January 14, 2025 • 30 mins
This episode explores the transformational power of fasting, emphasizing its spiritual significance over physical outcomes. We discuss misconceptions about fasting, share personal experiences, and encourage thoughtful engagement with the practice to deepen one’s relationship with God.
• Fasting is often misunderstood as simply a diet
• True purpose of fasting is to seek spiritual growth
• Personal experiences with fasting highlight its challenges
• Different types of fasts can cater to individual needs
• Importance of mental preparation before starting a fast
• Fasting should be spiritually led, not culturally driven
Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!
Start for FREE
THE NEW LIFE COLLECTION IS HERE:
Shop Here 👉 https://letsdigthepodcast.myshopify.com/
____________________________________
STAY TUNED FOR ALL EPISODES HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxNumgVDs3mAeIfVhq64qAQ?sub_confirmation=1
Use this link for all the ways to keep in touch:
http://linktr.ee/letsdigthepodcast
FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:
Pierre: https://www.instagram.com/pierrearistil/
Danilee: https://www.instagram.com/danileearistil/
If this episode resonated with you please be sure to leave a comment, subscribe, like or share it. Thank you for joining as we dig!
____________________________________
Would you like to be a blessing:
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/letsdig
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And we are back.
We're back, baby, this isprobably like season three I
guess you can call it Kind ofseason three and this time we're
not nervous because y'all forthose of you that have been
tracking us for the last coupleof years the last time we was
back we took a real long break.
We took a break this time.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
We did, but it felt really good, really refreshing
the holidays, spending time withfamily, like being intentional.
It felt really good, but good.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
But now I'm excited already and it was your birthday
too.
If you guys can probably see ityou probably see it in my
camera shot there's balloonsright here behind me, um big 38
38.
I'm excited.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
38 and great 38 and great yeah but yeah, it was, it
was a good birthday, it was goodholidays, it was wonderful,
yeah we had to take a break fromrecording episodes.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Um, really just putting together our priorities,
what really matters.
I think, man, the holidays comearound and while you're still
doing podcasts and you're tryingto do all these things to help
other people, how you realizelike you get empty for a season
and so we didn't give you guyswarnings this time again.
Uh, honestly, it's just arecord, we're just gonna keep it
going it's just.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
It's just um what we do but I think it is now more
accepted in culture to do thisin a healthy way.
And now, when people step awayto take a health break or to
take some time to rejuvenate- orto concentrate themselves to
the Lord.
It's like, oh okay, they justneed a little break, all right,
they'll be back.
So that's what we did.
We just took a little break.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
We took a little break.
It was a couple of weeks and sowe're back, baby, um, we're
starting off this year and we'retrying to start it off right.
You know, especially for us aschristians like for us, it's
important for us to start offreally, um, determining our
priorities and our relationshipwith god.
Yeah, really praying I know allchristians, everybody's going
into you know praying andfasting and really what that
talks about.
So, um, I think we've fastedfor so many years, but I'll be
(01:44):
honest with you, babe, I thinkwe've done it wrong for a little
bit.
I agree, I think we've done itwrong for a couple of years, and
there were years that we'rereally fast, like we were
frustrated with God because hewasn't doing the stuff we wanted
him to do.
So I really want to talk aboutwhat does it look like to really
prepare our hearts for the yearpraying and fasting, want to do
that, talk about that.
So, before we do that, let'stell them why we're here.
(02:05):
We're here to help you guysgrow a deeper relationship with
God, others and yourself.
If you're not subscribed to thechannel, if you're new to the
channel, I want to say welcometo let's Dig the podcast.
What else we want to tell them?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
They can hit the heart.
Show us some love, somebirthday love.
That is fine too.
It's still the same week, soyou can send me that, but
honestly, no, just jump in thosecomments, subscribe, and we
want you to send this to someonewho you know will help them
along this journey.
If they are in a fast and theyare praying for the beginning of
the year, like, share it withsomeone that you know that'll
impact them.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, and also, if you've been rocking with us for
the last couple of years, lastcouple of seasons, hit that like
button and send this tosomebody.
If you feel like thisconversation is actually going
to bless you and you're lookingforward to it, hit that like
button too as well.
You know, for us like we don'tlike doing lives by ourselves.
We really do believe that thebest thing that you can have on
this earth, it's yourrelationship, your relationship
(02:57):
with God right With Christ, yourrelationship with others and
also your relationship withyourself.
So we're going to dig.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Let's dig.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Let's dig.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Let's dig so fasting.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
You know, I think about fasting.
Growing up in church we weretaught when you want to see God
do something.
If you want God to move you,fast, you fast and you go to God
with this wishlist of all thisstuff he going to move you.
Fast, you fast and you go toGod with this wishlist of all
this stuff he going to do foryou.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
And you'd write it out.
Actually had to write out yourwishlist and I'm believing.
To be fair, we're beingfacetious right now.
Like yeah, it's not really awishlist.
Like right, like they're.
Like your pastors are notstanding in front of the church
saying write out your wishlistand go to God.
They're saying like vision.
They're saying write yourthings that you're asking God
for.
But even in the same packagingit can be the same, like
(03:52):
different packaging can still bethe same thing.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Yeah well, I can't speak.
I'm not trying to speak forpastors that done it right or
wrong, Like I'm actually noteven speaking for anyone.
I'm speaking for myself what Ithought it was.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Right, I guess what I'm just wanting to clarify is
that, like for those who havenot been raised in church their
whole life, I don't want them tothink that our pastors actually
told us go write a wishlist.
That's not how it was presentedto us, but it is how it turned
into and it is how it became.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Does that make sense?
I get you what you're saying,but when I was saying all that,
I was not saying it from theperspective of.
That's what I was taught,gotcha.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
It just sounded like that, yeah, that's what.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
That's what I thought , right, that's just what I
thought it was Right, and Ithink too, like the world that
we're living in, the wordfasting has become this hot
thing to do.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Oh, for sure.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
In fitness and in health, and I think, for us as
Christians, we've taken on theworldview of fasting, and I'll
be the first one to confessright now there are some times
fasting was more of a physicaljourney than it was a spiritual
journey, that's true, I've hadmy own challenges with fasting.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
I always think about the time when we lived in St
Louis and we were on a fast.
There was two fast.
We were only there for one year, but there was two fast in that
year and they were verydifferent.
The first one we did, I almostgave up, I quit.
I told you like I was reallystruggling because I could feel
(05:24):
my heart towards God.
I felt like a spoiled child orlike a pouting toddler, like I
felt like God, I'm not going tohave this until you do that.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
It was like you was like I'm going to starve myself,
god.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I wasn't starving myself.
You know I love food too muchbut I was sacrificing whatever I
had decided.
Starving myself, you know Ilove food too much but I was
sacrificing whatever I haddecided for fasting.
But it was in like a pouting,like frustrated mad at God kind
of way.
And I remember telling you like, babe, this is not healthy,
this is not I.
