While Craig, Mike and the rest of the team enjoy the many all-you-can-eat Las
Vegas buffets, a number of us will be fasting for the guys working this year’s
Adult Expo, and if you want to join in… fantastic. How does that work? What
do I do? If you’ve never fasted before it can seem a bit overwhelming. You
think, “I get hungry between meals, how do stop
eating for four days?!” I thought the same thing the first time I attempted to
do it, but once I got beyond all the reasons why I couldn’t, it turned into one
of the greatest experiences I’ve had since becoming a Christian. Here are a few
things to consider:

When Not If.
The fact that you’re even asking the questions is a good indication that God
has planted this in your head. That being the case, He will help you do it.
Fasting isn’t something you do in your own strength, you do because He said
to do it. The Bible says “when you fast” not “if you
fast” and He honors that obedience.

Strength In Numbers.
As I mentioned, there are several of us doing the same thing so be encouraged
and know that you’re part of a team. The first time I fasted, I did it with
a good friend. He and I committed to a given length of time and talked often
about what we were doing, how it was effecting us, our prayers, the people
around us, what was good, what parts of it sucked. It proved to be tremendously
helpful during those
times when I really wanted some fries.

Don’t Overthink It.
There’s a tendency to get crazy legalistic about fasting. Don’t. We’re talking
about the four days during the expo, Thursday through Sunday. And while you
may think that sounds like a long time, it’s very doable. But if that seems
overwhelming, do two days. Do one day. Do all four days but just the hours
during the show. Just do something and don’t let yourself get caught up in
the calendar, concentrate on the objective… honoring God with your obedience
and supporting the team on the show
floor as they reach out.

Now, the practical information:

Can I eat anything?
Well, a fast is a fast. It’s denying yourself food for the purpose of focusing
things in your spirit. So, no, don’t eat anything. What you can do is drink
fruit juice and water, and a lot of it. And get creative, buy a variety of
juices or make your own. If you decide to go hardcore and fast longer than
the four days, you can work in some broth as well. But again, don’t get caught
up in the legalities, if you want to fast but mix in a coffee or two, go
ahead.

Will I be hungry?
Sure, the first day or two you will be hungry as your body is adjusting, but
after that it’s more in your head than in your stomach. That’s why I always
encourage people to fast longer than a day. Day one is the toughest, so to
quit after the first day gives you an incomplete picture of how things could
go.

Does it really make a difference?
Absolutely! It continues to amaze how direct the connection is between not
eating during a fast and a closeness to God, and how little anyone talks
about it. It blew me away how much time I spent in the course of a day thinking
about, preparing for, looking forward to, and actually eating. Now replace
that time with a focus on a specific goal like praying for the X3 team in
Vegas this weekend or any other item God puts on your heart and it becomes
like a laser on that issue. There’s no question that that amount of focused
dedication gets God’s attention. But that is key. Lots of people don’t eat,
it’s the redirection of all that energy in prayer and scripture that push
this over the top in it’s
effectiveness.

Post your comments. Let us know your successes. Better yet,
let us know your failures. There’s good stuff and encouragement in both. Or
shoot me an email at [email protected].
Now go not eat!