Frontline Church Fasting guidelines

Fasting Guidelines The main aim of fasting with prayer is not to get God to do something – a kind of spiritual blackmail; but it is to draw close to God, to hear from Him, to allow Him to purify our hearts and to receive all that He wants to give us (anointing, authority, revelation, faith etc.). Not eating of course will give us more time to spend with God. We can fast many different kinds of things e.g. TV or caffeine, but biblically, fasting always involved not eating. In Daniel’s case this was fasting all rich foods, in most other cases it was fasting all foods.

Please note that those who are pregnant should not fast their food. For people with certain medical conditions or those who suffer with or have suffered with eating disorders we would advise you to seek medical advice before embarking on a food fast. Everyone of course should take regular fluids and if at any point you feel unwell, be wise and seek advice immediately.

As we approach this five day period of prayer and fasting let me encourage you to push beyond your comfort zones. If you can fast food for the full five days that would be brilliant, if not at least try one, two or three days (it actually gets easier after three days).

If you have a demanding job or a young family I do not recommend you go to a water only fast, as you are unlikely to cope with your normal levels of activity. Some small amount of calorie intake through drinks (fruit juices or the occasional milky drink) will make it more manageable.

Drink plenty of water as this will reduce the likelihood of headaches. If you are stopping caffeine then do so at least three to four days beforehand as you may get a withdrawal headache which is not great when you are starting a fast.

Do make time to pray, it’s not just an endurance test, it is about drawing close to God, in the knowledge that He promises to draw close to us (James 4:8). Fasting is about shutting out external distractions and focussing on God. It says to God “I am serious about seeking you”.

The very act of feeling physically hungry can link to our awareness of spiritual hunger – don’t fight it, harness it.

We will be breaking the fast with bread and soup at the end of the Friday night prayer event.

Don’t get pie and chips on the way home! Get back to normal eating gradually over a 24 hour period. A friend of mine hospitalised himself by breaking his fast with a massive curry!

As we fast together God will also bring about a great sense of common purpose and venture among us. That will be special. Encourage one another; agree together with your friends and communities what you will do. Make it a team event. If you’re in a community why not try and meet up each day to pray together, even break bread together. You could set some specific topics for prayer e.g. relating to health, finances, goals for the year etc. in addition to the things we will focus on as a whole church e.g. the launch of communities If you do have to break your fast prematurely, don’t get condemned, just be thankful for what you have been able to do and continue making extra time to be with God. He’s not scoring you, but He will see your heart and will respond to that.

Be blessed. See you at the Prayer meeting (bring on the soup and bread!)

Nic Harding (Senior Pastor)