Fasting Resources

How Does Fasting Help Me Spiritually?

A few years back, I was working on our deck. Some boards were rotting, and I was replacing them with new ones. I don’t know if you have any experience working on a deck, but the planks and pilings can be pretty hard while deck screws are pretty long.

So, I was having kind of a difficult time getting those long deck screws into the wood with the regular old hand-held drill I was using. Well, my father-in-law was in town visiting and one morning he came outside to see what I was doing. I guess he saw me pushing the drill with everything I had into those screws, struggling and sweating with each one.

And he goes, “You got a hammer drill?”

I’m like, “What’s a hammer drill?”

He says, “Let’s go to Home Depot.”

So, I get this thing called a hammer drill. And I don’t know if you have ever used one of those bad boys before, but I started to put those big deck screws into that wood like it was a hot knife through butter. See a hammier drill is different from a regular hand-held drill because it relies on a mechanical technique known as percussion drilling where short, rapid hammer bursts fire into the wood. So as the hammer drill drives in the screw, it is also breaking down the wood. And what you get is quicker, more efficient drilling.

Fasting as the Hammer Drill

Of all the spiritual disciplines, fasting might be the most misunderstood and underused. I think it might be fair to say that most of us probably understand the spiritual discipline of fasting like I understood the hammer drill before my father-in-law told me about its existence.

I didn’t know what it was for.

I didn’t know how to use it.

It wasn’t on my radar as even a possibility.

And yet, when he told me about it, the hammer drill was exactly what I needed. Think of fasting as our spiritual hammer drill. What you’ll find below are some things to use this tool to accomplish. Most of these were taken from Donald Miller’s excellent book, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Check it out for more ideas and resources.

1. Fast to Strengthen Your Prayers

Of all the purposes for fasting found in Scripture, fasting in order to strengthen prayer receives the most emphasis by far. In fact, in one way or another, all the other biblical purposes of fasting relate to prayer. Consider the particular example of Ezra. When Ezra was about to lead a group of exiles back to Jerusalem, he proclaimed a fast in order for the people to seek the Lord earnestly for safe passage. They were to face many dangers without protection during their nine-hundred-mile journey. Their vulnerability meant that this was a very serious matter.

“So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty” (Ezra 8:23).

Now, the Bible does not teach that fasting is a kind of spiritual hunger strike that compels God to do our bidding. As Donald Miller writes, “Fasting does not change God’s hearing; it changes our praying.” Christians who pray while fasting communicate that they are truly in earnest and are expressing that earnestness in a divinely appointed way. John Piper has put it this way; fasting “is an intensifier of spiritual desire.”

2. Fast to Seek God’s Guidance

Fasting doesn’t always ensure clear guidance, but it does make us more sensitive to God and His leading through His Spirit and His Word. By its nature, fasting helps us tune out the world and focus on the Lord, so that we might listen more attentively to His Word.

Think of the leaders in Acts 13 fasting before they sent out Paul and Barnabas. They wanted to be more sensitive to the Spirit’s leading as they looked at God’s word, so they fasted. From Acts 13:1-3: “And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”

3. Fast to Seek Deliverance or Protection

Back in the Old Testament, there is a brief story about the king with the most unfortunate name ever. When King Jehoshaphat and the Kingdom of Judah was threatened from an invading army from the Kingdom of Edom, the king called for a national fast for deliverance and protection. Consider 2 Chronicles 20:2-4:

“Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi). 3 Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 20:2-4)

Interesting thing about national fasts by the way; national fasts have a large role in American history. Presidents John Adams and James Madison each called all Americans to fast while they were president. Abraham Lincoln even called for a national fast on three separate occasions during the Civil War.

Fasting can very well be a line of defense against an invading army however, since that might not be as likely for the typical American, fasting can also be a practice to seek deliverance or protection from persecution from family, schoolmates, neighbors, co-workers, or even other Christians. In fact…

4. Fast to Express Grief

The Bible contains many examples of fasting to express grief over sin or calamities that befall God’s people. After King Saul and his son Jonathan were killed in battle, 2 Samuel 1:11-12 notes that David and his men fasted in response.

“Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword” (2 Samuel 1:11-12).

This is a practice that Scot McKnight calls “body grief.” Experiencing grief and the practice of fasting are inextricably linked. In fact, body grief is perhaps the purest example of what fasting is all about. In it, a human being, overwhelmed by the sacredness and sadness of a moment, chooses not to eat in order to experience his or her communion with God deeper and participate fully in one of life’s most grievous of moments.

5. Fast to Express Repentance and a Return to Trust in God

Closely related to expressing grief, fasting can also signal a commitment to obedience and a new direction. From Yom Kippur to Lent, this particular reason to fast has a deep and rich history. Whenever the people of God need to be reminded of their solemn duty to turn away from sin and to face the Lord, as in Lent or following the realization of some personal sin, fasting is always appropriated. The words of Joel the prophet remind us what to do:

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning” Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD, your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly. (Joel 2:12–15)

Fasting is turning from sin to faithful devotion to God. It is a natural response to sin, repentance, conversion, and the healing graces of forgiveness. Consider John Calvin’s words about the logic of fasting like this even today: “Since this is a holy exercise both for the humbling of men and for their confession of humility, why should we use it less than the ancients did in similar need?”

6. Fast to Minister to the Needs of Others

Fasting isn’t just about personal introspection. Rather, it is very much a tool that can be utilized for meeting the needs of others. After all, spiritual disciplines are not only for our sake, but for the sake of others, too. In Isaiah 58, which is the most extensive passage in the Bible on fasting, God emphasizes the discipline for the purpose of meeting the needs of others. Consider Isaiah 58:6-7: “Is not this the fast that I choose: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?” (Isaiah 58:6-7).

I have a friend who walked through a season where he was at the end of his rope about another close friend.

He tried talking. He tried reasoning. He tried pleading. However, the guy was stuck up in some sinful patterns and wasn’t moving toward the Lord at all; if anything he was going in the opposite direction.

Well, my friend got this conviction that he needed to fast for a breakthrough in that relationship. So he committed to fasting for once a week on Fridays for a year. During that time, he would only consume liquids.

To make a long story short, God completely changed the life of his friend. He started going back to church. He started taking his family back to church. He actually became a deacon. However, more than that — and what he didn’t expect at all — was that his feelings of frustration and resentment toward his friend began to fade away.

7. Fast to Overcome Temptation

Fasting is a good exercise in self-discipline.  Refraining from eating food can strengthen our ability to refrain from sin when we are tempted. Think about it. If we train ourselves to accept the small “suffering” of fasting willingly, we will be better able to accept other suffering for the sake of spiritual growth. Cornelius Plantinga was right when he said that, “Self-indulgence is the enemy of gratitude, and self-discipline usually its friend and generator. That is why gluttony is a deadly sin. The early desert fathers believed that a person’s appetites are linked: full stomachs and jaded palates take the edge from our hunger and thirst for righteousness. They spoil the appetite for God.”

Fasting combats our propensity to giving into temptation. If our body won’t do what our spirit knows is good and right, then the body must be brought in line. And bringing the body back in line with the moral life is what fasting can accomplish in us.

However, a word of cation might be appropriate at this point. Richard Foster reminds us that,, “More than any other spiritual discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. If pride controls us, it will be revealed almost immediately. Anger, bitterness, jealousy, strife, fear—if they are within us, they will surface during fasting.”

This is the hammer drill metaphor. Only this time, we’re the wood. The way a hammer drill works is through a mechanical technique called percussion drilling. The wood is hit rapidly to make it softer so that the screw goes in easy. This is another reason why we fast; to shake loose the things that imprison us and overcome temptation.

