2025: True Fasting: The Power of Isaiah 58: Fasting Beyond Food

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Hello, beautiful people, and welcome to another episode of Diary of a Black Woman.

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I'm your host, Connie Morris, and today we're diving into a life-changing approach

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to fasting, the Isaiah 58 fast.

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This isn't just about food, it's about transformation spiritually,

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socially, compassionately.

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The Isaiah 58 fast is inspired by God's word, where true fasting is defined

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as a holistic act of justice, generosity, and the care for others.

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So grab your journals, open your hearts, and let's explore what it means to

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truly fast according to God's design.

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So what is the Isaiah 58 fast?

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So let's begin by grounding ourselves in the word. Isaiah 58,

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6-7 says, Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen?

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To loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke?

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To set a press free and to break every yoke?

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Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter?

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When you see the naked, to clothe them and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood.

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God calls us to fast, not just for our personal growth, but to live out his

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love and justice in tangible ways.

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True fasting is about breaking chains, lifting burdens, and bringing healing to a hurting world.

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So the principles of the Isaiah 58 fast.

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Now let's unpack the core principle of Isaiah 58 fast and how they translate

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into action in our daily lives.

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And I want to just pause here and think about when God begins to bless us with

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an overflow of blessings where we don't have room enough to receive it.

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Sometimes we will begin to hoard it. And so God was like, this is not what I want you to do.

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And so we have a foundation of as we fast for our breakthrough,

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that he wants us to be a vessel that he can bless, but he can trust that it

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will flow through us into the hands of those that he wants to bless also through us.

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And so Isaiah 58 is kind of the core principle of how this action can take place in our daily lives.

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So let's break down Isaiah 58.

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Number one, he says to lose the chains of injustice.

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And so the action, our call to action is to advocate for social justice,

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Support causes that fight oppression

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and help free those who are bound by various forms of injustice.

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So our goal here is to advocate.

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To untie the cords of the yoke. Call to action.

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To offer emotional, financial, or spiritual support to those burdened by life's challenges.

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Encourage and uplift those with actions of kindness. Our call to action here

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is support here. So we advocate, we're supportive.

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Set the oppressed free. Support freedom, dignity for all people,

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volunteer, support anti-trafficking organizations, or offer help to individuals in abusive situations.

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So set the oppressed free.

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Share your food with the hungry.

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Donate to food banks. Prepare meals for people experiencing homelessness or

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support organizations that feed the hungry.

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You know, I was just got a feed on my phone the other day and it says over seven

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hundred and seventy thousand people are homeless.

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And so this is a great opportunity that even now is a good opportunity to give

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to those people who do support those homeless people that's feeding them and sheltering them.

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That's a lot of people that are going without food and without shelter in 2024 and into 2025.

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It says, clothe the naked, call to action. So organize clothing drives,

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donate to charities, or directly help individuals in need of clothing.

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A lot of times as you're fasting and praying and believing God for your breakthrough,

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you might have a situation where you are in a situation, you might have a situation

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where you look in your closet and you have so much stuff to give that you can

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actually give your items to goodwill or salvation.

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Army or wherever you give your use, you slightly use goods.

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Some of that stuff can probably go in the garbage, right?

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But other stuff you can actually give to the people that can use it.

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And so clothed the naked.

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And do not turn away from your own flesh and blood.

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Call the actions, rebuild and strengthen your family bonds, support relatives

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in need and care for those closest to you.

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And so as we are fasting, as we are praying into 2025 for our jubilee blessing, for our reset,

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we can pray for those chains of injustice to be broken, to untie the cores of

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the yoke for emotional, financial,

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and spiritual support for those who are being challenged in life.

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To set the oppressed free for those who are being part of the human trafficking ring.

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And that's going to be a big thing right now. So pray for freedom for them,

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that they be set free in Jesus' name.

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Donate food to the hungry, to contribute to the homeless and their support,

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to clothe the naked, and to support your family.

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Maybe the clothing, your closets and shoes that you don't wear can even support

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your family, reunite with your family.

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So why does the Isaiah 58 fast matter? I mean, God doesn't just have you fast

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for you. You ever notice that?

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That it's all about, he's a unity kind of God, right?

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He's into bringing everybody together. He's going to bless you.

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He wants you to prepare a place for those blessings. but he don't want you to hoard them.

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He wants you to be able to be a vessel to distribute.

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And so why does this matter? The fast is so powerful, but it matters because

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it's for spiritual growth.

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It deepens your relationship with God as you align your heart with actions and his will.

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Social impact, it makes a tangible difference in your community by addressing

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real needs and injustice.

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And personal fulfillment. It brings joy and purpose as you see how your action reflects God's love.

