The goal of fasting is not necessarily to go without food but to draw nearer to God. The bible defines fasting as "restricting food for a spiritual purpose". Whenever fasts are mentioned in the bible, they are for a spiritual purpose.
Choosing the right fast for you:
Your fast should begin as a personal challenge. However, it is very important to know your own body as well as your options. The most important part of this fast is to seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.
Different Types of Fasts
So what different types of fasts are there? To answer that question, let's start off with an extreme example. However, you should keep in mind that this particular method is not advised, but is simply used as an example.
Absolute fast: this is what Moses used when he was on Mt. Sanai for 40 days. We learn about this in Exodus 34:28. "he neither ate bread nor drank water"...an absolute fast is usually not used by anyone, at least not for a long period of time. Some people choose to obstain from all food and water for a short period of time, but a longer period is not advised since physical complications could result.
Normal Fast: is a fast where a person only consumes water. This is the type of fast practiced by Elijah in 1st Kings 19:8, and Jesus in Matthew 4. In these passages, it is not 100% clear that Elijah and Jesus abstained from only food for 40 days. However, the stories about Elijah going without food does not mention water, and the Bible says that Jesus was hungry but did not mention thirst.
Partial Fast: this is where some foods are restricted. Here are 2 examples of some commonly used partial fasts.
Choosing the right fast for you:
Your fast should begin as a personal challenge. However, it is very important to know your own body as well as your options. The most important part of this fast is to seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.
Different Types of Fasts
So what different types of fasts are there? To answer that question, let's start off with an extreme example. However, you should keep in mind that this particular method is not advised, but is simply used as an example.
Absolute fast: this is what Moses used when he was on Mt. Sanai for 40 days. We learn about this in Exodus 34:28. "he neither ate bread nor drank water"...an absolute fast is usually not used by anyone, at least not for a long period of time. Some people choose to obstain from all food and water for a short period of time, but a longer period is not advised since physical complications could result.
Normal Fast: is a fast where a person only consumes water. This is the type of fast practiced by Elijah in 1st Kings 19:8, and Jesus in Matthew 4. In these passages, it is not 100% clear that Elijah and Jesus abstained from only food for 40 days. However, the stories about Elijah going without food does not mention water, and the Bible says that Jesus was hungry but did not mention thirst.
Partial Fast: this is where some foods are restricted. Here are 2 examples of some commonly used partial fasts.
- Juice Fast: This is perhaps the most popular and effective of all the fasts. This is where a person simply consumes vegetable and friuit juices and water instead of solid food. Many people include whey protein in this type of fast. If you decide to make this a liquid only fast, you can still just substitute juices for 1 or 2 meals a day if you think it suits you better.
- Daniel Fast: this type of fast was sued by Daniel the prophet in the book of Daniel 1 and 10. The Daniel Fast is mostly a fruit and vegetable fast. It is ok to consume some starchy vegetables and dairy, but you should follow the guidelines of this fast as close as possible. You can visit the website: www.daniel-fast.com for more information.
- Also, check out this new dietary supplement. Its called Lamanine, and it could help you with a variety of problems in your life. http://www.purefreedomteam.com/i/newstart
Update
Feb. 6th 2012
Today I did what I call a daytime fast. I did not have anything to eat from morning till dusk. I only drank water. Towards the end of the day, I had lemon juice from a fresh lemon, in a small glass of water. I have read that the lemon juice, as well as apple cider vinegar, can balance the PH of your body and allow for better energy levels. Usually once every few weeks, I do a Sunday daytime fast. Which usually consists of some fruit in the morning, and nothing but water till dusk. Of course I take my Laminine pill in the morning. Today, I only took one Laminine pill in the morning, and felt great all day. In fact, I have not felt better since after I first started taking Laminine on December 31st. More to come soon...
http://www.purefreedomteam.com/i/newstart
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