Going Further

Recapturing the Wonder by Mike Cosper

The Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney

Fasting by Scot McKnight

Finish Strong: Feasting Together

I think, on a surface level, we get feasting. After all, our church knows how to eat. We’ve got this food thing down. We know how to put on a meal. 

 Feasting though, isn’t just about food. The food is a big part of feasting to be sure. But there is so much more going on when we come together and feast as Christians. Throughout the centuries, feasting has been a spiritual discipline with two primary purposes: (1) Feasting slows us down, helping us experience ultimate joy and gratitude that come from God alone. (2) Feasting reminds us that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. 

 Let’s talk about these two primary purposes but first, a little background on the concept of biblical feasting. 

 Biblical Feasting 

Ancient Israel built their rhythms of life around feasts. Leviticus 23 outlines seven major feasts that God commanded Israel to observe. Each one was designed to… wait for it… slow the people down, helping them experience ultimate joy and gratitude that come from God alone, and remind them that they are a part of something bigger than themselves. Consider these examples:  

• The Passover: This annual feast celebrated God’s deliverance of Israel from death during the final plague in Egypt. By marking their doorposts with the blood of a lamb, the Israelites were saved as death “passed over” their homes. 

• The Feast of Unleavened Bread: This week-long celebration followed the Passover and reminded the people of their hurried departure from Egypt. By eating unleavened bread, they remembered how God delivered them from slavery. 

• The Feast of First Fruits: Held at the start of the harvest, this feast celebrated God’s provision. The people brought the first portion of their crops to the Lord as an act of gratitude and trust. 

• The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost): Fifty days after the Feast of First Fruits, this celebration marked the end of the harvest, thanking God for His abundant provision. 

These celebrations were designed to be a tangible, sensory reminder that reoriented the people’s hearts toward true joy and gratitude that comes from God alone. They combated distraction, cynicism, and snobbery by slowing the people down and reenchanting their attention to God’s provision, faithfulness, and love. And even though as Christians we typically longer observe these specific feasts, they still hold incredible meaning and significance for us today. This is because they ultimately point us to Jesus, who fulfills every feast. Consider these example:  

• The Passover: Jesus was crucified during the Passover, becoming our Passover Lamb who delivers and saves us from death. 

• The Feast of Unleavened Bread: Just as unleavened bread reminded the Israelites of their deliverance from slavery in Egypt, Jesus delivers us from the slavery of sin. His sinless life, represented by the purity of unleavened bread, became the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. 

• The Feast of First Fruits: Jesus’ resurrection occurred on the Feast of First Fruits, signifying God’s provision of the first harvest of God’s redemptive work and guaranteeing our own redemption. 

• Pentecost (Feast of Weeks): The Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost, and in a divine twist that only God could write, began the Church and bringing in the first “harvest” of believers. 

Feasting helps us experience ultimate joy and gratitude. Feasting reminds us that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. 

The Battle Against Distraction, Cynicism, and Snobbery 

In a very real way, the act of feasting is the means to live out the first primary purpose. So, you may say, “Joy and gratitude. These are good things, and I want to experience them. But how?” One way is to feast. These biblical feasts were intentionally and supernaturally designed to reorient the people’s hearts toward true joy and gratitude that comes from God alone. 

Because in feasting together, we actively combat three things that rob us of that joy and gratitude.  

 One is distraction. The historical origin of the word distraction is particularly impactful to its meaning today. Distraction is a French word which originated as description of a form of torture in the Middle Ages where a person’s legs and arms were tied to four different horses, which were sent in four different directions. The French called that form of torture “distraction.” If you’ve seen Braveheart, the ending scene was distraction. It’s a graphic image, but it’s a scary accurate picture of what often happens in our lives. Have you ever felt like your being pulled apart of the seams with all of the things you have going on? Its death by distraction. We are distracted by a million things that compete for our affection and yet feasting together frees us from that. Because when we feast together God frees us from the pull of distraction and refocuses us on ultimate joy and gratitude that come from Him. 

