WHY DO WE FAST?
Fasting is a spiritual practice that enables the body of Christ to grow in their relationship with God. The purpose of a fast is to set aside a specific span of time for restricting certain foods or practices as a physical commitment to seek God through deeper personal engagement and fervent prayer. When we combine fasting with prayer and meditation, we can experience a more focused time of closeness with our Lord and seek His wisdom and help.
TYPES OF FASTS
Complete Fast
• Drinking only liquids, typically water and/or light juices.
• Broth or soup may be included as options.
Selective Fast
• Removing certain elements from your diet.
• The Daniel Fast - abstaining from meat, sweets, or bread; drink water and juice, and eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Partial Fast
• Abstaining from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon.
• Fast during specific times of the day, e.g. 6 am - 3 pm, or from sun-up to sundown.
Soul Fast
• Common for: anyone new to fasting food; those with health issues that prevent them from fasting food; those wanting to refocus specific areas of life that are out of balance.
• Suggestions: abstain from engaging in social media, shopping, watching television, etc.
RESOURCES
Fasting for Beginners Article by David Mathis (DesireingGod.org)
Background on the Daniel Fast (PDF)
The Daniel Fast book by Susan Gregory
7 Steps to Fasting Article by Bill Bright (CRU.org)