Christian fasting is classified into six types: absolute fasting, soul fasting, complete fasting, partial fasting, corporate fasting, and Daniel fasting.
Each of these fasts should be undertaken with humility and a hunger for Jesus. When we stop eating and drinking water, we use the time we would have spent eating to pray, read the Bible, and praise.
Daniel’s fast
This fast is intended to cleanse your body while
praying and tapping into God’s presence. Before you begin this fast, you should
determine how long you will fast. Some people fast for a week, while others,
like Daniel, fast for three weeks. 10:2–3 Daniel
What you can eat: fruits
nuts
Vegetables
Water (in order to flush out toxins)
What you can not eat:
Foodstuffs
Complete Fasting
A complete fast, consists of only eating and drinking
. You wouldn’t eat anything solid. Some people choose to drink water or juice
to help them stay energized. It is entirely up to you whether or not to include
juice.
Before you begin, you should decide how many days you
will fast for. This fast will humble you because you will no longer be able to
chew solid food.
Isn’t this the kind of fasting I’ve chosen: to break
the bonds of injustice and the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and
to break every yoke?
Isaiah 58:6 (KJV)
Absolute Fasting
An absolute fast is based on the fasts of Paul and
Esther in the Bible. During this fast, you do not eat or drink anything. There
is no drinking, including water.
The Bible states that after Saul was blinded on the
road to Damascus,
He was blind for three days and didn’t eat or drink
anything.
9:9. (Acts)
Esther 4:16
The fast in both stories lasted three days. It is also
recommended that you do this fast for a short period of time.
There were times in the Bible when people fasted
completely for an extended period of time. When tempted by Satan in the
wilderness, Jesus fasted for forty days without eating or drinking.
Partial Fasting
This type of fast is one of the more adaptable types of fasting. You can choose whether to pair your partial fast with a full fast or a Daniel fast. You would not eat solid foods if you were fasting completely. Daniel fasts by eating fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Or, for the first time, you may decide to simply eliminate one food group during your fasting hours. Whatever you decide, keep in mind that the goal is to deny your body what it craves.
Corporate Fasting
Corporate fasting can be accomplished in a number of
aspects. You could participate in a corporate fast with your church, a Bible
study group, your spouse, or others. Your group can decide what kind of fast
you will do and how long you will fast.
The book of Acts contains an example of corporate
fasting. Paul, Saul, and Barnabas were about to embark on their first
missionary journey. Before sending them off to the mission field, the church in
Antioch fasted.
While they were fasting and worshiping the Lord, the
Holy Spirit spoke to them, saying, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the
work to which I have called them.”
2 Corinthians 13:2-3 (KJV)
Ezra also contains an example of corporate fasting.
Ezra and his companions fasted in order to ask God to keep them safe on their
journey to Jerusalem.
Soul Fasting
When you fast your soul, you get rid of something in
your life that is out of balance or consumes a lot of your time.
Soul fasting ideas include:
Television
Social Media
Podcasts
Magazines
It’s not to say that any of these things are “bad,”
but it’s important to remember that they don’t control your life. You can give
it up and instead of scrolling through Instagram, you can pray and seek God.
You get to decide how long you want to do this fast
for. When the fast is over, it is critical to gradually integrate what you took
out back into your life. Just because the fast is over does not mean that
watching Netflix for seven hours is a good idea. Even after the fast, remember
to continue to honor God with what you spend your energy on.
What Motivates People to Fast?
Fasting is done for a variety of reasons. Among them
are the following:
Seek Knowledge
Get Ready for Ministry
Repent
Look for Safety.
Seek Salvation
God deserves to be worshiped.
You Need to Be Humble
The goal of fasting is to intentionally remove food
and sometimes water from your daily life in order to focus on God and pray.
People fast in order to gain access to God’s heart.
Do’s and Don’ts during fasting
What should you do if you are fasting?
Make a plan ahead of time
Maintain your dignity
Concentrate on God instead of the food you’re not
eating.
Praise, repentance and discipline in your prayers on a
regular basis.
Your thought process
What to Avoid While Fasting
You can avoid two things while fasting to help you
focus more on God.
Stay away from social media
Try not to tell everyone that you are fasting
The reason for avoiding the media is that fasting is a
time to pray and worship God, not to fill your mind with worldly thoughts.
Avoiding telling everyone you know that you are fasting will help ensure that you are fasting with good intentions. This isn’t to say you can’t tell anyone, but the point of fasting isn’t to focus on yourself. You are making a personal sacrifice to God. You’re showing God that you’re willing to fast in order to spend more time with him.
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