For the past 10+ years I have been pregnant or nursing and yet I love Jesus and have a heart to corporately fast and pray with other believers. Maybe this is you and you are wondering what fasting and prayer even looks like for a young mom who may be pregnant or nursing... this is for you!!!
FASTING: A TOOL AND A GIFT
First, why fast? Fasting is a tool and a gift given to us by the wisdom of the Lord. Jesus alludes to the power of fasting when He admonishes His disciples in Matthew 17:21 (and Mark 9:29), "This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting". In Luke 5:35, Mark 2:20 and Matthew 9:15, Jesus' statement about His departure concludes with "and then they will fast". It is implied that fasting is a natural response, welling up from the overflow of a lovesick Bride. In recent years of comfortable Christianity, fasting has been relegated to extreme occasions of desperate reaching toward the Lord but historically, it was quite common and I believe it is becoming more and more embraced by the corporate Body of Christ worldwide. Yay!
There are whole books dedicated to this powerful spiritual practice, (I will recommend a few at the end) and this post is not in any way meant to be an exhaustive resource on the subject but rather a springboard for Mamas who have a heart for Jesus. As with every good & perfect gift from above, fasting has amazing benefits your whole being - spirit, soul and body! Thank You Jesus!
By no means are Christians the only people who fast - in fact, fasting is used widely by practicing Muslims, Hindus, as well as the occult, to name a few. Like many other gifts, fasting can be used and abused by people in destructive ways - but it was made for believers to partner with the King and bring Heaven to earth. Hallelujah! What a shame for us to leave any gift unopened and any tool from our Father un-enjoyed.
TAKING THINGS OUT
At the most basic definition, fasting is giving up food in order to pray, but for pregnant and/or nursing Mamas I am going to expound on this a bit more! When you are pregnant or nursing a baby, it is not healthy or safe to completely fast food or water 100%. Instead, get creative and ask the Holy Spirit what fasting could look like for you in this precious season. I will explain a bit more and then give you some practical ideas of what it could look like for you.
When you are considering your fast, ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify things you draw comfort from, various touchpoint's throughout your day, where if they were removed, you would notice. This is what I mean, food brings strength and comfort. When I remove a meal, I notice! In that point of weakness, I can "engage faith" and "lean in" to Jesus just like you remind yourself to "engage your core" in a workout. In my physical weakness, I lean into prayer, contending in the Spirit for the promises of God, standing on His Word, etc.
Are there a couple touchpoint's throughout your day you could lay down for the Lord? Choosing to be weak and uncomfortable in order to propel you to the throne room? Are there things you hunger for throughout the day? I'm not even talking about sinful, bad things (obviously, give those to Jesus and by His mercy, never go back!)... what are some things which if they were removed, you would seriously notice... scrolling social media while you nurse, that sweet afternoon treat you crave, the hot-tea or coffee pick-me-up drink that helps you get through the morning, veggin' in front of the TV after the kids are in bed... whatever it is, make note and ask the Holy Spirit to help you make a plan.
In addition, if you feel the grace to do a Daniel Fast or something along those lines, do it!
Ideas:
Social Media (delete the apps off your phone, and when you feel the longing for connection, connect with the Throne Room)
Online Purchases
Sweets/Sugar (feast on the sweetness of His Presence in worship and prayer)
Fav Drink (I love my hot tea with milk just sitting their in my Yeti, waiting to hug me throughout the day lol)
Meat
Bread/Carbs
PUTTING THINGS IN
As important as it is to make a plan of what you are fasting (ie. removing from your diet and/or life), it is EQUALLY important to plan what you are putting IN!
Isaiah 58 is a scary-accurate depiction of how people can go through fasting, refraining from eating and totally MISS it. They don't make a plan to put the law of kindness on their tongue so they find themselves on day two, at 3:55PM screaming at all their kids and and slamming cupboard doors!
Jesus, in His teachings, makes it abundantly clear that our heart response is very important! To put it in perspective, it is more grievous to the Lord's heart for a mom to act out in anger toward her family than if we accidentally eat breakfast when we had planned to fast a meal and pray.
Ideas:
Put a guard over your lips. Commit to be slow to speak, slow to become angry.
Set an alarm on your phone morning, noon & night. When it rings, stop what you're doing and go kneel in front of your couch and pray.
Invite your family into a special time of Adoration morning or night, singing and worshiping Jesus.
Write up scriptures or prayer focuses on index cards in preparation and tape them up in different places throughout your home. Chewing on this life-giving spirit-food will bolster your spirit (place them at the kitchen sink, bathroom, car, rocking chair, etc.).
Purchase crackers and juice for daily communion - you can take this together as a family daily (I HIGHLY recommend this - my kids LOVE the seasons where we do this on a daily basis as a family).
WHEN IT IS HARD
Fasting, when done correctly, will expose fissures in your foundation. Do not be surprised if ugly things begin to surface. Though humbling, this is actually a really good thing, and when those things surface, take them to Jesus.
Studies have been done in the science and health world linking fasting (literally going without food for a length of time) with the removal of cancer cells in a persons body (one of the amazing physical benefits). In a similar way, you may see seeds of anger, lust, greed, envy, selfishness, trauma wounds, insecurity, perverse mindsets and more disgusting little buggers surface... let me say it again, this is normal and healthy. Do not overlook them, stick them in a jar and take them to the Holy Spirit - our supreme doctor and Healer - for examination and treatment ;)
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139: 23-34
Lets DO THIS!!!
xoxo-
Resources:
Shaping History through Prayer and Fasting by Derek Prince
Fasting: The Key to Releasing God's Power in Your Life by Derek Prince
The Fast: Rediscovering Jesus' Pathway to Power by Lou Engle
The Jesus Fast: The Call to Awaken the Nations by Lou Engle and Dean Briggs
Complete Fasting Series by Spirit of Health