As you prepare to fast, it is important to choose a fasting plan that works for you. While this section provides some general information about different types of fasts, as well as some suggestions on how to create your own fasting plan, it is important to mention that there is nothing more inherently spiritual about one type of fast as opposed to another. These are simply guidelines and suggestions on different things you can do. Do not let what you eat or do not eat become the focus of your fast. Keep the main thing the main thing, which is drawing closer to God. Fasting is a time to disconnect enough from your regular patterns and habits in order to connect more closely to God.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind before getting started:

1. START WHERE YOU ARE

We are all at different places in our walk with God. Likewise, our jobs, daily schedules, and health conditions are all different and place various levels of demands on our energy. So whether you’ve fasted before or this is your first time, start with what will work for your current reality of life.

Your personal fast should present a level of challenge to it, but it’s very important to know your own body, your options and, most importantly, seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.

2. DECIDE IN ADVANCE - HAVE A PLAN

While preparing for your fast, it is important to choose ahead of time what type of fast you will pursue. Not only will this help with making the necessary preparations to implement your plan, but as you commit to a specific fast ahead of time and know how you’re going to do it, you will position yourself to finish strong.

3. ROUGH START

On a food fast, the first three days can be the roughest. Our bodies are letting us know they don’t like what we are doing. But hang in there! Your body will be ok and you will survive! Your body will learn that you are in charge of it instead of it being in charge of you.

In this guide we’ve listed some options and variations of fasts you can choose from. As you read over the information, please consider how it may or may not apply to your personal circumstances and convictions.

Deciding what you are fasting FOR is an important part of biblical fasting. Fasting without a specific purpose is not truly fasting.

People in the Bible fasted:

• to ask God for protection;

• to get help to solve major problems;

• to show God how sorry they were for the things they’ve done wrong - called “repentance”;

• to fight against the enemy of God;

• for health and healing;

• to express love and worship to God;

• to strengthen their relationship with God and so on.

What do you want to see God do in your life or in someone else’s life? Do you need a physical healing, to see your marriage strengthened, guidance as you make a difficult decision? Deciding what you are fasting for gives you focus during your time of fasting. This will be the thing you talk to God about everyday. That’s what prayer is about - talking and listening to God.

So, plan on spending some concentrated energy on talking and listening to God throughout this time of fasting. If you are new to prayer, start with 5 minutes a day and work your way up from there. Five minutes can feel like a long time but you’ll be amazed at how quickly that time passes as you learn how to talk and listen to God.

After deciding what to fast for, you’ll need to determine what you will be fasting from. What thing do you wish to give up during your time of focusing in on your relationship with God? This thing you choose needs to be something of importance to you. If its no big deal to you then it will be no big deal to God. Here are some ideas to process through.

1. SPECIFIC FOOD FAST

In this type of fast you omit a specific item(s) from your meal plans. For example, you may choose to eliminate all red meat, processed or fast food, or sweets. Most people can incorporate this type of fast relatively easily. It can also prove to be a great solution for people with specific dietary needs or medical conditions that may cause certain limitations.

2. DANIEL FAST

The Daniel fast is a great model to follow and one that is extremely effective for spiritual focus and body discipline. It is probably one of the most commonly referred to fasts; however, within the Daniel fast there is room for broad interpretation.

In the book of Daniel, we find two different times where the prophet Daniel fasted. Daniel 1 states that he only ate vegetables and water, and in Daniel 10, while the passage does not give a specific list of foods that Daniel ate, it does state that he ate no rich (or choice) foods, as well as no meat or wine. So based on these two verses, we can see that either of these, or combinations of the two, constitute a Daniel fast. Don’t get too obsessed about what constitutes a Daniel fast. Decide for yourself what you will fast from and then do that.

3. JUICE FAST

A juice fast is simply consuming vegetable and fruit juices and water instead of solid food. Many people include whey protein in their liquid plan as well. This is one of the most popular and effective fasts. Even if you choose not to make your entire fast liquids - only, substituting one or two meals for liquids is a great alternative.

4. WATER FAST

A water-only fast is the normal fast referred to in the Bible. This is how Jesus fasted. A water fast is just that—no eating of any food or drinking of any liquids except water. Periodic water fasts can be very beneficial, but extreme precautions should be taken. For some people it is hard to perform effectively at their jobs and have energy for their families while drinking only water and not eating.

We recommend consulting your physician first, and water fasting only for a day or two unless you can get away or your job allows you to really disconnect so you can give your best energy to the fast. Remember, when Jesus went on His forty-day fast, He went by Himself out into the wilderness. Having said all that, there are some people who can water fast and work, and they function fine

without much fatigue and are able to work well. You are blessed if you are one of these people.

