Fasting is doing without something, for a specific time, to focus our attention on God to get His direction and provision.
Fasting was practiced in the Old Testament.
Isaiah 58:6,9 (see the entire chapter for context)
The Lord Says,
6 “No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people…
9 Then when you call, the LORD will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.
Jesus and his disciples fasted in the New Testament.
Matthew 4:1-11, 6:16-18
Jesus assumed we would fast as His followers saying, “When you fast…,” not, “If you fast.”
Fasting from food (like Christ in the wilderness – Matthew 4) reminds us that our spiritual need for God is greater than our physical need for food. Physical hunger reminds us of spiritual hunger and attunes us, in a deeper way, to the Lord. The Lord has promised to rescue, release, restore, and provide when His people draw near to Him in a fast (Isaiah 58).
Are there other types of fasting?
Your fast can be from anything that allows you to spend extra time drawing near to God and praying for these things (and any others the Lord brings to mind). Examples might include: social media, gaming, television shows, hobbies, specific foods (candy, desserts, meats, etc.), and secular music.
Why this particular fast?