I know I'm not in the righthere, I should just quit fasting
(06:01):
because my spirit is not right.
And you kind of challenged me,You're like you could, you could
quit.
You were like, or you couldlike dig deeper.
And I remember I wanted to talkabout this resource.
I remember in that season I wentback and I found a pastor
Jensen Franklin's book, fasting,yeah, and I got it and I read
(06:22):
it and his church that he leadsas a lead pastor they do a
fasting every beginning of theyear, so he's always preaching
sermons in that he's very wellknown in that topic and so I
just started listening to allthe sermons that he had on
fasting, reading his book, andso I actually didn't give up on
that fast.
I went all the way through andGod really changed my heart.
(06:44):
The second fast while we werein St Louis was the one where I
had my things, that I knew I wasgonna fast and I heard the Holy
Spirit challenge me with anextra thing to fast and I was
like no, no, I'm good.
But I knew it wasn't from me,it was from the Holy Spirit
challenging me to something evenharder.
So those two fasts were verydifferent.
(07:06):
One, my spirit wasn't right,the other my spirit was actually
being challenged.
And that's where I've seenfasting really change for me.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Yeah.
So let me ask you this why doyou keep coming back Like, why
do you make the choice to fastagain?
Speaker 2 (07:28):
It goes back to what you said of, because it is a
spiritual growth and not aphysical growth.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Yeah, it's a spiritual journey, not a
physical journey.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
It really does change your spiritual relationship
with the Lord.
It really does bring you closer.
There are a lot of times whereand this is what we wanted to
kind of share of how we got itwrong was are a lot of times
where and this is what we wantedto kind of share of how we got
it wrong was that a lot of timeswe would seek God's hand and we
weren't seeking his face.
But I can tell the vastdifference of the fast that we
(07:56):
did, where we actually soughthis face instead, and because of
that, I do believe his handmoved, but our heart posture was
literally to seek him, andthat's why I will do it again is
that I do believe his handmoved, but our heart posture was
literally to seek him, andthat's why I will do it again.
Is that because I feel like ittakes my focus off of everything
else.
It takes my focus off of what Iwant and what I need, and
actually all I need is God, allI need is the Holy Spirit, all I
(08:19):
need is Jesus in my life.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
What's the hardest fast you've ever done?
Speaker 2 (08:24):
it was probably that one in St Louis.
I, man that I had our three,like me, and you had picked,
chosen three things.
And, to be fair, you canprobably break down like all the
different fasts, but a lot oftimes we will choose things that
are very challenging for us,and the things that are
challenging for you aredifferent than me.
And so in that one it wassocial media bread.
(08:46):
Any drinks, I could only drinkwater, yeah.
And then that's where I gotchallenged and the holy spirit
this is kind of embarrassing hetold me cheese, yeah.
And I, I like I don't want eggsif it doesn't have cheese in it
, I don't want salad if itdoesn't have cheese in it and I
don't want a sandwich if itdoesn't have cheese in it.
And so I was like no, I'm good,I have my things.
(09:07):
And then I knew like and thatwas a really hard one, I
remember going to a super nicebuffet and they had like this
incredible mac and cheese.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
And guess who was not trying that mac and cheese
Right?
So it was just that was a very,very challenging one.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
So I'm about to challenge you right now.
We lived in St Louis like 10years ago.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Yeah, but that was really hard.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Because the thing is so there's also like the Daniel
Fast right, the Daniel Fasty'all.
The easiest place to do theDaniel Fast is in California.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Because there are so many vegan options.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Like it's not as challenging as it was when we
were in Florida we were doing it.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
I you know I'm going to really challenge you and
challenge everybody.
When it comes to fasting, youknow to each his own, you know
to say that one fast is easierthan another.
So, like for me to cut outdrinks, I could say, oh, that's
easy.
Well, yeah for sure.
So I just, I guess I reallywant to help people to
understand, like, when it comesto really choosing a fast on
(10:14):
your spiritual journey, like youhave to really decide in your
heart what is a true sacrifice?
Absolutely, because to somepeople, daniel, fast is easy.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Right.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Right.
But to others a Daniel fast canbe really hard.
And for those who don't knowwhat a Daniel fast is, daniel
was a character in the Bible,one of God's people.
He was a Jew and a Hebrew youngman, a teenager, 17.
And they were taken captive bytheir enemies, the Babylonians,
(10:51):
and they were forced to live aBabylonian life.
They were forced to dress theway they did, they were forced
to even speak the language.
So in the book of Daniel yousee that in the original text
they actually go back and forthlanguages because Daniel
actually learned their language.
So in the original it's twodifferent languages.
(11:12):
It was like originally writtenin.
But anyways, they were forced toeat their food and Daniel said
he will not defile his body, hewill not go against the like,
the Jewish customs on how theyate.
And he dared, and basicallydared, challenge the king.
It was like yo feed me justsalads, like vegetables and
(11:32):
water, period, and watch me.
My friends look better thanyour people, be stronger,
healthier.
And after the fast, like theyrealized, like even the king
realized like how are you guyslooking better, stronger, fit,
like all that stuff?
Because he was realizing it waswe are spirit beings and our
spirit is really what controlsthe body, really what it is, and
(11:53):
it was a mind over mattersituation and that's how they be
, that's how it became theDaniel fast.
So to some people, like someonelike my mom, you know, rest in
peace.
The Daniel fast was easy forher.
That's true, Like you know whatI mean so.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Cause Daniel fast is like no meat, no dairy.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
It's literally fruits and vegetables, and water and
back then they weren't like deepfrying and saltain it and doing
all these oils and doing allthis stuff.
So, like you say the DanielFast is easy in California.
Well, it depends.
Americanized Daniel Fast Rightor like original actual Daniel
Fast, sure Raw.
You ain't using no coconut oilor corn oil to go ahead and like
(12:31):
deep fry, just like oh, thiswas really good.
Like you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Yeah, I do know what you're saying, but I do.
I mean there's some really bombcauliflower, vegan, no dairy,
no grain mac and cheese out inCalifornia that you cannot find
in St Louis.
That's all I was saying.
Maybe Was that there's a lot oflike we would explore more
vegan restaurants when we weredoing a Daniel fast out here
than any other time.
Yeah, so, but there's otheroptions.
(12:57):
Talk about some of the otheroptions for fasting, like what
are some other ways that peoplehave fasted or that they can
fast?
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Well, I want to, actually I want to answer the
question.
They can fast, well I want to.
Actually, I want to answer thequestion I guess I'm gonna ask
myself this question why shouldpeople fast?
Ask yourself your own question.
Okay, I'm saying I think whyshould people fast?
Okay, like you know what I mean, I think people get caught up
on the, on all the types offasts you know they get.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Okay, we're gonna do the jewish fast I just want you
to like break down what thoseare for them yeah, yeah, and I
think we should.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
I'm saying is like I think people need to figure out
why should they be fasting thisyear?
