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Introduction

Fasting Benefits: Spiritual, Physical, Mental and Emotional

 

When you fast and pray — two words that go hand-in-hand in scripture — you pursue God in your life and open yourself up to experiencing a renewed dependence on God, but it isn’t easy. It is a spiritual discipline that requires denying your physical and mental self because your stomach and your brain will most likely work overtime to remind you when and what they want to eat!

 

As I mentioned earlier, Daniel wasn’t the only one in the Bible who fasted. There were others, but you don’t have to be a “spiritual giant” like Daniel or put yourself through torturous fasts to draw closer to God. However, fasts can help focus your spirit, heart and mind on God and not your own eating and drinking desires. In fact, before you begin your fast, you can make a list of prayer requests you are asking God to answer. Then, every time you experience hunger pangs or food or drink cravings, ask God to work in those prayer request areas.

 

Also, I recommend spending quiet time with God each day and read passages of scripture from the Bible. You don’t have to be legalistic about this. There are many quality devotionals out there, so just choose one or ask a friend you trust to recommend one. After all, it’s about your relationship with God, not your performance for God.

 

I also suggest journaling during your fast so that you can write down what you believe God is directing you in. For whatever reasons, many people say that they “hear” God more clearly during a fast than other times.

 

Isaiah 58:6,8 says “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?… Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear.” The truth is that “healing” can take place spiritually, physically and mentally when you fast.

 

We’ve discussed some of the spiritual aspects, but there are also specific physical and mental benefits to fasting, which happens to be one of the oldest therapies in medicine. In fact, Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, believed that fasting enabled the body to heal itself. How? During a fast, many systems of the body are given a break from the hard work of digesting foods that it normally has to manage. The extra energy the body gains gives the body a chance to restore itself, while the burning of stored calories gets rid of toxic substances stored in the body.

 

Here’s another example. The digestive tract is the body area most exposed to environmental threats, including bacteria, viruses, parasites and toxins. Plus, most of your immune system is in your digestive tract, so it needs to be in top shape. When food is broken down in the intestines, it travels through the blood to the liver, the largest organ of the body’s natural detoxification system. The liver breaks down and removes the toxic by-products produced by digestion, including natural ones and the chemicals which are typically present in our food supply and often on our daily menus. During a fast, the liver and immune system are essentially freed up to detoxify and heal other parts of the body.

 

Now let’s talk specifically about the elements of the Daniel Fast, including vegetables, fruits and water. The dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in vegetables and fruits help to add vibrancy to your health. A diet high in vegetables and fruits is known for halting bodily inflammation and oxidation — two primary processes that can lead to ill health. No wonder Daniel and his friends looked better than the others!

 

Fasting Benefits

Fasting Benefits

There are numerous benefits to Daniel-type fasting, but it all starts with an inward, spiritual motivation. 

Below are just some of the incredible benefits of fasting.

 

“This is the fast that I have chosen … to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke. Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth.” – Isaiah 58:6

 

 

Spiritual Benefits of Fasting

Spiritual Benefits of Fasting

  • Spiritual benefits are a top reason for fasting and may include:
  • Fasting brings you closer to God
  • Fasting makes you more sensitive to God’s voice
  • Fasting helps break bad habits or even addictions
  • Fasting shows us our weakness and allows us to rely on God’s strength

Mental & Emotional Benefits of Fasting

Mental & Emotional Benefits of Fasting

Fasting benefits are different from person to person, but the following have been known to occur:

  • Fasting relieves anxiety and nervousness
  • Fasting can increase peace and shalom
  • Fasting clears your mind of negative thoughts and feelings
  • Fasting can help heal relationships in your life that have been stressful
  • Fasting decreases brain fog
  • Fasting helps increase your ability to trust God
  • Fasting clears out toxins that can make you feel sluggish or depressed

Physical Benefits of Fasting

Physical Benefits of Fasting

Some benefits to the physical body have been known to include:

  • Fasting helps break addictions to sugar
  • Fasting supports the body’s detoxification
  • Fasting promotes healthy weight loss
  • Fasting promoted healthy energy levels
  • Fasting improves skin health
  • Fasting promotes healthy digestion and elimination
  • Fasting supports healthy inflammation response and promotes joint comfort
  • Fasting promotes healthy hormonal balance

 

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