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This is fasting with a mission. It changes not just your life,

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but the lives of those around you.

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So when you're fasting, a lot of times, you ever notice the people,

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yeah, I'm fasting, yeah, I'm fasting.

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And so you're already giving yourself the glory. and when it's really not about

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you, but when you know that you're fasting and you're supposed to keep that

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to yourself, that's your business.

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So how you decide to fast is not no one's business, but you and God.

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But when you're fasting, you're not just fasting.

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And yeah, you might feel weak some days, but on those days you're feeling strong,

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you are putting the principles of Isaiah 58 into effect.

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You're figuring out what organizations am I giving to in 2025?

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And that's what I'm thinking about right now as I'm speaking to you.

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Who do I want to set free in 2025? What shelters can I donate to?

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And when I donate, I'm not taking a deposit slip. I'm just dropping off.

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Do you need a slip? No, I'm donating.

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I'm not writing anything off. I'm just giving it to you.

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I'm giving it to you because, hey, I'm not going to use it.

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Even if I write it off, it's not, they don't really give you that much anyway,

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unless you donate millions of dollars. Maybe that might help.

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But the little stuff that I'm donating, I didn't have my wear and tear in it.

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I think somebody's still good quality stuff.

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So I'm giving it away. I got some bikes I need to giveaway this year.

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Just some things I want to give away. So just quick overview,

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Isaiah 58, you can read it on your own and see where God wants to move you.

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And I just guarantee you that it matters because it will cause you to have spiritual growth.

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You will feel very proud. God will just smile from heaven and say,

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you know, you are having a social impact.

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You're not just an absorber of the news. You are actually reaching out to the news.

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You're actually being part of the change.

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And then your personal fulfillment.

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Practical steps to begin at Isaiah 58 fast.

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We covered a lot of that in the intro episode. So make sure you listen to that,

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listen to that episode so you don't jump out and do a fast that's going to cause

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harm to you. I'm going to go into more details in episode three.

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But I want to make sure that you understand that before you even begin any type

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of fasting or any type of the principles that you want to see where God wants to move.

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Because that's where you have the greatest impact is where God is moving.

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And so first you want to pray and reflect. Begin with prayer.

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Ask God to show where he wants you to act and how you can fulfill the principles

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of Isaiah 58 in your life.

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Identify needs. Look around the community. Where are the opportunities to serve?

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It could be volunteering, donating, or advocating for a change.

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Set goals. Be specific.

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Maybe it's committing to feeding five families, volunteering weekly,

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or organizing a clothing drive.

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Take action. Put your plans into motion.

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Remembering fasting isn't just about what you give up. It's about what you give to others.

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Powerful, right? Reflect and adjust. Regularly evaluate your progress.

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Ask God for guidance and be open to new ways that you might lead you to serve.

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So fasting is the first part of what God wants you to do.

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I mean, it's so interesting because as you study the Bible, God always has more for you to do.

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As a new Christian, I remember a long time you think fasting,

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you do your fasting on your January with the church. and then you forget about that.

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Nothing happens. You pray, you fast, you're believing for me,

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me, me, me, me, and then that's it. You leave.

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No one ever tells you that as

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you fast, that you should be believing for somebody else besides yourself.

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Isaiah 58 tells you what happens.

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Isaiah 58 says, you need to believe for some things to break free in other people's

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lives. Why? Because when you do that,

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That's when some spiritual growth happens. That's when things begin to happen.

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The latter part of Isaiah 58 also tells you what happens when you do those things.

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It says your light will spring forth.

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Things begin to happen for you.

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But our focus to instill the light spring forth.

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That means your jubilee will spring forth. your divine surprises will bring spring forth. Amen.

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And so the beauty of this fast is about living out God's love.

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Isaiah 58, 10 promises, if you spend yourself on behalf of the hungry and satisfy

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the needs of the oppressed,

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then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will become like the noon day.

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It's like, then your light will shine.

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God will shine on you. Then your blessings, you become like a magnet for what God has for you.

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Don't you all want to be a magnet for what God has for me, for you?

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Imagine the impact of your obedience, not just on your life,

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but the lives of those you touch.

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The power of the Isaiah 58 fast is that it's just only you're getting the benefit

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of God touching you, but now God's touching you and now you are touching others. Powerful, right?

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Look how that, it's like that chain reaction. You ever heard of that?

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And somebody may have been part of it or been a person who received from it.

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The payback, you're in a coffee line and someone pies your coffee and then it

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pays all the way back down to the end of the line.

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One person started it and it ends up with everybody's paying everybody's coffee

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and just kind of like a nice gesture for the day.

