Fasting Is Key

Every Christian needs to hear this, whether they want to or not. If you aren’t fasting, you are not being a true disciple of God. You are also not being loyal to Him. Fasting is not only a tool for tailoring the body, but it’s a tool to feed the soul.

I am not ashamed to admit that when I started my fasting journey, I had my priorities backwards. I wasn’t really thinking about the spiritual aspect of it, but more about how many pounds I can shed.

In the olden days (a few years ago), whenever I heard the word fasting, I always related it to eating for a specific number of hours during certain days. It was a tool that was mainly used for weight loss or to control one's eating habits. I occasionally tried to fast here and there for those purposes. I was hooked on the “If you eat one meal and fast for 20 hours, you will lose weight.” So, of course, as the 16-year-old that I was, I said sign me up.

This view changed dramatically when I did my first official fast with my church community in Boston back in 2024. During the New Year's, I started the Daniel Fast. This time around, I gave up sugar, bread, and alcohol for 21 days. I found myself feeling amazing. All those substances had had such a hold on me that when I gave them up, it made me feel free. When the fasting period ended, I found myself sad because I truly had enjoyed giving up those things. I figured I wanted to continue fasting, but I didn’t know what to give up and lacked the knowledge of how/when I should do it.

Then I moved to Fiji. While being here, one of the biggest challenges that I encountered was food-related. Most days, I found myself obsessing over food. What I was going to cook, when I was going to eat, whether I was hungry or not… This obsession had mainly come from being bored and having nothing to do most days. I then began to feel very unhealthy because everything I ate was very heavy on starch and carbohydrates, plus it lacked protein. I found myself gaining a lot of weight and feeling extra heavy. It didn’t matter how many miles I walked or jogged. It didn’t matter how many home workouts I did; I still felt sick.

2025 began, and I decided to fast. I already knew that fasting was going to eliminate all the toxins and gases that had me feeling horrible. I knew that fasting was going to reduce all the inflammation in my body and leave me feeling like new. I also knew that fasting was going to give me the opportunity to start over. Start over in the sense that my body was going to kill all the bad cells that were destroying me. I started fasting with the sole purpose of losing weight (again, not the right rationale for it, but it led me to where I am now). It hurts for me to say this now, but that was my reality.

I decided to make it a goal to fast the first weekend of every month for the year 2025. I wanted to give my body a hard reset. However, I also wanted to feed my spirit, so I dedicated those days to God so that He could move how He wanted to move. Later on, I learned that the bigger purpose of fasting is to reach God, not to lose weight. The truth is, if we fast without feeding our spirit, we are simply starving ourselves. Through fasting, I learned how to feed my spirit with the Holy Spirit.

You might be wondering, why should I fast? Well, we are all called to fast. The Bible says, “And when you fast…” Matthew 6:16. The verse starts with WHEN, indicating that we have to, that it’s not really a choice. So, whether you want to or not, it is something that we are called to do. Through fasting, we have the opportunity to deepen our relationships with God and to build intimacy with Him. We learn self-control and discipline. We learn how to sacrifice what we love for the One who loves us! Fasting gives us the opportunity to silence the chaos of the world. Whenever we silence the world and its noises (whether it's abstaining from food, social media, relationships, whatever it is that you feel has become louder than God’s voice), that’s when we truly get a breakthrough.

I decided to fast from food because I found myself being controlled by it. I found it hard to say no to certain foods. I often found myself overeating and not truly valuing the importance of food in my life. I lacked self-control and was always choosing my flesh over listening to God’s wisdom. The more I fasted and the more questions I asked the Lord, the more I learned what my issue was. I was being gluttonous. For those that don’t know, gluttony is one of the 7 deadly sins. I am not proud to admit that I had fallen into this sin because of the Fijian culture. The excess amount of food that is found in many villages and the constant “kana vaka levu” is absolutely insane.

I had tried to solve this issue alone for months, but came to the realization that I couldn’t handle this by myself. I knew I needed Jesus help. So I brought it up to God and prayed on it. I prayed for clarity and for guidance. I prayed that through the denial of what I craved the most, which was food, my body was going to learn that it has power and that food holds no control over it. I learned that through fasting, I was sacrificing what I truly loved in order to gain the strength, clarity, and self-control that I needed.

Aside from fasting from food, I also fasted from social media. I figured that during my fasting period, I needed to isolate myself from all the chaos that is the world in order to have bigger breakthroughs and revelations. Fasting from social media gave me that peace of mind. During those days, I am able to submerge myself in my little bubble with Jesus, without any distractions.

