INTRODUCTION

Fasting is a wonderful thing, and it must be a critical aspect of a Christian’s life. Jesus said that some things don’t come but by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21). This means that if you want to break a stronghold or get a breakthrough in your life, then introduce fasting as a way of life, especially when it comes to deep spiritual things. So, if you see the church not having any power, it can be attributed to not fasting regularly because having spiritual power and fasting are correlated.

It is sad, however, that a lot of Christians don’t fast or see it as important. I recommend that each Christian fast at least once a week at minimum. Like King David, we must say we will not offer up sacrifices to God without cost (2 Samuel 24:24). It must cost us time, food , effort and anything else we have in the service of our Lord.

This blog intends to reference some fasting scriptures and then give a short one-liner comment to highlight a salient point of the scripture. You can find the scripture on the left and the comment on the right. This means that the approach and presentation of this post will not be in my traditional conversational blog style.  It is more given as pointers to act as a reminder for a person engaging in fasting.

WHAT IS FASTING:

I once heard a preacher say that the original Hebrew meaning of the word fasting means “to cover your mouth”. However, fasting is generally considered as abstaining from food for a period of time”

BENEFITS OF FASTING

  1. Gives you victory over your enemies and spiritual elements.(2 Chronicles 20:3, 2 Chronicles 20:24-27)
  2. Builds Self control and discipline.
  3. Deepens your relationship with God.
  4. Helps your prayers to be answered much quicker.
  5. Detoxifies and eliminates toxins from your system.
  6. Helps with managing weight.

TYPES OF FASTING

ScriptureComment
Ester 4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which [is] not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.Absolute Fast:
Fully abstaining from food and water. Note that it indicates day and night.
Daniel 10:2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.   Daniel 10:3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.Partial Fast: Notice this fast was for 3 weeks. Daniel ate but he abstained from the most pleasant/delicious food.
Jonah 3:5. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.   Jonah 3:6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered [him] with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.   Jonah 3:7 And he caused [it] to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:   Jon 3:8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that [is] in their handsCorporate / Universal Fast:
Exodus 19:15 – (NIV) Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.”    


1 Corinthians 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except [it be] with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.  

Joel 2:16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet
Sexual Pleasure: The people of Israel did not have sex for 3 days when they were preparing to meet the lord.  


Do not deny your spouse his/her pleasure except during times of prayer and fasting.      



A fast was called in verse 15 of Joel, and if you notice, even the newlywed couples were mandated not to have intercourse.   I would say denying yourself intimacy is another way to make your fast deeper.

WAYS OF FASTING

ScriptureComment
Isa 58:1 . Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.We must not only pray but CRY out to the Lord and confess our sins and transgression.
Isa 58:2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.Don’t come before God heavy and drawn down especially as the fast progresses.
Seek him daily and take delight in approaching Him.
Isa 58:3 . Wherefore have we fasted, [say they], and thou seest not? [wherefore] have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?…   …Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.So, after doing all those good things above, people started to wonder what was happening. Why is God not acknowledging them?  

When you fast, you do as you please and exploit your workers. In the fast some were still finding pleasure instead of being fully locked away with God.
Isa 58:4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: …   … ye shall not fast as [ye do this] day, to make your voice to be heard on high.Your fasting ends in quarrelling, strife and wickedness. God is saying you cannot expect to fast like this today and expect your voices to be heard.
Isa 58:5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul?…    [is it] to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes [under him]?…   …wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?This is a question God is asking them. You feel that is only a DAY I choose for you to serve me and humble your souls.  
You all only want to look holy by putting on sackcloth and ashes.   Would you regard this as acceptable unto the lord?
Isa 58:6 [Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?Why God wants us to fast.
Isa 58:7 [Is it] not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?Important and often overlooked. During your fast, it is not just about hiding away but helping those around you and seeking out the needy.

Don’t hide from your own family, friends, etc.  
Isa 58:8 . Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.Improved health.  

The glory of the lord and this righteousness will be upon thee.
Isa 58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I [am]…     … If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;If your prayers were not being answered before, well, they will be answered now.

Fasting speeds up prayer requests.    

Do way with the yoke of oppression, stop pointing fingers, and malicious talk.
Isa 58:10 And [if] thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness [be] as the noonday:Help the hungry during your fast. Help the oppressed,

Your night will become like noonday.
 Isa 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.More benefits of fasting.
Isa 58:12 And [they that shall be] of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.Anything you put your hands to will be blessed.
SCRIPTURECOMMENT
Nehemiah 9:1. Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.Apart from doing individual fasts your entire church (assembly) can fast.
Ne 9:2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.  Although Isaiah mentioned about going out and helping others during your fast.  

Sometimes you have to draw away from everyone.  

When fasting it is also good to confess your sins.
Ne 9:3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God [one] fourth part of the day; and [another] fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.Daily Structure:
1. Read part of the day.
2. Confess (hidden sin, weakness, disobedience, etc).
3. Worship.  
SCRITPURE COMMENT
Joel 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: 
Joel 2:16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closetEVERYONE MUST FAST!!:

Elders, Young and old, children and newborns, and sometimes don’t even have intercourse.  
Joel 2:17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where [is] their God?Weep and cry before God.     They were fasting to show God strong in the land.

SEASONS OF FASTING

Zechariah 8:19 (KJV) – Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.

YOUR ENEMIES ALSO FAST

Did you know that your enemies are fasting to gain an upper hand over you? Sometimes, when you are not winning, it is because you are fighting with a knife (not fasting) and your enemy is using a high-powered machine gun (fasting).

