40 Days...

[BattleAxe]

I just began a 40 day fast, I am on day 3. Sun up to sun down...6am to 6pm. I am dealing with some warfare and I believe things can change when I submit myself and everything to God.

 

[pdudgeon]

Believing right along with you. Remember that the Holy Spirit is your helper in this so call on Him frequently.

 

[BattleAxe]

Day five and I am doing good. Please keep me in prayers. I would love to hear from you on this. Has anyone else fasted for forty days. How did you feel during and after? Would you do it again? How did you know you were directed to fast?

I wasn't sure at first but I wanted/want some things to happen and some strongholds to be broken. So I just began. But day one, I cooked my dinner and was close to eating but I believe the Holy Spirit convicted me right then and there and I waited until it was time. I still prepare food sometimes early but that same conviction won't let me eat until time and so I know I am on the right track. I know that is not an absolute but it is true.

While I am fasting, I sometimes feel weak and just empty and I know that is more of me surrendering and being 'emptied out'. So its important for me to keep going. If I don't post daily, its only because I am busy or somewhat 'shut in' but please do keep me in prayer.

Pdudgeon: thanks for believing with me, it mean a lot.

 

[BattleAxe]

*QUICK NOTE*

Day 6 and doing good. I ask for continued prayers for this fast and for quiting smoking.

 

[pdudgeon]

hang in there!!! yes i did a 40 day modified fast. i just finished it about 3 weeks ago. I am taking a break and then i will be starting another 40 day fast at the end of this month. this time i plan to drink only water, green tea and possibly some fruit juice if i need it.

I did the first fast knowing that this one was comming up, and because i had never done one before. i needed to know beforehand what i would be facing.
My first fast was a "Body and Soul" modified fast. I cut my food intake, cut out all sodas, snack items, candy, and chocolate and fasted one meal a day. in addition to that i started a walking program and mid way thru started reading the Gospel of Mark a chapter a day. I walked 6 days a week and on Sunday I rested, tho i continued the fast.

overall my fast went well. Certainly i had some adjustments to make but by the time i was mid-way thru I knew i could do it. And yes, the Spirit definitely guided and motivated me, especially in the walking. I was definitely under compulsion--i HAD to walk. When the Bible says that Jesus was driven by the Holy Spirit into the desert they weren't kidding!

The trips to the grocery store were the hardest, but God gave me strength and showed me what to get. And there again i found that if i showed the slightest resistance to the temptation that it would flee.

Spiritually it was a good time. i got answers to questions and lots of insight. in fact that is what i miss most right now that I'm not fasting.

you have gotten thru probably the hardest part which is the first few days.
there may be a week during the middle where you will simply have to push thru, but once past that point the time flies! In fact i was so used to the fast that I literally did not know that I had finished my fast.
My first hint was the absence of a compulsion to walk or fast.
Instead I felt that i should rest.

the week after my fast became my week of Jubilee, which I've explained in my Blog on this site.

 

[PoohBear88]

Hang in there!

You've inspired me to try this

God bless you.

 

[midnightbirdgirl]

I just began a 40 day fast, I am on day 3. Sun up to sun down...6am to 6pm. I am dealing with some warfare and I believe things can change when I submit myself and everything to God.

I am praying for you sister. I am praying as well that God smites the enemy.
May you be blessed and come closer to Christ in this.
MBG

 

[JayDub]

Hang in there.

 

[nb_christseeker]

[bible]isaiah 58:1-14[/bible]
[bible]matthew 6:1-21[/bible]

tell no man.

 

[spirit1st]

40 days is too long and not needed.3 or 4 days,You should hear GOD clearly and be walking in your spirit!40 days may hurt you.
This may not be LED OF THE HOLY GHOST. If this is a REAL FAST?WATER ,prayer and reading the bible!
people appear to do nothing right?or go over board the other way?
WE ARE LIKE HIM NOW!
ALL WE NEED DO?is WALK IN OUR SPIRIT.# or 4 days of water only?Will do this,beyond that is not good,unless LED by the HOLY GHOST!
1Jo 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world
BELIEVE THIS SCRIPTURE!
Then LIVE IT!