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How powerful is that? And that's what God wants in the fasting and our fasting,

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that as we fast, it just doesn't benefit us, that it's the fasting that benefits

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everybody that comes in contact with us.

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So let's close this out in prayer. Heavenly Father.

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I thank you for your wisdom and guidance found in your word.

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Teach us to fast according to your will, not just abstaining from food,

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but using our hands and hearts to serve others.

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Help us to loose the chains of injustice, lift the burdens of the oppressed,

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and bring healing to those in need.

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May our light shine brightly as we live out your love in tangible ways. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Oh, thank you again for joining me on Diary of Black Women.

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Remember, two fasting is about what you give, not just unto God, but to others.

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So let's step out boldly into the Isaiah 58 fast and watch how God transforms

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lives, including our own.

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Until next time, stay blessed, stay focused, and let your faith lead the way.

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I want to continue here with the types of fasting, finding the right fast for your journey.

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And so fasting is not just a one size fit all.

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And there are many ways to approach this spiritual discipline,

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whether you're looking to detoxify your body, to grow spiritually,

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or to find a way to simplify and focus.

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Where their focus, there's a fasting method that aligns with your goals.

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So let's break down the 10 types of fasting and explore how each one can impact your life.

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We understood the, just understood the power of fasting in Isaiah,

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but there's different ways.

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Introduction talks about just a water fast,

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but I want to take it a step further here and exploring different types of fasting

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so that you can feel comfortable with what, on what will work for you in 2025.

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In this January start to start the year off. So let's start out.

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We talked about the water fast, and this is a well-known, it's called a water fast.

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This is the most traditional form of fasting where you consume only water for a set period of time.

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Typically range from 24 hours to several days, but longer fasts require medical supervision.

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Water fast is great for detoxification, spiritual clarity

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and physical cleansing considerations because

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it's so intense it's essential to approach this

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fast cautiously especially for extended periods always consult a healthier a

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healthcare professional before starting so that was the one i gave you an introduction

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i told you the extreme cases to do that you need to have a doctor to monitor

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you So I recommend that if you're only going to do that one,

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it's probably three days at the most,

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at the least, maybe 10 days at the most.

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So don't go diving into a 40-day water fast without medical professional assistance.

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Now we have the partial fast, which is usually considered like the Daniel fast.

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The Daniel fast, it involves restricting certain foods or meals.

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Now, you can be on this fast, for example, consuming only fruits, vegetables, and water.

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This often lasts 21 days but can be adjusted.

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Partial fasting is easier to maintain than a water fast, and it helps improve

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health, focus, and spiritual discipline.

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So you won't get those extreme cases that I gave you in the introduction where

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you're lightheaded because you're still eating.

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If you have coffee You can't have the coffee You might have

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those coffee with caffeine withdrawals And sugar withdrawals

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But you won't And those might be the weaknesses But

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you won't have those extreme cases Like I told you in the first fast In the

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first episode Introductory episode It still requires intentionality and planning

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Especially when it comes to meal preparation So we see here As a partial fast It's a Daniel fast.

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It can last, usually, a Daniel fast usually lasts up to 21 days.

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It's fruits, vegetables, and water.

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In the book of Daniel, he said he had vegetable pulp.

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So I don't even think he had any vegetables. I think he just kind of had like

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a, you know, like a, you know how they just, they grind it up and you drink it. So, hey.

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So intermediate fast is another fast that you can use. And intermediate alternates

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between periods of eating and fasting.

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Popular method includes a 16-hour, eight method where you don't eat for 16.

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I think, yeah, it's a weight where you fast for 16 hours and eat within that eight-hour window.

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This can be practiced daily or weekly.

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It's great for weight management, improved metabolism, and mental clarity.

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It's flexible and can fit into almost any schedule, making it easier for beginners.

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So this might be a good one to start. You can do this one every day.

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You will fast for 16 hours and then you have an eight hour window to eat.

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You can eat whatever you want, but you got a 16 hour window of fasting.

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And that's a flexible one. Can you do that for 40 days?

00:19:58.569 --> 00:20:04.209
Either one is up to you. The most nutrition boost while fasting is a juice fast.

00:20:04.409 --> 00:20:09.049
This involves consuming only fresh juice, fruit, and vegetable juices.

00:20:09.349 --> 00:20:14.329
This lasts about one to seven days. It provides hydration, detoxification,

00:20:14.549 --> 00:20:16.749
and high intake of nutrients.

00:20:17.029 --> 00:20:20.929
Make sure that the juices are fresh and not loaded with added sugar.

00:20:21.289 --> 00:20:26.769
Monitor your energy levels throughout the fast. So make sure you pay attention to that.

