Alternative Biblical Fasting Methods
My prayer and fasting journey has been a long time in the making. I went from not fasting at all to having a lifestyle of biblical fasting. And then my health issues crept in and giving up food for any length of time was no longer possible. I knew God blessed those who came to Him in a biblical fast. I had experienced it and I wanted that precious time with God again.
But I had a problem. Everything I studied on biblical fasting referenced giving up food during a fast. I could no longer do that. So, without talking with God first, I stepped away from spending time with Him in a fast.
Immediately Satan twisted my thoughts and played on my feelings. The more I felt sorry for myself the more the evil thoughts would sneak into my mind. “It’s a lie fasting is for everyone!” “Obviously God doesn’t want me to fast or He would heal me so I could join Him”.
I felt guilty and unworthy. Maybe if I was a better Christian I could fast. But I wasn't. I was just...me.
I did my best to push fasting for God to the back of my mind. But the Holy Spirit had more to say on the subject and regularly brought it back front and center.
SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS
One day during my Bible reading time, I came across a verse that I had not seen before. God used this verse to open my eyes about fasting, my health issues, his desire for us, and the many lies of Satan I was believing.
For Additional Reading: Lies Christians believe that stops their blessings
I began to come back around to see that biblical fasting was for everyone, even me. I wasn’t ready to attempt a fast but I took this issue to God in prayer (finally!). But how could I properly fast? There were times I had to take my medication with food and on a certain schedule. I had tried ignoring my health issues and fasting anyway. It didn’t end well.
So what would a biblical fast look like for someone like me?
I turned to Google and Pinterest for testimonies and information on biblical fasting with chronic illness. Sadly, there was very little biblical information out there. I couldn't understand it. Surely I wasn't the only Christian with a chronic illness! So why wasn't anyone talking about it? Had the devil really buried all of us in the shame and guilt of not being whole and healthy?
GOD MEETS YOU RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE AT
I thought maybe I just didn't understand praying and fasting. Deciding to dig deeper, I turned to books by famous people, listened to sermons, and went to Bible studies all with the focus of biblical fasting. Again, there was very little information out there for biblical fasting with alternative methods.
Still, at a loss as to what to do, I began my own in-depth study on fasting and prayer. (I agree. I should have started here!)
God in his mercy blessed me with a revelation that broke the chains holding me back. His revelation showed me that my chronic illnesses were not because I was being punished and found unworthy. Everyone has something they deal with and my health issues were my reality. God desired to help me learn to deal with them biblically. However, my reality would not change God's principles.
And then the biggie: the condition of my heart (not the state of my health) is what allows me to set aside what I desire and replace it with God. Nowhere in the Holy Bible does it say this must be food! Talk about a revelation!!
Hallelujah!!
THE SPIRIT IS WILLING
Do you remember how Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:41)? He took the time he needed to be alone with Father God. Although Jesus desired to do his Father's will instead of his own (a key to fasting!!), he admitted that his spirit was willing but his body was weak.
That was how I felt every time I tried to fast in the past...my spirit was willing but my body was weak. I don't mean it was unpleasant. I mean I would get sick (think one step forward, 2 steps back).
The Holy Spirit continued to draw me back in this area. I desired to try fasting again and this time I trusted that it would be different.
During prayer, I began to get the idea to restart my fasting journey with something a little off-beat; I gave up my Kindle for a period of time. Instead of reaching for my device, I spent my "Kindle time" with God. Although a day doesn’t go by that I am not buried in my device, I thought a fast like this would be easy-peasy.
Sweet sister, it was hard! But God and I did it! I was so overjoyed to finally be able to fast without my body betraying me. It felt like I had scaled the highest mountain!
A “PROPER” FAST
I shared my fasting victory with a close friend who promptly informed me that what I was doing was nice and all but it wasn't a "proper" fast (meaning God wouldn't honor it) because the type of fast I was doing was not recorded in the Bible.
Crushed and instantly defeated again, I wanted to give up. Would God really hold me back from one of his amazing gifts (fasting) when I had so little control over the way my body reacted? What did they do in the Old Testament when someone was physically unable to offer a sacrifice?
WHY ARE YOU FASTING?
Those questions kept circling in my mind and wouldn't leave me alone. It seemed so important to know not just how I could fast but why I wanted to fast in the first place. Was it to lose weight while I prayed...to get to know God better...to look like a good Christian girl...to be able to check off another check-box on my to-do lists?
Knowing my "why" enabled me to keep marching forward, even when I knew I was marching alone. It helped keep my focus where it needed to be and tune out the condemning voices around me (even those in my own head).
MY ALTERNATIVE FASTING METHODS
Below are a few of the alternative fasting methods God has given me over the years. Each one was for a time and a purpose. As my physical needs changed, God was faithful to show me a different fasting alternative.
THE “NO SNACKS” FAST
Sounds easy enough, right? It wasn't for me. It was actually a struggle and might have been harder for me than if I had gone without food. I had a bad habit of eating like a bird; small portions all throughout the day.
For this type of fast, I forced myself to eat a "normal" meal with my family. I picked a period of time that I would fast (24 hours, 3 days, 7 days) and stuck with it. I didn't overthink it, just went with whatever felt right at the time I needed to fast.
When I felt the urge to graze outside of mealtimes, I grabbed my Bible and spent time with God instead.
FASTING FROM 9 am TO 3 pm
This type of fast was what I followed for years. I have heard this called a Jewish fast but I am not sure if that is an accurate name or not. I've also heard variations of this such as fasting sun up to sun down or from after breakfast until dinner time (which can be a different time for everyone depending on your schedule).
