Fasting

1. Why fast (what is fasting)?

2 Chronicles 20:1-4 – (who was Jehoshaphat? Context?)
i. To inquire of the Lord; to ask Him about things. To “hear from heaven”
ii. To seek His help in a situation.
2. What should we ask for or say?
a. Jonah 3:1-10 –
i. Repentance from sins and evil ways.
ii. Daniel 9:1-6 – A repentant prayer made during a humble fast.
b. Ezra 8:21-23 –
i. To provide for you whatever you need.
3. How should we fast?
a. Joel 1:14 –
i. Corporately. Israel was fasting concerning their nation.
b. Acts 14:21-23
i. Paul and Barnabas fasted together before committing new elders to the Lord.
c. Matthew 6:16-18 –
i. Individually. Others don’t need to know you’re fasting.
ii. Don’t look like you’re fasting: keep up your hygiene, keep up your appearance.
4. Should every Christian fast (what does the Bible say about this)?
a. Matthew 9:14-15 –
i. Jesus made it clear that after He returned to heaven His people would fast.
5. What kinds of fasting are there?
a. Daniel 10:2-3 –
i. Abstaining fast: deny yourself certain things during a set time period.
b. Luke 4:1-2 –
i. Food fast: deny yourself from all food during a set time period.
c. Esther 4:15-16 –
i. Absolute fast: deny yourself from all food and drink for no more than 3 days. (Exception to the
rule: Moses by the restriction of God – Exodus 34:28).
d. Isaiah 58:6-7 –
i. Lifetime fast: deny yourself from favoritism, laying heavy burdens on people, from rejecting
anyone for any reason, from greed, lack of hospitality, and from uncompassionate behavior.
6. What happens during a fast?
a. Physical Phases –
i. Fasting technically commences within the first twelve to twenty-four hours of the fast. A fast does
not chemically begin until the carbohydrate stores in the body begin to be used as an energy
source. The fast will continue as long as fat and carbohydrate stores are used for energy, as
opposed to protein stores. Once protein stores begin to be depleted for energy (resulting in loss of
muscle mass) a person is technically starving.
ii. The first three days: detox, bad breath, body odor, headaches.
iii. Fourth day: feelings of weakness and dizziness, rest is recommended (hardest part of fast)
iv. Sixth or seventh day: feel stronger, more alert, hunger diminished
v. Ninth and tenth days: hunger is mild irritation at most, detox complete, feeling great,
concentration sharpened, feel like you could continue fasting indefinitely
vi. Between day twenty and forty: hunger pains return strongly – first sign of starvation. Break fast at
this time.
vii. Weight loss: two pounds first day, one pound every day after (Psalm 109:24).
b. Spiritual Phases –
i. Isaiah 58:4 – Sometimes there is junk inside of us that will come out. When this happens: thank
Him for bringing it out, repent of it, and get rid of it.
ii. Luke 4:14 – Fasting will bring you closer to God.
iii. Use book information on progression of fasting over 2 years of practice
iv. The post-fasting blues: sometimes after finishing a fast you begin to feel a distance between you
and God (remedied through regular fasting).