Learn the basics of Christian fasting to deepen your communion with Jesus!
Table of Contents
What is Christian fasting?
Fasting is abstaining from all food or eating certain kinds of food sparingly. Today, you’ll hear about people fasting for religious reasons, as a part of their diet, or as a strategy to increase fitness performance.
Though the fitness and weight loss industries have borrowed the idea of fasting for some time now, it’s first and foremost a spiritual discipline.
Fasting was founded and exercised as a spiritual practice, NOT a way to lose weight. Fasting was initially God’s good idea — a way for us to measure the weight of our hearts and not the weight of our bodies.
What Christian fasting Is and Isn't
Why do we fast for God as a spiritual practice?
Throughout the Bible, men and women of God and even whole groups of people fast from food or drink to turn to the Lord.
Fasting wasn’t a hunger strike, or a bargaining chip, but a spiritual discipline to physically remind them that “man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3).
This spiritual practice has deep roots in the Hebrew scriptures and within the early Christian church. Even Jesus fasted at times throughout His ministry.
Check out these stories of fasting from the Bible:
– Jesus: fasted before His public ministry (Luke 4 and Matthew 4)
– Daniel: fasted before the enemy nation to strengthen himself before the Lord (Daniel 1:8-20)
– Hannah: fasted to pray fervently for a son (1 Samuel 1)
– David: fasted after he sinned- a time for deep seeking and repentance (2 Samuel 12)
– Jehosaphat and the people of Judah: seeking help from the Lord (2 Chronicles 20:3-4)
– Nehemiah: concern for the work of God (Nehemiah 1:3-4)
Fasting is a way to seek more of God. It resets the affections of our hearts from the challenging circumstances around us to the things of God. It’s from this place of seeking God where we receive His peace.
“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10)
When we fast from our comforts, we find the God of Comfort (2 Corinthians 1:4). In our discomfort, we hear His voice more clearly. In His presence, we receive well-being for our minds, divine health for our bodies, and gladness for our souls.
“God is redeeming and restoring and saving you from whatever it is that drives you to do things you don’t want to do and that’s what fasting truly has benefit and power for.” (Matthew 6:33)
When do Christians fast?
There are many fasting practices within different branches of Christianity.
Although fasting may look different in each church the purpose is the same; we fast to seek God for some special purpose. So, whatever your church tradition might be, there is a place for fasting both individually and corporately.
Here are times and circumstances where the spiritual discipline of fasting helps you draw near to the Lord and seek His guidance:
– Fast according to the Church Calendar/Liturgical Calendar – some traditional fasting days are Ash Wednesday, Lent, and Thursday through Sunday in Holy Week
– Fast when faced with making big decisions
– Fast in grief or mourning
– Fast in repentance
“Fasting is all about humbling ourselves before God to break the yokes that weigh us down to hang our heads in defeat.” ( Isaiah 58:6-9)
Just as there are different times throughout the year that lend themselves to fasting, there are also different ways to fast:
– Element fasting- fast from one type of food/food group
– Total fast- Drinking only water
– Fasting from pleasures- fasting from your morning coffee or another pleasure connected to the rhythm of your day
What do you do when you fast?
When you fast you realize how much of the day is spent thinking about food, preparing food, and cleaning up after meals!
What are you going to do with all that time?
If the purpose of a spiritual fast is to develop a hunger for God and to humble yourself before Him, the time spent fasting from food can be filled up with God-ward activity.
Here are some ideas:
– Read your Bible.
– Meditate on Scripture using a Be Still and Be Loved episode from the Revelation Wellness Podcast
– Pray for your family, friends, neighbors, church, city, country, those experiencing poverty, etc.
– Confess and repent of your sins before God. Receive the comfort of His forgiveness through Christ.
– Make food for a neighbor or someone in need.
– Listen to worship music and thank Jesus for being the Bread of Life (John 6:35).
– Move your body gently using a Rev on the Mat from RevWell TV.
– Journal or talk to God about your discomfort. Ask Him to align your desires with His will.
– Rest in silence and solitude. Practice a breath prayer as the Spirit leads.
Don’t get overwhelmed or expect perfection! Fasting is a spiritual practice that truly engages your whole mind, body, and spirit. Your goal isn’t to “be good at fasting,” but to make space to draw near to Christ!
Whether you’re fasting for an entire day, a meal, or a mid-day snack, you’ll feel the tension between your flesh and the Spirit (Galatians 5:17).
You will get hungry. You might get cranky. You may not feel very spiritual. But, God can meet you right there. Right there in the cranky, hungry tension of fasting.
Gabrielle Wenos is the Content Coordinator at Revelation Wellness. She loves to create resources that help others love God and their bodies.
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For more on Christian fasting check out these resources:
