What Is A Partial Fast
A partial fast is also known as a three-day spiritual fast. We see examples of Daniel and his friends eating veggies, fruit, and drinking water for ten days. They used this fast to honor God while in captivity. Others fasted using different lengths of time and how. This fast could last from part of a day to an entire day to several days or weeks .
A Short Practical Guide For Prayer And Fasting
Richard Pratt
These are tumultuous times that call for prayer and fasting. Deadly disease runs rampant the worlds economies are unstable peace and safety are threatened at every turn. Now, we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose . No matter what trials we face, all of Christs followers are more than conquerors through him who loved us . Still, many of us struggle during these times as never before with hopelessness, loneliness, financial ruin, fear of violence, illness and death. The Scriptures teach that when followers of Christ face difficulties like these, we are to seek Gods help through prayer and fasting. Jesus himself explained that once he left his disciples and ascended into heaven, then they will fast .
Sadly, modern evangelicals have largely lost sight of Gods gracious provision of fasting. We labor under the burden of thinking that the faithful will be satisfied, even delighted with whatever terrible circumstances may come their way. As a result, we deny ourselves the opportunity to express our deep sorrow over sin, our desperate need for Christ, our longing for the renewal of the church and our intense desire to see Christs merciful and just Kingdom spread throughout the world. Yet, as our difficult days bring us to a stark awareness of how much we need Gods mercy, we must once again humble ourselves before the Lord through prayer and fasting.
For example:
How Do You Begin Fasting
There are so many fasting and prayer scriptures but 5 main examples that you can use as a fasting and prayer guide are below.
Please be advised: It is wise to discuss the practical side of your plans to fast and pray with your doctor. If you have a medical condition you will want to choose A Non-Food Fast
- A 40 day Complete fast :
- Examples are Jesus and Moses who took things to the extreme. No Food or Water for 40 Days. .
To begin fasting, simply choose a fast and begin.
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Prayer For Fasting And Petition
Lord, please forgive us for craving food more than you. Forgive us for craving anything more than you. Lord redirect our hunger. Be our God. Open our eyes to the benefits of fasting. Open our hearts to you like never before. Give us the desire to turn to you with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our strength. May we no longer live by bread alone but by every word that comes from your mouth Oh LORD. Teach us to fast so that we might hold fast to you. In Jesus Name, Amen.
What Time To Fast
Again, the time to fast is a personal and circumstantial decision.
Fasting can occur at any time and for as many days as makes sense to the person who is fasting.
A person may even to fast on a schedule.
For example, one pastor fasts every Tuesday and Thursday for one meal. They use that time they would have been eating to pray.
Ultimately when a person chooses to fast should be a time they can allocate to prayer and proper focus on God.
Always stick to consistent fasting. This is where the breakthrough often lies.
The durations of a fast are as diverse as the people who carry them out.
For some, they can only handle short durations.
For others, they can fast for days.
Make the choice based on your own condition of health.
Remember, it is not about the duration of the fast as much as its about the time dedicated to the Lord.
Do not compare yourself with someone else.
Fasting is simply abstaining from something.
There are many different ways to fast aside from food and drink.
Many fast from social media, sugar, and a number of different things.
And depending upon what a person fasts they can oftentimes go on a longer fast than they could if they were fasting food and drink.
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A Fasting Prayer For Mercy:
Scripture describes times where God was moved by fasting. So much so, instead of sending judgment, He granted mercy. One such account involved King Ahab.
Yet, when the Prophet Elijah delivered a message from God to Ahab, of His anger and the calamity to come, Ahab tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted .
When he did, God noticed how he had humbled himself before Him, and because Ahab humbled himself, God did not send the disaster upon him .
Even the most wretched of sinners can move the heart of God to receive mercy, by humbling themselves through fasting.
Another remarkable story is found in Jonah 1:1-2, where God asked Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach against it because of its wickedness before God. Unlike his previous experience where he ran away and ended up inside a whale, this time he obeyed. Jonah preached of the coming judgment to the city of Nineveh , to which they responded from the greatest to the least, by believing God, fasting, and putting on sackcloth .
As the story goes, When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He relented and did not bring on them the destruction He had threatened .
Prayer For Healthy Holy Fasting
Father, your Word is full of wisdom and knowledge. I pray that we, as children of God, trust you Lord and humble ourselves before you… seeking you God like never before. I pray for everyone fasting and beginning to fast.