00:20:26.989 --> 00:20:31.409
So I just went over several fasting. We talk about the water fast,

00:20:31.629 --> 00:20:37.929
the partial fast, which is a Daniel fast, the intermediate fast, the juice fast.

00:20:38.169 --> 00:20:41.209
And then there's some more intense fasting options.

00:20:42.126 --> 00:20:45.826
For 40 days, we're not going to be doing any intense fasting options.

00:20:45.966 --> 00:20:49.746
So this is just for your educational purposes only.

00:20:50.646 --> 00:20:56.226
Like the dry fast, the dry fast where you abstain from food and water.

00:20:56.346 --> 00:21:00.266
This is short term, ranging from 12 to 24 hours.

00:21:00.446 --> 00:21:03.546
It promotes detoxification and spiritual discipline.

00:21:04.126 --> 00:21:09.746
Dry fasting is highly challenging and should only be done for short periods

00:21:09.746 --> 00:21:16.906
with caution. So maybe once a week, you don't eat food or drink water. Maybe once a week.

00:21:17.366 --> 00:21:21.366
This is extreme. So dry fasting.

00:21:21.506 --> 00:21:27.646
Another one is, I think they call it extreme or more intense, is a soul fast.

00:21:27.846 --> 00:21:32.346
It's a soul fast focused on abstaining from distractions like social media,

00:21:32.586 --> 00:21:37.426
television, or other activities that consume your time and attention.

00:21:38.246 --> 00:21:41.446
That can be part of your fast too.

00:21:41.746 --> 00:21:46.206
The duration varies on personal goals and need. It provides mental clarity,

00:21:46.626 --> 00:21:50.526
reduces stress, enhances your focus on spiritual growth.

00:21:51.066 --> 00:21:57.026
Identify specific areas to fast from and set clear boundaries to maximize the effect.

00:21:57.566 --> 00:22:02.466
So during a regular fast, maybe that's 16-8, intermediate fasts,

00:22:02.626 --> 00:22:06.726
that seem to be kind of a very easy one for beginners.

00:22:06.726 --> 00:22:16.066
During that 16 hour that you don't, maybe you decide I don't wanna do any more social media.

00:22:16.666 --> 00:22:23.826
Find a way, your goal is to get close to God, right? And so just fasting social media is not enough.

00:22:24.146 --> 00:22:29.206
You need to cut out, do some food too because fasting does include absence of food.

00:22:29.706 --> 00:22:33.426
The social media is something new. People say, I'm just gonna fast social media.

00:22:33.646 --> 00:22:38.686
That's fine, but absence of food too. also brings spiritual awareness.

00:22:39.646 --> 00:22:45.426
And so make sure if you're going to fast social media, do not forget to do a fast of food too.

00:22:45.966 --> 00:22:51.146
You know, the goal is to get closer to God, right? So if you find yourself addicted

00:22:51.146 --> 00:22:56.286
to social media and you know who you are, you know if that's you,

00:22:56.686 --> 00:22:58.286
I'm going to turn that off for a while.

00:22:58.426 --> 00:22:59.606
Sometimes it's better just to

00:22:59.606 --> 00:23:03.686
delete the app and you don't have to even go to it. Just delete the app.

00:23:03.986 --> 00:23:06.946
All right. And then for that period and plug it back in because,

00:23:07.026 --> 00:23:09.526
you know, you're going to pick it up and not delete the app.

00:23:09.686 --> 00:23:12.726
But, you know, it's so funny when you delete the apps and like you get emails

00:23:12.726 --> 00:23:16.526
saying you just got an alert and you have to delete the email, too.

00:23:17.146 --> 00:23:18.946
So that's going to take some discipline.

00:23:19.828 --> 00:23:24.508
But is it worth it to have a breakthrough? Is it worth it to get your jubilee blessings?

00:23:24.768 --> 00:23:28.948
Is it worth it to draw closer to God? I mean, that's the question you have to answer.

00:23:29.228 --> 00:23:33.688
Another one that happens during the first part of the year is corporate fast.

00:23:33.928 --> 00:23:38.888
This is a group fast where people come together for common purpose.

00:23:39.468 --> 00:23:43.708
It's often practiced within churches or faith communities. It can range from

00:23:43.708 --> 00:23:48.828
a single day to several weeks. It fosters community support,

00:23:49.228 --> 00:23:52.208
collective spiritual growth, and shared purposes.

00:23:53.748 --> 00:23:57.008
Coordination and clear communication among participants are the key.

00:23:57.208 --> 00:24:02.188
Usually if you're having a corporate fast, there's instructions, there's scriptures.

00:24:02.368 --> 00:24:06.228
It comes with clear outline of what they want you to do on each day,

00:24:06.428 --> 00:24:11.088
how you support, and how you are in unity with that corporate fast.