Because I'm saying this worldthat we live in, they've gotten
caught up on the fabs of fasting.
Oh, what are you doing?
I know one girl.
She used to fast and she's likeI've you know, I'm doing this,
I'm doing this, but I'm going todo this because I don't want to
lose my gains.
I don't want to, like you knowI do this for so I still want to
(13:51):
keep my protein level up, so Istill need some carbs, and so
what I don't want to do is godown all you could do this fast,
you could do this fast.
You could do this fast and youcould also miss God at the same
time.
People go down this fastingrabbit trail of like all the
cool ways to do it, and itbecomes a physical journey and
(14:12):
not a spiritual journey.
I think everybody really needsto ask themselves like why am I
going into this fast?
I have been guilty of fastingjust because I thought I can get
God to do things that I wantedhim to do, like he's a genie in
the bottle, right, and so it'ssome spiritual journey, but it's
still thinking that you're likeyou could outsmart God and
(14:34):
manipulate him, like you knowwhat I'm saying.
And then there's been seasonswhere I went into a fast top of
the year just because I wantedto just jumpstart my body and go
down this physical pathway andtricking everybody.
And they're making everyonethink that, oh yeah, I'm praying
, I'm really praying, but I'mreally cool to see, like, oh man
, look, wow, I can see my abs.
There's that fifth pack kickingin.
Now you know what I'm saying andyou're not fooling God, because
(14:57):
God realized that you're stillplaying some type of games,
playing some type of system.
And then what happens is andit's happened to me at the end
of the fast, I'm frustratedbecause God didn't do what I
thought he was doing, because Imade all these sacrifices.
Did you really make sacrificesor were you really trying to get
some physical gains?
Are you really trying to dropdown or you really couldn't wait
(15:17):
to get into those holiday pants?
Right, you know what I'm sayingyeah.
And so I think people reallyreally need to ask themselves
like what am I hungry for?
Am I hungry for God?
Am I hungry for food?
Am I willing to sacrifice thecertain things that I do put in
my body just because I want togrow spiritually?
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Right, cause you have two men you have your, your
flesh, and you have your spiritman, and whichever one you're
feeding is the one that willgrow.
So are you feeding your fleshor are you feeding your spirit
man?
Speaker 1 (15:54):
Yeah, A question people should ask before they
start fasting is is my spiritmore hungry than my body?
Even for me, before I started,before I started fast, I'll
start asking the Holy spirit,putting me a hunger for God make
me thirsty for you, like when Istart fasting, I can feel days
(16:18):
leading up to it Like I feellike I need to start fasting.
I feel like because I'm feelingmyself become hungry for God,
and those are indicators thatyou should fast.
You start prepping yourselfmentally for the things that
you're that you should fast.
You start prepping yourselfmentally for the things that
you're going to cut out.
You start actually identifyingcertain times throughout the day
that you know I should bereading my Bible.
Right now, I should be feedingon God's word and not feeding on
(16:41):
these chips.
Or, if you find yourselfthinking all day about God and
not food, you should startplanning a fast.
That's good.
Those are indicators thatthere's a fast that's coming.
It's God trying to draw near toyou.
Yeah, and you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
I like the fact that it actually is healthy to
prepare your mind for fasting,because I'll talk about it with
my girls, especially because italways falls around my birthday.
So I'm like, nope, I'm notjumping in, nope, I'm not.
And it always takes me a whileto kind of everybody knows what
it's like to celebrate becauseof holidays, whatever.
So for me, with my birthday, italways takes me a little bit to
(17:20):
like turn off of the decisionof like okay, I'm done
celebrating, now it's time tomove into this.
And even the church will gobefore me, you know, like all
the new year, at the top of theyear, everybody's ready to go
and I'm like, oh no, I'm January5th over here, I'm going to
still celebrate.
But then I can always feel thatpull of like okay, you're done,
it's time to switch over, likeswitch your brain, switch your
(17:42):
spirit, like it's time to stopcelebrating and it's time to get
disciplined and like seek theface of God.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Yeah, that's good man , that's good Fasting.
It's a physical decision thattakes spiritual discipline.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
That's very true.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
I just thought, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Go ahead say it again .
Can you say it again?
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Yeah, I say it really slow because I just realized it
right now.
When you fast to seek God, itis a physical decision that
takes spiritual discipline.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
It's very true.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
You have to make up in your heart and make a vow
with the Lord that I want toseek you, that I'm going to take
away something from my body,I'm going to deny my body
something, just so that myspiritual senses can be
heightened.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
And I could see God's face and I can hear his voice.
The goal after a fast is not toget things yeah.
The goal after a fast is noteven for doors to open and for
opportunities to open.
The goal after a fast is thatsomeone can be closer to God,
yeah, and that their spiritualsenses can be stronger.
That's why, when Jesus had tocheck his disciples, they were
(18:53):
under spiritual attack.
They were trying to cast out ademon out of a man.
And even Jesus said no, thistype could only happen through
praying and fasting, basicallysaying we're not fighting
against flesh and blood, we'reso focused on feeding our body.
And Jesus is saying actually,the real war, it's a spiritual
(19:14):
war and the only way to win thisbattle is through praying and
fasting.
So when you finish praying andfasting, you should walk away
from it saying wow, I feelspiritually fit, I feel
spiritually strong, my spiritualsense right, that extra sense
(19:35):
is stronger now.
So more discernment, words ofknowledge, words of wisdom,
those are indicators that a fastwas successful.
You feel sympathy, you feelmore love, you feel more joy,
you feel peace.
All the fruits of the spirit iswhat you've been eating on.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
It's really good.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Those are indicators.
So there's been times I fastedpoorly.
I wanted God to do all thesethings.
Yeah, not even realize God wassaying no.
I'm telling you to cut back onthe physical food and start
eating on the spiritual food.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
And watch you never go hungry again.
So true, and so I think peoplereally need to determine before
I go on a fast, start preparingyour heart, really start
processing, really startthinking about it.
You should start being hungryfor it and there's a phase where
you start pushing it away andit starts leaning into actually
grabbing it.
I know the times where I'm likeI'm pushing off a fast, like
(20:29):
I'm pushing it, I'm pushing it,I don't want it, and then I
start feeling this, this, thislike tug of war, of like, why am
I wanting it more?
Why am I?
Those indicators God is sayingjust draw near to me, get close
to me, get close to me, I'mgoing to fill you with the
spirit of God, the fruits of thespirit.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
So we talked about why we would fast.
Yeah, can you talk about whatit looks like, all the ways that
it can look like?
Speaker 1 (20:56):
Yeah, I think there's so many different ways of
fasting.
One of the best ways I wouldsuggest anybody to get into
fasting is try it for one dayand do like just a water fast.
Like just water fast, or maybea liquid fast.
That would be a normal fast.
Why?
Because it shocks your body.
And another reason is becauseall you could do is pray.
(21:17):
That's true, lord Jesus.
This stomach is growling.
