Reflections after going without food, only water, for 14 days

I just completed 14 days of a water-only fast. The final results were:

• Weight = 223, a loss of 17.6 pounds
• Blood pressure = 115/67, a drop from 140/90-plus
• Joints = Pain is gone in my left knee and right ankle
• Physical = I realized the need to get a physical trainer/nutritionist to guide me further into healthy living
• Spiritual = God demolished a major stronghold in my life that has plagued me for years

Those are just the noticeable results today. According to the book, “Fasting,” by Jentezen Franklin, the blessings and benefits can continue for weeks and months following a fast. It is an excellent book that dives more into the “why” behind fasting rather than the “how-to” aspects of engaging in it.

I also saved more than $150 from not buying multiple daily 62-ounce soda refills, eating out three or four times a week, and driving hither and yon to get it.

Fasting that long gave me a greater appreciation for what it must feel like for people, especially children, who go to bed very hungry.

Another benefit is that it broke my appetite for news. I would often digest the worries and drama of the world while eating a meal. Going forward, I will read a book instead.

Spiritual component

To help me get my mind and spirit in the right place for a sustained fast, about three days into the journey, I started using John Eldredge’s Pause app twice a day for up to 10 minutes each time. It forced me to pause, release everything to Jesus and quiet my spirit to connect with him more closely.

I started the fast because I felt off in my physical and mental condition as well as my spiritual life. I had been going through the motions without seeing any real advancement toward my goals or spiritual growth.

I had also just returned from a seven-week driving trip to visit my daughters where I wasn’t often eating healthy foods and consuming appropriate portions.

Dethroning King Stomach

Something had to change. I needed to dethrone King Stomach and reset my body rhythms and start anew. My primary motivation was entirely physical: To lose weight, lower my blood pressure and heal my body. 

A week before starting my fast, I quit drinking diet Dr. Pepper, which I had been consuming at a rate of 130 to 260 ounces per day for 10-plus years. I had zero side effects from quitting cold turkey – not even a headache.

I knew fasting was a spiritual discipline, and I had done one for a week or longer in the mid-1990s. But, I really didn’t give any consideration to possible spiritual benefits.

When creating my plan, I decided to do the fast on a Sunday and begin it the next Friday. I didn’t give it much thought, nor did I do any research into the proper way to fast. That was not a good idea.

Although I had consulted with my doctor in advance and several times during the fast, I was caught off guard by the need for salt and electrolytes, which really made me sluggish and gave me some brain fog. Fortunately, other health-conscious people recommended a few brands that helped.

I really like the LMNT brand, for which you pour a packet into a bottle of water, shake it up and drink it down. They are delicious. I also learned about the benefit of Celtic salt vs. table salt or rock salt.

Cue the discouragers

About halfway through the fast, several people started posting to my Facebook feed, sending me private messages or commenting on comments left by others to warn I was putting my life in danger by going 14 days without any food.

However, the Bible talks about people fasting far longer than two weeks. In fact, Christians are called to fast as one of the three main spiritual disciplines – to give generously, to pray frequently and to fast regularly.

In today’s post-Christian culture obsessed with food, prescription drugs and quick fixes, the idea of complete reliance on God is lost upon many people. They find the concept to be cute and humorous, or they are even hostile to the idea.

But, Matthew 6:31-33 reminds us that we do not have to worry about what to eat or drink because God knows what we need. God encourages us to seek his kingdom FIRST, and all the rest will be given to us as well.

That’s what fasting does. It focuses the mind on God and his kingdom, being fully reliant on him and trusting him to provide what is needed to sustain us during a fast.

Going public with my journey

I know for fact I would not have completed this 14-day fast without the help of God and guidance from the Holy Spirit. I would have given up long ago.

Knowing that was a very distinct possibility, I opted to share my journey publicly through daily Facebook posts. The encouragement I received was far beyond what I imagined. I also knew I couldn’t back out with literally dozens of people cheering me on.

I can’t recall the number of private messages and comments I received from people offering specific advice for whatever I had been facing the day before. That was so very helpful.

For example, when I posted how much I was looking forward to breaking my fast with a big bowl of oatmeal, three or four scrambled eggs and a banana, a much wiser friend intervened. She explained I would shock my system and potentially cause some short-term problems.

So, she recommended having a bowl of bone broth soup to jumpstart my digestive system, then waiting an hour before having some organic yogurt to introduce good bacteria back into my gut. Trust me, a water-only fast WILL flush out whatever is in your body that needs to come out.

An hour after that, she suggested steamed vegetables and a sweet potato to coat my stomach with healthy fiber. Then, an hour after that, I could introduce proteins and other “normal” items from my typical daily diet.

My new trainer/nutritionist encouraged me to double, if not triple the amount of protein I eat every day. So, I opted for a Chipotle double chicken salad for a late lunch. It was especially delicious.

Yes, fasting should be done in secret

I knew the Bible teaches that fasting should be done in secret. In Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus says:

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

To fast in such a public way could eliminate any reward from God. I wasn’t really looking for attention. However, I knew going public and documenting my journey could inspire others to examine their own health and, perhaps, make changes as well.

Churches, doctors don’t take fasting seriously

My fasting experience was phenomenally successful after only 14 days. Reflecting on that caused me to wonder:

• Why did no medical professional suggest fasting as a way to reset my body and bring down my blood pressure or relieve joint pain. It wasn’t even presented as an option when my blood pressure soared to a staggering 200/120 before a mini-stroke in 2018 caused me to take my health more seriously. Even then, the only solution offered was to take more prescription drugs.
• Why didn’t any pastor or spiritual leader ever recommend an extended fast as an effective way to break the stronghold sin of pornography? It crippled my potential starting at age 12 and continued for more than 45 years before I could finally break free.

I don’t think medicine or churches take fasting seriously. When it comes to the medical-media-government complex, we know a healthy patient is a lost customer. But churches? They should know better, which leads me to believe fasting is not a discipline being practiced by many church leaders.

I am convinced fasting is a secret of the Kingdom of God mentioned in Luke 8:10 – “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.”

Knowing fasting is promoted by Jesus is one thing, but practicing it as a discipline is entirely different.

Will I fast again? Absolutely!

The benefits I enjoyed were significant enough to convince me I need to engage in 72-hour fasts periodically throughout the year. That gives cells in my body a chance to heal. It also ensures I remain spiritually grounded and not overcome by worldly worries.

More importantly, I will start the new year with a 21-day fast, as recommended by the author of “Fasting,” who is a pastor. His church corporately fasts for that length of time at the start of every year as a way to devote the first three weeks to God.

He has seen absolutely amazing results from members of all walks of life – most of which came AFTER the fast. I certainly want that in my life, too, especially when it comes to the salvation of people close to me and for attaining unique insight in growing my business.

Romans 12:1-2 reminds us, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Fasting is an expression of worship, and an outstanding way to renew your mind.

This fast proved to me that people over 65 can still do hard things and enjoy remarkable benefits. Yes, it is possible to reclaim your health and direction for your life at any age. Fasting is a good way to start.

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