00:24:11.348 --> 00:24:16.748
That's very powerful. But you can also on the side have your own scriptures too.

00:24:17.248 --> 00:24:24.428
You're partnering unity with your church, but you're also individual and you're

00:24:24.428 --> 00:24:27.188
partnering unity with God too. It's very powerful.

00:24:27.968 --> 00:24:31.308
There's also some specialized fasting approaches.

00:24:32.148 --> 00:24:40.028
One of them are alternate day fasting, where you involve alternate days or normal

00:24:40.028 --> 00:24:43.408
eating days of fasting, consuming low-calorie food.

00:24:43.588 --> 00:24:47.508
So you might fast every other day, maybe three days a week.

00:24:47.668 --> 00:24:52.228
I mean, whatever works for you in this 40-day journey, it can be practiced long-term

00:24:52.228 --> 00:24:57.428
for specific periods. This method promotes weight loss, involves metabolic health,

00:24:57.568 --> 00:25:02.148
metabolic metabolic health and flexibility.

00:25:02.808 --> 00:25:07.988
Consistency can be challenging. So adjust based on your tolerance and health.

00:25:08.148 --> 00:25:12.548
The alternate day fasting, there's kind of a you can get an app to help you

00:25:12.548 --> 00:25:14.968
alert you to when to eat, when not to eat.

00:25:15.228 --> 00:25:18.608
And you can do that also with the intermediate fasting.

00:25:19.756 --> 00:25:24.456
Whatever your challenge is. If food is your challenge, then fasting might be a great option.

00:25:24.876 --> 00:25:27.976
If you can go a day without eating and then go back and eat,

00:25:28.076 --> 00:25:30.356
it's just kind of managing what works for you.

00:25:30.716 --> 00:25:33.936
Another one, a number is extended fast.

00:25:34.736 --> 00:25:38.516
It's an extended fast that's more than three days, typically involving only

00:25:38.516 --> 00:25:41.036
water and minimal calories. We covered that one.

00:25:41.196 --> 00:25:45.536
It can last from several days to weeks. It's ideal for deep detoxification,

00:25:45.856 --> 00:25:49.796
spiritual breakthroughs, and significant health benefits.

00:25:50.036 --> 00:25:54.896
Extended fasting should always be done under medical supervision.

00:25:55.116 --> 00:25:56.756
Remember that medical supervision.

00:25:56.996 --> 00:26:01.676
And then we have the religious or spiritual fast. This type of fasting aligns

00:26:01.676 --> 00:26:06.076
with religious observation like Ramadan, Lent, or Yom Kippur.

00:26:06.496 --> 00:26:10.496
The duration varies based on specific tradition or practice.

00:26:10.496 --> 00:26:14.616
It fosters spiritual growth, discipline, and community bonding.

00:26:15.256 --> 00:26:21.676
Follow the specific guidelines of your faith and tradition to ensure you honor its principles.

00:26:22.296 --> 00:26:27.216
But as you consider, make sure you choose the right fast for you because the

00:26:27.216 --> 00:26:32.716
goal is for you to be successful as you create this new relationship with God

00:26:32.716 --> 00:26:34.676
that you're making room for him.

00:26:34.816 --> 00:26:40.896
All that revolves is making room for him. And it's not about posting it on social

00:26:40.896 --> 00:26:42.176
media. This is what I'm doing.

00:26:42.436 --> 00:26:46.696
Why don't you join me? It's about what have you not done before?

00:26:47.616 --> 00:26:52.116
I think it should be challenging. That's me. Something you've never done before.

00:26:52.296 --> 00:26:56.096
If you never deleted the app, social media app, that would be boom.

00:26:56.236 --> 00:26:57.696
That's going to be challenging for you.

00:26:57.856 --> 00:27:02.196
And spend that time that you usually spend scrolling, reading your Bible,

00:27:02.536 --> 00:27:08.436
listen to the word, download an audible app, a book, and read a book about Jesus.

00:27:08.676 --> 00:27:12.556
Do something that you've never done before so you can get a different result.

00:27:13.437 --> 00:27:17.637
But as you consider these fasting hours, remember that the best fast for you

00:27:17.637 --> 00:27:20.957
depends on your personal goals, health, and lifestyle.

00:27:21.517 --> 00:27:26.257
Remember, choosing a water fast, partial fast, or a soul fast is a key.

00:27:26.717 --> 00:27:33.817
The key is to approach it with prayer, intention, and with wisdom.

00:27:34.877 --> 00:27:40.537
And I want to close it out with this section, with prayer. And I got one more

00:27:40.537 --> 00:27:44.717
section, and then that will be it for this time.

