Fast FAQs
What is the Purpose of Fasting?
The mention of the word fasting most likely brings to mind the idea of going without food for a given period of time. Maybe we understand this in light of a medical test or from a fad diet. In addition, most of us understand there can be a spiritual side to fasting. The question we want to answer is not what is fasting, but why do we fast? What is the purpose?
Spiritual fasting is abstaining from food or some other thing for a measured period of time to heighten our hunger for God. It is a means of refocusing our thoughts and increasing our awareness.
Fasting is a shift in mindset. We offer the fast to God not as a means of coercion but as an act of sacrificial worship. Fasting is an expression that we prioritize God in our lives and believe Him to do something in us. When we fast, we set our minds not on what we are not consuming but rather on the fact that we are free and invited to feast on God. In its purest, most basic form, fasting declares: God, I want You more than I want this food – or whatever we have chosen to do without. We use our momentary desire to satisfy the flesh to remind us of the unimaginable blessings God has for our spirit. With this intentional focus, fasting opens our spiritual eyes and ears to discern more of what God is doing in our lives and more of what is possible.
As you take part in the Withhold to Behold fast, we pray that you experience the filling of the Holy Spirit and that every moment of desire for what you are fasting becomes a moment of intimate conversation with God. May you be blessed with new experiences, fresh encounters, and deep revelation with the One who is above all things.
Promises and Benefits of Prayer and Fasting
To see clearly. To discover and experience. To know. To improve. To press deeper and anchor in. To free and redeem! These are all reasons to fast and promises to trust. Fasting promises to focus our attention, help in our forgetfulness, and push past what we previously believed to be the limit. When we realize our need and what has been given to us through prayer and fasting, it becomes essential and beneficial to our livelihood in faith. Fasting challenges us to let go of what has been and positions us to receive what can be.
When we fast, we show God we are serious in our desire and pursuit of His presence and involvement in our lives. And God will NOT hesitate to pour out His grace and show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.
May God meet you where you are and surround you with His all-sufficient grace. May He meet every sacrifice with an eternal provision, every affection with joy and promise, every burden with rest, every fear with love, every loss with gain, every worry with peace, every weakness with strength, every hope with assurance, every temptation with a way out, every failing with unfailing forgiveness, every doubt with certainty, every trial with endurance, and every prayer with something good! May God’s Presence and goodness define your experience of Him as one of love and worth.
Various Kinds of Fasts
HUNGER. Hunger is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think about fasting. Your mind probably immediately shifts to the physical aggravation of going without food, that uncomfortable growl in your gut that accompanies a few too many hours without a snack. Fasting is defined as an “abstinence from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance.” There are total and partial fasts, juice, and water fasts, and some people eat only during certain hours of the day.
Really, the possibilities are endless, and all with the same intended result…hunger.
As you think about fasting, consider that perhaps hunger isn’t always about food. Perhaps you hunger for approval, acknowledgment, or interaction and attempt to satisfy this through Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Consider turning off the social media for 21 days!
Matthew 5:6 tells us that the blessed ones hunger and thirst after righteousness.
A primary question to ask yourself when fasting is: How are you filling the hunger of your soul? Maybe you eat, maybe you drink, maybe you binge-watch “Friends” on Netflix, maybe it is sugar or salt or even exercise. We are all hungry, and we’ve all learned how to stuff ourselves with something that covers it up but never truly satisfies. Would you consider laying it down for 21 days with us? Would you consider embracing the hunger of your soul for
the sweet promise that He “satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things…” Psalm 107:9
Taste and see that the Lord He is good and He satisfies!
We are praying the Holy Spirit will bless you by pouring out a divine and passionate hunger for His presence during these 21 days of fasting and prayer. That as you lay down and sacrifice what is temporal, the glory and wonder of just how intimately and completely He satisfies will become an everyday reality and expectation! Reveal to us Your glory and Your goodness. We want more of You!
*We caution against any extreme fasting of food/water unless you are under a physician’s
supervision.
How to Do a Biblical Fast
Biblical fasting is so much more than self-denial or abstinence; however, it does involve a component of both. It is self-denial and abstinence with a spiritual goal in mind. There are many spiritual reasons why one chooses to fast: to stir our hunger for more of God, to express our love of God, to lay aside the things that are good for us, for His best, or as a way to realign our priorities to His. While fasting is a spiritual discipline, it is also a gift from our Heavenly Father. It’s so easy for our appetites and desires to become unbalanced, impeding our relationship with Him. Because of His deep desire for an intimate relationship with us, He gives us fasting as a spiritual “reset” to bring our lives back into balance and restore our undisturbed communion with Him. Jesus did not say, “If you fast,” but “When you fast,” indicating the importance of this spiritual discipline. Fasting brings our physical appetites under the Holy Spirit’s control.
