Understanding Prayer & Fasting

Fasting should always be a response to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, not a current fad and certainly not to please others or to meet a goal.  Remember, the purpose of fasting is to give up something in order to focus more on God in prayer. In Matthew 6:16, Jesus said, “When you fast” He seems to assume that fasting is a normal part of the Christian life. He doesn’t say, “you must fast,” or “if you fast,” simply “when you fast.” In Matthew 9: 15, Jesus says, “The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.” When Jesus was here on earth, the Kingdom of God had come. It was a time for feasting, not fasting. There would come a time for His disciples to fast, but not in the legalistic way of that time. The most natural interpretation of the days when Jesus’ disciples would fast is in the present Church age. This is how the disciples understood Him because it was only after His ascension to the Father that we read of them fasting (Acts 13:2). It is this age of the Church to which our Master referred when He said, “Then they will fast.” That time is now.  Because every person is different, the things we are fasting from will differ. Below are four types of fasting. 

• SELECTIVE FAST — a selective fast is eliminating certain things from your diet over an extended time period. Eating only fruits and vegetables, what some might call a “Daniel fast,” is an example of this type of fasting. 

• PARTIAL FAST — another option is a partial fast, which is refraining from eating for a set period on each day. As an example, You could choose to fast from a single meal or from sun-up to sundown. 

• COMPLETE FAST — a complete fast is where you only drink water. You would not eat any solid foods. Some people choose to drink water and juice to help maintain some energy. 

• MATERIAL FAST — abstaining from an item, media, or activity, such as social media, TV, video games, certain activities, or your cell phone. Pick an activity or item you use regularly, and use the time to learn to rely on God.