How to Begin

Start with clear, specific goals. Do you need direction, healing, or restoration of marriage or family issues? Are you facing financial difficulties? Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. Pray daily and read the Bible.

Preparing Your Hearts

Confess sin to God. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of weakness. Forgive all who have offended you and surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ, and reject the worldly desires that try to hinder you.

Deciding What Type of Fast

You could go on a full fast in which you only drink liquids, or you may choose to fast like Daniel, who abstained from sweets and meats.

What to Expect

When you fast, your body detoxifies, eliminating toxins from your system. This can cause mild discomfort, such as headaches and irritability, during withdrawal from caffeine and sugar. You will have hunger pains. Limit activity and exercise. Take time to rest.

Fasting brings about miraculous results. You are following Jesus’ example when you fast. Spend time listening to praise and worship. Pray as often as you can throughout the day. Turn away from entertainment, social media, and the news as much as possible in order to keep your heart and mind set on seeking God’s face.

Types of Fast

Full Fast: Drink only liquids (you establish the number of days). Esther and Paul fasted for 3 days. There are many one-day fasts in the Bible. Jesus fasted for 40 days.

The Daniel Fast: Eat no meat, no sweets and no bread. Eat fruits and vegetables. Drink water and juice (Daniel Chapter 10)

Partial Fast: A partial fast is from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm or from sunup to sundown.

Key Verses

Isaiah 58:6-9 (NKJV) 6  “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds  of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens,To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? 7  Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; … 8  Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

God has a fast in mind for us. He wants to undo the effects of sin in our lives so we can be free to serve Him. He wants us to humble ourselves, and He wants us to be generous to the poor. He wants to heal us, and He wants to answer our prayers.

Matthew 17:21 (NKJV) 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Disciples of Jesus are supposed to pray with faith and authority in Jesus name. Fasting is a necessary spiritual discipline for any follower of Jesus who wants to pray and believe for people to be healed and set free.

Ezra 8:21-23 (NKJV) 21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.  22 For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” 23 So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.

Ezra led the people in a fast before they set out on their journey. They asked God for direction, and they placed the protection and provision of their families in God’s hands alone.