"The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days." -- Luke 5:35
Practical suggestions for the discipline of fasting
Don Whitney defines fasting as “a Christian’s voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes.” (p. 160) He distinguishes a normal fast from a partial fast. With a normal fast, one abstains from food and drinks water and possibly fruit juice. A partial fast consists of abstaining from certain foods for a period of time (e.g., eating only fruits and vegetables). The Bible does not prescribe a specified length of time one should fast, giving examples of fasts of varying lengths. The important issue is obedience to the Spirit and wisdom regarding medical limitations. If you are uncertain whether or not physically you are able to abstain from eating, seek medical advice before commencing a period of fasting.
For those new to the discipline, Foster suggests a progression, possibly going from lunch to lunch and skipping two meals (dinner and breakfast) before moving to a full twenty-four hour fast. After a few weeks of skipping two meals, one can move to a full twenty-four hour fast. He suggests ending the fast with a light meal of fresh fruits and vegetables.
The goal with fasting is not to be noticed by others, but instead to go unnoticed so that only the Father knows what it is you are doing. (Matt 6:16-18) It is important for your fast to be connected with a spiritual purpose. Whitney says that “without a purpose, fasting can be a miserable, self-centered experience.” (p. 165) He provides ten categories related to the purpose of fasting:
1) to strengthen prayer 2) to seek God’s guidance 3) to express grief4) to seek deliverance or protection5) to express repentance and return to God6) to humble oneself before God7) to express concern for the work of God8) to minister to the needs of others9) to overcome temptation and dedicate yourself to God 10) to express love and worship to God.
References
Fasting
