Why do we fast?

To Trust Fully
When we fast, we are trusting that despite consuming food to energize our bodies, He will sustain not only our bodies, but our Spirit. (Matthew 4:4)

To Silence the Noise
While we can’t escape the noise of the city, we can escape the noise in our soul. Fasting helps us to quiet our spirits so they are centered solely on God. (Acts 13:2)

To Sharpen Prayer
When we fast, it gives us more time for prayer, but it also sharpens the purpose, power and effectiveness of our prayers because we are putting aside earthly desires to seek God. (Isaiah 58:6)

To Discipline Desires
Through the Spirit of God, we have been given a greater measure of self-control than we live out. Fasting helps us to rightly feed on our desire for God more than the desire for things of this world. (Romans 12:1-2)

To Repent
When we truly repent, it’s not just an external action but an internal one. Fasting demonstrates a deep desire to turn from our sin not just in word, but in deed. (Joel 2:12)

To Lament
Fasting can also be a way to process our pain. When we fast, we are lamenting with our bodies, that which is happening in our spirit and it provides a healthy way to process pain in God’s presence. (2 Samuel 1:12)

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How do we fast?

Pick a rhythm.
How long and often will you fast? For example, you could fast a full 21 days in a row, weekdays for the season of Lent or one day a week as an ongoing, permanent rhythm. The early church practiced fasting every Wednesday and Friday—a great starting point!

Decide on duration.
How much of the day will you fast? A full fast lasts the entire day, eating nothing for a 24-hour period, or you could abstain from food during a window of time, like sunrise to sunset, or for a specific meal, like lunch.

Maximize your fast.
What does fasting look like? In the moments where you would typically be eating, preparing or thinking about food, turn your heart to God. This could mean that:

• When you get hungry, you use that moment to recite a short prayer or read a portion of scripture.
• When you’d usually be grocery shopping or prepping meals, you use that time to seek God in contemplative prayer or silence.
• On your lunch or coffee break, you read scripture or go for a prayer walk.
  

The time that you spend not eating is meant to be time given to feasting on God’s presence. Fasting focuses not on what we are refraining from, but rather what we are leaning into!

Biblical fasting is not a diet but a prayer with your entire body. From Moses to Jesus, we see something ancient and sacred about a true food fast. However, if abstaining fully from food isn’t available to you, we encourage you to lean into new spiritual disciplines that will strengthen your ability to choose God over temporary desires. For example, you could abstain from with alcohol, caffeine or screen time for a season, or opt for a modified dietary practice like the Daniel Fast—a vegan diet that eliminates caffeine, sweeteners and processed foods—or a liquid fast permitting only juices, smoothies and broth.
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