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The goal of fasting is not just to go without food; it is to draw nearer to God. The definition of a biblical fast is “to restrict food for a spiritual purpose.” Fasting is not just an exercise for the super-spiritual, but it should be a periodic discipline in the life of every believer. Fasting is not a tool to manipulate God to get our way nor is it a tool to lose weight. Rather, it is a way to open our lives to the direction and work of God. We are proactively giving Him attention and priority where we might otherwise focus on eating.
Your personal fast should present a level of challenge, but it is very important to know your own body, know your options and, most importantly, seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.
A normal fast is when solid foods are removed and only liquids are consumed (water and/or juice). This would be the type practiced by Elijah (see 1 Kings 19:8) and Jesus (see Matthew 4). Many utilize vegetable and fruit juice as well as whey protein in their liquid fast.
A partial fast is when some foods are restricted. Two of the most common partial fasts are:
A Daniel fast is based on the fasting principles of the prophet in Daniel 1 and 10. Daniel 1 states that he ate only vegetables and drank only water, and Daniel 10 states that he ate no rich (or choice) foods, as well as no meat or wine. The foundation of the Daniel fast is fruits and vegetables.
A meal fast is when you intentionally choose to abstain from food for a certain meal in order to seek God. For example, you may choose to fast from breakfast and lunch but eat dinner with your family. If you are new to fasting, abstaining from a meal each day may be a great starting point.
Remember, the power of fasting has less to do with food and more with setting yourself apart for a specific period of time to focus on the Lord through prayer and worship.
Q: Does fasting have to be fasting from food? What about fasting from other things like social media?
A: The examples found in the Bible will be almost exclusively about abstaining from food. Though the Bible doesn’t explicitly state why food is abstained from, we might be able to make some reasonable assumptions. First, we depend on food for survival. We are finite creatures and food is an essential part of our lives. By fasting, there is an implicit confession that we depend upon God for everything. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). Or “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). He is God. We are not. We are utterly dependent upon him since “he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:25). Second, whether we are in ancient biblical times or present day, we spend a substantial amount of time in the preparation of food and the eating of it. Fasting affords the opportunity to recover that time and feast on God instead. This time may be redeemed for an extended, personal, dependent, meaningful communion with God through prayer and reading his Word.
So, can we fast from other things like social media? Well, in one sense, the Bible knows nothing about a social media fast. Social media is not an essential part of our survival. However, the underlying human need, which social media attempts to approximate (one could debate how well it does this), is about forming and maintaining relationships with friends, family, and culture. Relationships are a basic human need. And, for some of us, social media may consume vast quantities of time. Like food abstention, this time could be repurposed and spent in an extended, personal, dependent, meaningful communion with God through prayer and reading his Word. This analysis may be useful in the consideration of abstention of anything. Ask, what is this thing doing for me? What fundamental part of human nature does this address? Does this thing offer a significant time commitment that could be repurposed for communing with God in prayer and reading his Word?
Q: Can I drink coffee, chew gum, or take vitamins during a fast? Will it still count?
A: This is a great question. As the Bible does not tell us how long or how often to fast, it is neither prescriptive in what else we might consume. Paul warns Timothy of drifting from the faith through an ungodly obsession with dietary restrictions:
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Tim. 4:1-5)
While it is probably wise to have a good plan for your abstention, it is arguably more important to have a plan for your time spent with God. Think about when to pray, how long to pray, and what to pray about. Think about what to read in God’s word. Make a simple plan. Rather than asking if the fast counts or if the fast “worked,” consider what it is we are getting- an audience with the living God. Fasting is done in faith. The only thing that would invalidate your fast is if you don’t seek the Lord in faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). Without faith, a fast is just a test of the will, ebbing with struggles and flowing with successes. The fast counts if your own soul is delighted with and satisfied by time spent with God Almighty. Trust that he will meet all your needs, whether or not you pop a vitamin or chew a stick of gum. Better to order your affections than quibble over details of abstinence. Ask yourself, “Is he the object of your soul’s deepest delight?”
Q:What if I have a health concern, eating disorder, or other circumstances that might prevent me from participating?
A: Use wisdom. When determining how to participate and what could constitute a meaningful abstention, you might use an analysis similar to the first question above. Keep in mind, level of severity does not necessarily correspond to level of devotion. If you are new to fasting, start with something simple and achievable, yet sacrificial. While it may not be prudent to bite off more than you can chew, as it were, it could be downright foolish to abstain from something that aggravates a health issue or causes you to stumble into a besetting sin issue.
Q:What exactly should I do when I pray during a fast?
A: It is probably helpful to plan times and places for you to pray during the day. Practically, you’ll want to find spots that will allow you to focus. It might require some creativity to carve out that time and space. It’s not going to look the same for everybody. Try not to romanticize it- some impossibly blissful setting or unreasonable amount of time. Use prayer as the means of grace for which God has given it- to commune with him.
But what should you pray? For minds that wander, it may be helpful to jot down some prayer categories or specific needs to help keep you on track in prayer. If you need ideas for prayer, think of those concerns nearest your heart- your family, the church, your relationships, your neighborhood, your work, etc.
Pray the attributes of God- his omnipotence, omnipresence, eternality, holiness, goodness, love, justice, wisdom, etc. Give him praise for what his Word has revealed about himself.
Pray the promises of God- that we are forgiven in Christ, that he works all things together for our good, that he is near to the brokenhearted, that he will complete the work of redemption he has started, etc. Praying his promises are not only precious to us, but they are guaranteed to be answered in the affirmative, according to the authority of God’s Word.
Pray the Psalms. You might tie your Bible reading into your prayer time. Study a Psalm. Maybe commit it to memory. Then use it as your own prayer. Meditate on the Psalm throughout the day. Chew it as your food, sustaining you until your next time of prayer and study.
Confess and repent to him. From experience, fasting can bring sin issues to the surface that you may not have realized were there. It can be that application of purifying heat, revealing impurities which were otherwise hidden. It may inflame anger, lust, discontentment, bitterness, envy, covetousness, whatever. Be aware of this and prepared to drive fresh nails of confession and repentance into those sins that arise. “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Finally, whatever you pray- pray it with love and thanksgiving in your heart for God. Cultivate a tender and humble frame before him as you flee to the throne of grace in prayer. Pray by faith. Trust that his Spirit will help you to pray, especially when it becomes difficult. And above all, set God as the object of your soul’s greatest joy as you approach him in prayer.