If you have health problems or take medication, always consult with your physician before fasting. However, keep in mind that most physicians discourage fasting. 

Your spouse will need to know you are fasting. Beyond that, you would be better off not telling many people that you are fasting. The idea of not letting others know you are fasting has more to do with not being a show off. (Matthew 6:16-18)

You should take time to rest but this does not mean you should do nothing. Enjoy a walk in God’s creation. Outside of His Word, His creation is one of the best ways that God has revealed Himself to us. 

While a fast, by nature, is inconvenient, it should be an inconvenience to you— not to those around you. You should not obligate your family to skip holiday or special dinners because of your fast.

Disconnecting from TV, radio, newspapers and the Internet can help you stay focused on your purpose for fasting. You will be less tempted by the constant bombardment of advertising as you become physically and emotionally challenged. Avoiding media will give you more time to focus on the Lord and His Word.

Some people experience vast mood swings during a fast. One moment they are totally focused on God and the next they are wallowing in pity. Knowing that this is likely to happen will help you react properly. Learning to refocus on God and His goodness during this tough emotional time will help you with your emotions. 

If you mess up, don’t give up! Get back up and start fresh at your next meal. One of Satan’s strategies is to make us think if we fail we should quit. He’s a liar. Humbly confess to another brother or sister, ask for accountability and remind yourself of the reasons you are fasting. There is no temptation that you have that is not common to all men. God is faithful and will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13). Extend to yourself the same grace you would extend to another brother or sister who has fallen short. 

Fasting is a time to study God’s Word, meditate and pray. To help with this, plan a specific Bible passage or topic you want to study during your fast. Look for verses you want to memorize and meditate upon. Fasting by Jesus and the disciples was always accompanied by prayer. Spend time talking to God and allowing Him to reveal Himself to you in His Word. 

Most of us today suffer from being too busy and don’t get the rest we need. If you disconnect from the media and at times other people you will have extra time allowing you to get a full night’s sleep. During your fast you will be forced to slow down since you won’t be needing long meal breaks. A fast will reveal that you have too many activities and busyness in your day-today routine.

The short answer to that question is yes! Fasting is necessary and can change your life and the lives of those around you. There are many stories recorded in the Bible of people who needed God to move on their behalf, so they fasted and prayed and guess what? They saw God move. Just like the story of Jonah and the Ninevites found in Jonah 3, God sent Jonah to Nineveh to deliver a message to them that because of their sin and evil ways, He was going to destroy their city in 40 days. The people of Nineveh believed God and began a fast of no food or drink. They also prayed earnestly and repented of their sins. When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, He changed His mind and did not carry out the destruction He had threatened. Fasting moves the hand of God! With the unusual amount of deaths, and violent killings our congregation has experienced these last few months, I believe we need to see God move. Do you need more peace, more grace in your marriage, more mental and emotional strength, more wisdom for your life, more comfort for your soul? Since fasting and prayer changes lives, we should really view it as an option!

In Matthew 4:1-3, Jesus fasted so that He might be able to withstand the devil’s temptations; even though the devil would have never succeeded in his attempts to sway Jesus. If Jesus fasted to be better prepared for temptation, how much more should we fast to resist temptation?

As we consecrate ourselves through fasting, we are positioning ourselves to be closer to God. Through our sacrifice, prayer and fasting, we are telling the Lord that we mean business and we are putting our money where our mouth is. Fasting helps us to express, to deepen and to confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves, to truly experience the Kingdom of God.

In 2 Chronicles 20:1-30, Jehoshaphat proclaimed a national fast in order that all the people might seek the Lord’s wisdom and guidance in the midst of an encroaching military horde that was coming on them from Edom. This suggests that fasting and praying in the midst of daunting tasks and overwhelming circumstances are entirely appropriate for us. FASTING GIVES US POWER OVER OUR APPETITES! How often have we bowed down at the altar of the refrigerator and made our stomachs our God? The sad reality is that we got it honestly. Adam and Eve ate themselves literally out of their house and home when they ate the forbidden fruit. Read it for yourself in Genesis 3:23. Our appetite understands only one word - MORE! More material things, more pleasure, more power, more money, more recognition… more food. Fasting brings us back to the truth that only God satisfies completely and eternally. Other pleasures are temporary and become cruel masters. So join us for this 21 day fast and take the journey of knowing Jesus as Lord in 2023 and watch your life change.