 

[ashley lynne]

You guys have inspired me!!
Im not sure how long I will be fasting yet, but I know it is needed.

MissyA

 

[spirit1st]

Believe me?3 or 4 days without food is enough.You will be walking in your spirit then!

 

[PastorMikeJ]

I am going on a 40 day fast with my pastor and another brother...we are going to do the Daniel fast.....

 

[ginzell]

I have been waiting for God to let me know how long I should fast and I just got it!

So I start tomorrow.
40 days it is!

God is so awesome!

 

[teffie]

i want to fast for a week before i get baptised, which will be soon i beleive. even if not, i still want to. does anyone have any tips or ideas?? are there different types of fasting??

should i be fasting completely from food and water and everything?? or...only one meal a day....or per few days?? or do i have water too?? im not sure....i would love to be able to do a 40dayfast, but....its literally, impossible for me. i cant. im 13....live with my parents who are against me getting baptised already. so i think the longer periods of fasting are going to have to wait. um....guys? wouldnt you die if you dont eat for like 7days?? isnt it, literally impossible to not eat anything for 40 days?? i dunno...im confused! lol help sum1 hehe
xoxo,stef

 

[spirit1st]

Fasting is not allowing the body too eat! juice is no good on a fast as it feeds the body.But 3 or maybe 4 days is enough.The 1st day is nothing,you can work or whatever.the 2nd day is very hard.satan will try everything to stop you.putting all kinds of thoughts in your mind and even sending people tpo stop you.But the 3rd day is great.Your very weak,but feel powerful.At this time,you should be able to hear GOD clearly.Then you can ask HIM whatever!

 

[Child of JC]

Fasting is not allowing the body too eat! juice is no good on a fast as it feeds the body.But 3 or maybe 4 days is enough.The 1st day is nothing,you can work or whatever.the 2nd day is very hard.satan will try everything to stop you.putting all kinds of thoughts in your mind and even sending people tpo stop you.But the 3rd day is great.Your very weak,but feel powerful.At this time,you should be able to hear GOD clearly.Then you can ask HIM whatever!

Have you fasted more than one time? This is quite acurate to my experience of my first 3 day, but not any after that. Fasting exercises our spiritual muscles, and so the more we fast the more we have faith in Jesus' strength. His strength makes us strong, so we are able to defeat our thoughts, he gives our physical strength, what ever we need actually. The only limitation is our faith level, which increases as we fast.

 

[Child of JC]

I have been waiting for God to let me know how long I should fast and I just got it!

So I start tomorrow.
40 days it is!

God is so awesome!

Have you started your fast?

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

In Orthodoxy, we fast all the time. As a matter of fact, right now we are in the middle of the 40 day Nativity Fast. We are encouraged to fast according to each of our own physical/spiritual abilities.

There are writings by the Desert Fathers and the different Saints that some would give up food for days, others would live on just bread and water, others would give up different kinds of food. (For example, we are encouraged to give up meat, oil, dairy, and alcohol during the Nativity Fast.) St. John Maximovich of Shanghai & San Francisco would often just eat one small meal a day.

I would not encourage anyone to begin a Fast without consulting his/her Spiritual Father/Clergyman to help assess your spiritual state first.

After all, if you say "I am going to eat nothing but bread and water for ten days" and you have never fasted before, you may get so discouraged half way through, you'll go on a binge.

Sometimes it's not so important as to what you're fasting from, but that you are keeping the spirit of the fast. That is, you are removing the things from your life that are pulling you away from God, and you are focusing more on scripture and prayer.

God be with you during this time.

In XC,

Maureen

 

[ginzell]

Child of JC,
I started but I got 3 days in and was at work and almost passed out.
I can't be at work falling out! I was so dizzy and disoriented and my hands were tingling and getting stiff - where I couldn't type.
I was really upset by this because I thought God would take care of me not to feel that way.
I HAD to eat.
I usually can do alright - I fasted long periods of time before but I wasn't working then.


Confused on what to do now.