Maximum Health – Fasting: Good For Spiritual Health, Too 

Rosie-Main-new

Dr. Rosie Main, D.C. 

A biblical key to a breakthrough in our prayer lives is to join fasting with prayer. Jesus told His disciples on one occasion that the reason they could not cast out a particular spirit of infirmity from a demonized man was because of their unbelief (Matthew 17:20-21). A few verses later, He added these words: “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” The point is that prayer and fasting combined can debunk our unbelief and re-empower our prayer lives. When prayer alone doesn’t work, prayer and fasting will bring the breakthrough. 

We need to seek humility through fasting. When we feel that our hearts are growing cold toward God and that we lack sincerity in our humility, repentance, and acceptance of pardon, then fasting and prayer are instrumental in restoring passion in our relationship with God by bringing renewed depth and sincerity to our responses to Him. 

Moses was fasting in the presence of God for 40 days and nights at the time that God entrusted him with the Ten Commandments. Furthermore, God dictated them to him, and Moses himself wrote the commandments onto tablets of stone (Exodus 34:28). This was a supernatural fast in which Moses was sustained with neither food nor water, and the presence of God was so great upon him that his face was radiant with God’s glory when he descended the mountain to return to the camp of Israel (Exodus 34:29). 

Daniel was concluding a 21-day fast (Daniel 9:3, 10:10-13) when the angel Gabriel came to him in “swift flight” and gave him an extensive revelation of what would happen to the people of Israel from that time all the way through to the end of human history (Daniel 9-12). It is significant that when the angelic visit and extensive revelation occurred, Daniel was deeply troubled by the sins of his people and combined his prolong fast with a heartfelt prayer of repentance on behalf of the Jewish exiles with him in Babylon. The point is that Daniel’s heart was so one with God’s that God could trust him with a revelation of such great impact. 

No doubt every one of us would say that they desire to be so one with God’s heart that God can trust them with revelations of things to come, just as He did with Daniel. And this is the promise of Jesus to those who would follow Him. He said to His disciples of the Holy Spirit, “he will tell you what is yet to come” (John 16:13). But if we, like Daniel, are to experience the ministry of the Holy Spirit that shows us things to come, we must have a reason to know. For Daniel, the reason was informed intercession. For us, perhaps it is for both informed intercession and guided evangelism. The point is, though, our heart must be committed to God’s program if He is to share the program with us. Fasting and prayer is a key to deepening our commitment to God and His direction and receiving revelation of the same. 

Fasting can also be an amazing time for healing. I have done many types of fasts, but one I truly recommend is doing a 5-day water fast. Yes, you just drink water. I recently did this, and may I say this was truly a time when the healing began. 

Let me tell you first a little about the theory of sickness. Every day we do a variety of things: breathe air that is not so pure, drink liquids that are not so good, etc., which eventually clogs our body filters such as the lungs, nose, liver, and kidneys. Over time, our bodies heat up and then the immune system gets knocked down. Fevers actually make the body sweat out toxins and triggers the urge to not eat – a natural fast. Three to four days of water fasting is good in such times. This will help clean out your system. 

So should you allow your body to just go through this natural process of getting really sick and going through pain in order to thoroughly cleanse the system? Well, if you are cleaning the filters on a regular basis by doing a water fast, there is no need to get sick. 

Another, more simpler way than doing a full water fast is you can also try out intermittent fasting. Essentially what that is, is within a week you do not eat anything for one whole day, and this will allow for the liver and kidneys to detoxify completely and get rid of all the toxins. It is, however, important to really hydrate yourself within that 24-hour span with lots of water. To help flush out the toxins, you can also do a salt flush, an enema, breathing exercises and natural skin cleansing. Diabetic and hypoglycemic people are often advised not to fast, but with the right support, it can potentially help their bodies release stem cells, and help repair their bodies. 

For an intermittent fast you can start at noon, miss dinner, sleep, miss breakfast and start eating again at noon. This is one of the simpler ways, and if you stay really hydrated, it should not be difficult for you. If you can’t do 24 hours, skipping a small meal also helps. I would suggest another way is to drink lots of juices and do a two-day juice fast. For an ultimate cleanse,  four extended 10-day water fasts per year is recommended to rebuild, reset hormones, and have clear consciousness, energy, and clarity. 

People who should not fast – Although most people can fast, there are a few who, because of special conditions, should not. They include: 

  • People who are extremely emaciated or in a state of starvation
  • Those who are anorexic or bulimic
  • Pregnant, diabetic women
  • Nursing mothers
  • Those who have severe anemia
  • Those with an extreme fear of fasting
  • Those with porphyria, a rare hereditarydisease

It is vital that you seek help from a health professional. No matter which way you go about your fast, expect a healing crisis, which simply means a period of increased symptoms like pain, headaches, or even the flu. Your body is doing the right thing at the right time for the right reason – expressing symptoms while it is detoxing. This is why maintaining a positive attitude, getting rest and keeping hydrated is vital. Doing Epsom salt baths and light walks is key to keep the lymphatic system moving – and remember to anchor to God’s Word. 

 

If you have questions or need more information, text me at (208) 859-6170 or email me at [email protected]. 

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