals a really miserable form of dieting. #AintNobodyGotTimeForThat
5. Have a specific purpose for your fast in mind.
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 what you need, write down your prayer list. Use that list to inspire you to keep going 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.
6. Keep a journal, and write down two things each day: 1) what God does; and 2) what He speaks to you about.
Every day I have fasted so far, God has done wonderful things that have blessed me. For example:
- Sometimes it’s a beautiful conversation with a cherished friend.
- Sometimes it’s a big breakthrough, like a financial breakthrough.
- Sometimes it’s the giving of a new opportunity.
In your life, it could look like any number of things; but no matter what God does, LOOK FOR HIM at work!
There’s a belief among Christians out there that says the results of your fast may not be seen until after the fast. I disagree.
I agree that SOME of the results may not be seen until after the fast. In other words, you will continue to reap benefits from your fast and see its results long after your fast is over.
However, Psalm 23 says that the Lord’s goodness and mercy follow us ALL the days of our lives. That means, every day–and every day while fasting–you can expect something good to happen.
In my experience, you get what you expect. Expect no results until afterward and that’s what you’ll get. Expect breakthrough every single day, and that’s what you’ll get. Glory to God, I’ve gone to preaching.
7. When you feel hungry, stop and pray for awhile:
- Pray to draw closer to Jesus;
- Ask God to accept your hunger as an offering to Him, a sweet fragrance in His nostrils;
- Ask Him to take your hunger for food away, and give you hunger for Jesus;
- Pray for grace to fast; and
- Pray about whatever you’re fasting about.
8. Give or help somebody every day during your fast. Offer up whatever you can as a love offering to God.
Maybe that’s sending someone an encouraging word. Maybe it’s giving an extra offering at church. Maybe it’s doing something nice for your husband or wife. Maybe it’s volunteering to help the needy, or to help at your church.
Whatever your offering looks like, give something, some way, every day during your fast. Do something nice for someone. This is acceptable fasting to the Lord. (Read Isaiah 58 for more details on that.)
9. Purposefully clear your schedule of as many things as you can.
The enemy would love to distract you from busyness and rob you of your prayer/Bible study time in this season. I have often actually put in my time alone on my calendar. And if anybody wants to meet during that time–which they often do–“So sorry, I’m booked.”
“No” is a valid answer. Don’t let the enemy steal this time from you!
10. Above all else, remember that fasting is about seeking God and aligning our hearts with His.
‘Nuff said. 🙂
Do these tips help you? If so, please share! And I’d love to hear from you in the comments if you have any thoughts or questions. If you’ve seen a breakthrough on your fast so far, I’d also love to hear about it!
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Good morning Jamie!
This is perfectly timed! Everything I needed and more. I will obey. Thank you for your obedience. You are a great blessing!!
So glad it was timely, Marilyn! May Papa bless you this weekend greatly!
Pray for Emily, her spine is not aligned properly, she can’t talk, and something white is in her eye. How long do you set time for God and prayer?
Hi Alia. My time alone with the Lord varies, but I am consistent with it every day. On normal days at home, I have on my calendar one hour per day. I set my alarm for 4 AM, get up (sometimes after hitting snooze for a few minutes!) and go into my study room first thing. (I can tell a huge difference in my relationship with God, my mood, and how well my day goes when I spend time with Him first.) I usually finish a bit after 5. If I’m travelling and trying to catch a flight, it might be different though–maybe only 10-15 minutes. Or, if there’s a day when I don’t have a lot scheduled, such as Saturday, I try to get in some extra time. Sometimes it’s shorter–for example, if I’m really tired, sometimes I fall asleep during that hour. But when that happens, it’s my cue to cut back my schedule a bit and get some sleep! 🙂 There’s so much grace! The key is to seek Him every day without fail, whether it’s for 5 minutes or 55 minutes. Or anywhere in between. 🙂 Does this help?
Thank you, Jamie! The Lord has been doing & speaking since the first day, and it is very exciting. Every single day He has said something to me about writing, so I’m excited to find out what He has in mind. I’m so thankful for you and your ministry. You are such a blessing.
Writing, huh? That sounds awesome! I can’t wait to hear more! Hopefully soon? 🙂 And thank you for the encouragement – you are a blessing too! Have a great night!
I drink water, and tea, I bought protein bars. I have been a little hungry but this fast has been so much easier. I told Him to do what He wanted to do, I didn’t ask for anything. I love the Bridegroom Fast, I do need to lose weight but that’s not why I did this. As for enemies, as well as unsaved family, I pray He show them His love in an unmistakeable way.
So glad it’s going well, sis! Such an exciting time! Hang in there!
Very good, praying for my enemies….reminder needed TY
Me too, Kay. Me too. 🙂
Hello Jamie! I am truly happy to find out more about Fasting! I would like to ask you how I can Fast while taking medicines? Thank you!
