A Guideline For Fasting

Our church is beginning a season of prayer and fasting. Fasting isn't uncommon in church history but has grown out of the rhythms of Christ-followers in our day. For that reason, we don't want to enter into a season of fasting unaware of the significance of it.

Why Do We Fast?

A season of fasting is usually associated with significant prayer requests or simply a season of desperate need. We pray on behalf of our needs and on behalf of others. While we don't believe we are manipulating God's hand, there are moments in Scripture in which it seems that the desperate prayers of devoted Christ-followers change the course of history. At the end of the day, we fast because we want more of God, whether He answers our prayers or not.

Is It Safe To Fast?

Fasting is practiced among many people from different backgrounds in faith and health. I would never suggest fasting without consulting medical professionals. I can, however, say that I have fasted for different amounts of times and from different things. I have never finished a season of fasting without truly encountering the supernatural power of God! But please consider your health in the process.

What Are Different Ways To Fast

While the idea of fasting brings up the image of going without food, there are many methods of fasting. Several of the books I list below explains the different types exhaustively. I've known people to fast from sugar, social media, TV or other elements of our lives. As far as food goes, I've seen people fast during a specific meal every day for a certain amount of time or fast once a week for a specific season. There are many different food-based fasts listed in Elmer Towns' book listed below; most popular is the Daniel Fast (also described in Warren's book). The Daniel fast is described in the first chapter of the Book of Daniel (only fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains). Then, obviously, there are those who will do a water fast, forgoing food for a specific amount of time. It is crucial that those who do a water fast get plenty of water (more than you would normally drink).

Regardless of the type of fast, you should use your season of fasting as a time to really lean into your relationship with God. If you're fasting lunches, use that time to spend time with God in prayer or reading the Bible. Have a plan for Scripture reading and dive all the way in. Journal what you're learning (you're going to want to look back on these moments...I promise). Make the intentional decision to say no to TV, video games, or scrolling through your phone so that you can bank more time with God. Fasting is NOT simply a challenge to not eat. Sitting on the couch miserably hungry without spending time on your knees in prayer is nothing more than a natural challenge. If you want God to truly speak, make it a point to devote yourself fully to spending time with Him! I think of it like football teams getting ready for the season. They'll do two-a-days during those grueling, hot, summer days to get ready to accomplish their mission. For this season of fasting, I'm changing my daily routine up to free more space for worship and prayer.

We must make sure that we are entering our season of fasting with the right motivation. First, I believe God must be calling us to this season. Without His supernatural provision, this can be a dangerous act. Secondly, we have to lay all of our motivations on the altar. It can't be about manipulating God or the appearance of spiritual piety (Matthew 6:16-18). Jesus tells us that our spiritual disciplines are most effective in a secret, quiet place. Those who desire to be seen have their reward. In the passage above, Jesus warns us not to practice our spirituality in public. For this reason, those who fast are expected to keep it to themselves as much as possible. I'd like to suggest that this is a matter of the heart. At this point, it's very difficult to fast without the people around you knowing. They might ask why you're forgoing food or not posting on social media as much. I believe it's ok to answer honestly and humbly. Again, it's a matter of the heart: if you make it about you, you have your reward. But if you are motivated by your worship, sometimes you'll be called on to speak to what you're doing. Don't make it weird by avoiding the question...just speak to the spiritual practice you're involved in.

Lastly, we have to enter a season of fasting with a desire to be true to the spirit of the fast rather than legalism. While it's important to commit to a specific type of fast, we have to keep health and rhythms into account. For instance, a water fast is going to leave you with some pretty bad breath. If you're walking into a meeting, I wouldn't fault you for grabbing a piece of gum. For me, I will have a cup of coffee every day during a water fast. I don't think God is going to withhold blessing for a little caffeine. If I have a change of mind or a conviction another way, I'll change it up. Until then, pass the coffee! If I'm doing a social media fast, I won't turn my phone off for that period of time. I obviously need my phone for moments of emergency, for family communication and for my job. One of the reasons I don't usually do social media fasts is that its part of my job. If I felt called to do one, though, I would immediately. My point is this: fasting isn't about following someone else's rules or convictions. It's about saying no to the natural so we can say yes to the supernatural. It's about devotion to Jesus!

A Personal Note

Before I felt like God was asking me to declare a fast for our church, I felt like He was asking me to do this personally. Pastors aren't exempt from the troubles of this world or the need to be devoted to spiritual disciplines. I am in a season of desperate prayer for God to move! My posture toward these prayer requests is one of complete submission; if He chooses to move supernaturally, I'll be thankful. If this time leaves me with a closer relationship with Him but without answers to my prayers, I'll be thankful.

At the end of the day, I want to make sure that I do everything possible to hear the voice of the God who loves me so much. I can so easily get wrapped up in what this world has to offer. Honestly, I fear that I'm deafened to the voice of God in seasons where I'm not fasting because of the steady stream of media in my life. Sometimes, fasting shows us that we can live differently year-round (and that we should). My friend and mentor, Pastor Travis Davenport, has said that once you experience God in a supernatural way during an extended fast, you actually want to fast all the time. The way you experience God during those seasons is like no other! Now that I've experienced one of these extended fasts with him, I see what he means. There's just something different about it that is a rush of pure joy!

If you're the praying type, I'd encourage you to pray with us! We'll be posting what we're learning and experiencing on social media with the #AccessTogether hashtag. If you have prayer requests, send them along and we'll commit to praying with you!