Fasting Guide – Half Day
As promised on Sunday I am adding a one page guide on how to do a half day Fast. I would love for you all to have a go at this wonderful Spiritual time of increasing your focus on God. I trust that the guide will be a help to you.
Pastor Tim
Fasting Guide – Half Day
This is just a suggested guide to follow if you plan to try a half day fast.
Set out a Plan – The night before you are going to fast plan your day or half day to be a productive time of prayer and focus on God. In your plan set out the time that you will get up and identify the times when you would normally eat meals. Target these times especially for prayer and focused meditation on the Word. You may want to vary the rigidity of the schedule based on your personality. Some may want to leave it a bit more flexible which may suit their style. If you can plan your fast day on a day when you have the day off from work, you may find that more effective. I have included a sample plan below that you can use as a guide.
Remove Distractions – Make sure you plan for un-distracted time to spend in prayer and meditation. Turn off your phone (and all other electronic distractions, ie. TV, Radio, Computer) and let your family know that you would like some private time with God. If you have young children you may need to work this out with your wife/husband to share the duties with them for that time so that you can have focused time. Find a quiet place where you can focus uninterrupted on God. You may want to walk or go outside to a quiet place for your time with God.
Food Issues – In order to handle the day without your normal intake of food you also need a plan. Here are some suggestions;- 1. Let the person in the house who makes the meals know that you are not going to eat those meals. (Let them know ahead of time so that there is not an issue at mealtimes.) If you are that person, arrange for someone else to cook that day. 2. If your will power is weak, purposefully stay away from food or people who are eating. 3. Try your best to focus on the spiritual not the physical for the day. Remember that fasting is not really about the food, it is about the spiritual time you are setting aside for God. 4. Drink lots of water. 5. Coffee and Tea are ok for the day if they are something that you regularly have. Some fasts require no drink of any kind except water, while others allow juice etc. I personally find that I cope better with a couple of cups of coffee in the day along with my water. 6. After the fast don’t overdo it on the food. It is better if you eat a light meal after the fast so that you ease back into eating.
Half Day Fasting Plan
7:00 AM – Get up, shower, dress and prepare for the day. (Get up earlier if you take longer.)
7:30 – 8:30 AM – Have your first prayer and meditation time. Plan for this time to be focused on worship of God and personal dedication of your day to Him. Suggested Readings – Psalm 63; Phil. 1
8:30-12-30 – Go through the normal activities of the day (work etc), with a constant focus on meditating on the scripture you read earlier. Remember to focus on God and what He wants to do in you today.
12:30-1:30 – Have your 2nd prayer and meditation time. Plan for this time to be focused on God’s work in the different areas of your life and family (both home & church family). This is the time to pray for your prayer list and turn things over to God and His will. Suggested Readings – Psalm 61; Matt. 6:1-18
1:30-5:30 – Go through the rest of your day (work etc), with a continued focus on the things of God.
5:30-6:00 – Finish your fast by a time of praise and worship. Suggested Readings – Psalm 66; Eph. 1
6:00 – Have a light meal and rejoice in the nourishment that you have had spiritually all day!
I trust that God will strengthen and keep you as you draw closer to Him through this time!