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Fasting is a topic that many believers avoid because it can be very difficult to give something up. In a culture where we are constantly bombarded with things that appeal to our every want and desire, denying our flesh can be a powerful way to refocus our lives in prayer. Not only can fasting help us hear God’s voice more clearly, it can also help us develop a habit of prayer that can last long after the fast ends.
Before attempting your first fast, there are a few things to consider as you prepare your heart, mind, and body.
Think about why you want to fast.
There are various reasons for fasting, and in different seasons of my life I have fasted for different reasons. Sometimes it’s because I want to see an area of my life experience a breakthrough. Other times it was because I wanted direction or clarity from the Lord in a specific area of my life. Other times it was because I simply wanted to hear God’s voice more clearly. It’s helpful to determine in advance why you want to fast, and it may even be helpful to spend a few weeks journaling and praying about your “why.” Fasting can be mentally and physically difficult, so it’s important to have a goal in mind to keep you from giving up.
Realize what fasting do And doesn’t TO DO.
Let me be honest for a minute. Fasting is not a panacea. Sometimes, even after a long fast, your situation does not change. The thing you were praying for is unresolved, or the direction you are seeking remains unclear. Even if your circumstances don’t change, fasting puts us in a place where we can experience God. This helps our hearts to seek the Lord and be attentive to His voice. In this space of listening to the Lord, we can experience a kind of peace that spills over into our situation. It is during these moments of authentic interaction with the Lord that we grow spiritually.
Decide what and when to fast.
Some people resist fasting because they cannot give up food for medical reasons. However, a spiritual fast does not always mean fasting from food. Spiritual fasting is essentially letting go of something and using the void left behind to focus on God. Food is the most common thing to fast, but other things can include TV, social media, or something as simple as candy. It should be something that has a regular place in your life that you realize has disappeared.
It’s also helpful to have a plan when you’re going too fast. Will it be a week or a month fast? Are you going to fast one meal a day? Right at lunchtime? It’s better to plan ahead rather than relying on how you feel because you’ll want to give up. It may also be helpful to share with close family members that you will be doing a fast to help you succeed. If your spouse prepares your favorite meal during a fast day, you will be much more likely to break your fast prematurely.
Pray when you miss your “thing.”
Whether you choose to fast with food or something else, you’ll likely miss your “stuff” throughout the day. The benefit of fasting food is that your body naturally sends you hunger cues. These cravings can be reminders to prayer. In addition to time intentionally set aside for worship or prayer, times when you are hungry or want to log on to social media, etc., can instead be reminders to come to the Lord in prayer.
Write down what you hear or experience
During a fast, the Lord may begin to reveal certain things that were previously hidden. Maybe He will remind you how addicted you were to your phone. Or maybe He will reveal a new aspect of a situation that you hadn’t thought of before. Maybe you don’t hear God but feel His presence during times of worship. Write down what you are experiencing. Some of the most impactful times in our walk with the Lord can be started from a fast, and it can be very encouraging to look back over the year to remember what the Lord did or said during a fast.
Is the Lord calling you to fast? If He is, I pray that you will respond in obedience by leaning into what He wants to do in your heart. For additional support and resources on fasting, check out the Hearing Jesus podcast’s fasting series: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-does-fasting-help-us-hear-from-god-fasting-day-1/id1615623952?i=1000569515637
Photo credit: GettyImages/Uladzimir Zuyeu
This article was originally published on Christianity.com. For more faith-building resources, visit