Lord Jesus, what's that soundin my body?
What's going on?
Right, but it forces you topray.
Yeah, because you could only doit with spiritual discipline.
Yeah, that's what I'm saying.
Fasting, it's a physicaldecision that requires spiritual
discipline.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
So I think that's one of the first ways to do it.
Another way to do it is usingthree days and doing maybe just
liquids, like just liquids, soit could be smoothies, it could
be juices, things like that.
Right, again, it still takesspiritual discipline.
You know, I like doingdifferent types of Jewish fast,
like where it's actuallyspecific dedicated time to like
(21:58):
sun up, sun down there's awindow that you actually do it
or skipping meals and times thatyou would actually eat
physically.
You eat spiritually and so,like you know that, you know me
eat breakfast, or like lastnight, one of the reason why I
came home last night is becauseI couldn't eat dinner, because I
was in the middle of a fastright, I already ate, so I'm
skipping dinner.
So I stayed at the office,closed my laptop, opened up the
(22:22):
bible and fed on god's wordgotcha.
So that's why I came late lastnight.
Yeah, like when you asked melike I was like was this your
plan?
no, I had to skip a meal.
So instead of skipping meals,oh man, look in front of the.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
We all get certain side effects, like when you're
(22:54):
fasting, um, I can get reallybad headaches or migraines or
feel, you know, weak or whatever, and there's a very fine line
right.
Can you talk a little bit oflike how do people who want to
try fasting do it safely, butbiblically, because there is a
part of it that your flesh willhate it?
There's a part of it you dohave to push through.
(23:14):
There's a part of it you arehungry, but then there's also
like you can't go three dayswithout water or you die.
So, like what?
How do you like, how do youencourage people who want to try
it to be safe and healthy anddo it in a way that's God
honoring?
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Yeah Well, first of all, I think about when Jesus,
when he went into the wildernessto pray and fast, he was led by
the spirit.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
The Holy spirit should be leading us to a fast,
yeah, and if you're led by thespirit, you'll have wisdom and
you'll have discernment.
It's true.
You'll know what you'reconvicted about.
You'll know what you should besacrificing.
You will know.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Which is why sometimes we wouldn't do just a
Daniel fast or just this fast.
We would literally say like,hey, these three things have a
hold on me right now and this iswhat I need to fast.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Yeah, I personally can't do the Daniel fast, and
the reason why I can't do aDaniel fast is I'll find all
types of ways to like let mehave a banana, let me have an
apple, let me get some grapes,let me get a salad, let me get a
salad.
Why are you eating salads allday long?
And so, like I'm still obsessedwith food and I'm finding all
these ways to still findphysical fulfillment in food,
(24:24):
Even if it's a.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
Daniel fast and for me, social media is just one
that I need to constantly like,re-evaluate, recheck, like, okay
, I just need to be off of itand that's hard for me, like
I'll have the what is it called?
Like the reflex to just go andI'm like, oh, I'm not on social
media right now, so that wassomething that I had to.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
And those type of fasts right there that's become
very common in the modern daychurch of like fasting things or
entertainment stuff.
That I'm not saying that'swrong, you know what I mean but
that that that's not like reallya biblical thing but.
I could understand, becausefasting, if you literally look
up fasting, one definition saysis to cover your hand like cover
(25:05):
your hand I'm sorry to coveryour mouth oh, okay, yeah to
cover your mouth, refrain fromeating, that's fasting.
So when say I?
So when someone say I'm fasting?
Social media, the definition offasting is literally to refrain
from eating, got it.
It's to block your, that's thedefinition.
So technical mixing, but I getit because maybe it may not be a
(25:25):
physical fast, it's a mentalfast, right, it's a social fast,
right.
So I get it and I have beforeand there like places for it.
Yeah, because the part offasting is, you know, for your
body and your spirit, right.
So some people might say, well,my body, I'm fine with not
eating, but it's really my mindI can't stop looking at social
media, right?
So so then it's a mind thing,like, I get that.
(25:45):
But I think people that havethat are concerned with the
health and things like that,first of all know that why are
you fasting?
Is your pastor telling you todo it?
It's just a thing that yourchurch does, a thing that your
mom do, or is it the spirit ofGod that is leading you into a
fast, like Jesus was led by theHoly Spirit into the wilderness
to pray and fast.
(26:05):
He went there to seek God.
Now, he did an absolute fast.
He did nothing, right 40 days.
Like you know, it's notrecommended to go past three
days because your body going todie, right, like you know what
I'm saying.
But I think for those that aredealing with you know medical
situation where they actuallyhave to eat, they have to.
Like you know, I want to sayright now, go go ask your doctor
.
You know, like literally, goask your doctor and seek the
Lord, because you may have to dosomething else and not just an
(26:27):
actual eating thing.
But I'm sure there might besome things that you could
adjust in your food that you'relike okay, I don't really need
to eat this, I just love eatingthat because I'm limited, like
you know what I'm saying.
But I think, ultimately, Ithink people just really need to
be led by the Holy Spirit to doit.
You know, some people gofasting and they're just doing
it because someone told them todo it.
Like you know what I'm saying.
And biblically, like there wasalways purpose, it there was
(26:49):
purpose behind it.
I heard one guy say like makesure that before you start, like
you know, have purpose, have aplan, have a strategy and make
sure what you do.
You make a vow with the Lordand you imprint all of it inside
you.
So start preparing your mind,start like make it become you to
where you don't mess up.
(27:09):
I think some peopleaccidentally mess up oh, I ate
that thing.
Oh crap, I was fasting.
Yeah, it wasn't imprinted onyou.
Yeah, like you get yourself tolike already know you smell
something?
Nope, I can't eat that.
It's happening before where I'mlike, oh crap, you know what
I'm gonna fast and I'm like,oops, oh crap, I forgot I was
fasting.
That thing did not even becomeinside you.
(27:30):
Like you know, I'm saying what?
Like it didn't?
Speaker 2 (27:34):
oh, it wasn't imprinted yeah, I thought you're
talking about the food, didn't?
Come inside you and I was likewait what I'm talking about the
imprint of the fast, like youknow.
Speaker 1 (27:42):
I'm saying the whole plan, you know.
But I want to encourage people,man like, fast and seek god,
not just the worldview offasting, but like the biblical
view of fasting.
The world says fasting is justfor you to look better
physically, but the Bible saysfasting is for you to draw
closer to God.
You draw closer to him, he'lldraw closer to you.
(28:02):
I encourage everybody reallypray and ask God, like Lord,
what should I be sacrificingright now for me to be able to
see you more?
I think a lot of us aredistorted.
We have distorted views becauseeverything that's happening in
the world and we can't see God.
You want to see God?
Pray and fast and I guaranteeyour spiritual eyes will be open
.
That's all I got to say.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
That's it.
That's what I said, so we hopethat this has been a helpful
conversation for you.
If you have questions, guys,write in the comments.
We are always in the commentswriting back.
