What comes to mind when you think of fasting and prayer?<\/em> Really, let\u2019s do a gut check here\u2026\u00a0 My first thoughts are \u2018No Way, I can\u2019t go all day without eating\u2019. Can I be more honest?<\/em> When I felt God prompting me to dig into How to fast and pray<\/strong> for God, I sort of freaked out.<\/p>\n Stay to the end to see a video where I go more in-depth about fasting and prayer!<\/em><\/p>\n Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.<\/em><\/p>\n We started this series by looking at 5 of the reasons to fast and how there is hope<\/a> in it. <\/p>\n Next, we saw that God has a lot to say about how NOT to fast<\/a>.\u00a0 Honestly, I started there because God started there in Scripture.<\/p>\n What I expected was a list of acceptable practices on how to fast and pray<\/strong>\u2013 maybe in Leviticus \u2013 to study God\u2019s Word and try out.\u00a0 In fact, most of the internet is obsessed with the logistics of fasting\u2026 while the Lord God is more concerned with our hearts during a fast. (It feels shocking, but it is true to His nature! God cares about the heart!)<\/em><\/p>\n Earlier I shared that my first time of fasting in the Christian faith was a complete fast or absolute fast with a small group of Believers in college. We learned that in early Christian history, people took on a weekly habit of fasting in Jesus\u2019 name. <\/p>\n Fasting was why the history of the church was so filled with deep repentance and great reformation and why (in my humble opinion) our generation is missing those things. \u00a0<\/p>\n Just like in the Old Testament, where people better understood that following after the things of God could lead to a great revival of hearts turned back to God, we need to heed God\u2019s call to fast today to seek God\u2019s guidance in our world.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The spiritual benefits of fasting include:<\/p>\n These are Biblical truths that we will explore further as we learn about the different types of fasts! \u00a0I feel a growing sense of urgency to seek the will of God and the presence of God. \u00a0Nothing does that as effectively as a habit of fasting and prayer.\u00a0<\/p>\n Related Post: What Are The Benefits of Fasting and Prayer?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Want to know how to fast and pray for God?\u00a0 A fast is about humbling our hearts before God. Fasting and praying is about giving up the thing you seek for satisfaction in order to draw near to God\u2026 allowing God to satisfy you. <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n What is the purpose of fast and prayer?<\/p>\n A fast is about humbling our hearts before God.\u00a0<\/strong> <\/p>\n \u201cI have food to eat that you do not know about.\u201d (John 4:32<\/a> NASB)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Where the Bible does not give us rules per se, it does give us examples of many types of fasting in the Bible (spiritual fasting)<\/a>.<\/p>\n There is GRACE in a fast that pleases God.<\/strong><\/p>\n How To Fast and Pray To Please God: A 15-Step Beginners Guide To Grace! <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n To fast and pray is about the heart, not the rules.<\/strong><\/p>\n Related Post: 5 Reasons to Fast and Pray for God<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Below are 15 types of fasting that can help you get started:<\/p>\n 15 ways to begin fasting and praying for God.<\/strong><\/p>\n There are so many fasting and prayer scriptures<\/a> but 5 main examples that you can use as a fasting and prayer guide are below. Within each type of fasting and prayer are subsets that can help you whether you are a beginner or are seasoned with prayer and fasting!<\/p>\n A 40-day total fast is extreme and I would caution you against it as a first step. Examples of an absolute fast are Jesus and Moses who took things to the extreme. No food or water for 40 days. (Exodus 34:28<\/a>; Matthew 4:2<\/a>).<\/p>\n ~> Be sure you talk to a doctor before giving up all types of food for this long.<\/p>\n A total fast or complete fast in general which could last from part of a day to an entire day to several days or weeks.<\/p>\n This was the most common in the Scripture so I\u2019ll just list a few.\u00a0 (Esther 4:16; Joel 2:12; Ezra 8:21-23; Jonah 3:5-9<\/a>)<\/p>\n In one example we see that God\u2019s people ate fruit, and veggies and drank water for 10 days of prayer and fasting. In modern times you might use vegetable juices supplemented with protein powder to keep your strength up while seeking God.<\/p>\n No meat, no tasty bread,\u00a0no wine, no oils for his skin (For 21 days) (Daniel 10:3; Daniel 9:3<\/a>)<\/p>\n These types of food would have been things that satisfied Daniel, good food and relief from dried skin (Daniel was older by then and living in a hot dry land).