 Another is cynicism. Cynicism is more than skepticism; cynicism is a way of life where suspicion and disbelief keep the world at arm’s length. Cynics are pessimists and bitter typically. Sure, they won’t be fooled by anything supernatural or transcendent, but they also won’t be moved by beauty. Feasts battle against that mentality. After all, it’s hard too be a cynic when your consistently marking your life with sensory reminders that God is faithful and provides.  

 Another is snobbery. Snobbery works like cynicism. Where a cynic is suspicious of transcendence and wonder, the snob is suspicious of anything that comes from ordinary life. But in the biblical feasts,  whole community was involved, from slaves to the rich. In fact later on in Leviticus, God basically says during these feasts everybody parties – from poor to rich, foreigner to native – everybody gets to enjoy the party or I kill everybody. 

 In all three cases – whether it is distraction, cynicism or snobbery – at the feasting table, anxious and insecure hearts have a tangible and sensory way to experience the joy and gratitude that comes from God alone.  

 Reenchanting Your World 

Feasting does so many things for us spiritually. Where fasting reminds us of God’s presence by abstaining from food, feasting reminds us of God’s presence by engaging in food. It slows us down and turns our hearts toward gratitude and joy. It stirs our memories and reminds us that we are a part of a story much bigger than ourselves.  

 And really, when you put those two things together, what you get is that feasting reminds us that the world is alive and is full of wonder, mystery, and curiosity. 

 That said, here are some things to remember when feasting. 

• Turn off the Phones: Don’t worry about Instagramming the experience or the food. Show up ready to be present to the actual human beings you’re in the room with. Put your phone on “do not disturb” or, better yet, provide a phone bucket where all phones have to be turned in for the evening. Exceptions can of course be made to accommodate being accessible to a babysitter if kids or grandkids are left at home.  

• Forget about Calories: Do not plan on counting calories, carbs, sugars at this feast. Feasts are the exception, not the rule, so come ready to eat. Obviously, if someone has an allergy or a serious intolerance to food, make the appropriate accommodations. However, the practice for the feast will be in line with Jesus’ advice to Peter to kill and eat all manner of flora and fauna.  

• Conversations Should be Driven by Joy: This is perhaps the most important of the rules. At the feast table, conversations should be driven by what people are joyful about, what interests them, and what’s worth celebrating. Obligatory conversation about jobs, bosses, school, homework, the weather, and other boring topics should be avoided. Reflect before you come to the table: What can we celebrate with you? What are you thankful for? What has ignited your curiosity lately? What stories do you want to tell? 

• Plan for abundance: Plan to cook more food than you need and to serve it slowly, giving time for people to make room for more. Going overboard occasionally is a foretaste of better feasts.  

• Lighten Up: Feasts should be celebrations rather than formal dining affairs. Don’t worry if the house isn’t perfectly put together and don’t go crazy with the place settings. Serve some snacks and welcome people into the kitchen while you finish making the meal. 

• Experiment and Keep at It: Feasting is a practice. Like fasting, feasting is a habit we cultivate. We want to get good at throwing a feast not because we want to impress our friends but because we want to learn to savor good things and share joy. So, treat this like any other practice or habit you’re trying to cultivate. Finally, consider adding a light liturgy to your feast to help with the intentionality—praying a Psalm to bless the meal and singing the doxology at the end, before people begin to trickle away. Consider lighting candles. For example, lighting candles with a Sabbath meal signifies the beginning of the feast and to remind us of God’s presence. The main thing is to not get distracted too much by the details— don’t fret a burned roast or a dry chicken. Feasting is a habit we learn as well as a way of life. All of our feasts will be a little imperfect, but with practice, we learn to come to the table with joy and gratitude and to leave with a little bit more. 

Join Us for a Churchwide Feast 

On January 15, we will gather as a church to break our corporate fast with a feast in the Worship Center atrium. After a special prayer service, we will share a meal as a community, celebrating all God has done and looking forward to what He will do. This feast will be a time of joy, fellowship, and worship. 

