Prayer & fasting defined

Prayer with Fasting partners us with Jesus and his desire for us to be one with Him and the Father. When we give up food for a time to focus and connect with Jesus, we obey Jesus’ declaration, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every words that comes from the Father.” We receive power from Holy Spirit as we rely on Him during prayer with fasting. 

“Man does not live on bread alone, but on every words that comes from the Father.”

- Matthew 4:4

We invite you to join us for a week of prayer and fast beginning, Sunday, September 8th through Saturday, September 14th.

Why should you fast?

Prayer with fasting was an expected discipline in both the Old & New Testament eras. The Bible records at least two occasions when Moses fasted for 40 days. Jesus also fasted 40 days and reminded His followers to fast as well. He said, “when you fast” not “if you fast.”

Fasting with prayer can restore your “first love” Jesus Christ & result in a more intimate relationship with Him. It is a Biblical way to truly humble yourself in the sight of God (Psalm 35:13; Ezra 8:21). King David said, “I humble myself through fasting.”

Prayer with Fasting enables the Holy Spirit to reveal the true spirit condition of the human hearts, resulting in exposing wounds, unforgiveness & brokenness, leading to repentance and a transformed life. It increases our love for God’s Word & God’s Presence.

Types of fasts

Daniel Fast

The Daniel fast is probably one of the most commonly referred to fasts; however, within the Daniel fast there is room for broad interpretation. Daniel 1 states that he ate only vegetables and water. In Daniel 10, it states that he ate no rich (or choice) foods, as well as no red meat or wine. So, based on these two verses, we can see that either of these or combinations of the two, constitute a Daniel fast.

Juice Fast

A Juice fast is simply consuming vegetable/fruit juices and water instead of solid food. Many people include whey protein in their liquid plan as well. Even if you choose not to make your entire fast liquids only, substituting one or two meals for liquids could be a great alternative.

Specific Food or Meal Fast

In this type of fast you omit a specific item(s) from your meal plans. For example, you may choose to eliminate all red meat, processed/fast food, or sweets. This fast can also be a great solution for people with specific dietary needs or medical conditions that may cause certain limitations.

Entertainment Fast

While fasting typically refers to refraining from specific food items, you may also find it extremely beneficial to fast from a certain regular activity or certain habits. This might include things such as television, social media, and the like.

Make your commitment

Pray about the kind of fast you should undertake. Before you fast, we encourage you to partner with God first and decide the type of fast you will undertake and how much time each day you will devote to prayer & reading His Word. Making these commitments ahead of time will help sustain your fast.

fasting safely

As you begin your fast, you may hear from concerned loved ones and friends who urge you to protect your health…and, they are right. It would help if you protected your health. We want to encourage you that if done properly, fasting will not only prove to be a spiritual blessing but a physical blessing as well.

You may have a physical problem that would make fasting unwise or dangerous. If that is the case, include your doctor in your decision on how to fast. Also, if you are under any type of medication, you may want to talk with your doctor before changing your regime.

fasting and eating disorders

If you have struggled with an eating disorder, the situation is a battle that you can win through Christ (Philippians 4:13). If your method of fasting is going to cause you to obsess about what you eat in any way, you will either need to change your approach or your mindset. If giving up food is a stumbling block to you, then consider the other ways of fasting that have been mentioned that do not include food. There are many distractions and things that we use to stay in control that we could eliminate from our daily routine that does not include food.

Ask the Lord, He will help you.