ACTIVATE FASTING 365 | New Hope Church

FACTS ABOUT FASTING

Fasting... is one of the most powerful ways to draw closer to God.

It’s not a diet.
It’s not a religious performance.
It’s a spiritual discipline.

When we fast, we intentionally set something aside - most often food - to make more room for God. It’s saying, “Lord, YOU are my source... not my schedule, not my cravings, not my comfort.”

The Bible says in Matthew 4:4,

“People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Fasting quiets the noise...
Clears the clutter...
and tunes our hearts to hear His voice more clearly.

It is an act of surrender - a way to align our body, soul, and spirit with His will.

When we fast, we remind ourselves that God - not food - sustains our lives.

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We fast because we’re hungry... not for food...but for God.

Throughout Scripture, God’s people fasted before moments of breakthrough.

Moses fasted before receiving the Ten Commandments.
Esther fasted for protection over her people.
Jesus fasted before beginning His public ministry.

Fasting positions our hearts to receive divine strength, wisdom, and direction.

The Bible says in Joel 2:12,

“Even now, says the Lord, return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”

We don’t fast to get God’s attention - He already loves us. We fast to give Him ours. It’s an invitation to slow down...to seek His presence...to align our hearts with His purposes.

When we fast, we are saying, “God, I want YOU... more than anything else.”

There’s no single “right” way to fast - only a right heart behind it.

The Bible shows us several types of fasting:

Complete fast—no food, only water or liquids for a set time.
Partial fast, like the Daniel Fast - limiting certain foods, often focusing on fruits, vegetables, and water.
Time-based fast - eating only during specific hours each day.

In Daniel 10:3, Daniel said,

“I didn’t eat any rich food, meat, or drink wine for three weeks, until the time of mourning was over.”

The focus isn’t what we’re giving up...it’s what we’re gaining - more intimacy with the Lord. No matter the method, fasting should always lead to prayer, reflection, and a deeper hunger for His presence.

The true heart behind fasting... is LOVE. It’s not about deprivation - it’s about desire. When we fast, we express our longing to know God more deeply.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:17-18,

“When you fast, don’t make it obvious... but do it in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

Fasting isn’t about show - it’s about surrender.

When done with the right heart, fasting purifies our motives, strengthens our faith, and increases our dependence on Him. It’s not about proving something to God - it’s about making space for Him to prove His faithfulness in us. In the quiet moments of hunger and surrender, God fills us - spirit, soul, and body - with His peace, His clarity, and His power.

Fasting is less about what we let go of and more about whom we draw near to.

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WHAT IS FASTING?

What is fasting?

Fasting is the voluntary abstaining from food (or drink) - for a spiritual purpose. It is

not dieting or ritual, but a sacred discipline that humbles the soul, sharpens spiritual

focus, and deepens intimacy with God.

Tsom - Hebrew “to cover the mouth”

Nēsteuō - Greek “not to eat”

“Fasting is not about twisting God’s arm, but about aligning our hearts with His will.”

C.S. Lewis put it like this: “Fasting asserts the will against the appetite”. Fasting is the Creator’s tool for breakthroughs in body, soul and spirit. When we fast, three things happen.

The most important thing is that fasting brings us closer to God.
Fasting makes you more sensitive to God’s voice. It will create space for God to infuse your heart and mind with transformative ideas and revelations.
Fasting magnifies our weaknesses and forces us to rely on God’s strength.

The Foundation: Giving | Praying | Fasting

In Matthew 6, Jesus says:

When you give...But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:3-4 NIV When you pray...But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your unseen Father. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:6 NIV

When you fast ... “But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Matthew 6:17-18 NIV

These three practices form a spiritual cord:

● Giving breaks from materialism.

● Praying connects us to God’s presence.

● Fasting clears distractions and invites breakthroughs.

Together, they unlock spiritual power and intimacy with God.

WHY DO
WE FAST?

Why Do We Fast?

Fasting has always been tied to spiritual purpose:

1. Humility before God

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth (mourning garment); I humbled my soul with fasting, And I prayed with my head bowed on my chest. (Psalms 35:13 AMP)

2. Intensified prayer

“So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.” Ezra 8:23 NIV

3. Repentance

“Return to Me with all your heart, with fasting” (Joel 2:12).

4. Guidance & clarity

“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.” (Acts 13:2-3 NIV)

5. Preparation for assignment
Jesus fasted before ministry “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.” (Matthew 4:1-2 NIV)

TYPES OF
FASTS

Types of Fasts

1. Absolute Fast

● Definition: No food and no water.

● Biblical Example: Esther called a 3-day absolute fast for Israel. “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish. Esther 4:16 NIV

● Modern Example: Not recommended beyond 1 - 3 days and only under clear leading of the Holy Spirit.

2. Normal Fast

● Definition: No food, only water.

● Biblical Example: Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness. “After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.” Matthew 4:2 NIV

● Modern Example: Drinking only water while abstaining from all food for a set period (1 day, 3 days, or longer).

3. Partial Fast (Daniel Fast)

● Definition: Restricting certain foods rather than abstaining from all food.

● Biblical Example: Daniel ate no meat, sweets, or wine for 21 days. “At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.”

Daniel 10:2-3 NIV

● Modern Example:

○ Fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains.

○ Avoid meat, dairy, sugar, fried foods, and problem food.

4. Corporate Fast

● Definition: A group of believers fasting together for a united purpose.

● Biblical Example: The church in Antioch fasted together before sending Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:2 - 3). “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.” Acts 13:2-3 NIV

● Modern Example: A church body committing to 21 days of prayer and fasting, with individuals choosing their type of fast (water only, Daniel Fast, skipping one meal daily, etc.).

5. Private Fast

● Definition: A personal fast done in secret, between you and God.

● Biblical Example: Jesus taught. “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:16-18 NIV

● Modern Example: Quietly fasting from breakfast and lunch one day a week, dedicating that time to prayer, without broadcasting it to others.

6. Regular / Lifestyle Fast

● Definition: Making fasting part of your rhythm of life.

● Biblical Example: Early believers often fasted twice a week.

● Modern Example: Choosing one day each week to fast from food (sunrise to sunset, sundown to sundown), or skipping a meal regularly to seek God.