We all have appetites or drives. There is the hunger drive, the sex drive, the emotional drive, and many more. God has given us these drives to be fulfilled within the boundaries of His Word. These drives are not evil; however, if abused, they can impede our desire for God and get us off track for His will for us. They are given to us to serve us, but when they get out of balance, they can enslave us. By fasting, we can restore the balance God originally intended, humbling ourselves before Him, seeking His face in undisturbed communion with Him.
As you “withhold to behold,” we pray that you are drawn closer to the Lord during this 21-day fast. As you seek the One who seeks you, may you be blessed by revelation upon revelation of the Holy Spirit as He meets you in the place you need most. May it move you, comfort you, empower you, and free you to live the life that God has for you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
How to Start Your Fast
We encourage you to start your fast with prayer and a specific plan. You should consider slowing down a bit from the demands of life because how you begin your fast will greatly impact your experience. Part of planning should be to educate yourself on the different types of fasts and reasons to fast. Determining why and what you are fasting will allow you to pray more specifically. Once you determine the type of fast you will undertake, you need to understand that fasting may require you to take some reasonable physical precautions. You should also consult your physician first, especially if you are taking prescription medications or have a chronic condition that fasting might impact.
Furthermore, decide how much time you will spend with God and devote to praying and studying on the front end. Prepare yourself spiritually by asking God to fill you with the Holy Spirit. Meditate on and confess (tell the truth about) how much God loves you, His attributes, who He truly is, and who you truly are. You can also participate in the daily devotional that will be on www.withholdtobehold. Don’t focus on fasting or yourself but on seeking God and trusting Him with the results. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and start your fast with an expectant heart and by thanking God for what He is going to do in you and through you. Consider journaling so you can keep a written record of your experience with your loving Father during this time.
May God bless you during this time of fasting with a deeper revelation of who He truly is and who He says you truly are. May you see yourself as God sees you, and may you also see others the way God sees them. May He bless you with a greater awareness of His Presence and power, and may you experience His love, forgiveness, and grace immeasurably. May you be blessed with peace, joy, and freedom on earth as it is in heaven. As He blesses you, may you also be a blessing to many others.
Ephesians 1:3: All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. (NLT)
What Happens if You Fail During Your Fast?
Well then, you might as well give up forever! All is lost! It’s over! Just kidding… You see, the purpose of this fast is to “withhold TO behold.” Our journey is to behold God and draw nearer to Him. A fast is a tool for us to do exactly that: behold His goodness and glory, “to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.” It is not the fast in and of itself that ushers us into deeper intimacy with God; it’s the posture of our heart.
The psalmist writes: “For the source of Your pleasure is not in my performance or the sacrifices I might offer to You. The fountain of Your pleasure is found in the sacrifice of my shattered heart before You. You will not despise my tenderness as I humbly bow down at Your feet.” Psalm 51:16-17 (TPT)
He wants your heart! That’s the sacrifice that matters to Him. Don’t forget that. Let your heart always be positioned towards sacrifice these 21 days. So even in a moment when you scroll through Facebook or Pal’s is begging you to drive thru, remember even the conviction of your heart in a moment of failure is evidence that your heart is tender towards The Lord’s voice, and He loves that.
So, if you slip up and start beating yourself up, stop! Breaking a fast does not make you a failure. Breaking your fast is not a sin. If anything, you’ve proven your humanity, and 2 Corinthians 12:9 states, “My strength is made perfect in weakness”. God’s strength often shows up in our weakest moments. Don’t let a momentary lapse define your fast. Even in weakness, draw close and keep moving. If you do break, simply get back into the fast and finish strong!
Never forget He wants your heart. So, whether that’s in a victorious 21-day fast, or a moment of breaking a fast, draw near to Him because He promises to draw near to you.
I bless this fast for you in Jesus’ name. Let whatever you fast be unto the Lord, your personal sacrificial offering for no other reason than to be obedient and draw near. I pray it enlightens, deepens, awakens and strengthens your innermost being. I pray it brings you to a level of intimacy you have yet to know with Him. I pray it blesses your soul deeper than you’ve ever imagined. And I pray you have the supernatural strength to keep pushing through, even when it is most difficult. In Jesus’ name, Amen.