Acts 23:12-15.  The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”

PREPARING FOR A FAST

  1. Select what type of fast you would like to engage in.
    1. If doing an Absolute fast the days before, you can start to reduce your portion sizes during meals.
  2. Try and pick days when you can have more quiet time with the lord. Examples are holidays, days off, vacations, weekends, and the slowest day of the week.  
  3. Choose a duration (number of days) and push to achieve those days. Although you set the period, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. He can cause you to go longer or shorter. For example, one time, I was fasting, and the Holy Spirit told me to stop and go and play some tennis. I battled with the spirit for a while because I thought this was the wrong thing to do. Then I decided to go tennis and at tennis, I witnessed to a fellow teammate. What I said was so pointed as to what was going on in his life that he told me that someone was telling me about his personal business. The Holy Spirit wanted me to go and witness to that guy that day. 
  4. This relates to the point above. Make sure it is spirit-led. “Luke 4:1 – Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness.
  1. Set your heart and mind to seek him, knowing he will draw nearer to you. Jeremiah 29:13 states, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”.
  2. Fast with a clear goal in mind, and write down what you would be praying for daily. Try and group your pray topics into themes and break out subpoints for each theme. Example:
    • Government:
      • Prosperity in the Land.
      • Homeless
      • Peace an harmony within the country.
      • Pray for those in authority –  1 Timothy 2:1-2
    • Family
      • Health and wellbeing.
      • Forgiveness and Love to prevail.
      • Financial blessings and increase.
      • Unsaved family members to come and know the Lord.
  3. Feed yourself spiritually on multiple fronts:
    1. Pray without ceasing
    2. Worship and Praise often
    3. Read your bible & spiritual books. Identify a duration (30 minutes, 1 hour, etc) you want to do this daily and execute accordingly. Select a fixed time daily where you have the least distractions.
    4. Listen to prerecorded sermons.
    5. Seek out and engage in godly conversations with friends. 
    6. Don’t forsake the assembling of yourselves together- – Hebrews 10:25
  4. Forgive all who have offended you and ask forgiveness from those whom you may have offended. (Luke 11:4, Luke 17:3-4). Do this at start of the fast way before even commencing. Quote: “Holding people in your heart keeps God out of yours”. – Matthew 6:15
  5. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance:
    1. To plan and execute the fast.
    2. Reveal areas of weakness.
    3. Open your eyes to things to pray for.

DURING THE FAST

  1. Prepare spiritually by confessing your sins to God.
  2. Limit your activity, and if conducting physical exercising, do it moderately.
  3. Pray as often during the day and night as you can.
    1. Don’t just wait for formal alone time; speak to God as you travel to work, at your workplace as you move about, etc.
    2. Look to see God in simple things which might happen throughout the day.
    3. During your lunch time find a quiet place to commune alone with God.
  4. For first-time fasters. Headaches and hunger pains are normal, so don’t get too alarmed.
  5. Don’t broadcast that you are fasting. This should be between you and God primarily and not about an outward show.
  6. Humble yourself before God. The Pharisee in Luke 18:9-14 was fasting twice a week and doing other good things (tithing). But he did not humble himself before God did not justify him compared to the publican (tax collector).
  7. Be passionate about seeking God.
  8. Be conscious of distractions which can hinder you. (Nagging children, delegating responsibilities at work, deferring tasks/errands).
  9. Prayer for Others incessantly. A big part of fasting is praying for the needs of others and their interest.
    • Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV) 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
    • Job 42:10 (NIV) 10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.
  10. During the day.
    1. Get up early and start praying before the sun comes out.
    2. Don’t just starve yourself, but pray throughout the day. Set a repeat timer on your phone for hourly reminders if you have to.
    3. Pray, Read God’s word/books and watch sermons on Youtube
    4. If you eat anything unintentionally, don’t stop because of it. Just continue fasting on.
    5. Drink lots of water if you can to keep hydrated. This also depends on the type of fast you are having.

YOUR DEMEANOR WHILE FASTING

SCRIPTURECOMMENT
Matthew 6:16-18 (NIV)
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.   

17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,   

18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  		Keep your fast private and discrete and don’t advertise it to others (Matthew 6:16-18).

What you do in secret God will reward you openly (Matthew 6:3-4). Don’t do all this work and not get the best reward because you are boasting and broadcasting.

This is clear and straight forward. When fasting we suppose to look no different in the eyes of the people who know us.  
However, inwardly we will be looking very different in the eyes of the Lord and that is where it matters.

ENDING THE FAST

  1. Close off with a lot of praises, knowing that God has answered your prayers. (Acts 27:33-37) Paul ended a fast by giving God thanks for the meat.
  2. Don’t eat excessively after coming out of the fast. Begin eating solid food gradually and in small portions.
  3. Breaking your fast with foods that are especially high in fat, sugar, or even fiber can be difficult for your body to digest, leading to bloating and discomfort. On the other hand, nutrient-dense foods that easy to digest and contain a bit of protein and some healthy fats can break your fast more gently. – Reference Breaking Your fast.
  4. Be mindful not to overeat.

CONCLUSION

I hope you found this compilation of notes on fasting helpful. If you want to add anything to the content of this post, then I encourage you to leave a comment below or tell us how fasting has benefited and blessed your life. I look forward to hearing from you, and feel free to share this post with someone who is currently fasting or wants to embark on fasting in the near future.

Remember to PRAY without ceasing, because your enemy is also PREYING without ceasing.

PS: You can check out my blog –   https://daneamiller.blog/ if you want to see other Christian content.

Your Brother in the Lord,

Dane Miller – “God is the Author, I am the Pen”

Authored Book – What is the Woman Saying – Lessons from Biblical Women.

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