What is fasting?
The goal of fasting is draw closer to God. Biblical fasting is about eliminating distractions for a spiritual purpose. Fasting resets our soul and renews us from the inside out. Fasting also enables us to celebrate the goodness and mercy of God while we prepare our hearts for all the good things God desires to bring into our lives. Your personal fast should be a challenge for you, but it is very important to know your body, your options, and, most importantly, to seek God in prayer and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Timing of a fast.
At HISplace serving the Spring, Kein, Tomball communities, we encourage fasting for 21 days in the month of January. This is part of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, a season of focused prayer as a church family. You may also choose to fast at other times during the year for your own spiritual development. It’s very typical to fast a single meal, a whole day, or three days or more. The timing of your fast is not as important as the strength of your focus on God as you fast.
Types of fasts.
COMPLETE FAST
In this type of fast, you drink only liquids, typically water with light juices as an option.
SELECTIVE FAST
This type of fast involves removing certain elements from your diet. One example of a selective fast is the Daniel Fast, during which you remove meat, sweets, and bread from your diet and consume water and juice for fluids and fruits and vegetables for food.
PARTIAL FAST
This fast is sometimes called the “Jewish Fast” and involves abstaining from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon. This can either correlate to specific times of the day, such as 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, or from sunup to sundown.
SOUL FAST
This fast is a great option if you do not have much experience fasting food, have health issues that prevent you from fasting food, or if you wish to refocus certain areas of your life that are out of balance. For example, you might choose to stop using social media or watching television for the duration of the fast and then carefully bring that element back into your life in healthy doses at the conclusion of the fast.
Scripture references.
Matthew 6:16-18
Matthew 9:14-15
Luke 18:9-14
Acts 27:33-37
Nehemiah 9:1-3
Resources on fasting.