00:27:45.077 --> 00:27:49.697
This prayer section is, Heavenly Father, I thank you for the gift of fasting.

00:27:49.937 --> 00:27:52.937
In many ways, it draws us closer to you.

00:27:53.397 --> 00:27:58.797
Guide us as we choose the fasting method that aligns with your will for our lives.

00:27:58.957 --> 00:28:05.337
Help us to grow spiritually, strengthen our discipline, and use this time to

00:28:05.337 --> 00:28:09.837
glorify you. In Jesus' name, amen.

00:28:10.357 --> 00:28:16.177
The last part is going to be the goal of fasting according to Matthew 6.

00:28:17.117 --> 00:28:22.117
I want to unpack Matthew 6, 16 to 18. So you have your Bible.

00:28:22.437 --> 00:28:30.217
I want to go to Matthew 6, 16 to 18 so that we can get to the heart of fasting,

00:28:30.497 --> 00:28:34.837
not just the practice itself, but the purpose behind it.

00:28:34.937 --> 00:28:40.637
What is the goal of fasting? What does Jesus teach us about the attitude that

00:28:40.637 --> 00:28:43.557
we should have when we fast?

00:28:44.137 --> 00:28:49.077
Today, we'll unpack the powerful lessons of Matthew 6, 16 through 18,

00:28:49.337 --> 00:28:54.497
where Jesus provides us with a clear guidance on the true spirit of fasting.

00:28:54.757 --> 00:28:58.637
This episode will challenge you to approach fasting with humility,

00:28:59.157 --> 00:29:02.797
sincerity, and an unwavering focus on God.

00:29:03.841 --> 00:29:07.201
So you should be there by now, Matthew 6, 16 through 18.

00:29:07.481 --> 00:29:12.841
So when you fast, do not look sober as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure

00:29:12.841 --> 00:29:17.541
their faces to show others they are fasting.

00:29:17.941 --> 00:29:21.801
Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

00:29:22.061 --> 00:29:28.041
But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face so that it will not

00:29:28.041 --> 00:29:31.701
be obvious to others that you are fasting.

00:29:31.701 --> 00:29:40.041
But only your unseen father and your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

00:29:40.521 --> 00:29:45.821
Isn't that a beautiful reminder that the heart posture we should have while fasting.

00:29:46.101 --> 00:29:53.081
Jesus calls us to fast, not for public recognition, but to deepen our relationship with God.

00:29:53.341 --> 00:29:59.561
It's not about looking spiritual to others. It's about being sincere before God.

00:29:59.981 --> 00:30:04.281
So the goals of fasting according to Matthew 6.

00:30:04.621 --> 00:30:10.781
The three main goals of fasting outlined in Matthew 6.

00:30:11.061 --> 00:30:14.401
First one is seek a deeper relationship with God.

00:30:14.981 --> 00:30:18.781
The ultimate goal of fasting is to draw closer to God.

00:30:19.041 --> 00:30:24.501
It's a time to seek his presence, hear his voice, and align your heart with his will.

00:30:25.101 --> 00:30:29.721
What's the action? It's to spend time in prayer, meditation,

00:30:30.041 --> 00:30:33.701
and reading scripture during your fast.

00:30:33.961 --> 00:30:39.421
Use this time to focus on God and deepen your spiritual connection.

00:30:40.081 --> 00:30:42.801
Practice humility and sincerity.

00:30:43.581 --> 00:30:48.261
Fasting should be done with a humble heart, not to gain attention or approval,

00:30:48.421 --> 00:30:51.961
from others, but to honor God privately.

00:30:53.236 --> 00:30:56.416
Keep your fasting between you and God.

00:30:56.936 --> 00:31:00.736
Avoid outward display that draw attention to your sacrifice.

00:31:01.136 --> 00:31:05.296
Let your humility be reflected of your sincerity.

00:31:05.896 --> 00:31:11.476
And, you know, when you're fasting, the glow will come. Things are going to

00:31:11.476 --> 00:31:13.796
start to look different. People are going to notice.

00:31:14.116 --> 00:31:17.176
They might say, you look like you're losing weight. You're glowing today.

00:31:17.356 --> 00:31:23.296
You just smile and say, thank you, you know, on what you're doing. You just smile.

00:31:23.496 --> 00:31:27.056
You don't have to go into any great detail.

00:31:27.256 --> 00:31:31.836
You just keep it moving because it's not for man, it's for God.

00:31:32.196 --> 00:31:36.896
And the best part is three, receive spiritual rewards.

00:31:38.156 --> 00:31:41.316
God promised to reward those who fast with pure motives.

00:31:41.556 --> 00:31:46.896
These rewards may not always be visible immediately, but they are spiritually

00:31:46.896 --> 00:31:50.016
significant and life transforming.