I pray that they are led by you, Father, and not the world. I pray the distractions and temptations will not overcome them during this time. Thank you, Father, for loving us enough to send your Son to die for us. We will be forever grateful. In Jesus name, Amen
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How To Prepare Yourself Spiritually And Physically
Spiritual Preparation
In preparation for this special time with God, I strongly urge you to examine your heart, and detect any unconfessed sin. Scripture records that God always requires His people to repent of their sins before He will hear their prayers. King David said:
Come and hear, all of you who reverence the Lord, and I will tell you what he did for me: For I cried to him for help, with praises ready on my tongue. He would not have listened if I had not confessed my sins. But he listened! He heard my prayer! He paid attention to it!Blessed be God who didnt turn away when I was praying, and didnt refuse me his kindness and love.
In your prayers, confess not only obvious sins, but less obvious ones as well. The sins of omission as well as the sins of commission experiences. These may be experiences leaving your first love for our Lord: worldly-mindedness, self-centeredness, spiritual indifference, and unwillingness to share your faith in Christ with others, not spending sufficient time in Gods Word and in prayer, a poor relationship with your spouse, your children, your pastor, or other members of your church.
Another great way to prepare for your fast is to practice what I call Spiritual Breathing. The concept is simple, but it has changed my own life and that of millions of others.
Physical Preparation
Although fasting is primarily a spiritual discipline, it begins in the physical realm. You should not fast without specific physical preparation.
How To Honor God With Fasting
When you take a look at our culture, fast food places on almost every corner and countless opportunities to eat whatever you wish, even a committed Christian may never consider Fasting. Yet, one of the classic, Christian aspects of growing deeper in the faith is Fasting. Our minds are cleared to seek Christ without distractions and interruptions. Even though believers may feel distractions with their stomach aching and growling, they can more easily pour themselves out to the Lord.
God informs that Fasting is important, but Jesus sternly warns of abusing it by using it for a show and tell the game to draw attention to oneself, thus missing the real purpose, that of drawing close to God, and seeking His Will for your life and church. This passage is in the context of pleasing God, where Jesus places Fasting in the ranks of prayer, spiritual commitment, and trusting Him, making it a vital, if not a paramount component of spirituality, of growing deeper in Christian formation/spiritual growth.
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What Is Biblical Fasting And How Does It Work
For thousands of years, biblical fasting has been the practice of abstaining from food for spiritual purposes. If youre used to a routine of three square meals a day, going without food as a spiritual practice may sound strange. But fasting was a very common religious practice when the Bible was written.
In his book Hunger for God, John Piper writes: Christian fasting, at its root, is the hunger of a homesickness for God. Christian fasting is not only the spontaneous effect of superior satisfaction in God, it is also a chosen weapon against every force in the world that would take that satisfaction away.
But how does biblical fasting work and how can someone do it today? In this guide, were going to cover what every Christian should know about fasting: what it is and how it works.
If you want to jump ahead, heres what were going to look at:
Some Christians use the word fast when abstaining from pleasures besides food, like TV, internet or, for married couples, sex. You might know people who have gone on a social media fast or a screen fast for spiritual reasons. For the purposes of this article, were going to focus on traditional Christian fasting: abstaining from food.
How To Properly Fast
There are numerous ways to fast.
Fasting has a lot of health benefits because oftentimes people will hold off from eating poorly.
Thus, people who decide to consistently fast often drop weight and live a healthier life.
However, be very cautious and always do your own due diligence about fasting.
It must be done properly.
Below are 10 tips to a happy and healthy fast when it comes to food.
1. Shorter Is Safer
Since there are number of different ways to fast, there are also a number of durations you can choose from.
As I said above, shorter is safer.
Think in terms of a number of hours up to one day.
You can even just fast one meal.
Keep in mind that longer fasts increase in risk.
The best way to avoid getting into trouble is to stick to shorter fasts. Grow from there.
If you desire to do a longer fast seek medical advice first.
2. Eat a Little
As Ive mentioned throughout this article, just cutting down on something is a fast.
This means when it comes to fasting food, just eating a little, rather than a lot, is still considered a fast.
Yes, you can stop eating altogether for a predetermined amount of time, but you dont have to.
You can still eat a little.
This is true especially when you first start fasting.
3. Drink Something
When our bodies get dehydrated, we tend to recognize the symptoms quickly.
