|
Hunger Pangs - You will feel
some discomfort before your time is up. This is not real hunger;
your stomach has been trained through years of conditioning to give
signals of hunger at certain hours. Don’t give into the grumbling.
Sip water and your stomach will be satisfied.
Discomfort - Your body goes through a
process the longer you fast. The first three days are the most difficult
in terms of physical comfort. Your body is ridding itself of the
toxins you have built up from poor eating habits. This is the reason
for the coating of the tongue and bad breath. Do not be disturbed;
rather be grateful for the increased health that will result. There
will be mild withdrawal symptoms for avid caffeine, sugar, and salt
users. The forth day hunger subsides, though you will feel weak
and occasional dizziness. By the sixth and seventh day, you will
begin to be stronger and alert. The body will have eliminated the
toxins and you will feel good, as if you could continue to fast
indefinitely. Physically this is the most enjoyable part of the
fast.
Weight Loss - this varies greatly with
the individual. You will also feel cold more simply because the
body metabolism is not producing the usual amount of heat.
Discouragement - You should expect a time
of conflict with the powers of darkness. Satan will try to take
advantage of your physical condition. Discouragement is one of the
greatest weapons to get you to stop your fast prematurely. Guard
against it by maintaining a spirit of praise. Do not make the mistake
of judging the value of your fast by the way you feel. Often you
will find your times of prayer harder than easier. This is often
when the most is happening. This is wrestling. You might not, until
later, experience the full results.
Failure - We often judge our success and
failure by our terms and not Gods. Expect to feel as if you fail.
Expect to want to run before you walk. Expect to fall. I don’t
say this to set your standards low, but you are venturing into an
unknown journey. Get back up. Don’t be discouraged. That is
the enemy’s greatest tool to keep you from experiencing God
at an extremely powerful and intimate level. Why would the evil
one want you to do that?
Nay Sayers - Well meaning people will
be concerned based on the misconceptions that we must keep eating
to live; that fasting is starving; that it is dangerous. A healthy
person can exist for several weeks without being injured from a
lack of food.
|