So if you have questions, ifyou want to ask us or if you
want to seek out counsel fromyour pastors or your leadership
at your church, we truly, trulyencourage that.
But there is so many benefitsthat can happen spiritually from
(28:48):
fasting, and so we wanted tohave this conversation with you
to tell you that this is howwe're starting our year.
This is super important to usand, honestly, we're really
excited for what God has forlet's Dig the podcast.
This year, he's been reallybreathing some fresh inspiration
and fresh ideas for someconversations we're going to
have this year.
So it's going to be a greatyear 2025, y'all, we love y'all.
(29:11):
We'll see you next time.
And we are back.
We're back, baby, this isprobably like season three I
guess you can call it Kind ofseason three and this time we're
not nervous because y'all forthose of you that have been
tracking us for the last coupleof years the last time we was
back we took a real long break.
We took a break this time.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
We did, but it felt really good, really refreshing
the holidays, spending time withfamily, like being intentional.
It felt really good, but good.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
But now I'm excited already and it was your birthday
too.
If you guys can probably see ityou probably see it in my
camera shot there's balloonsright here behind me, um big 38
38.
I'm excited.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
38 and great 38 and great yeah but yeah, it was, it
was a good birthday, it was goodholidays, it was wonderful,
yeah we had to take a break fromrecording episodes.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Um, really just putting together our priorities,
what really matters.
I think, man, the holidays comearound and while you're still
doing podcasts and you're tryingto do all these things to help
other people, how you realizelike you get empty for a season
and so we didn't give you guyswarnings this time again.
Uh, honestly, it's just arecord, we're just gonna keep it
going it's just.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
It's just um what we do but I think it is now more
accepted in culture to do thisin a healthy way.
And now, when people step awayto take a health break or to
take some time to rejuvenate- orto concentrate themselves to
the Lord.
It's like, oh okay, they justneed a little break, all right,
they'll be back.
So that's what we did.
We just took a little break.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
We took a little break.
It was a couple of weeks and sowe're back, baby, um, we're
starting off this year and we'retrying to start it off right.
You know, especially for us aschristians like for us, it's
important for us to start offreally, um, determining our
priorities and our relationshipwith god.
Yeah, really praying I know allchristians, everybody's going
into you know praying andfasting and really what that
talks about.
So, um, I think we've fastedfor so many years, but I'll be
(01:44):
honest with you, babe, I thinkwe've done it wrong for a little
bit.
I agree, I think we've done itwrong for a couple of years, and
there were years that we'rereally fast, like we were
frustrated with God because hewasn't doing the stuff we wanted
him to do.
So I really want to talk aboutwhat does it look like to really
prepare our hearts for the yearpraying and fasting, want to do
that, talk about that.
So, before we do that, let'stell them why we're here.
(02:05):
We're here to help you guysgrow a deeper relationship with
God, others and yourself.
If you're not subscribed to thechannel, if you're new to the
channel, I want to say welcometo let's Dig the podcast.
What else we want to tell them?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
They can hit the heart.
Show us some love, somebirthday love.
That is fine too.
It's still the same week, soyou can send me that, but
honestly, no, just jump in thosecomments, subscribe, and we
want you to send this to someonewho you know will help them
along this journey.
If they are in a fast and theyare praying for the beginning of
the year, like, share it withsomeone that you know that'll
impact them.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, and also, if you've been rocking with us for
the last couple of years, lastcouple of seasons, hit that like
button and send this tosomebody.
If you feel like thisconversation is actually going
to bless you and you're lookingforward to it, hit that like
button too as well.
You know, for us like we don'tlike doing lives by ourselves.
We really do believe that thebest thing that you can have on
this earth, it's yourrelationship, your relationship
(02:57):
with God right With Christ, yourrelationship with others and
also your relationship withyourself.
So we're going to dig.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Let's dig.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Let's dig.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Let's dig so fasting.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
You know, I think about fasting.
Growing up in church we weretaught when you want to see God
do something.
If you want God to move you,fast, you fast and you go to God
with this wishlist of all thisstuff he going to move you.
Fast, you fast and you go toGod with this wishlist of all
this stuff he going to do foryou.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
And you'd write it out.
Actually had to write out yourwishlist and I'm believing.
To be fair, we're beingfacetious right now.
Like yeah, it's not really awishlist.
Like right, like they're.
Like your pastors are notstanding in front of the church
saying write out your wishlistand go to God.
They're saying like vision.
They're saying write yourthings that you're asking God
for.
But even in the same packagingit can be the same, like
(03:52):
different packaging can still bethe same thing.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Yeah well, I can't speak.
I'm not trying to speak forpastors that done it right or
wrong, Like I'm actually noteven speaking for anyone.
I'm speaking for myself what Ithought it was.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Right, I guess what I'm just wanting to clarify is
that, like for those who havenot been raised in church their
whole life, I don't want them tothink that our pastors actually
told us go write a wishlist.
That's not how it was presentedto us, but it is how it turned
into and it is how it became.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Does that make sense?
I get you what you're saying,but when I was saying all that,
I was not saying it from theperspective of.
That's what I was taught,gotcha.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
It just sounded like that, yeah, that's what.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
That's what I thought , right, that's just what I
thought it was Right, and Ithink too, like the world that
we're living in, the wordfasting has become this hot
thing to do.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Oh, for sure.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
In fitness and in health, and I think, for us as
Christians, we've taken on theworldview of fasting, and I'll
be the first one to confessright now there are some times
fasting was more of a physicaljourney than it was a spiritual
journey, that's true, I've hadmy own challenges with fasting.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
I always think about the time when we lived in St
Louis and we were on a fast.
There was two fast.
We were only there for one year, but there was two fast in that
year and they were verydifferent.
The first one we did, I almostgave up, I quit.
I told you like I was reallystruggling because I could feel
(05:24):
my heart towards God.
I felt like a spoiled child orlike a pouting toddler, like I
felt like God, I'm not going tohave this until you do that.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
It was like you was like I'm going to starve myself,
god.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I wasn't starving myself.
You know I love food too muchbut I was sacrificing whatever I
had decided.
Starving myself, you know Ilove food too much but I was
sacrificing whatever I haddecided for fasting.
But it was in like a pouting,like frustrated mad at God kind
of way.
And I remember telling you like, babe, this is not healthy,
this is not I.
I know I'm not in the righthere, I should just quit fasting
(06:01):
because my spirit is not right.
And you kind of challenged me,You're like you could, you could
quit.
You were like, or you couldlike dig deeper.
And I remember I wanted to talkabout this resource.
I remember in that season I wentback and I found a pastor
Jensen Franklin's book, fasting,yeah, and I got it and I read
(06:22):
it and his church that he leadsas a lead pastor they do a
fasting every beginning of theyear, so he's always preaching
sermons in that he's very wellknown in that topic and so I
just started listening to allthe sermons that he had on
fasting, reading his book, andso I actually didn't give up on
that fast.