5. ACTIVITY FAST

While biblical fasting refers to refraining from specific food items, you may also find it extremely beneficial to fast from a regular activity or habit. This might include things such as time spent watching TV, social media, video games and the like.

Again, the thing you select to fast from needs to be something significant in your life. If it is not a big deal to you, then it won’t be a big deal to God.

WHICH FAST IS THE MOST SPIRITUAL?

No fast is more inherently spiritual than another. Someone doing a water only fast isn’t necessarily more spiritual than someone who gives up deserts. Your goal should be to find something that will help you focus more attention on your relationship with God and doing what He’s asking you to do in your life. Determine the type of fast that will help you do that and then get started!

Depending on the type of fast you choose, it is very important to prepare your body ahead of time before beginning the fast. Take a week or so to transition into your fast; otherwise, you could get sick. For example, if you would like to go on a fruits and vegetables or juice fast, start eliminating meat, white grains, and refined sugars from your diet the week before. Also start to cut back quite a bit on dairy products and some of your caffeine intake.

The same principle applies to breaking your fast. When your fast is over, add foods back in very gradually. Please don’t break your fast with a greasy cheeseburger! Because your body is so cleansed and detoxified, you will most likely get sick if you do that. There are also several supplements you can take that will help support the detox process during your fast. Your health-food store can give you recommendations.

Here are some other ideas that can help make your fasting experience more pleasant and helpful:

• As you select your type of fast, make a fasting calendar that fits your plan. Determine what each day will look like.

• Keep your fridge and pantry stocked with the items you need. Being unprepared to fast sets you up to give into temptation. Choose well when selecting products, stick to raw food as much as you can, and limit artificial ingredients.

• Make it a priority to attend church during your fast. Being around others who are interested in growing with God can encourage you to keep on going when fasting gets difficult.

• If you mess up, don’t get discouraged. Just get right back on track and keep going. God’s mercies “are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22–23). He wants you to finish, and He will give you the grace and strength to do it.

Important Note: Fasting requires reasonable precautions. If you have any health concerns, please consult your physician prior to beginning a fast, especially if you are taking any medication, have a chronic condition, or pregnant or nursing a baby.

1. FASTING WHILE NURSING OR PREGNANT

Strict fasting while pregnant or nursing also is not recommended. If you are in this incredible season of life but would like to participate in the twenty-one-day plan, here are some great options for you to consider—with the approval of your physician:

• a modified Daniel fast including whole grains, legumes, whey protein, calcium, and iron supplements

• fasting sweets and desserts

• fasting certain diversions (television shows, movies, social media, video games, and so on)

If you are a pregnant or nursing mother, your priority is the health and the development of the baby God has entrusted you with. Make that your guideline and consult your doctor before a food fast.

2. FASTING AND EATING DISORDERS
If you have struggled with an eating disorder, this situation is a battle of the mind you can win through Christ (Philippians 4:13). Remember, fasting is a tool used to get closer to God, and it actually should keep us from being preoccupied with food. If your method of fasting is going to cause you to obsess about what you eat or don’t eat, you will need to change either your approach or your mindset.

If giving up food is a stumbling block to you, then consider fasting TV, reading (other than the Bible, of course), social media, or something else that is significant to you. There are many things that distract us from our time with God that we could eliminate during our time of fasting.

Talk to God about what He might want you to fast from. Remember that you are covered by God’s grace. God will show you what to do. His “yoke is easy” and His “burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). His way will bring rest to your soul.

Fasting and prayer go hand in hand. Spiritual fasting without prayer is just a diet or giving something up for no good reason. Prayer is a central component of fasting. As you prepare for your time of fasting it can be tempting to start thinking of a laundry list of prayers you’d love to see answered. But try to keep this simple. Think about the top one or two things most pressing on your heart and zone in on those with God. Write these down and be open to what God wants to show you in those areas. The breakthroughs & answers to your prayers will be by-products of drawing closer to Jesus. When praying, make your primary goal to know Jesus more. Focus first on what’s right about Him and see everything else through that filter.

Prayer and fasting are not just about connecting to God but also about disconnecting from the world. Try to tune out some of the regular distractions from your day as much as possible. Replace that time with things that will nourish you spiritually.

And most simply, make time to pray daily. Don’t overcomplicate this! Just talk to God. Have that place and time where you can seek Him every day. If you don’t plan to pray, you won’t. If you find it a challenge to disconnect from the busyness of your day, engaging in worship music is a great way to prepare your heart for prayer.

Just like prayer and fasting, reading your Bible is about connecting to God in a more powerful way.

It is not about duty but about relationship. When we engage God through reading His Word, we engage the very presence of God. His Word is living and active! As we read our Bible, we are drawing closer to God and positioning ourselves to hear from Him in particular ways. Once again, as with prayer, choose the time and the place where you are going to read your Bible every single day,

and come prepared to hear what He wants to tell you.