Hi Evelyn. You would need to talk to your doctor about it if you’re referring to fasting from food. But even if your medicines prevent you from fasting solid food, anyone can fast other things. You could fast from all sweets; or breads; or from TV; or social media; or from going out with friends for a certain period of time. Whatever things in your life and schedule prevent you from seeking God, or are idols in our hearts (that we eat or do even though we know Father doesn’t want us to), we can all fast those things.
So my son asked me yesterday ” why don’t you read anymore?” my response was simply ” I don’t make time anymore” so I decided yesterday to make the time again to begin my reading my time God I am struggling with two major issuses in my life and yes I pray however I had been feeling like I should be doing more and well then I saw the e-mail about fasting and praying and I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me..so I will begin my journey soon..very soon I just have one question how many days do I fast?
I want to do this fasting and praying but I cannot. I am diabetic. So then what?
I was on Pinterest and saw this. As I read this, it reminded me that fasting is a necessary part of my relationship with Christ. I have allowed the hurt, anger, disappointments, all sort of foolishness to crowd my mind that I could not discern God’s voice on how and what to do. Thank you becuause i will use this to get back in line.
Dont know how many days to fast? It would be my 1st real fast for more than 12 hours, but you know so much about fasting obviously through experience, thats why im asking you, this year has been alot of 1st’s, im anti-media-social, or i have phone,tablet,computer,etc phobia.I dislike all electronics hence my 6 year old has been teaching me alot of using them other than playing word games, but never asked a question online, nor blogged( dont even know what that means really) nor as much as respond to anyone if they text me or say something directly at me on Facebook which i go there like once every 3 months, i have lost alot of friends that way ! They get so angry when i dont text back right away or ever, but like i said i pretty much cant stand this phone frenzy i forget i even have one, i go weeks without turning it on, but im writing all this but i know i will delete it when im done, way to much info, way to many words. Abba do I send or no? Oh yes Abba how many days to fast? im being led here now, Which Abba you know you can tell me yourself? I gotta get over this pride huh? Hopefully this wont go thr
Hi there, how long you fast is between you and God. A very private matter. Just ask Him, and He’ll show you!
I’m on day 4 of my 14 day fast…. the idea just came to my mind and I thought we’ll do it sometimes next year but my fiance told me in an attempt to strengthen one’s conciseness when you get such an idea don’t delay going for it; you never know when God is speaking to you and when the devil blows away such communication. So we started fasting together, on day 2 I looked at the calender and realised that by day 11 I’ll be home for Christmas and granny always takes the liberty to feed me non stop… I thought it would be wise to reduce the days but then I thought challenges will surely come, that is the devil’s work. The key is to discipline oneself and rather concentrate on prayers and scriptures. Reading this has been so helpful. Thank you all
May the Grace of the Lord our God be upon us all.
I JUST discovered your website today and I will be perusing it for DAYYYYYS! I’m preparing to start a fast and as a former fasting failure I am actually excited about this fast and in anticipation. (I realized before I was fasting out of ‘religious duty’ and not love and it has completely shifted my perspective on the reason for fasting!) I’m thankful to have read this today. I can tell you have spent time in His presence and look forward to reading more.
Hey Jamie, great name! Nice to meet you. 🙂 I’m so glad Papa is using this blog to bless you. Welcome to our community!
Thank you for this post! I am at a crossroad in my life and I want to turn or keep going in the direction God wants me to go! I am going to seek with all my heart, mind, body and soul! God bless you and yours!
Sauni
Beautiful article! Sharing on my page during my fasting themed week!!! Check it out this Wednesday (8-29-18) !!
This is really a blessing to me. I bless you, may God help you in your work of spreading his way.
Thank you Jamie for these fasting points, they are helping me tremendously on my fast! I am on day 1 of a 21 day fast for breakthrough. I will keep you posted on my results! I know the Lord is faithful!!! God bless!!!
Thank you for Holy Spirit led apt answers given. They are a healing BALM from all trappings of fear laced conjectures about fasting. I may for now not be of financial help and I know that is not your drive per se, but pretty soon I will be hearing from you of a huge mega breakthrough in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth!!
This is so timely,God has just given me a go ahead to do my first fast ever..a sign have been waiting for just dropped in my email..excited,happy about this..Thank you Jesus,thank you my Lord God,my loving father…glory and honor to you all the way..
Thank-you,Jamie!
Thank you so much! Many blessings!
Hello and blessings to you! I have been nudged by the Holy Spirit to fast for about a month now. I’ve come across your Bible plan on YouVersion and it has been such a blessing! I want to fast correctly and need guidance. I take a slew of medications (I’m praying for healing so I may not have to take them) some that should be taken with food. How do I go about fasting in this situation?
Have a blessed day!
Thank you for encouraging us sis such a blessing
How to break a fast ?
Thank you Jamie for the words of encouragement , I’ve learnt how to fast now