Fasting
FASTING PRACTICAL GUIDE
WHY DO WE FAST?
Fasting is a spiritual discipline that calls us to deny the desires of our flesh and fill ourselves up with God, His Word, and His presence. Fasting isn’t a time of emptiness but spiritual abundance! We fast to draw closer to God and magnify His desires above our own. Fasting is one of the most powerful tools we have access to as Christians. It is a direct partnership with the Holy Spirit to extinguish our flesh and draw us deeper into the will of God. At Mercy Culture, we constantly give the Holy Spirit the whole room. By fasting, we are creating more room for the Holy Spirit to work in our lives by replacing fleshly things with the Holy Spirit.
TYPES OF FASTS
Water Only Fast (Jesus, Moses, Elijah)
Partial Fast (Daniel 1:8–14)
Full Fast (Esther 4:16)
Liquid Fast
Corporate Fast (Joel 1:14)
Marital Fast (1 Corinthians 7:5)
Anything – TV, Social Media, Spending, Talking, etc.
Daily, weekly, monthly, & yearly fasts
BENEFITS OF FASTING
Fasting is a way to connect with God.
Fasting pleases the Lord because it positions you to find out what pleases Him!
Fasting trains you to say no to temptation.
You spiritually grow on a fast.
Fasting increases spiritual authority.
Fasting produces humility.
You hear God when you fast.
Deliverance takes place.
Fasting opens divine doors and God opportunities.
Fasting prepares the way for miracles.
REMINDERS
Don’t make big life decisions without fasting.
Don’t partner with the spirit of religion in your fast.
Ask God what to fast because He knows you best.If you break your fast, keep going, don’t give up!
Your flesh will be provoked during the fast.
Without prayer, fasting is just a diet.
PREPARING FOR A FAST
PHYSICALLY
Stewarding your body prior to a fast is key. You are a three-part being: spirit, soul, and body. Your body is also a temple of the Holy Spirit. This means we are called to steward our bodies well, especially as you prepare to fast! Your goal prior to a food fast of any kind should be to help your body prepare to slow down digestion. Doing this helps open up the detox pathways in your body ahead of time, allowing for a better experience as you eliminate food(s) on the fast.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Several things happen at the cellular level that cause hunger and fatigue during the first 24 hours of fasting. This is normal! Don’t give up.
If you prepare well prior to the fast, you won’t feel as bad on those first 1–2 days of your fast. The best practice is to ease into your fast.
Headaches, discomfort, and cramps are common. Your body is detoxing, so don’t give up. This will likely subside after a few days.
You will feel hungry! The feelings of hunger will subside as your body adjusts to the fast.
Fasting is considered, by many, a healing process because your digestive system takes a rest from the common stressors and toxins it endures on a daily basis. Fasting is good for you!
Fasting causes a stress that provides an added benefit. This is a kind of mild stress that is comparable to the stress caused by exercise, which ultimately makes you stronger and your immune system more resilient.
Bowel movements and bad breath may become more prevalent. Your body will be expelling toxins and damaged cells every time you go to the bathroom.
Loading up on sweets, pastries, hot chocolate, and sweet tea may feel satisfying and filling in the moment, but when your blood sugar plummets during the fast, you’re likely to end up feeling even more hungry and weak. You don’t want to start day one of your fast like this.
How you prepare for the fast directly correlates to your experience on the first few days of the fast. Steward this well!
SPIRITUALLY
Spend time in worship and prayer before starting, focusing more on what God wants to do through this fast, than on the potential intensity of the fast. Reflect on passages like Psalm 24. Come before God with a pure heart, making sure your motivations are to find His heart and His mind for the focus of the fast. Find your prayer target(s) for the fast and keep them in front of you daily!
BUILD YOUR PRAYER LIST
If you’re entering a corporate fast with a specific prayer target, keep that at the forefront of your prayers throughout the day.
Relationships: friends, family, your child(ren), or future spouses, etc.
Domestic Relationships/Parenting: How you function as a team at home (if applicable, take time to talk about each child. What are their greatest needs, challenges, or struggles? Plan to pray intentionally for them during this fast and ask God for blueprints on how to steward them intentionally.)
Personal Finances: pray over your budget, vacations, retirement, dreams, life goals, and giving goals.
Health: pray intentionally with thanksgiving over you and your families’ spiritual, physical, and mental health.
Any and all BIG decisions. This is the time to ask boldly (Matthew 7:7).
PRACTICAL ADVICE
Name your fast. Make a specific prayer list for the fast.
Plan to spend more time with God each day of the fast.
Any time you would normally be eating or engaging in the thing you’re fasting, give that time to the Lord. Linger in His presence!
Fast AND pray. Galatians 5:16 ESV
Plan to un-busy yourself. Remove distractions.
Each time you feel hunger, ask God for spiritual hunger.
Don’t focus on what you’re removing. Focus on God, asking Him to increase as you decrease.
STEWARDING A FAST
Before implementing any of the following, ask the Lord for wisdom on how to steward your fast. He knows you best! The following is not intended as medical advice.
BEFORE
If your fast will be more intense, start preparing a week in advance. At a minimum, 2 to 3 days before your fast, consider the following:
Reduce caffeine intake and meal portions.
