Fasting is a discipline of abstaining from something good, like food, so we can concentrate on our spiritual lives and find satisfaction in God. Fasting is all about a desire for God.

The main benefits of fasting are internal. Fasting is good for your spirit. When you fast, you are making a conscious decision to seek God. Hunger reminds you there is something more satisfying than food and points you to God. You might want to fast for a specific request or breakthrough. You might be pursuing God in a specific way. Or, fasting might be something you do regularly to connect with God.

There are many ways to fast. You can customize your fast however you want. If you’re not used to fasting, begin with a less intense fast to train your body and spirit. Here are some examples of fasts you could consider:

Total Fast: In this fast, you only drink liquids. You can choose which liquids you’ll allow, but it’s always important to drink plenty of water.

Partial Fast: A partial fast involves abstaining from eating any type of food for a period of the day. This can either correlate to specific times of the day, such as 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, or from sunup to sundown. You choose what/when you will eat. For example, you could choose to fast during the day for multiple days in a row.

Daniel Fast: Based on how Daniel fasted, this fast remove meat, processed sugar, caffeine, dairy, alcohol, and bread from your diet. You drink water and eat only fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, and vegetables.

Soul Fast: You might consider a soul fast as an alternative or in addition to a food fast.  In a soul fast, you abstain completely from certain activities in your life that are out of balance such as television, music, types of spending or social media. A soul fast is an excellent option if you have health issues that prevent you from fasting food, or if you wish to refocus certain areas of your life that are out of balance.