A Beginners Guide to Fasting
Much of the reason that fasting has fallen into disrepair in the modern church is that many people have come to misunderstand fasting. If you mention the word "fasting" to many people they thing of long periods of time going without food. While an absolute fast is one form of fasting, it is not the ONLY way to fast. Other people have come to believe that fasting is a discipline to be practice by spritual super-heroes and not the common disciple. The fact is fasting is a powerful tool in the life of the ordinary believer to create space for God to speak in new and special ways in their life.
If you are new to fasting, or haven't fasted in years, here are some practical hints to help you get started again.
Fasting should be prompted by the Holy Spirit. Fasting is an activity that the disiple should practice at the leading of the Holy Spirit. Too many people begin fasting in their own strength and leadership. This defeats the primary purpose of fasting. The point is to deny our base needs and desires to experience God in new ways and to be more completely open to his leadership. Human effort, human wisdom, and human strength gets in the way of the holy space. On the other hand, when God leads to fasting (through his many ways of speaking) he already has something in mind for us. We can begin to fast more aware of his presence and leadership.
Begin your fast at sundown and end your fast at sundown. In my own early attempts to fast, I sabatoged myself. By fasting one day, from breakfast to breakfast, I was actually fasting something closer to 36 hours. By the end of the evening I was ravenous. (There are times when this is the point, but not at the beginning stages.) A wise person pointed out to me that fasting in scripture is from sundown, to sundown, a natural 24 hour fast. In my early stages, this was much more managable and led to a great deal of success early on. I found the momentum made it easier for me as the Lord grew me and deepened my walk with him.
Take your personal limitations into account. Many people don't fast because they have physical restrictions that mandate a certain level of caloric intake, or certain kinds of food. I take a medication that I must take with food. Thus, when I fast, I have to take that into account. So for me, when I fast, I begin my morning with juice, or water and a piece of dry toast. I take in a minimal amount of calories that I might observe my fast, but still deny myself.
We also may fast things other than food. Their is great benefit in fasting noise and practing the disipline of silence, or holy listening, for a time. I have benefitted from fasting television and other distractive practices in my life that God might have more space in the rythyms of life to more fully invade my space.
These are only a few hints to help you on your journey. Ask God in your quiet time if he would have you fast something so that you might be closer to him. "Taste the Lord and see that he is good!"
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