What kind of fasting do christians practice

You are not necessarily making a commitment to do this type of fast again, as it is a one-time fast for a specific purpose. Once you have decided what you are abstaining from you will be able to plan accordingly. If you are fasting from chocolate, then plan ahead so there is no chocolate in the house. Giving it away may be sacrifice enough!

If you are abstaining from TV, then pull the plug out of the wall and put a cloth over the screen. You must get serious, even if only for a brief, occasional fast. If you are doing a short water-only fast, don't presume that it will be easy. Some people are shocked when they first abstain from food. Your blood sugar level may drop and your instinct will be to rush for a chocolate bar. But then you will remember that you are supposed to be fasting, though I have known people who have impulsively eaten before realizing what they were doing.

Such an outcome can be discouraging; but do not despair; things will change once you get into the rhythm of fasting. Another temptation is to binge during the meal before or after a fast. Both are equally unacceptable!

One of the reasons we fast is to discern God's voice in our life, for his direction. Need some help in discerning God's voice in your life right now?

This is normally a regular act of abstinence, for example one day a week. You may abstain from food, or make some other sacrifice. This type of fast is a way of integrating the spiritual discipline of fasting into your life on an ongoing basis.

Some people might contend they are on an intermittent fast, perhaps abstaining one day a week from high-caffeine drinks, while knowing that in fact they really need to stop drinking so many of these beverages every day.

Where is the pain or gain in abstaining for just one day a week? Others exercise instead of eating lunch, but thoroughly enjoy it. So where is the abstinence? If a person is addicted to buying romance novels or music CDs, then to "fast" for one week every month might be a real jolt. Likewise, if you max out a bunch of credit cards on designer clothing, then you need to stop what you're doing—not just "fast. An intermittent fast will be just as sacrificial as any other type, if you have chosen wisely.

I used to fast one meal every day: I would eat a good breakfast, then eat only fruit for lunch, then eat again in the evening. I did this for several years while in college.

Another option is to follow the Catholic tradition of eating a reduced diet one day a week as a way of fasting. Some churches have a regular monthly day of prayer and fasting. Partial fasts denying yourself one or more specific foods are useful because they help you establish a routine.

Those close to you accept it as well. Such intermittent partial fasts are also the type of fast you might commit to if, as a group, you were undertaking a round-the-clock fast.

Each of you commit to fast for a specific period on a rotating basis, so that there is always one person fasting. Longer fasts likewise can take the form of abstinence from food or some other sacrifice. Some good options for a non-food fast would be abstaining from watching TV from Monday to Friday, reading a biography of a great man or woman of God each week, or dedicating every evening for a week to praying with friends.

Other things may need to get cancelled in order for you to do this. A longer water-only fast might last from one to three days. If you are fasting from something other than food, your longer fast might last a week. Some use Lent as a time for a longer fast. Going through caffeine withdrawal by not drinking coffee or tea or eating chocolate could be a good Lenten fast. Abstaining from driving your car by traveling to work with someone else might be an appropriate sacrifice. What is most significant about such fasts is their potential to change your lifestyle.

A friend of mine encountered a huge battle when he committed to getting up half an hour earlier each day to spend time in prayer. He quickly found all kinds of reasons why he couldn't do it, until we sat down and began unpacking the obstacles. A year later he was still enjoying this time with the Lord, having moved on from the abstinence stage.

Despite biblical examples throughout Scripture, many Christians are slow to fast. I believe there are three main factors that cause believers to be hesitant — fear, ignorance, or rebellion. Afraid of the unknown.

Afraid of feeling hunger pangs. Afraid of starting and not finishing. Afraid of fasting alone. The Enemy has them convinced they could never do it. Many Christians simply have not been taught about the importance of seeking God in this way. Churches often do not encourage fasting, and in many cases never even mention it from the pulpit.

Their hearts are hardened when it comes to the idea of fasting. When God invites them to draw near, they dig their heels into the ground and refuse to obey. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, was a firm believer in the power of prayer and fasting. In his guide Why You Should Fast , he listed the following reasons for seeking God through self-denial.

It is because we have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Our soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great. Fasting is a much-needed discipline in the life of a believer. As you empty yourself physically and spiritually, you open the door for God to step in and do the miraculous.

Your relationship with the Lord is taken to a whole new level. Anyone who has done a fast — whether absolute, liquid, or partial — would agree fasting is difficult. The king offered them food, but Daniel did not want to "defile" himself with the king's food, so he and his friends committed to eating only vegetables and water.

Lavarin says the scripture doesn't mandate the Daniel Fast for Christians, so it's a voluntary journey. Although Daniel and his friends fasted for 10 days during their time with the king, there was another fast that he did for 21 days. Lavarin says there isn't a set amount of time that people tend to participate in the fast but the range is three days to 21 days.

More: Want to live longer? NIA study links fasting to longevity. Lavarin says the Daniel Fast consists of eliminating meat including fish , dairy, wine and added sugars and eating vegetables and fruits and drinking water. The reverend likens it to being vegan. He said that the purpose of fasting is not just to eliminate something from your life, it's a way to replace it and supplement it with prayer. The reverend said fasting is a way for believers to redirect their attention back to God.

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