I went all the way through andGod really changed my heart.
(06:44):
The second fast while we werein St Louis was the one where I
had my things, that I knew I wasgonna fast and I heard the Holy
Spirit challenge me with anextra thing to fast and I was
like no, no, I'm good.
But I knew it wasn't from me,it was from the Holy Spirit
challenging me to something evenharder.
So those two fasts were verydifferent.
(07:06):
One, my spirit wasn't right,the other my spirit was actually
being challenged.
And that's where I've seenfasting really change for me.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Yeah.
So let me ask you this why doyou keep coming back Like, why
do you make the choice to fastagain?
Speaker 2 (07:28):
It goes back to what you said of, because it is a
spiritual growth and not aphysical growth.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Yeah, it's a spiritual journey, not a
physical journey.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
It really does change your spiritual relationship
with the Lord.
It really does bring you closer.
There are a lot of times whereand this is what we wanted to
kind of share of how we got itwrong was are a lot of times
where and this is what we wantedto kind of share of how we got
it wrong was that a lot of timeswe would seek God's hand and we
weren't seeking his face.
But I can tell the vastdifference of the fast that we
(07:56):
did, where we actually soughthis face instead, and because of
that, I do believe his handmoved, but our heart posture was
literally to seek him, andthat's why I will do it again is
that I do believe his handmoved, but our heart posture was
literally to seek him, andthat's why I will do it again.
Is that because I feel like ittakes my focus off of everything
else.
It takes my focus off of what Iwant and what I need, and
actually all I need is God, allI need is the Holy Spirit, all I
(08:19):
need is Jesus in my life.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
What's the hardest fast you've ever done?
Speaker 2 (08:24):
it was probably that one in St Louis.
I, man that I had our three,like me, and you had picked,
chosen three things.
And, to be fair, you canprobably break down like all the
different fasts, but a lot oftimes we will choose things that
are very challenging for us,and the things that are
challenging for you aredifferent than me.
And so in that one it wassocial media bread.
(08:46):
Any drinks, I could only drinkwater, yeah.
And then that's where I gotchallenged and the holy spirit
this is kind of embarrassing hetold me cheese, yeah.
And I, I like I don't want eggsif it doesn't have cheese in it
, I don't want salad if itdoesn't have cheese in it and I
don't want a sandwich if itdoesn't have cheese in it.
And so I was like no, I'm good,I have my things.
(09:07):
And then I knew like and thatwas a really hard one, I
remember going to a super nicebuffet and they had like this
incredible mac and cheese.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
And guess who was not trying that mac and cheese
Right?
So it was just that was a very,very challenging one.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
So I'm about to challenge you right now.
We lived in St Louis like 10years ago.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Yeah, but that was really hard.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Because the thing is so there's also like the Daniel
Fast right, the Daniel Fasty'all.
The easiest place to do theDaniel Fast is in California.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Because there are so many vegan options.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Like it's not as challenging as it was when we
were in Florida we were doing it.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
I you know I'm going to really challenge you and
challenge everybody.
When it comes to fasting, youknow to each his own, you know
to say that one fast is easierthan another.
So, like for me to cut outdrinks, I could say, oh, that's
easy.
Well, yeah for sure.
So I just, I guess I reallywant to help people to
understand, like, when it comesto really choosing a fast on
(10:14):
your spiritual journey, like youhave to really decide in your
heart what is a true sacrifice?
Absolutely, because to somepeople, daniel, fast is easy.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Right.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Right.
But to others a Daniel fast canbe really hard.
And for those who don't knowwhat a Daniel fast is, daniel
was a character in the Bible,one of God's people.
He was a Jew and a Hebrew youngman, a teenager, 17.
And they were taken captive bytheir enemies, the Babylonians,
(10:51):
and they were forced to live aBabylonian life.
They were forced to dress theway they did, they were forced
to even speak the language.
So in the book of Daniel yousee that in the original text
they actually go back and forthlanguages because Daniel
actually learned their language.
So in the original it's twodifferent languages.
(11:12):
It was like originally writtenin.
But anyways, they were forced toeat their food and Daniel said
he will not defile his body, hewill not go against the like,
the Jewish customs on how theyate.
And he dared, and basicallydared, challenge the king.
It was like yo feed me justsalads, like vegetables and
(11:32):
water, period, and watch me.
My friends look better thanyour people, be stronger,
healthier.
And after the fast, like theyrealized, like even the king
realized like how are you guyslooking better, stronger, fit,
like all that stuff?
Because he was realizing it waswe are spirit beings and our
spirit is really what controlsthe body, really what it is, and
(11:53):
it was a mind over mattersituation and that's how they be
, that's how it became theDaniel fast.
So to some people, like someonelike my mom, you know, rest in
peace.
The Daniel fast was easy forher.
That's true, Like you know whatI mean so.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Cause Daniel fast is like no meat, no dairy.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
It's literally fruits and vegetables, and water and
back then they weren't like deepfrying and saltain it and doing
all these oils and doing allthis stuff.
So, like you say the DanielFast is easy in California.
Well, it depends.
Americanized Daniel Fast Rightor like original actual Daniel
Fast, sure Raw.
You ain't using no coconut oilor corn oil to go ahead and like
(12:31):
deep fry, just like oh, thiswas really good.
Like you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Yeah, I do know what you're saying, but I do.
I mean there's some really bombcauliflower, vegan, no dairy,
no grain mac and cheese out inCalifornia that you cannot find
in St Louis.
That's all I was saying.
Maybe Was that there's a lot oflike we would explore more
vegan restaurants when we weredoing a Daniel fast out here
than any other time.
Yeah, so, but there's otheroptions.
(12:57):
Talk about some of the otheroptions for fasting, like what
are some other ways that peoplehave fasted or that they can
fast?
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Well, I want to, actually I want to answer the
question.
They can fast, well I want to.
Actually, I want to answer thequestion I guess I'm gonna ask
myself this question why shouldpeople fast?
Ask yourself your own question.
Okay, I'm saying I think whyshould people fast?
Okay, like you know what I mean, I think people get caught up
on the, on all the types offasts you know they get.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Okay, we're gonna do the jewish fast I just want you
to like break down what thoseare for them yeah, yeah, and I
think we should.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
I'm saying is like I think people need to figure out
why should they be fasting thisyear?
Because I'm saying this worldthat we live in, they've gotten
caught up on the fabs of fasting.
Oh, what are you doing?
I know one girl.
She used to fast and she's likeI've you know, I'm doing this,
I'm doing this, but I'm going todo this because I don't want to
lose my gains.
I don't want to, like you knowI do this for so I still want to
(13:51):
keep my protein level up, so Istill need some carbs, and so
what I don't want to do is godown all you could do this fast,
you could do this fast.
You could do this fast and youcould also miss God at the same
time.
People go down this fastingrabbit trail of like all the
cool ways to do it, and itbecomes a physical journey and
(14:12):
not a spiritual journey.