 Going Further 

Recapturing the Wonder by Mike Cosper 

The Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster 

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney 

A Meal with Jesus by Tim Chester 

Fasting With Kids

Of all the spiritual disciplines, fasting is perhaps the most challenging to practice – and the least practiced by many. For those of us who love food, saying no to the chips isn’t easy.  

 In Matthew 6:16 though, Jesus says, “When you fast…” Interestingly enough, Jesus did not say, “If you fast…” The way that He said this suggests that fasting is an expected part of the Christian life. Fasting, as Christians have historically understood it, is a normal, voluntary abstention from food for spiritual purposes. And while fasting traditionally involves refraining from all food, there are also examples of “partial fasts” in the Bible, such as Daniel’s fast in Daniel 10, where he restricted his diet but didn’t abstain from food entirely. 

 The spiritual discipline of fasting can be just as powerful for kids or teens as it is for adults. However, introducing it should be approached carefully, with intentionality, and with age-appropriate modifications. 

 Introducing Fasting to Kids 

When teaching kids and teens about fasting, it’s important to start small, make it meaningful, and model it yourself. Below are practical ways to help them engage with fasting in a way that is spiritually formative and positive without being overwhelming and negative. 

• Start Small and Simple 

 Make Different Choices: Begin by encouraging healthier snack options, such as choosing carrots instead of cookies, or water instead of soda. This small step introduces the idea of self-denial for a greater purpose. 

Abstain from Sweets: Lead kids in giving up sugar-based treats like candy or cake for a designated period. This manageable fast helps them understand self-discipline. 

Try a Digital Fast: As a family, fast from technology. This might mean no TV, video games, or phones for a weekend—or simply no technology in the car. This kind of fast can help kids focus on relationships and their spiritual lives. 

• Gradually Grow the Practice 

 Don’t start with a lofty goal, like a 40-day fast from food or a total technology fast for a month. Begin with short, achievable fasts and celebrate success. Over time, you can grow into more intensive fasts as kids mature and understand the practice better. 

 Helping Kids Understand the Purpose of Fasting 

Fasting is not about punishment or self-deprivation for its own sake. It’s about focusing on God and growing closer to Him. Here are some key principles to teach: 

• Fasting Centers Us on God: Explain that fasting is an act of worship and a way to focus on God’s will and desires for our lives. Without this focus, fasting becomes just another diet plan. 

• Fasting Reminds Us of God’s Provision: Help kids understand that fasting shows us our dependence on God as the ultimate provider of all good things including our food, our house, our parents, and yes, even our video games. 

• Fasting Helps Us Focus on a Purpose: The point of fasting is to direct our attention toward a specific issue, need, or prayer concern. Determine a purpose for the fast and make it clear to kids. 

• Fasting Is a Discipline, Not a Punishment: Teach kids that fasting is a way to grow spiritually, not a tool for guilt or behavior correction. 

Modeling Fasting for Kids 

Kids learn more from what they see than from what they hear. If you want to teach kids about fasting, be prepared to model it yourself. Show them that fasting is a meaningful, private act between you and God, not something to display for attention or recognition. As you practice fasting, share your experiences – how it’s helping you focus on God, how it’s teaching you gratitude, and how it’s drawing you closer to Him. 

Age-Appropriate Fasting 

While fasting from food may be best suited for older kids and teens, even younger children can participate in simple, modified ways. For example, they can choose to give up sweets, screen time, or a favorite activity for a short period. These small acts of self-denial lay a foundation for deeper and more meaningful fasting experiences as they grow older. 

 Things to Keep in Mind 

• Consider Physical Needs: Not everyone is physically able to fast from food. Always take into account individual health needs, especially for children, and consult a doctor if necessary. 

• Don’t Sell Kids Short: Children are capable of understanding and practicing spiritual disciplines in age-appropriate ways. Teaching them about fasting early lays a strong foundation for lifelong faith.