The time is now. There has been a resurgence of fasting in recent decades, as God calls His people to regular fasting as part of a normal Christian lifestyle. We must prepare ourselves adequately so that the fast can honor God and fulfill its purpose.
The following is a general overview of biblical precedent and guidelines for wise fasting to help and encourage you. The practice of regular fasting as normal Christian behavior was taught by Jesus Mt. The practice of fasting in Scripture usually includes, but is not limited to, abstinence from food Dan. Abstaining from all food for extended periods of time is biblical, but was rare and unusual in Scripture Ex.
The same standard applies to an absolute fast Esther fast—no food or water for three days of any duration Est. The maximum length of an adult fast that is biblically supported is forty days without food for a male adult in good health, and three days without water.
The Bible does not speak of children engaging in fasting food. Though spiritual leaders may invite others to join in corporate fasting with a specific goal in mind and for a specific time, fasting can never be forced or made compulsory. The level at which a person engages in fasting particularly food should be determined according to age and with regard to any physical limitations. Those with a known or suspected physical disability or illness, or those with any history of an eating disorder, should never fast, except in consultation with, and under the supervision of, a qualified doctor.
Pregnant or nursing mothers should not fast food or drink as it could negatively affect the health and development of their baby and their own personal health.
Minors are discouraged from fasting food and should never engage in fasting without express parental consent and oversight. Minors who desire to fast are encouraged to consider non-food abstentions, such as TV, movies, Internet surfing, video games, and other entertainment.
Participation in regular fasting as a lifestyle necessitates a healthy lifestyle on days when food is not being fasted, and should include exercise and a proper diet. When undertaken with this type of commitment, a fasted lifestyle is sustainable on a long-term basis, just as it was for Daniel and his friends Dan.
While the physical impact of fasting is real, the spiritual benefits of fasting are undeniable. Make this a priority in your fasting. Pray about the kind of fast you should undertake. Jesus implied that all of His followers should fast Matthew ; ,15 For Him it was a matter of when believers would fast, not if they would do it.
Before you fast, decide the following up front:. The very foundation of fasting and prayer is repentance. Unconfessed sin will hinder your prayers. Here are several things you can do to prepare your heart:. Fasting requires reasonable precautions.
Consult your physician first, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic ailment. Some persons should never fast without professional supervision.
Physical preparation makes the drastic change in your eating routine a little easier so that you can turn your full attention to the Lord in prayer. Your time of fasting and prayer has come. You are abstaining from all solid foods and have begun to seek the Lord. Here are some helpful suggestions to consider:.
The first two or three days are usually the hardest. As you continue to fast, you will likely experience a sense of well-being both physically and spiritually. However, should you feel hunger pains, increase your liquid intake. For maximum spiritual benefit, set aside ample time to be alone with the Lord. Listen for His leading.
The more time you spend with Him, the more meaningful your fast will be. When possible, begin and end each day on your knees with your spouse for a brief time of praise and thanksgiving to God. Longer periods of time with our Lord in prayer and study of His Word are often better spent alone. A dietary routine is vital as well. Julio C. Ruibal—a nutritionist, pastor, and specialist in fasting and prayer—suggests a daily schedule and list of juices you may find useful and satisfying.
Modify this schedule and the drinks you take to suit your circumstances and tastes. When your designated time for fasting is finished, you will begin to eat again. But how you break your fast is extremely important for your physical and spiritual well-being. Begin eating gradually.
Do not eat solid foods immediately after your fast. Suddenly reintroducing solid food to your stomach and digestive tract will likely have negative, even dangerous, consequences. Try several smaller meals or snacks each day.
If you end your fast gradually, the beneficial physical and spiritual effects will result in continued good health. The Lord will give you fresh, new spiritual insights. Your confidence and faith in God will be strengthened. You will feel mentally, spiritually, and physically refreshed. You will see answers to your prayers. A single fast, however, is not a spiritual cure-all. Just as we need fresh infillings of the Holy Spirit daily, we also need new times of fasting before God.
A hour fast each week has been greatly rewarding to many Christians. It takes time to build your spiritual fasting muscles. If you fail to make it through your first fast, do not be discouraged. You may have tried to fast too long the first time out, or your may need to strengthen your understanding and resolve. Furthermore, if you are abstaining merely from food, you can fast for longer.
Some people will fast from food and water but will drink juice to maintain energy. Another style of fasting is abstaining from social media, entertainment, sex, sugary foods, or a variety of other things.
Choosing to fast from the following things will allow you to fast for much longer periods of time. This is because these fasts do not affect your health. In fact, they may improve your overall health. I recommend fasting from these things for longer periods of time. If you are married, be sure to come to the conclusion with your spouse when it comes to abstaining from sex. Aside from the following exception, fasting from social media, entertainment, sugary foods etc, can and should be done over a longer course of time.
This is partly because many habits are formed from entertainment and food indulgences. Breaking these habits and reliances can build stronger reliance upon God. For many people, entertainment, such as phones, television, the internet, magazines, and other media, take more attention and time than is devoted to God.
Without the distractions from these things, individuals can more easily approach the Lord. In fact, it becomes more of a habit to seek the Lord than to seek other things in free time.
Taking a month off of these things can reset your life and move it in a new direction. In the same way, fasting for months or even a year form these things will build more perseverance, self-control, and focus. Christians should fast for a prolonged period of time at least once in their lives. However, I recommend a yearly, quarterly, or monthly fast. This is something for you to pray about specifically with the Lord to discover what this looks like for your life.
Since life is busy and it is filled with distraction and evil, it is important that we recenter ourselves around Christ continually.
This should be a daily act of renewing the mind through prayer, scripture, Biblical teaching, and accountability from a community of believers. Moreover, when recentering your life, this process benefits greatly from a fast. Fasting can occur during trying times or times of great decisions. Many follow what is called lent. Lent is more of a tradition of the church, however, it can be of benefit to a Christian with a pure heart and motives.
Listed below are scriptures that expand on the concept of fasting and give examples of how early believers fasted. This is not an exhaustive list, rather it displays only a few of the substantial amount of scriptures concerning this topic. The list is in order based on books of the Bible.
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