I think everybody really needsto ask themselves like why am I
going into this fast?
I have been guilty of fastingjust because I thought I can get
God to do things that I wantedhim to do, like he's a genie in
the bottle, right, and so it'ssome spiritual journey, but it's
still thinking that you're likeyou could outsmart God and
(14:34):
manipulate him, like you knowwhat I'm saying.
And then there's been seasonswhere I went into a fast top of
the year just because I wantedto just jumpstart my body and go
down this physical pathway andtricking everybody.
And they're making everyonethink that, oh yeah, I'm praying
, I'm really praying, but I'mreally cool to see, like, oh man
, look, wow, I can see my abs.
There's that fifth pack kickingin.
Now you know what I'm saying andyou're not fooling God, because
(14:57):
God realized that you're stillplaying some type of games,
playing some type of system.
And then what happens is andit's happened to me at the end
of the fast, I'm frustratedbecause God didn't do what I
thought he was doing, because Imade all these sacrifices.
Did you really make sacrificesor were you really trying to get
some physical gains?
Are you really trying to dropdown or you really couldn't wait
(15:17):
to get into those holiday pants?
Right, you know what I'm sayingyeah.
And so I think people reallyreally need to ask themselves
like what am I hungry for?
Am I hungry for God?
Am I hungry for food?
Am I willing to sacrifice thecertain things that I do put in
my body just because I want togrow spiritually?
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Right, cause you have two men you have your, your
flesh, and you have your spiritman, and whichever one you're
feeding is the one that willgrow.
So are you feeding your fleshor are you feeding your spirit
man?
Speaker 1 (15:54):
Yeah, A question people should ask before they
start fasting is is my spiritmore hungry than my body?
Even for me, before I started,before I started fast, I'll
start asking the Holy spirit,putting me a hunger for God make
me thirsty for you, like when Istart fasting, I can feel days
(16:18):
leading up to it Like I feellike I need to start fasting.
I feel like because I'm feelingmyself become hungry for God,
and those are indicators thatyou should fast.
You start prepping yourselfmentally for the things that
you're that you should fast.
You start prepping yourselfmentally for the things that
you're going to cut out.
You start actually identifyingcertain times throughout the day
that you know I should bereading my Bible.
Right now, I should be feedingon God's word and not feeding on
(16:41):
these chips.
Or, if you find yourselfthinking all day about God and
not food, you should startplanning a fast.
That's good.
Those are indicators thatthere's a fast that's coming.
It's God trying to draw near toyou.
Yeah, and you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
I like the fact that it actually is healthy to
prepare your mind for fasting,because I'll talk about it with
my girls, especially because italways falls around my birthday.
So I'm like, nope, I'm notjumping in, nope, I'm not.
And it always takes me a whileto kind of everybody knows what
it's like to celebrate becauseof holidays, whatever.
So for me, with my birthday, italways takes me a little bit to
(17:20):
like turn off of the decisionof like okay, I'm done
celebrating, now it's time tomove into this.
And even the church will gobefore me, you know, like all
the new year, at the top of theyear, everybody's ready to go
and I'm like, oh no, I'm January5th over here, I'm going to
still celebrate.
But then I can always feel thatpull of like okay, you're done,
it's time to switch over, likeswitch your brain, switch your
(17:42):
spirit, like it's time to stopcelebrating and it's time to get
disciplined and like seek theface of God.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Yeah, that's good man , that's good Fasting.
It's a physical decision thattakes spiritual discipline.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
That's very true.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
I just thought, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Go ahead say it again .
Can you say it again?
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Yeah, I say it really slow because I just realized it
right now.
When you fast to seek God, itis a physical decision that
takes spiritual discipline.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
It's very true.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
You have to make up in your heart and make a vow
with the Lord that I want toseek you, that I'm going to take
away something from my body,I'm going to deny my body
something, just so that myspiritual senses can be
heightened.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
And I could see God's face and I can hear his voice.
The goal after a fast is not toget things yeah.
The goal after a fast is noteven for doors to open and for
opportunities to open.
The goal after a fast is thatsomeone can be closer to God,
yeah, and that their spiritualsenses can be stronger.
That's why, when Jesus had tocheck his disciples, they were
(18:53):
under spiritual attack.
They were trying to cast out ademon out of a man.
And even Jesus said no, thistype could only happen through
praying and fasting, basicallysaying we're not fighting
against flesh and blood, we'reso focused on feeding our body.
And Jesus is saying actually,the real war, it's a spiritual
(19:14):
war and the only way to win thisbattle is through praying and
fasting.
So when you finish praying andfasting, you should walk away
from it saying wow, I feelspiritually fit, I feel
spiritually strong, my spiritualsense right, that extra sense
(19:35):
is stronger now.
So more discernment, words ofknowledge, words of wisdom,
those are indicators that a fastwas successful.
You feel sympathy, you feelmore love, you feel more joy,
you feel peace.
All the fruits of the spirit iswhat you've been eating on.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
It's really good.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Those are indicators.
So there's been times I fastedpoorly.
I wanted God to do all thesethings.
Yeah, not even realize God wassaying no.
I'm telling you to cut back onthe physical food and start
eating on the spiritual food.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
And watch you never go hungry again.
So true, and so I think peoplereally need to determine before
I go on a fast, start preparingyour heart, really start
processing, really startthinking about it.
You should start being hungryfor it and there's a phase where
you start pushing it away andit starts leaning into actually
grabbing it.
I know the times where I'm likeI'm pushing off a fast, like
(20:29):
I'm pushing it, I'm pushing it,I don't want it, and then I
start feeling this, this, thislike tug of war, of like, why am
I wanting it more?
Why am I?
Those indicators God is sayingjust draw near to me, get close
to me, get close to me, I'mgoing to fill you with the
spirit of God, the fruits of thespirit.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
So we talked about why we would fast.
Yeah, can you talk about whatit looks like, all the ways that
it can look like?
Speaker 1 (20:56):
Yeah, I think there's so many different ways of
fasting.
One of the best ways I wouldsuggest anybody to get into
fasting is try it for one dayand do like just a water fast.
Like just water fast, or maybea liquid fast.
That would be a normal fast.
Why?
Because it shocks your body.
And another reason is becauseall you could do is pray.
(21:17):
That's true, lord Jesus.
This stomach is growling.
Lord Jesus, what's that soundin my body?
What's going on?
Right, but it forces you topray.
Yeah, because you could only doit with spiritual discipline.
Yeah, that's what I'm saying.
Fasting, it's a physicaldecision that requires spiritual
discipline.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
So I think that's one of the first ways to do it.
Another way to do it is usingthree days and doing maybe just
liquids, like just liquids, soit could be smoothies, it could
be juices, things like that.
Right, again, it still takesspiritual discipline.
You know, I like doingdifferent types of Jewish fast,
like where it's actuallyspecific dedicated time to like
(21:58):
sun up, sun down there's awindow that you actually do it
or skipping meals and times thatyou would actually eat
physically.
