FASTING BASICS

FASTING AWAKENS YOUR HUNGER FOR GOD.

It hits the reset button of our soul and renews us from the inside out.

There is a closeness to God that you simply will not experience from prayer or personal devotions alone. You must fast. The primary purpose of fasting is to draw us closer to God.

  1. Are you in need of healing or a miracle?
  2. Do you need the tender touch of God in your life?
  3. Is there a dream inside you that only He can make possible?
  4. Are you in need of a fresh encounter?
  5. Do you desire a deeper, more intimate and powerful relationship with the Lord?
  6. Are you ready to have heightened sensitivity to the desires of God?
  7. Do you need to break away from bondages that have been holding you hostage?
  8. Is there a friend or loved one that needs Salvation?
  9. Do you desire to know God’s will for your life?
New Covenant fasting is all about celebrating Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit on the inside of us to EXPAND to a greater degree as we shut down the natural man and engage the spiritual man.  New Covenant fasting gives us a new “wineskin” (see Matthew 9:14-17).  Under the New Covenant, fasting is not to get God to change his mind about something.  After you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, your past, present, and future sins have already been forgiven!  You don’t need to fast to obtain favor or receive mercy. Instead, fasting is a way of celebrating the goodness of God and that because of Jesus we have already recieved God’s mercy, forgiveness, and favor. The Old Covenant mind set was to, “do in order to become.” But under the New Covenant, the principle is, “you already are, therefore act like it.” (Galatians 5:1)
As we live our lives, over time we get all “gunked up”.  While our spirit is eternally made new through Christ (2 Corinthians 4:16), our soul, which is the intersection of our mind, will, and emotions, can become weighed down, heavy, negative, and sluggish.  The constant demands on our mind, the distractions, and the noise can weigh us down and put is in a spiriual fog.  As we get weighed down, our conscience can become desensitized, not really bothered by the things that once convicted us. Even if we are going to church, reading our Bible, and worshiping, there are times when we need to give our souls a good spring cleaning to make them fresh again. Fasting hits the reset button of your soul.  Fasting allows the fire of God to burn out the gunk in our lives.  We experience newness of life again. We truly experience the new wine or “newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
One of the reasons prayer and fasting is so powerful when combined is that together they activate a chain reaction where we see God’s kingdom manifest on earth.  When we come into agreement with God, we are aligned with God’s perfect will on earth, as it already is in heaven.  When we are aligned with heaven, we find that God can use us in ways we never thought possible. Then we begin to walk in assignment – the purpose God created us to fulfill. Fasting is a key to establishing spiritual momentum, because it brings us into a deeper agreement with God, which brings about a greater alignment with God, which is where all the power of the kingdom is found.
There are several types of fasting. The one you choose is between you and God:

  1. Full Fast – Drink only liquids (you establish the number of days)
  2. The Daniel Fast – Eat no meat, no sweets and no bread. Drink water and juice. Eat fruits and vegetables.
  3. 3-Day Fast – This fast can be a Full Fast, Daniel Fast or give up at least one item of food.
  4. Partial Fast – A partial fast is from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm or from sun up to sundown. You can select from three types of fasting —a Full Fast, Daniel Fast or give up at least one item of food.
  5. Activities or Media Fast – The point is to disconnect from the world.  What are the things that keep your attention and distract you from God?
  1. Make a fasting calendar. Determine what each day and week will look like.
  2. Keep your fridge and pantry stocked with the items you need. Being unprepared to fast sets you up to give into temptation.
  3. Choose well when selecting products, stick to raw foods as much as you can, limit artificial ingredients, and keep tempting foods out of the kitchen.
  4. Make it a priority to attend church during your 21 day fast. Being around other believers will encourage you to keep on going when fasting gets difficult.
  5. If you are fasting with others, you may want to do a weekly devo group to discuss the messages from Sunday or something that God has showed you during your personal devo time.
  6. If you mess up, don’t get discouraged. Just get right back on track and keep going. God’s mercies “are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23). He wants you to finish, and He will give you the grace and strength to do it.

The goal of fasting is to draw near to God.

Fasting enables us to celebrate the goodness and mercy of God. It prepares our hearts for all the good things God desires to bring into our lives.

When deciding on a fast, we encourage you to seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.