<\/p>\n A word of caution. \u00a0Most people seek out the Daniel fast about weight loss and good health benefits. However, for a time of successful fasting for your spiritual life, you must seek spiritual renewal from your Heavenly Father above physical change. <\/p>\n Does that make sense? \u00a0The reward, the power of fasting for God is worth it but you will need God\u2019s help to reach your goal!<\/p>\n In our culture, where food preparation takes far less time, it makes more sense to fast from non-food things to help create space in our schedule to humbly connect with the Lord.<\/p>\n Here are 10 ways to practice a non-food fast with God.<\/p>\n We are told husband and wife can decide together to give up sex for a time and reason, to begin fasting and praying (1 Corinthians 7:5<\/a>).<\/p>\n Daniel is our example of this as well\u00a0(Daniel 10:3; Daniel 9:3<\/a>). He refrained from using oils. In our times it may be perfume or makeup or something else that you use on your body for pleasure.<\/p>\n Fasting and prayer are about the posture of your heart seeking satisfaction from God alone. So, it makes sense that you could give up things that satisfy you like a Spiritual atomic bomb to cultivate humility! <\/p>\n In modern times this could be:<\/p>\n 8. TV The list could go on forever, etc.<\/p>\n Related Post: 50 Things You Could Give Up For Lent or Any Time of Fasting<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Please be advised: It is a good idea to discuss the practical side of your plans to fast and pray with your doctor. \u00a0If you have a medical condition you will want to choose A Non-Food Fast for the day of your fast the first time. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Any drastic change to your diet will require much physical preparation in advance of the day of fasting to avoid medical harm or any other physically\u00a0difficult situation.<\/em><\/p>\n Some people choose to follow a plan before beginning a period of fasting. \u00a0I have laid out tips and the basic steps to safely begin using Biblical fasts to seek the presence of the Lord\u00a0in this post ~> \u00a03 Things to Expect in a Time of Fasting<\/a><\/p>\n The last two examples give me an understanding that to fast and pray is really about replacing things that satisfy us physically with God for a time and specific purpose.<\/strong><\/p>\n The physical reminder of hunger is a prompt to pray, worship, and draw nearer to God.\u00a0 The emotional connection to food (believe me there is an emotional connection)<\/em> can actually drive me to my knees very intensely!<\/p>\n The reason I chose to give up my phone in my list of time to fast and pray for God<\/strong> \u2013 instead of a meal \u2013 is my habit of turning a fast into a diet\u2026\u00a0 weight loss is not the right heart posture.<\/p>\n Fasting and prayer is about giving up satisfying myself to let God fill me\u2026 Allowing God to feed my soul. ~A Beginners Guide to Pray and Fast: Taking Spiritual Warfare to the Next Level by Tiffany Montgomery<\/a><\/p>\nBefore Learning How to Fast and Pray for a Breakthrough God\u2019s Way<\/span><\/h2>\n
Fasting As A Spiritual Discipline<\/span><\/h3>\n
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What is the Purpose of a Fast or Fasting and Praying? (How To Fast For God)<\/span><\/h2>\n
What Does the Bible Say About Fasting for God?<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Why Look at the Types of Fasting in the Bible?<\/span><\/h3>\n
How to Fast and Pray for God in Today\u2019s Culture<\/span><\/h2>\n
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1. A 40-D<\/strong>ay Complete Fast (No Food or Water):<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
2. The Complete Fast<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
3 & 4. A Partial Fast (also called a 3-day Spiritual Fast):<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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5. The Daniel Fast<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
6-15. Non-Food Fasts <\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
6. A fast from Sex<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n
7. A fast from Oils<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n
8 \u2013 15. A fast from things that satisfy you or entertain you<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n
9. Social media
10. Spending money
11. Dressing up or changing clothes
12. Swearing
13. Complaining
14. Reading
15. Going to certain places<\/p>\nHealth Concerns While Fasting<\/span><\/h2>\n
What Biblical Fasting and Praying is Not<\/span><\/h2>\n
Beware A Common Danger: How To Fast for God<\/span><\/h3>\n
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