Questions about fasting

[Belonging to Abba]

I have read fasting guidelines on the following webpage and I have some questions about these instructions

Fasting Guidelines and Information - About IHOPKC

Find the fasting guidelines of the International House of Prayer here.

www.ihopkc.org

I am thinking of going on a prolonged fast where I only drink juice or water. The fasting guidelines document says to take an herbal laxative during a fast of three days or more to clear solid waste products from your intestines or otherwise toxins are reabsorbed back into your body.

I have a question about this because if I have to take an herbal laxative when I do a fast of three days or more, this might place a restriction on when I can start the fast. The herbal laxative which I got from the health food store is called Swiss Kriss. This might mean that I have to start the fast on the weekend so that if I have an accident in my pants from the laxative, that I will not be at work when this happens. I work Monday through Friday, and I am blessed by a job that does not require much physical labor, so I think a juice fast of several days will give me enough strength to get through my days of work. So my question is, does this mean that I will be restricted to starting the fast on the weekend to avoid having an accident in my pants at work?

The other issue is that the guidelines say to abstain from high fat or high sugar food a few days before the fast. I'm not sure how self disciplined I will be in not eating any junk food during the three days before the fast. Also the guidelines say to eat fruit and vegetables only three plus days after the fast for an extended fast. I think I could do this on the first day after the fast but for three days it may be hard to restrict myself in this way and not eat other foods.

Finally, the guidelines explain that the stomach shrinks in size during the fast and not to over-expand the stomach by overeating. I think this will be hard to not eat a lot when I go to restaurants after the fast is over because I often stuff myself at restaurants by eating an entire large meal. It may take self discipline to get a take home bag and take part of the meal home.

 

[dwb001]

Don't need any fancy instructions.
Just stop eating.
I find it helpful to remember that the stomach churns every once in a while and use that as a reminder to focus on prayer and meditation.
Water when thirsty... you will drink more than before usually.
Just keep it up for 20-40 days.
Once you get real hunger pains again after about 30+ days that is when you need to reintroduce food. The body is now starting to starve.

 

[Belonging to Abba]

Water when thirsty... you will drink more than before usually.
Just keep it up for 20-40 days.

Are you saying that I could succeed with water only and no juice for 20-40 days? I'm thinking I need juice to have enough strength at work.

 

[dwb001]

Are you saying that I could succeed with water only and no juice for 20-40 days? I'm thinking I need juice to have enough strength at work.

Nope... Just water is enough.
I was in South America walking a few km and working every day.
So you will be fine... just remember that after the 30 days when you get hungry again you should introduce some food.
20 days on water alone is no problem unless you have some serious medical issue.

 

[ARBITER01]

Are you saying that I could succeed with water only and no juice for 20-40 days? I'm thinking I need juice to have enough strength at work.

If you do that you will pass out and end up in a hospital. Start being careful who you are listening to, even on this website.

If you are going to fast for more than a day, have some protein drinks and supplements to take to ensure you are not getting too weak. Take them everyday.

 

[dwb001]

If you do that you will pass out and end up in a hospital. Start being careful who you are listening to, even on this website.

What is your proof of that?
Have you done it?
Maybe listen to people who have experience.

If you are going to fast for more than a day, have some protein drinks and supplements to take to ensure you are not getting too weak. Take them everyday.

Nope... that defeats the meaning of a fast.
Don't eat... just drink water.
All will be alright.
If things get bad you just stop fasting.

 

[ARBITER01]

What is your proof of that?
Have you done it?
Maybe listen to people who have experience.

Nope... that defeats the meaning of a fast.
Don't eat... just drink water.
All will be alright.
If things get bad you just stop fasting.

Stop trying to mislead people and get them hurt.

I've fasted straight for 2 weeks at a time and passed out one day at a toyota dealership because I my body was too weak and I forgot to take my supplements.

I don't believe you one bit when you try to say it is ok to just fast for 20-40 days and that person would be fine. You are a very recent member to this site and our particular forum, and your name sort of spells out what all we need to know about you it seems.

 

[dwb001]

Stop trying to mislead people and get them hurt.

I've fasted straight for 2 weeks at a time and passed out one day at a toyota dealership because I my body was too weak and I forgot to take my supplements.

I don't believe you one bit when you try to say it is ok to just fast for 20-40 days and that person would be fine. You are a very recent member to this site and our particular forum, and your name sort of spells out what all we need to know about you it seems.

What are you saying about my name?

 

[ARBITER01]

What are you saying about my name?

It says what it says.

Stop lying to people about your so-called experience. I've been there for over 2 weeks and a person can get hurt if they don't watch what they are doing. In fact, we had a pastor end up in a hospital after 15 days of trying to fast for 30 days.

The very idea you are proposing here of "it's ok, just do a 20-40 days fast" is lying to this person.

 

[AlexB23]

What are you saying about my name?

I am not sure what Arbiter is saying about your name (DWB001, or Balaam's Donkey, as God gave voice to those who couldn't), as I am quite new here, and don't know the personalities of everyone here. You are a cool guy DWB, and so is Arbiter. By the way, I don't fast, but I sometimes eat less if I had a big meal beforehand, such as on vacation. Not everyone is equipped to fast for 30 days, but if one has the means and eats enough food for their small meal and stays healthy, then it could work.

