When I was at the Orientation Class for parents of incoming freshmen at my son's High School, one of the teachers said, "Whenever there is a teacher's note in the homework that says "Optional", it's usually a code word for "'Required." Therefore tell you kid to do it." Prayer and fasting was not necessarily mandated by the Lord but you can read that he practiced it. Prayer and fasting is not a question of "if" but of "when". Many Christians think it's "optional" to the Christian practice but you can't actually do without it. The Lord Jesus Christ fasted and prayed before he began his public preaching ministry. He made it an important part of his practice and message, implying that all of His followers should pray and fast (Matthew 6:16-18; 9:14,15).Before you fast, you need to prepare yourself with the following steps:
- What will you pray about? (e.g., ministry, mission work, church needs; your health issues, etc.)
- Decide how long your fasting will be (one meal, a day, one or several weeks, and the one Christ did was for forty days. A beginner need to start slowly, building it up to for longer fasts as your body gets more used to it).
- Determine what type of fasting you will do and what you will take, specially if you have a health issue (e.g., take water only, hot or cold; or water and juices and how often).
- What activities you will be doing (prayer walking, kneeling, singing, prone position)
- What place will you be praying at? (Mountain; garden; beach; enclosed room, etc.)
- What types of prayer will you do (individual; by twos; huddle; concert type)
- How much time each day you will devote to prayer and to God's Word.
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