Let me tell you, fasting is not easy. It was never meant to be. It is something that is supposed to challenge us to a point where we feel like we should give up. However, it is something that must be done. If you are desperate and in need of answers, in need of answered prayers, or simply looking for guidance, fasting is your answer. Just because it is hard, it does not mean there aren’t things we can do to help make the process smoother.

Every time I fast, the day before I go into really deep prayers. I prepare my body by eating nutritious meals, low in sugar and carbs. I go into my reading space and read my bible. I talk to God, asking Him what it is that He needs of me in this season. I do a list of prayers that I would like to have answered or a list of prayers that I have yet to bring to Him. The day before is CRUCIAL to any successful fast. It is a time when you come and surrender all that you have to Him. It is a time when you pray that you align your wants and needs to His will. You pray for strength against the temptation that your body will experience whenever it sees, smells, or wonders about food. The day before not only sets the stage to prepare your body, but it also sets the stage to open your mind and soul for the rude awakening that you are about to have. 

The first fasts were very challenging because my body had never gone for such long periods without food. I also was not hydrating enough. At times I found myself either drinking too much water (making me nauseous) or drinking too little (making me dizzy). During the first fast, Jan 2025, I did the big mistake of drinking coffee and tea (which ultimately made me more dehydrated. When I realized this, I didn’t incorporate those liquids into my future fasting’s), what I did incorporate where a few electrolytes packets, some coconut water and some vitamins to supplement my body with the minerals it was missing. After the first 3-4 fasts, I realized I didn’t need the supplements, so I stopped drinking them.

During these times, my body felt a lot of fatigue. I was constantly tired and just wanted to sleep. This was because the only thing I was consuming was liquids. I combatted these issues by praying and reminding myself that I chose to do this for the love that I have for my Father.

During each fast, I was very intentional with my time with the Lord. I started my day with my bible studies. Followed by frequent prayers. During my lunch times, I would open my bible and dig into a conversation with Jesus. Followed by my afternoon walks, where I would dive back into conversations with Him. I would often listen to podcasts sharing His goodness. I would often worship Him throughout the day, through singing songs of praise. Followed by my night devotionals and more time in His presence. Occasionally, I would end my days studying a Bible plan, where I get to learn about His kingdom, and prepare myself for who I need to be.

One of the most crucial parts of any fast is that it must be done in private. You must always look presentable and normal. When we fast, we fast to grow closer to our Lord, not so people can have pity on us. Matthew 6: 16-18 says, “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

Lastly, do you wanna know what the last crucial step to any successful fasting is? Well, I will not tell you. I am kidding hehehehe. The last crucial step, to end your fasting period with a bang, is to give thanks. Give thanks to God for all the teachings He taught you. Give thanks to Him for all the strength and discipline that He gave you in order to start and end the fast successfully. Give thanks to Him for meeting with you at all times, even when you didn’t want to have certain conversations or when you were tired. During your last fasting prayer, you want to pray that everything that He taught you and every seed that was planted in your heart may all bear great fruit. May it impact you so much that you no longer feel like the same person you were a few days ago.

If you decide to do a liquid fast and fast from all foods, I strongly suggest this: The following day after your fasting ends, you are going to want to introduce food slowly into your system. Your body has had a major shock by not having anything in its belly for a while, hence its breakdown process will be slow. The first day back, you are going to want to eat nutritious foods, like eggs, oatmeal, and anything that is not too dense and high in oil. As the days pass, slowly introduce wheat, oil, and fried foods. I am not an expert on the matter. I am speaking from experience, so take it as you will :) 

Fasting has truly saved me. Not only has it saved my mental health because I now look at food differently, but it has given me a lifeline. Through this discipline, I have learned how much God cares for me and loves me. He is always there, intentionally waiting for me to silence the world so that I can grow into a deeper relationship with Him. The sacrifice of giving up food, to have this type of intimacy with Him, is soooo worth it!

2026 started, and I still fast monthly. During each fast, I can hear His voice more clearly. I can feel His Spirit more sharply. My judgment and wisdom have become more profound. Every month, I look forward to spending more time fasting with my Lord.

I truly hope that you enjoyed reading this entry. It has been, by far, one of my favorite ones to write. If you wish to talk more about fasting, I would love to chat. I know that it is a hard topic to talk about and that there might be a lack of guidance. Please, don’t hesitate to reach out. I would love to assist you!

Thank you for spending some time reading this piece. If you have any questions and would like some more guidance on fasting, please either hit the chat or send me an email. I would love to help!

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Stay tuned for my next blog - > Minus 4 Teeth, Still Dashing

XOXO Yerika