 

[dwb001]

It says what it says.

Stop lying to people about your so-called experience. I've been there for over 2 weeks and a person can get hurt if they don't watch what they are doing. In fact, we had a pastor end up in a hospital after 15 days of trying to fast for 30 days.

The very idea you are proposing here of "it's ok, just do a 20-40 days fast" is lying to this person.

I have no idea what my initials have to say about me.

I am not lying about my life experiences.
If is ok to do a 20 day fast.
Listen to your body.
Don't over due it.
If you feel faint take a breather.

Ask me a question about my life experience or just bow to someone with better experiences than you do.

 

[ARBITER01]

I have no idea what my initials have to say about me.

I am not lying about my life experiences.
If is ok to do a 20 day fast.
Listen to your body.
Don't over due it.
If you feel faint take a breather.

Ask me a question about my life experience or just bow to someone with better experiences than you do.

All you're doing is trying to get this person hurt.

No one walks into a 20-40 day fast like it was nothing, you have to work up to such things. This person asked for help, not lies.

 

[dwb001]

All you're doing is trying to get this person hurt.

No one walks into a 20-40 day fast like it was nothing, you have to work up to such things. This person asked for help, not lies.

I didn't do anything to prepare for a 30 day fast.
I just stopped eating and kept doing life.

I have not lied.
But you have accused me without reason.

 

[ARBITER01]

I didn't do anything to prepare for a 30 day fast.
I just stopped eating and kept doing life.

I have not lied.
But you have accused me without reason.

No I accuse you because I've been there and done it before. It is not medically safe to just walk into a no-food fast for 30 days and think everything will be fine.

I've seen people get hurt that way and end up in a hospital, all because they never prepared for it.

Again, she asked for help, not lies.

 

[dwb001]

No I accuse you because I've been there and done it before. It is not medically safe to just walk into a no-food fast for 30 days and think everything will be fine.

Yes it is. I have been here before as well. And done it in South America where the climate was much harder.

I've seen people get hurt that way and end up in a hospital, all because they never prepared for it.

So they did not listen to their bodies. I never said to do it till you die.

Again, she asked for help, not lies.

I have not lied. You will be held accountable for calling me a liar.

 

[ARBITER01]

I don't need to take this much further.

To the OP, be careful about wanting to do long period type fasts. If you don't really have a purpose from GOD to do it, it is better to just do simple 1 or 2 day fasts.

 

[AlexB23]

Yes it is. I have been here before as well. And done it in South America where the climate was much harder.

So they did not listen to their bodies. I never said to do it till you die.

I have not lied. You will be held accountable for calling me a liar.

I agree with Arbiter. Everybody fasts differently. Maybe 30 days works for you, but hypothetically not for the original poster (OP) The best thing to do is ease into it. If the OP can only fast for say, two days, then that is alright. If he/she can fast for 30 days, then that is alright as well, as long as personal health is monitored well. If fasting isn't possible, maybe the OP could cut lunch out, and have two meals per day for 30 days. There are a lot of grey areas in life, and it isn't a full throttle or full stop scenario. For instance, on Lent, I gave up my beloved Aldi chocolate and cut my sugar intake, but still ate three meals per day. Fasting could also mean a reduction in television consumption or a break from the internet.

 

[dwb001]

I don't need to take this much further.

To the OP, be careful about wanting to do long period type fasts. If you don't really have a purpose from GOD to do it, it is better to just do simple 1 or 2 day fasts.

Sure start slow.
Or do what you think you can handle.
20-30 days not a worry.
30-40 there are some things to watch for.

Want a good read on the subject... the book "Celebration of Discipline" has a great chapter on fasting.
Very common in YWAM circles.

 

[ARBITER01]

I agree with Arbiter. Everybody fasts differently. Maybe 30 days works for you, but hypothetically not for the original poster (OP) The best thing to do is ease into it. If the OP can only fast for say, two days, then that is alright. If he/she can fast for 30 days, then that is alright as well, as long as personal health is monitored well. If fasting isn't possible, maybe the OP could cut lunch out, and have two meals per day for 30 days. There are a lot of grey areas in life, and it isn't a full throttle or full stop scenario. For instance, on Lent, I gave up my beloved Aldi chocolate and cut my sugar intake, but still ate three meals per day. Fasting could also mean a reduction in television consumption or a break from the internet.

Fasting in OT times was just a removal of solid food from your diet. When Jesus did His long term fast, what does the text say? "He hungered." So the fast that Jesus did was just a normal non-food fast, not a divine fast from food and water.

Trying to fast from items or activities is not really described in the word. I guess you can do it, but I don't think it would have much significance if there is not a precedent in the past.

 

[dwb001]

Fasting in OT times was just a removal of solid food from your diet. When Jesus did His long term fast, what does the text say? "He hungered." So the fast that Jesus did was just a normal non-food fast, not a divine fast from food and water.

Trying to fast from items or activities is not really described in the word. I guess you can do it, but I don't think it would have much significance if there is not a precedent in the past.

The Bible says "when you fast..." not "if you fast..." Matt 6:16

So it is not as if you are not called to fast but Jesus gives instructions on how to.
We are called to fast. Without drawing attention to your suffering.
You would be amazed how focused you can get if you do a Bible centered fast.