00:31:50.016 --> 00:31:56.596
Trust that God sees your effort and will bless you in ways that align with his

00:31:56.596 --> 00:31:59.016
perfect will and timing.

00:31:59.876 --> 00:32:03.976
Remember, it's between you and the Lord.

00:32:04.516 --> 00:32:08.476
So what are the practical steps for fasting with the right heart?

00:32:09.336 --> 00:32:12.936
So how do we fast with the way Jesus describes?

00:32:13.356 --> 00:32:19.316
Here are four practical ways. Prepare your heart. Begin your fast with prayer.

00:32:19.896 --> 00:32:25.816
Ask God to purify your motives. Focus your heart on him and guide you throughout your prayer journey.

00:32:26.036 --> 00:32:30.296
You will need the Lord in this journey. Do not go out without him.

00:32:30.816 --> 00:32:35.956
Stay close to him during this prayer journey. And always keep your heart in check.

00:32:36.996 --> 00:32:40.876
Maintain privacy. Keep your fasting between you and God.

00:32:41.176 --> 00:32:46.276
Unless it's necessary for accountability or support, avoid sharing your fasting

00:32:46.276 --> 00:32:47.336
experience with others.

00:32:47.336 --> 00:32:52.476
So what I do is I know when I'm going on an extreme fast, I share it with one

00:32:52.476 --> 00:32:59.576
of my closest friends because they're going to be the one that has to kind of like know.

00:32:59.796 --> 00:33:04.936
Someone needs to know that you're going to go on something extreme because that's

00:33:04.936 --> 00:33:06.136
why I always share it with one.

00:33:06.376 --> 00:33:09.816
And then I have a doctor's appointment and I'll share it with my doctor.

00:33:10.196 --> 00:33:14.176
So I share, I'm going on this fast and I want you to know that.

00:33:14.656 --> 00:33:17.796
And the doctor is going to make a big fuss. you need to do.

00:33:18.016 --> 00:33:23.696
They're going to make a fuss, but they'll tell you, check with me if things start to happen. Boom.

00:33:24.096 --> 00:33:27.296
Because remember, they got to tell a med. So if you need something that's going

00:33:27.296 --> 00:33:29.016
on, you can check with your doctor.

00:33:29.916 --> 00:33:31.956
And the reason you tell it one friend,

00:33:32.720 --> 00:33:36.360
Because when you do something that's going to be something new,

00:33:36.580 --> 00:33:39.760
you are going to start to look different. You're going to start to lose weight.

00:33:40.040 --> 00:33:42.660
They're going to forget about it because they got their own life.

00:33:42.820 --> 00:33:44.840
But at least you know, excuse me.

00:33:46.060 --> 00:33:50.000
At least you know you told someone they're not going to be your,

00:33:50.080 --> 00:33:53.680
they're just accountable, but they're not going to be, don't tell someone that's

00:33:53.680 --> 00:33:55.460
going to be your babysitter.

00:33:55.460 --> 00:34:00.500
Tell someone who you know is spiritually strong, who I'm just telling you this

00:34:00.500 --> 00:34:05.120
so that you see looking too weak, I'm looking faint, that you check me,

00:34:05.220 --> 00:34:06.740
tell me to do something, pray for me.

00:34:06.980 --> 00:34:10.640
But you don't want a babysitter. You want someone that can hold you up in prayer

00:34:10.640 --> 00:34:12.100
because they know you're about to go.

00:34:12.300 --> 00:34:14.920
You're about to break through. You don't want anybody to just,

00:34:15.080 --> 00:34:16.860
you don't want a babysitter.

00:34:17.060 --> 00:34:23.060
You get what I'm saying? You want someone to hold you accountable and for support, to pray.

00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:28.220
They say, you okay? Yeah, just pray because you know you can really go into

00:34:28.220 --> 00:34:30.120
a spiritual fight. Just pray.

00:34:31.040 --> 00:34:36.180
They might call you. You good? I'm good. Just pray, right? That's all you need.

00:34:36.620 --> 00:34:38.860
And number three, focus on spiritual growth.

00:34:39.340 --> 00:34:44.900
Use the time you usually spend eating to pray. Study scripture, seek God's presence.

00:34:45.380 --> 00:34:49.180
The intentional focus will help you experience spiritual breakthrough.

00:34:49.420 --> 00:34:53.080
What I usually do during my fasting time, because you got all this time.

00:34:53.080 --> 00:34:57.400
Usually you're cooking or you're watching your videos or whatever you're normally

00:34:57.400 --> 00:34:59.880
doing. You can take this time.

00:35:00.280 --> 00:35:05.640
And I got this one book I want to read. It's called Confronting the Thief by Jane Hammond.

