Fasting.

brinny said:

Because i never have....it just basically fizzled out when i tried.

I want to fast to pour out myself before God in a way i never have, and that is a disciplined and conscious "fasting" from what i so mindlessly indulge in. I want to do this to "honor God". It's like putting the "world" second, AFTER Him, in a concrete and physical way.

i can't explain it any better than that.

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I read through the thread, Brinny, and if you can understand what I mean, fasting is not in and of itself the pouring out of oneself to God, nor does it in and of itself honor Him. Without prayer it is just crucifying the flesh. But it increases your prayer life exponentially, starting from about three days from when you stop eating. As someone posted, it was described as "humbling oneself" in OT times, and it brings you into a state of need, and results in a constant calling out to Him in prayer. This in turn brings about the things you mentioned as byproducts; you begin to pour yourself out to Him in prayer as never before, and putting all else second.

This is why partial fasts do not accomplish much, IMO. I know people who go on "Daniel's fasts" where they only eat fruit and vegetables, but then they eat those like they are all becoming extinct, LoL. As a result, they never enter into a place of serious weakness and need, and thus never into a state of serious calling out to God from that place of need.

That having been said, you need to have something you are strongly desiring from God that is inspiring the fast or you won't make it.

Btw, you are fizzling out because you are not praying for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit beforehand. I would suggest you pray for the empowerment until it comes (anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months, depending on how long a fast you want to go on), and not even worry about attempting to start until it does. Receiving the empowerment is the only way anyone succeeds at it for any serious length of time.

About not thinking you can fast for 40 days, truth be known, all things are possible with God. But depending on how much you weigh right now, that might not be a good idea in your case anyway. If you are already thin, that would be a very unhealthy thing to do, and He would not call you to it.

Blessings in Christ, and hope that helps.
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