My 40 Day Fast

Ok, alas I begin again!

This time with a little bit more experience and knowing more of what I can expect.

If you have been following along, you know I attempted to do this fast about a month ago. I lasted 10 days with no food, only water.

(you can read the previous post/s to learn what happened)

But through that experience I came out more determined to complete a 40 day fast.

Today is Day 1.

(Hey we have to start somewhere! Day 1 seems to just make sense! )

Yes, I have been hungry and somewhat cranky and more tired than usual. However, not as a cranky as the first day of some fasts in the past. I guess you do develop a little of a "fasting muscle" -if you know what I mean. I have also been very thirsty. All of that is to be expected!

I have been asked several questions quite a few times:

One is "Why Fast?"

I guess I shouldn't be surprised when the people who have actually fasted before never really ask that question.

It is usually those who have never fasted that ask that question.

One of the best ways I feel I can answer that question is by sharing a little of my own experience.

I did my first fast in 2006! Wow, what an experience! I figured I would fast for one day as this is all my body could handle before I dropped dead.

Thankfully, I was in a period where I didn't have to cook for anyone so I basically avoided the refrigerator like the plague and only went into the kitchen for water.

Plus, I fasted with a friend so it was a good support system. It was her first fast as well as mine.

At the end of the first day, I felt this feeling of exhilaration and accomplishment and, let's be honest, hunger, but the feeling of exhilaration was so powerful, I was intrigued.

I was never really taught the fasting lifestyle so this was all new to me. I had heard about fasting, but never really knew anyone who actually fasted.

I sometimes heard people talk about it and what a great spiritual discipline it was and how we all need to pray and fast, but It seemed like that's all it was, something to do--- someday.

I figured the only people who actually fasted were Jesus Christ, Moses and other biblical people, but no one alive in our modern world, well, except for Tibetan monks, of course.

My first fast lasted 5 days! My life was never the same~!

I began to search more and learn more about why fasting was so powerful an experience. I began to really understand the battle of the flesh on a whole other level. I felt this spiritual awakening that I had never felt before on such a profound level.

Since then I have done several other 10 day fasts, the longest being a 15 day fast and many short 1-3 day fasts.

I have had life-changing miracles through fasting and prayer and grown spiritually very rapidly as a result of those fasts. My faith has increased dramatically as well.

They say,
Prayer changes your circumstance, but fasting changes YOU! --How true that is!

The answered prayers, the spiritual growth, the closeness to God, the miracles---I couldn't understand why modern day Christian leaders did not preach more about fasting and then call on regular "church fasts".

I still believe many churches and individual people are "missing the boat" in their life by not implementing fasting into their lives.

I guess at that point I made a conscious decision to share about the miracle of fasting to whoever would listen.

Those who know me well have all probably heard me talk about fasting! Several of those people have then turned around and fasted and have seen their own miracles--witnessing their miracles has been such a joyous experience for me.

One of the most important reasons to fast is simply because Jesus Christ commands us to do so. In Matthew 6, we are given three things we all must do as Christians:

~Give
~Pray
~Fast

Jesus Christ said, "When you fast..."

He didn't say "If you fast" or "If you want to fast..." or "when the urge hits you to Fast", He said "WHEN"! In other words, he EXPECTS us to fast!

If you have never fasted and would like to, my desire is that you can read about my journey and hopefully be encouraged to take that journey yourself-- whether on a 3 day fast or a 1 day fast. I just hope you FAST!

If you have fasted for a day or 3, I hope I encourage you to fast again and maybe even your own 40 day fast!

A few years back I would have never even thought about doing a 7 day fast much less a 40 day fast! I probably wouldn't have even believed had you told me I would one day decide to do a journey of a 40 day fast.

In future posts, I will answer the question, "Why a 40 day fast?"

Goodnight and on to day 2!

Posted by Mari at 10:27 PM