You eat spiritually and so,like you know that, you know me
eat breakfast, or like lastnight, one of the reason why I
came home last night is becauseI couldn't eat dinner, because I
was in the middle of a fastright, I already ate, so I'm
skipping dinner.
So I stayed at the office,closed my laptop, opened up the
(22:22):
bible and fed on god's wordgotcha.
So that's why I came late lastnight.
Yeah, like when you asked melike I was like was this your
plan?
no, I had to skip a meal.
So instead of skipping meals,oh man, look in front of the.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
We all get certain side effects, like when you're
(22:54):
fasting, um, I can get reallybad headaches or migraines or
feel, you know, weak or whatever, and there's a very fine line
right.
Can you talk a little bit oflike how do people who want to
try fasting do it safely, butbiblically, because there is a
part of it that your flesh willhate it?
There's a part of it you dohave to push through.
(23:14):
There's a part of it you arehungry, but then there's also
like you can't go three dayswithout water or you die.
So, like what?
How do you like, how do youencourage people who want to try
it to be safe and healthy anddo it in a way that's God
honoring?
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Yeah Well, first of all, I think about when Jesus,
when he went into the wildernessto pray and fast, he was led by
the spirit.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
The Holy spirit should be leading us to a fast,
yeah, and if you're led by thespirit, you'll have wisdom and
you'll have discernment.
It's true.
You'll know what you'reconvicted about.
You'll know what you should besacrificing.
You will know.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Which is why sometimes we wouldn't do just a
Daniel fast or just this fast.
We would literally say like,hey, these three things have a
hold on me right now and this iswhat I need to fast.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Yeah, I personally can't do the Daniel fast, and
the reason why I can't do aDaniel fast is I'll find all
types of ways to like let mehave a banana, let me have an
apple, let me get some grapes,let me get a salad, let me get a
salad.
Why are you eating salads allday long?
And so, like I'm still obsessedwith food and I'm finding all
these ways to still findphysical fulfillment in food,
(24:24):
Even if it's a.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
Daniel fast and for me, social media is just one
that I need to constantly like,re-evaluate, recheck, like, okay
, I just need to be off of itand that's hard for me, like
I'll have the what is it called?
Like the reflex to just go andI'm like, oh, I'm not on social
media right now, so that wassomething that I had to.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
And those type of fasts right there that's become
very common in the modern daychurch of like fasting things or
entertainment stuff.
That I'm not saying that'swrong, you know what I mean but
that that that's not like reallya biblical thing but.
I could understand, becausefasting, if you literally look
up fasting, one definition saysis to cover your hand like cover
(25:05):
your hand I'm sorry to coveryour mouth oh, okay, yeah to
cover your mouth, refrain fromeating, that's fasting.
So when say I?
So when someone say I'm fasting?
Social media, the definition offasting is literally to refrain
from eating, got it.
It's to block your, that's thedefinition.
So technical mixing, but I getit because maybe it may not be a
(25:25):
physical fast, it's a mentalfast, right, it's a social fast,
right.
So I get it and I have beforeand there like places for it.
Yeah, because the part offasting is, you know, for your
body and your spirit, right.
So some people might say, well,my body, I'm fine with not
eating, but it's really my mindI can't stop looking at social
media, right?
So so then it's a mind thing,like, I get that.
(25:45):
But I think people that havethat are concerned with the
health and things like that,first of all know that why are
you fasting?
Is your pastor telling you todo it?
It's just a thing that yourchurch does, a thing that your
mom do, or is it the spirit ofGod that is leading you into a
fast, like Jesus was led by theHoly Spirit into the wilderness
to pray and fast.
(26:05):
He went there to seek God.
Now, he did an absolute fast.
He did nothing, right 40 days.
Like you know, it's notrecommended to go past three
days because your body going todie, right, like you know what
I'm saying.
But I think for those that aredealing with you know medical
situation where they actuallyhave to eat, they have to.
Like you know, I want to sayright now, go go ask your doctor
.
You know, like literally, goask your doctor and seek the
Lord, because you may have to dosomething else and not just an
(26:27):
actual eating thing.
But I'm sure there might besome things that you could
adjust in your food that you'relike okay, I don't really need
to eat this, I just love eatingthat because I'm limited, like
you know what I'm saying.
But I think, ultimately, Ithink people just really need to
be led by the Holy Spirit to doit.
You know, some people gofasting and they're just doing
it because someone told them todo it.
Like you know what I'm saying.
And biblically, like there wasalways purpose, it there was
(26:49):
purpose behind it.
I heard one guy say like makesure that before you start, like
you know, have purpose, have aplan, have a strategy and make
sure what you do.
You make a vow with the Lordand you imprint all of it inside
you.
So start preparing your mind,start like make it become you to
where you don't mess up.
(27:09):
I think some peopleaccidentally mess up oh, I ate
that thing.
Oh crap, I was fasting.
Yeah, it wasn't imprinted onyou.
Yeah, like you get yourself tolike already know you smell
something?
Nope, I can't eat that.
It's happening before where I'mlike, oh crap, you know what
I'm gonna fast and I'm like,oops, oh crap, I forgot I was
fasting.
That thing did not even becomeinside you.
(27:30):
Like you know, I'm saying what?
Like it didn't?
Speaker 2 (27:34):
oh, it wasn't imprinted yeah, I thought you're
talking about the food, didn't?
Come inside you and I was likewait what I'm talking about the
imprint of the fast, like youknow.
Speaker 1 (27:42):
I'm saying the whole plan, you know.
But I want to encourage people,man like, fast and seek god,
not just the worldview offasting, but like the biblical
view of fasting.
The world says fasting is justfor you to look better
physically, but the Bible saysfasting is for you to draw
closer to God.
You draw closer to him, he'lldraw closer to you.
(28:02):
I encourage everybody reallypray and ask God, like Lord,
what should I be sacrificingright now for me to be able to
see you more?
I think a lot of us aredistorted.
We have distorted views becauseeverything that's happening in
the world and we can't see God.
You want to see God?
Pray and fast and I guaranteeyour spiritual eyes will be open
.
That's all I got to say.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
That's it.
That's what I said, so we hopethat this has been a helpful
conversation for you.
If you have questions, guys,write in the comments.
We are always in the commentswriting back.
So if you have questions, ifyou want to ask us or if you
want to seek out counsel fromyour pastors or your leadership
at your church, we truly, trulyencourage that.
But there is so many benefitsthat can happen spiritually from
(28:48):
fasting, and so we wanted tohave this conversation with you
to tell you that this is howwe're starting our year.
This is super important to usand, honestly, we're really
excited for what God has forlet's Dig the podcast.
This year, he's been reallybreathing some fresh inspiration
and fresh ideas for someconversations we're going to
have this year.
So it's going to be a greatyear 2025, y'all, we love y'all.
(29:11):
We'll see you next time.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.