Fasting - List of Ways to Fast

Cover of The Hidden Power of Prayer and Fasting

Fasting for spiritual reasons is usually abstaining from all food, eating very little food, or avoiding specific types of food for a pre-determined length of time. In the Old Testament, there were specific days set aside for fasting.

Jesus began His ministry by observing a 40 day fast. Prior to the fast, he was "filled with the Holy Spirit" according to Luke 4:1.

Following the time of fasting, "...Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit" as recorded in Luke 4:14.

5 links to articles on fasting:

• Fasting and Prayer
• The Power of Prayer and Fasting
• Prayer and Fasting - Focusing on God
• Week of Fasting and Prayer
• Day Fourteen: Fasting for Wisdom and Insight (Daniel fast)
  

7 Books on fasting:

• Shaping History through Prayer and Fasting by Derek Prince
• The Hidden Power of Prayer and Fasting by Mahesh Chavda (Destiny Image Publishing)
• How To Fast Successfully By Derek Prince (Whitaker House)
• Prayer and Fasting By Kingsley Fletcher (Whitaker House)
• 7 Basic Steps to Successful Fasting and Prayer By Bill Bright (New Life Publications)
• God’s Chosen Fast By Arthur Wallis (Christian Literature Crusade)
• A Hunger For God By John Piper (Crossway Books)
  

13 Things to fast:

• All food and drink - Total fast
  
• All food, drinking only water - Water only fast
  
• All food, drinking juice and water - Juice only fast
• All food except fruits and vegetables (Sometimes called a Daniel fast)
• All meat
• Red meat
  
• Specific food or foods such as sugar, caffeine, desserts, chocolate, treats, alcohol, etc.
• Eating out, fast food, etc.
  
• Total media fast (television, movies, secular music) including online activities - blogging, social networking, etc. Could also include all reading material other than the Bible
  
• Secular television, movies, and music
• Unnecessary online activities including social networking sites
• Social networking i.e. FaceBook, Twitter, IM, chatrooms
  
• Shopping for non-essentials
  

12 benefits of fasting

Based on Isaiah 58 as listed in The Hidden Power of Prayer and Fasting by Mahesh Chavdah (page 40)

• Revelation
• Healing and wholeness
• Righteousness
• The presence of the shekinah glory of God
• Answered prayers
• Continual guidance
• Contentment
• Refreshing
• Strength
• Work that endures (like an every-flowing spring)
• Raising up of future generations
• Restoration