WHAT IS FASTING?

 Fasting is the voluntary abstinence of anything that distracts from our spiritual focus on the Lord, for the specific purpose of intimacy, intercession & encounter with God.

 WHY do we Fast?

We see numerous REASONS why the people of God have fasted throughout the centuries:

•  Intimacy & Instructions (Moses) – Exodus 34:28

•  Repentance, Protection & Victory (Samuel & the Israelites) – 1 Samuel 7:2–14

•  Deliverance (Jehoshaphat & Judah) – 2 Chronicles 20:3

•  Humbling & Protection (Ezra & the Returning Remnant) – Ezra 8:21–23

•  Empathetic Repentance & Leadership Burden (Ezra) – Ezra 10:1–6

•  Burden for the Purposes of God (Nehemiah) – Nehemiah 1:3–4

•  Repentance (Nehemiah, Ezra & the Returning Remnant) – Nehemiah 9:1–3

•  National Deliverance (Esther & the Jews) – Esther 4:15–17

•  Tuning in to receive revelation from God (Daniel) – Daniel 9:1–3

•  Encounter with God (Saul/Paul) – Acts 9:9, 17–19

•  Worship & Commissioning (Paul & the Antioch Church) – Acts 13:1–3

•  Appointing Leaders in the Church (Paul ordaining elders) – Acts 14:23

 Several more reasons and Biblical examples could be mentioned, but these provide sufficient content for consideration.

Here are some specific reasons why we may call the church to periods of prayer & fasting:

1.     To throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. (Heb 12:1)

2.     To pray for a greater release of His Kingdom & Holy Spirit power in our lives, our church, and our region.

3.     To pray for the people of our church family and all the other churches in our region.

4.     To pray for waves of renewal & revival to flow through our lives, churches & cities.

5.     To intercede for those who are lost and facing a Christless eternity all around us.

6.     To pray for a release of healing for those who are suffering from sickness.

7.     To pray for personal breakthroughs in people’s lives – marriages, families, finances, loved ones, etc.

 

DEGREES OF FASTING

In the Bible we see God’s people fasting to different degrees at different times. On the one hand, we see Moses taking no food or water for 40 days (Exodus 34:28), and on the other hand, we see Daniel abstaining from “choice foods” for 3 weeks (Daniel 10:2). The degree to which we fast is determined by what God is calling us to do at the time, as well as the situation we are facing and consideration of our practical circumstances.

 Over the years, churches & individuals have practiced varying degrees of fasting – these are listed in general order of most extreme first and less extreme last:

1.     No food or water (not recommended for more than 2–3 days) – this is very extreme.

2.     No food, only water – this is very difficult.

3.     No food, only liquids (fruit juice, cleanse formula, etc.).

4.     No solid food, but soup & fruit juice allowed.

5.     No meats or delicacies, only fruit & vegetables.

6.     Only 1 meal a day (skipping 2 meals a day).

7.     Skipping 1 meal a day.

8.     3 Meals a day, but drastically smaller portions.

9.     Cutting out the clutter – social media, TV, movies, and other distractions.

 Most of the time we encourage each person to determine the degree to which they feel called by God to fast. We understand that some people have work situations that are physically demanding, and so we recommend that these people consider #4 – #9 above. Others may decide to do different degrees of fasting on different days during a multiple-day fast. We would like to encourage everyone to engage in one way or another during a period of fasting and to ask the Lord to lead you as you devote yourself to Him.

 

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES

Many doctors & medical practitioners recommend an occasional “health fast” where the individual goes through 10 days or more of drinking nothing but a cleanse formula. This has been proven to have many physical benefits to the health of the practitioner. A process of detoxification takes place, combined with a diversion of energy from the digestive system to the immune system, which has been proven to have many positive results. A basic internet search will reveal the varying medical sentiments about fasting, ranging from ultra-positive to taboo. We maintain that the command of Jesus to fast if practiced responsibly should lead to an improvement of our health.

 That said, here are four basic precautions to keep in mind:

1.         Do not overeat at your last meal before you fast.

·    You will probably still do it, but you will regret it.

·    Overeating before a fast increases hunger sensations for the first day or two

2.         Drink lots of water during your fast.

·    During your fast, drink more water than you think you need to

·    Make yourself drink lots of water, even if you don’t feel like it

3.         If you have a medical condition, please consult your doctor.

·    Consider tailoring your eating instead of an intense fast

·    E.g. Smaller portions; skipping 1 meal a day; cutting out extras, etc.

4.         Don’t overeat during the transition back to normal eating.

·    Depending on the degree & duration of a fast, it should take about 3–10 days to return to a normal eating pattern.

·    This is a good time to put healthier eating principles into practice.

·    If you return to your “normal” eating pattern, you will soon be at your “normal” weight.

 THE HEART OF FASTING

While much of the above describes the principle, purpose, and mechanics of fasting, I felt that this article would not be complete without a focus on the true heart motivations of fasting. Instead of getting hung up on the degree of fasting that you are going to attempt to achieve and all that goes into that, why not rather focus on these essential overlapping heart motivations as you seek Him:

1.         Surrender & submission

• Prayer & fasting should be done in a way that accelerates the process of your surrender and submission to Him.

2.         Coming into alignment

• Prayer & fasting is about us coming into alignment with God, not bringing God into alignment with us or our human agenda.

3.         Deepening experience of union and intimacy

• Prayer & fasting helps us to break the distractions that prevent us from exploring and experiencing the dumbfounding privilege of being one with God through the atonement of Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The result is an accelerated deepening of intimacy with God.

4.         Sensitivity to His presence & voice

• By focusing more of our consciousness directly upon the Lord in prayer through fasting, we become more sensitive to His presence & voice.

5.         Spirit – Soul – Body

• Most Christians live dominantly out of the impulses of the body (physical appetites) and/or the soul (mind, will & emotions). However, the Spirit-filled (Spirit-controlled) Christian is called to live dominantly from the realm of the spirit. Prayer with fasting accelerates this proper orientation by bringing the impulses of the body and soul under subjection through fasting, and by intensifying the impulses of the spirit through directing our focus upon the Lord in prayer.

LET’S CHANGE THE WORLD

In every Biblical example where people set themselves to seek God with fasting, we see that He responded to their prayers with incredible works of power. National disasters were averted, incredible victories were attained, prophetic promises were fulfilled, mighty encounters took place, and world-changing ministries were released. In all these instances, the world was changed because people humbled themselves before the Almighty God with Prayer & Fasting.