Build yourself a meal plan of whole, natural foods the week before the fast.
Focus on eating primarily fruits and vegetables and include herbal teas like chamomile and dandelion to start the detoxification process.
Drink plenty of water + electrolytes.
DURING
Prioritize the spiritual intent of the fast and DENY your flesh.
Give your body rest often, while also listening to your body.
Lighten the workload and regular day-to-day duties to fully engage in prayer.
It’s not a good idea to do intense exercise when you’re not eating or drinking. However, walking is extremely beneficial.
Soak up the sunlight. It is a blessing from God and a good tool during your fast.
Other possible resources you can incorporate to help steward your body during a fast:
Cold plunges, Infrared Sauna sessions, Platinum Energy Foot Detox sessions, Chiropractic adjustments, Rain drop lymphatic massages, and even wearing Castor oil packs could all greatly help as you open detox pathways to help the body as you fast.
Spend as much time as possible in worship and prayer, being patient and receptive to God’s voice, and persistent with the Word and prayer.
Pray in the Spirit whenever you can for extended times. This is a tool we’ve been given to strengthen our spirit and align ourselves with God.
ENDING
End the fast with the same spirit you started, in wisdom, self-control, and hunger for God.
Ease your digestive system into food consumption gently. Start with water, then diluted vegetable juice, or broth into soft fruits and vegetables.
No matter which fast the Lord directed you in, start slow and don’t force your body. Everyone’s body is different. Pay attention to YOUR body, not how other people’s bodies are responding.
If you are doing a full fast, after drinking liquids again, you may feel cramps or nausea. Do not eat solid meals until the day after you break your fast. Towards the end of the next day as your body is adjusting to liquids add in small portions of soft whole foods, not heavily spiced.
If you were doing a food fast, more than likely your digestive system has slowed down. Long term damage can be done if you eat too much too soon. You might feel ready to chow down when your fast comes to an end, but resist the urge. Instead, replenish your calories gradually rather than eating a huge meal right away.
After the fast: Know that breakthrough often comes after the fast. Even if you are not seeing it, God is moving. Be full of faith!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I fast and nurse my child?
Yes, many women fast without any milk supply drops. Here are a couple things you can add to your diet to help your milk supply as you fast.
Adding Brewers Yeast to your diet. This can be purchased on Amazon. Recipes for adding this can be found online
Including fennel seed in your diet and/or apply fennel oil topically
Ask the Lord if you should fast by consuming a high diet vs low fat or processed. Ask Him how you can steward baby and yourself better. Remember, it's a heart posture—relationship over religion. If you usually eat processed food, maybe He’s asking you to do something different in your fast than others. Use wisdom and plan your fast accordingly!
Can I fast if I’m on medication?
Some medications need to be taken with food, while others, like those taken for seizure disorders, are essential and shouldn’t be stopped abruptly. In these cases, you’ll need your healthcare provider’s guidance on how to safely fast or modify your fast. We would suggest you not discard the fast all together. This is a great time to remember relationship over religion. Ask the Lord what to fast. He knows you best! For example, a woman sensed God tell her to fast shoes for 21 days, which was very challenging, but through this, fear of man broke off of her!
Can I fast if I have a medical condition?
Remember to always ask God first. He knows your body best! Discuss this with your doctor, as well. We can only share from testimonies of what has worked for others, while they contended for their healing.
Ask God what to fast. Many times on our healing journey, we can be tempted to fall into fear. We fear not eating certain items, but will easily grab a processed snack with extremely toxic ingredients over whole, natural foods. With the heart posture to please the Lord, ask Him what He would want you to include or remove from your everyday life for this fast. Use wisdom and consider modifying parts of the fast if God leads you to.
Modified fast examples:
Adding clean ingredients into your diet
Removing sugar
Eating liquid 1 to 2 meals a day
Intermittent fasting 12 to 18 hours a day
Removing ingredients you put on or in your body that you can’t pronounce
How can my family fast together with our children?
Invite your children into the process of planning the fast! This is where you spiritually lead them and help them discern what God is speaking.
Identify the date(s) / when you all will be fasting, as this helps you identify any birthdays or holidays, get a plan in place now with God. Remember relationship over religion, especially with small children that are learning.
Name your fast together as a family. What is God speaking to your family as a whole? Have your children ask the Lord to show them a image and draw it.
Together, ask the Lord for the type of fast you all will be doing. If each person is different, this is where you can identify areas you’ll need to prep in advance to help one another steward that fast well.
Determine a family prayer list for your fast and pray through it each day together!
Families have a beautiful way of holding each other accountable. Let this draw you closer. Ask the Lord now as a family for pure heart postures throughout the fast. God wants the yes of your children, not just the parents. Get your kids involved!
Can I workout during my fast?
If you’re not planning to replenish nutrients for awhile, preserve your energy for essential daily activities. It’s not a good idea to do intense exercise when you’re not eating or drinking. However, walking would be a great individual and family movement during a fast! The sunlight that the Lord has blessed us with will be a good tool during your fast. Whatever you choose, double up on hydration and if your fast doesn’t allow for water, choose something that would not cause you to excessively sweat.