Here are some ways to get the most out of your time with God:

1. HAVE A PLAN

Having a plan for what you want to read will help you significantly. The Bible can be a very Intimidating book to read. Without a plan, we can just wander through the Bible feeling overwhelmed. There are many Bible reading plans out there. YouVersion Bible app is a great place to discover a Bible reading plan that might work for you.

Another helpful tool to enhance your Bible reading is to use a devotional book. Devotional books help guide you through a specific topic while pointing you towards Bible verses to read along the journey. You can find good devotional guides at resources like christianbook.com and lifeway.com.

Another great tool to use is Epic’s Spiritual Growth Challenge. It’s a one-page document designed to help us dig deeper into what was taught in Sunday messages. Each week a bible reading plan is suggested for that week that goes along with the topic for that specific Sunday. Reading through those verses can enhance the Sunday messages and give you a plan for making the most of our

time in the Bible.

2. READ CONSISTENTLY

It is better to read a little every day than to try and knock out two hours of Bible reading or devotions in one sitting. It is so important to digest the Word in absorbable chunks. Don’t bite off more than you can chew, and certainly don’t compare your “performance” with that of others. If you miss a few days, pick up at the next reading, but stay with it and don’t give up. The key is to keep this simple and make it sustainable.

3. READ PRAYERFULLY

Talk to God as you’re reading. Don’t rush through. If you come across something you don’t understand, pause for a moment and ask God about it. Reading prayerfully is making space and time to talk to God and giving Him time and space to talk to you. Taking time to meditate on God’s Word is just as important as reading it.

4. READ EXPECTANTLY

You are about to read the thoughts of God captured in print for humanity - so come with an attitude of expectancy. Believe that God is going to speak to you.

5. TAKE NOTES / KEEP A JOURNAL

Keep a notebook with your Bible and devotional and take notes as you read. Taking notes of what we are learning helps us retain what God is saying to us and it gives us an action to follow.

P = Pray everyday. This can be as simple as thanking Him for what He’s done in your life or will do. It may be asking Him for wisdom and clarity on a decision you need to make. Remember, prayer is all about relationship. It’s a two-way conversation, so we need to talk and listen to what God has to say.

R = Read the Bible everyday. Focusing on that scripture, tune in and listen to what God is saying to you through His Word. What is it about this scripture that specifically stands out? What does God want to teach you? Ask the Holy Spirit to be your guide and show you what God is saying.

A = Apply God’s truth to your life everyday. Think of how this verse(s) apply to your life right now. Perhaps it is instruction, encouragement, revelation of a new promise, or correction for a particular area of your life. Use a journal to write how this scripture applies to you.

Y = Yield to the Holy Spirit everyday. Yield to the promptings of the Holy Spirit when He speaks. When He encourages you to share your faith with someone - do that. When He convicts you of something - confess that to God quickly. When you don’t know what to do - ask HIm. Let the Holy Spirit guide you all day long.

If you want to go deeper in your study, here are additional tips:

• Reread the biblical passage in a different Bible translation like the NIV, ESV, or NKJV. Those can be found on the YouVersion Bible app.

• Follow along with Epic’s Spiritual Growth Challenges that are made available for each Sunday message.

• Utilize online biblical resources, such as those available from crosswalk.com.

• Utilize a bible commentary like the ones available at biblegateway.com.

• Cross-reference your daily reading, using the footnotes in a study Bible. The Life Application Study Bible is great.

• Research words in their original language with tools from blueletterbible.org.

• Read some books on Fasting:

• Fasting For Spiritual Breakthrough by Elmer Towns
• Fasting by Jentezen Franklin
• The Daniel Fast by Susan Gregory
• The Daniel Plan by Rick Warren

Be just as intentional after your time of fasting as you are during your time of fasting. Remember, keeping the fire and zeal for God burning in your heart is what will keep your relationship with Him fresh and new. It will allow you to continue serving and obeying Him from a position of “want to” instead of “have to,” regardless of what life brings your way.

The principles you practice during a fast are easy to sustain long-term. Prayer, fasting, and personal devotion are all quite simple to incorporate into your everyday life. During your time of fasting you will create space for God to speak. Keep that space open to God always. Don’t allow it to close up! Protect that time and space with God and make it your priority each day.

Just like reading your Bible, praying, and attending church, fasting is also a lifestyle. We encourage you to establish a frequency and consistency of fasting in your life. Remember, this is not a legalistic thing. This is an “I get to experience God” thing. It is like getting a spiritual tune up, so we can keep our passion for God and enjoyment of Him at a high level. Figure out what works for you

and make it a regular part of your life.