Our mouth drys up, muscles can get tense, and the list goes on.
Drinking something while fasting is critically important.
Stay hydrated at all costs.
4. Dont Stay Still
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Preparing For The Fast
The normal fast involves abstaining from all forms of food, but not from water, and commonly lasts 24 hours, from sunrise to sunrise. If you are fasting for the first time, you might begin by missing a meal or two. Over time, you can build up to a full day or more.
Begin by refraining from solid food, but drink liquids. Water is the best, since soft drinks are not good for the digestive system, and coffee and tea stimulate the nervous system. Before beginning a fast, it is best to eat lightly and cut back on caffeinated drinks. During the first few days of a multi-day fast, it is common to experience headaches as the body withdraws from caffeine.
If you are planning for an extended fast , you should prepare mentally and physically by cutting down on food intake one week before the actual fast, taking on a vegetarian diet to control cravings for food. Reduce your intake of beverages like coffee, tea and soft drinks as well.
Drink plenty of water.
Drink Lots Of Water When Fasting
Make sure that you also drink a lot of water during your fast. The great thing about fasting is that you get all the water you can drink! Drinking plenty of water will significantly reduce your hunger pangs and discomfort. If you feel hungry while fasting, just guzzle a half-gallon of water, and that hunger will be gone instantly.
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Bible Verses About Fasting And Prayer
There is no such thing as a fast without prayer. A fast without prayer is just going hungry and youre accomplishing nothing at all. While fasting is not necessary for salvation it is essential on your Christian walk of faith and highly recommended. In fact, Jesus expects us to fast.
Fasting will help you have a more intimate relationship with Christ. It will help you to overcome sin, bad habits, and help open your eyes to things that are displeasing to God in your life. Fasting and prayer is a time to separate yourself from your regular patterns and from things of the world and come closer to the Lord.
There are so many benefits and reasons for fasting and so many ways to do it. Find out the best way for you. Find out the reason for your fasting and how long you plan on doing it for.
I challenge you today to fast. Dont do it to try to brag and appear spiritual. Make sure your motives are right and do it for the glory of God. Humble yourself before the Lord and commit to Him.
Why Do Christians Fast What Does Biblical Fasting Accomplish
Biblical fasting is not a hunger strike between you and God. It can be easy to think of fasting as a way to add an extra oomph to your prayers. But biblical fasting isnt so much about how God responds to your prayers: its more about how you bring your prayers to Him.
God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble . Fasting is a means of humbling ourselves before God. In the Old Testament, fasting was often accompanied by other signs of humility and brokenness, such as weeping, mourning, and lamenting, as well as wearing sackcloth and sitting in ashes.
Bill Bright, Crus co-founder, made it his practice to fast and pray. He believed it played a vital role in what God did through him and through Cru as a ministry. He listed several benefits he gained from fasting:
- Fasting is a biblical way to truly humble yourself in the sight of God. King David said, I humbled myself with fasting .
- Fasting enables the Holy Spirit to reveal your true spiritual condition, resulting in brokenness, repentance and a transformed life.
- Your confidence and faith in God will be strengthened. You will feel mentally, spiritually and physically refreshed.
Its important to understand that fasting is not a way to get a better response to prayer. Rather, true fasting is a means of fostering a better approach to prayer.
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Types Of Fasts And Biblical Context
There are three different types of fasts. 1. The Regular Fast also 2. The Supernatural Fast and 3. The Complete Fast.
Regular Fast Traditionally, a regular fast means refraining from eating all food. Most people still drink water or juice during a regular fast. When Jesus fasted in the desert, the Bible says, After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. This verse does not mention Jesus being thirsty.
This is where most people start. Whether denying yourself food or some other pleasure, an occasional fast that lasts six, twelve, or twenty-four hours is the most manageable. Nevertheless, you must treat it with the same sincerity as a longer fast. It is not insignificant just because it is short. But it does allow you to move gently into the discipline and to let the Lord instruct you. You are not necessarily making a commitment to do this type of fast again, as it is a one-time fast for a specific purpose.
Partial Fast This type of fast generally refers to omitting a specific meal from your diet or refraining from certain types of foods. Daniel 10:2-3 says, At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food no meat or wine touched my lips, and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. In Daniel chapter 1, they restricted their diet to vegetables and water.
Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Daniel 1:12