00:35:05.760 --> 00:35:08.820
And I said, I want to read that book, but I got it on audio.

00:35:09.100 --> 00:35:13.500
And I want to take notes because she's talking about how to get your stuff back.

00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:16.860
Isn't that a great topic for the year of Jubilee?

00:35:17.500 --> 00:35:20.820
How to get your stuff back. I was like, hey, let's go there.

00:35:21.480 --> 00:35:26.860
I spend my own special time in prayer. We got a church prayer coming up.

00:35:26.980 --> 00:35:31.900
So it's going to be a lot of support with all that prayer going on during that season.

00:35:32.140 --> 00:35:35.500
So just remember that this is spiritual growth time.

00:35:35.800 --> 00:35:40.920
And then trust in God's reward. Believe that God sees your sincere effort and

00:35:40.920 --> 00:35:43.360
reward you according to his will.

00:35:43.660 --> 00:35:50.720
His reward may be spiritual clarity, strength in faith, or a deeper relationship with him.

00:35:50.820 --> 00:35:56.140
You know, God knows exactly what you need when you need it. And he knows how to come right on time.

00:35:57.080 --> 00:36:01.440
And it's just always powerful. And even when you're feeling weak,

00:36:01.640 --> 00:36:04.540
I would say if you're fasting and it's something that you're feeling weak,

00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:10.280
I will always say you bow, get on your knees and you bow before the Lord and

00:36:10.280 --> 00:36:15.500
you ask for his strength to help you, you know, because you're doing something new.

00:36:15.700 --> 00:36:17.980
Don't ever think that you're doing it alone.

00:36:18.980 --> 00:36:23.920
Right. Fasting is a sacred practice that should always be rooted in humility and sincerity.

00:36:24.961 --> 00:36:29.441
When we fast with the right heart, as Jesus teaches in Matthew 6,

00:36:29.681 --> 00:36:35.001
we unlock a deeper relationship with God and align ourselves with his divine purpose.

00:36:35.501 --> 00:36:40.361
Remember, it's not about public recognition. It's about private devotion.

00:36:40.801 --> 00:36:44.161
Your unseen father sees everything you do in secret.

00:36:44.441 --> 00:36:49.481
He will reward you openly in ways beyond what you can imagine.

00:36:49.921 --> 00:36:55.241
Isn't that what we want? We want God's reward. We want God's approval.

00:36:55.541 --> 00:37:00.461
And so don't do it for man's approval, because man is limited in what he can do.

00:37:00.641 --> 00:37:06.561
If you do it for God's approval, it's always beyond what we can ask or think.

00:37:07.041 --> 00:37:08.981
So I want to close this out in prayer.

00:37:09.901 --> 00:37:13.961
Heavenly Father, I thank you for the wisdom and guidance found in your word.

00:37:14.281 --> 00:37:20.061
Teach us to fast with humility and sincerity, seeking to draw closer to you,

00:37:20.741 --> 00:37:25.941
Purify our motives, strengthen our spirit, and help us to trust in your promises.

00:37:26.461 --> 00:37:33.581
May our fasting honor you and deepen our relationship with you. In Jesus' name, amen.

00:37:34.221 --> 00:37:37.901
Thank you for joining me on this episode of Diary of a Black Woman.

00:37:38.261 --> 00:37:43.741
I hope this teaching inspired you to approach fasting with a renewed heart and purpose.

00:37:44.181 --> 00:37:48.801
Until next time, stay humble and keep seeking God.

00:37:49.641 --> 00:37:53.141
Happy New Year. Let's get this started.

00:37:53.461 --> 00:38:03.181
I just can't wait to hear from you out there about what God is doing, what he has done.

00:38:04.581 --> 00:38:10.261
How he's giving you these surprise blessings in 2025.

00:38:10.261 --> 00:38:16.881
This is the first year that God has given me a download of what he wants to do.

00:38:16.881 --> 00:38:21.901
I usually get the word from my pastor, which I still do, but this is the first

00:38:21.901 --> 00:38:28.921
time he's given me instructions on what to do for this year, and I'm so excited.

00:38:29.201 --> 00:38:33.261
I think he's done it because I have an audience that's listening,

00:38:33.361 --> 00:38:35.861
and so he wants to encourage you too.

00:38:36.141 --> 00:38:40.941
So let's just give him the praise and the glory, and I just look forward to

00:38:40.941 --> 00:38:42.721
just many, many blessings.

00:38:42.721 --> 00:38:49.161
Remember Isaiah 58, as you're fasting, do not forget to follow his guidelines,

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to give to the needy, to support, to advocate.

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And I just want to bless you.

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Have a great new year. Bye.