Resources on the Practice of Fasting
Overview
By Matt Garcia
When it comes to comparing spiritual practices in the Christian life, most Christians would say would rather practice hospitality, celebration, community, scripture reading, or something else than fasting. Do you think that fasting is the most difficult discipline in the Christian life? If you need to work out this spiritual muscle of biblical fasting, then this resource is for you. I hope that the information on this page will help motivate you to try fasting and even continue fasting regularly. Below I’ve listed some key insights of fasting to get you started:
Guidelines for Fasting:
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Don’t fast when you’re sick, traveling, pregnant, or nursing. People with diabetes, gout, liver disease, kidney disease, ulcers, hypoglycemia, cancer, and blood diseases should not fast, or at least consult with their doctor before attempting a fast.
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Don’t fast if you have are struggling with body image, bulimia, anorexia, or any other food and body disorder. If you have a history of food disorders, seek physical advice from your doctor and/or spiritual advice from a trusted friend or pastor.
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Listen for a nudging from God to fast.
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Stay hydrated. Always drink plenty of water and fluids.
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Don’t break your fast with a huge meal. Eat small portions of food. The longer the fast, the more you need to break the fast gently.
What Fasting is NOT:
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abstaining (ex: giving up social media or meat)
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a restricted diet (ex: “Daniel fast”)
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a dieting or health fad (ex: intermittent fasting)
Why do we fast?
- To starve the flesh and feed the Spirit
- To pray
- To stand in solidarity with the poor
Why is the Daniel Fast not shown as a resource on this page?
Over the years, the “Daniel Fast” (Daniel chapter 1) has grown in popularity in many churches. However, on close examination of this passage, it never explicitly or implicitly calls Daniel’s special diet a fast. It seems as though this was a special instance of abstaining from certain foods because of their Babylonian captivity. I have heard of many individuals who have gained much spiritual insight and have grown in their relationship with God because of eating only vegetables. That’s great. However, it is not biblical fasting and should be considered “spiritual abstaining” or something similar because of the how it works. In the same way someone could grow in their relationship with God by abstaining from video games or social media for a time, someone can grow by participating the Daniel Diet. But it should be noted that a more correct interpretation of scripture is that this is a diet and not a type of fast.
“Fasting is feasting – on our Lord and doing His will.”
exercises
New To Fasting?
If you’re new to fasting, start with fasting one meal per week. Spend your normal mealtime in prayer. Bring a Bible, a journal, and a pen with you and ask God to speak to you. Write down your thoughts about this mealtime fasting.
24 Hour Fast
When you are ready for a full day of fasting, start after dinner in the evening. In prayer, ask God to help you during this 24 hour period of fasting. Then break the fast the following day with a light dinner. In this way, you can fast for two mealtimes (breakfast and lunch) in a 24 hour period. You can also start the fast after lunchtime and end the next day at dinner, resulting in fasting for three mealtimes (dinner, breakfast, and lunch).
3-7 Day Fast
When the Spirit impresses on you to fast for longer periods of time (maybe three to seven days), do some research to how your body will respond during these times. Usually, hunger pains will grow in intensity around day 3, but start to subside after day 5 or 6 after your body has gotten used to it. Make sure to drink plenty of water.
Lent
To deepen your understanding of how Jesus denied himself and embraced suffering and death for you, practice some sort of fasting during Lent. Although giving up something for Lent is not Biblical fasting, it can help some to ease their way into full fasting.
Buy A Meal
Many Christians choose to buy meals for someone who needs the meal in place of what they would normally eat. For instance, if you normally eat out with co-workers for lunch time, use the money you would spend on that meal to buy another person a meal. Maybe it’s a friend you would like to bless or maybe it’s a houseless person on the street.
Stand in Solidarity with the Poor
There are many individuals around the world who do not have the luxuries many of us do to buy whatever meal we would like to eat each day. As you fast, pray for those who do not have access to clean water or food.
Secrecy
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:16, “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others.” For the application today, try to keep your fasting a secret. Of course, if your family members need to know so they don’t tempt you with their tacos or you are participating in a communal fast it is appropriate to share this with people who need to know. This practice makes sure that you are practicing fasting for the right reasons – to be in loving union with the Father, not for approval of others.
Make A List
Write down a list of things to pray for while you’re fasting. In this way, when hunger pains come, your mind can be set on the things you are actively praying for throughout the day.
“Cultivating the habit of fasting as a way of life means cultivating an understanding of why beauty and brokenness intertwine in the present world. I know of no other way of life that can both acknowledge all that the Lord has done and still yearn for all that we desperately long for him to do.”
books
“Prayer is reaching out after the unseen; fasting is letting go of all that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepen, confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.”
podcasts
Fasting & Feasting
Fasting
Fasting Is Feasting On God
“One way to begin to see how vastly indulgent we usually are is to fast. It is a long day that is not broken by the usual three meals. One finds out what an astonishing amount of time is spent in the planning, purchasing, preparing, eating, and cleaning up of meals.”
videos
Online Course on Fasting
Practicing the Way has done a great job on this topic of fasting. Check out their video course at practicingtheway.org
“If you say ‘I will fast when God lays it on my heart,’ you never will. You are too cold and indifferent to take the yoke upon you.”
blogs
Fasting For Beginners
DesiringGod.org / David Mathis
Why Should I Fast?
Faith Gateway / Kristen Feola
How To Overcome Challenges in Fasting
International House of Prayer / Adam Wittenburg
How To Fast
24/7 Prayer
reflection questions
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When do you feel empty or restless? What do you do to try to fill the emptiness? What does this tell you about your heart?
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What is your attitude toward fasting or self-denial?
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In what ways do you currently deny yourself?
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When has self-denial brought you something good?
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What has the experience of fasting been like for you?
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Where do you operate from an entitlement mentality? How can you wean yourself from this way of life?
“[Fasting is] a person’s whole-body, natural response to life’s sacred moments.”
Matt Garcia
Matt is the creator of this website and curates resources on spiritual formation. He is a husband of Jesika and a father of 4 children. He also helps lead a house church. Follow him on Instagram to see what he's up to.