During this fast, I had breakfast well before 9 am and drank water all day long. At noon I had one glass of juice and one cup of broth. Between the hours of 9-3, I spent much of my time and focus on God. When I ended my time of fasting for the day I would eat a light (healthy) snack that I had planned and prepared ahead of time. I then had a normal dinner with my family that evening.
THE “NO PREACHING OR TEACHING OTHER THAN MY BIBLE” FAST
Although this could be for any period of time, typically, I chose this type of fast for 40 days at a time. Like the others, it wasn't easy. I would have friends send me messages like, "Hey, I found this great teaching on such and such. You should check it out!!" and I couldn't. I wouldn't explain myself (Matthew 6:18) but would tell them that I have made a note of it and as soon as I could I would check it out. I was careful to follow through (Matthew 5:37).
I still attended church so I did hear teaching there. Mike and I still had our regular Bible discussions about what we were reading and learning. But those were the only "outside" influences I would allow.
The purpose of this type of fast was because I was being bombarded with voices from every side. Many of them were good, godly voices. However, a fair number of them were contradicting each other and confusion would try to take root. I had fallen into the bad habit of reading or listening to something Christian (radio, blogs, TV, YouTube, friends) every moment of every day. I was finding that I was having trouble hearing my Lord's voice through all the noise.
This type of fasting cleaned out the mental clutter and confusion.
FASTING FROM ALL ELECTRONIC ENTERTAINMENT
I was a bit shocked to realize that I have read my Kindle every single day for over 10 years. I am pretty sure my body forgot how to go to sleep without that Kindle in my hands. As I stated earlier, when my health issues first prevented me from fasting food, this was the direction I chose to take.
It wasn't that big of a hardship for me to give up the TV, radio, social media, phone, or even my laptop. But to give up my Kindle was a true sacrifice of love. I had to relearn how to spend time with God in the quiet and darkness of the night without falling asleep on him. After a while, I noticed that the nights fasting my Kindle were the best night’s sleep!
And isn't that what pleases God? I don't think He would have thought much of my giving up the TV when it wasn't something that drew my time or attention.
THE “NO PROCESSED FOOD” FAST
This type of fast was my physician’s favorite. In fact, she began to implement this into her own life as she also had health issues but desired to biblically fast.
This wasn't a Daniel-type of fast. I had dietary restrictions I had to be conscious of so the Daniel fast didn't work for me.
I allowed myself to eat 3 meals a day but the food was food God created, not man. We didn't get knit-picky about it and examine every ingredient we used. It meant things like not running through the drive-thru for a quick breakfast sandwich but putting one together with homemade bread, eggs, and meat of some sort. Or an egg salad sandwich on the run. Lunch was usually a salad with a handful of nuts, and dinner was a salad and some type of meat.
In between meal times, I cleared my schedule and spent as much time reading, studying, and praying as I was able.
THE “NO EXTRA SUGAR” FAST
Sugar is my drug of choice and my worst enemy. For me to give up sugar for a period of time was truly another fast from my heart. This is very similar to the "no snacks" fast but during this fast, I could snack on carrots, celery, fruit, etc. If I made something that had sugar in it (like homemade bread), that was fine but no muffins drizzled in icing or sweet tea.
As the sugar cravings kicked in, I took it as an opportunity to spend time with God.
BIBLICAL FASTING IS ABOUT OBEDIENCE NOT SACRIFICE
God wants your obedience, not your sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). It doesn't matter to him what you fast. What matters to him is that you are willing to make the effort to set aside something you desire in the flesh for something only He can give you.
For Additional Reading: Obedience to God is not optional
NOT ALL FASTING METHODS ARE CREATED EQUAL
There are a few things I think are important to note.
Because it is God's way, fasting, in general, has many health benefits. Like I did, you will probably lose weight and feel better when you begin to put God before your pleasures. But that isn't the purpose of a biblical fast.
If your goal isn't to draw closer to God but to lose weight and feel better, you might want to look into intermittent fasting instead.Biblical fasting opens up the doors of heaven and you will be blessed. But don't let your focus be on what you get. Instead, stay focused on how you can bless God during your biblical fast. Spending time with him, learning about him, learning from him...those are things that please God greatly! Let your blessings, even your healing, be a by-product of your obedience and time spent with your Savior.
When we seek God about something specific during a fast, sometimes our answers are a bit delayed (Daniel 10:12). Don't let yourself always jump to the conclusion that God doesn't love you as much as he does someone else, or his answer is no, or...you all know where your mind goes. Accept that delayed answers happen but keep your focus on God where it needs to be.
During a biblical fast be mindful of what you say and how you say it because it will make a difference.
YOUR WEAKNESS, HIS STRENGTH
God says fasting is for all who desire to draw closer to him. A "proper" biblical fast is anything that allows you to replace what you want for a chance to draw closer to God. It is that simple. God doesn't expect our life to be perfect and that includes our bodies.
Our weakness allows his strength and power to shine in our lives (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). He wants us to turn to him, weaknesses and all.
If one of the fasting methods I used speaks to your soul, pray about it. We each have different needs and levels of faith. God might have you modify your fast to suit your individual situation. In the end, it might not look like mine (or anyone else's). If so, I encourage you to go with it and believe that if you aren't doing it in a way that is "right" for you, Holy Spirit will bring it to your attention and show you how to do it differently.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
What method of fasting has God given you? Is it similar or different from what He has given me? Comment below, on our Facebook page, or send me a message. I'd love to hear about it!