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What is Christian fasting?

“I humbled my soul with fasting.” Psalm 35:13

Fasting is putting down our desires and placing God first, praying for His will to come to pass.

The Bible speaks of fasting as abstaining from food for a time in order to grow spiritually, glorify God, enhance our spirit, receive healing, and grow our prayer life. Fasting is not a way to get God to do what we want, fasting changes us, not God. Fasting is more about denying our natural appetites and raising our spiritual appetites

Isaiah 58:6-12 says that fasting loses the bonds of wickedness, undoes the heavy burdens, lets the oppressed go free, breaks ever yoke and healing springs forth speedily. This is a powerful purpose.

 

Prioritising Your Time

Where possible spend the time you would normally be eating or watching TV, instead spend it on your relationship with God.

Intentionally make extra time to be with the Lord, reading the Bible, praying and communing with Him, worshipping Him, meditating on or journaling scriptures, yearning to know Him more and listening to the Holy Spirit.

Commit time to attend our Prayer Meetings across each Location.

The C3 SYD Oxford Falls Prayer Chapel is available for you, or your connect group. Open 7 days a week, Monday–Friday 6am–10pm, Saturday 6am–3pm, Sunday 12pm–6pm.

 

Fasting Options

• Fast -‘between meal’ snacks and ‘after meal’ desserts.
• Fast - solids, so that you are on a liquid fast, drinking juice, soup, smoothies.
• Fast –delicacies and stick to fresh fruit and vegetables.
• A ‘Daniel’ fast – as found in the book of Daniel 10:3– where he “ate no choice food, no meat or wine touched my lips.”
• Fast – food all together for a sustainable period. For example, fast during the day and eat at night committing to prayer in the morning, lunch time and evening before you east.

 

Fasting Tips

• Start small. As with anything, fasting requires practice to become better at it. Set yourself a challenging, but realistic goal.
• Plan to fast. Pray and ask God for protection, strength, and wisdom during your fast. Look ahead, you may have to rearrange your schedule or change your grocery list.
• Where needed consult with your pastor or leader and /or doctor about what is appropriate for you.
• Begin and end well. When fasting from food, the meal before and after the fasting period should be smaller and lighter than usual. End your fast very gradually.

 

Determine Your Duration

Choose the length of time or days that you will fast

• You may fast an entire duration of days or weeks
• Or, choose a certain number of days per week to fast
• Or, you may fast one meal per day
• Or, fast every alternate day
• Or, you may fast all day but eat an evening meal

 

Warnings

Fasting is entirely voluntary. Fasting from food is not to be taken lightly.

If you are new to fasting food please consult your pastor or leader along with your health care professional regarding the length of the fast and what foods you choose to abstain from.

If you do have health issues we suggest a non-food fast for example media TV/radio/music/internet

• Do not fast from water.
• Fasting from food is unwise if you are diabetic, hypoglycemic, prone to migraines, pregnant, taking medication, or recovering from sickness.
• Do not fast from red meat if you’re inclined to anaemia.
• If you have any doubts/questions, please talk to a healthcare professional.
• Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.