While preparing for your fast, it is important to choose ahead of time what type of fast, or what combination, you will pursue. Not only will this help with making the necessary preparations to implement your plan, but as you commit to a specific fast ahead of time and know how you’re going to do it, you will position yourself to finish strong. There are several options and variations of fasts. You may choose to fast every day for a pre-determined length of time. Or you may choose to fast several days a week over a more extended period (for example, three or four days a week over a forty day period). Maybe you will do that, and then also fast three to seven consecutive days at the end. You can also fast with a community of family and friends, or your Life Group.
As you read over the information, please consider how it may or may not apply to your personal circumstances and convictions. This is your personal decision and should be prayerfully considered as it applies to your life.
Specific Food or Activity 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 or fast food, or sweets. Most people can incorporate this type of fast relatively easily. It can also prove to be a great solution for people with specific dietary needs or medical conditions that may cause certain limitations.
While fasting typically refers to refraining from specific food items, you may also find it extremely beneficial to fast from a regular activity or habit. This might include things such as television, social media, shopping, alcohol, and the like. Prayer and fasting are not just about connecting to God but also about
disconnecting from the world. Try to tune out some of the regular distractions from your day as much as possible.
Ask the Lord to remove anything that distracts you from focusing on Him. Replace that time with things that will nourish you spiritually. For example, if you are fasting a meal, take the time you would normally spend shopping, cooking and eating and spend it praying and reading the Bible. You can also use the funds you would have spent on the meal to bless someone or give an offering to the church. A challenging part of prayer and fasting is taking your focus off of the world and toward God. Many things distract you from time alone with God: work, sports, Facebook, email, worries, social and civic commitments, even church activities. In Hebrews these items are labeled as “everything that hinders.”
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith… Hebrews 12:1-2
The author uses the analogy of a race to describe the believer’s life of faithful living. In the grandstands are all the faithful disciples who have run before you, encouraging you to run strong. At the end is the finish line where Jesus is standing, waiting to applaud all who cross through it. What prevents you from reaching the finish line? The author tells us that it is hindrances and sin. The second of these two, sin, is a little more obvious. A life of faith must be lived in obedience to God’s Word. As you enter a season of fasting, if there is a specific sin in your life that you are aware of, be sure to confess it to the Lord, and to turn from it, because
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful
and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”
(1 John 1:9).
But what about, “everything that hinders?” To what is the author referring? Because these hindrances are subtle, they are what tend to interfere most with your getting to the finish line. When the author tells you to lay off “everything that hinders” – the image is of a runner taking off his or her warm-up clothes so they are left with only their running attire. By doing so they have nothing to encumber them during the race. The “hindrance” in your life is not sin. Rather, it is anything that keeps you from running the race set before you. Anything that keeps you from achieving all that God wants to do in and through your life, and ultimately in and through the church. This “hindrance” normally comes in the form of good things, but becomes a distraction to your spiritual growth. These are the things that you must lay down so that you may run your race of faith without diversion. Part of prayer and fasting is creating an environment in which you can encounter God. You may be called during this time of prayer and fasting to also set aside some good things to give yourself more time with God. What you from time with God? Prayerfully consider which activities you will set aside to give yourself more time for prayer, Bible study, silence and solitude.
Daniel Fast
The Daniel fast is a great model to follow and one that is extremely effective for spiritual focus, bodily discipline, and purification of the body and soul. It is probably one of the most commonly referred-to fasts; however, within the Daniel fast there is room for broad interpretation. In the book of Daniel we find two different times where the prophet Daniel fasted. Daniel 1 states that he only ate vegetables and water, and in Daniel 10, while the passage does not give a specific list of foods that Daniel ate, it does state that he ate no rich (or choice) foods, as well as no 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.
Again, it is important to mention that there is nothing inherently spiritual about one type of fast as opposed to another. The foundation of the Daniel fast is fruits and vegetables. Some starchy vegetables and dairy could be included, but that depends on the individual. Your goal should be to seek God in prayer about this and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do. Just remember to find your personal Fast Zone.
Juice Fast
A juice fast is simply consuming vegetable and fruit juices and water instead of solid food. Many people include whey protein in their liquid plan as well. This is one of the most popular and effective fasts. Even if you choose not to make your entire fast liquids only, substituting one or two meals for liquids is a great alternative.
Fasting and Eating Disorders
If you have struggled with an eating disorder, this situation is a battle of the mind you can win through Christ (Philippians 4:13). Remember, fasting is a tool used to get closer to God, and it actually should keep us from being preoccupied with food. If your method of fasting is going to cause you to obsess about what you eat in any way, you will need to change either your approach or your mindset.
If giving up food is a stumbling block to you, then consider fasting of television, reading (other than the Bible, of course), social media, or shopping. There are many distractions and ways that we use to stay in control that we could eliminate from our daily routine. We do these things to distract ourselves from the real issues hurting us. If you can identify such other things, maybe you can give those up instead of food. Remember that you are covered by God’s grace. God will show you what to do. His “yoke is easy” and His “burden is light” (Matt 11:30). His way will bring rest to your soul.
Beginning and Breaking Your Fast Well
Depending on the type of fast you choose, it is very important to prepare your body ahead of time before beginning the fast. Take a week or so to transition into your fast; otherwise, you could get sick. For example, if you would like to go on a fruits and vegetables or juice fast, start eliminating meat, white grains, and refined sugars from your diet the week before. Also start to cut back quite a bit on dairy products and some of your caffeine intake.
The same principle applies to breaking your fast. When your fast is over, add foods back in very gradually. Please don’t break your fast with a greasy cheeseburger! Because your body is so cleansed and detoxified, you will most likely get sick if you do that. There are also several supplements you can take that will help support the detox process during your fast. Your health-food store can give you recommendations. There are also several books about fasting, including food suggestions and recipes, that you may find helpful. You can find some of these at The Source bookstore on your Christ Fellowship campus.
