Fasting: How should I fast?

How I fast usually consists of giving up solid foods for water with fresh lemon or lime, juices without artificial ingredients, and warm broth (chicken and beef taste best to me).  I end my fast with eating a lightly buttered baked potato or steamed rice.  Sometimes with my liquids I’ll include fresh fruit like oranges, apples, and bananas.

You may learn more on how to fast from Bill Bright’s excellent booklet, 7 Basic Steps to Successful Fasting & Prayer.

Besides the mechanics of fasting is the question, “Should fasting be private and personal or could it be public and corporate too?”

Our motives behind our fast are God’s concern.  Jesus taught,

“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them” (Matthew 6:1).

Jesus doesn’t teach against ‘acts of righteousness,’ but against our desiring rewards from people in place of rewards from our Heavenly Father for doing them.

In the same teaching, Jesus instructs on prayer and fasting.

“When you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:17, 18).

There are fasts that should be private and personal, between you and God alone (Luke 4:1, 2).  There are fasts that need to be public and corporate when a church together fasts before God (Acts 13:2, Ezra 8:21-23).

With either fast, private or public, we should desire for God to see our hearts and not to be seen by people for their praise.  God will reward his people who hunger for more of Him!

Pastor Michael