Lenten Season FAST - Practical Steps for Fasting

Subscribe

Feb 11, 2010 Authored by Mike Burke | Category: Lent

Email This Post | Permalink

0 Comments

I would like to walk-through with you, a fairly accessible guide for fasting.  Like any good citizen of the Google-age, I set about trying to find as many online resources as possible about how to fast.  The first thing I learned was this: there is a lot of garbage on the internet.  Okay, so maybe that was a reminder more than a lesson, but it holds true here.  After a little while of searching however, I also found that there are a lot of great Biblically based resources on how to fast as well.

My personal favorite, probably due at least in part to my Mars Hill Church background, is a recent blog post on The Resurgence website, entitled 6 Practical Steps for Fasting by Acts 29 Pastor, Winfield Bevins.  Winfield’s final step (spoiler alert!), is to “just do it!” which I think is possibly one of the best tips that I read.  Personally, the whole thing has seemed quite daunting to me, and after much prayer, I won’t be attempting a long fast to start with, but that is entirely up to each individual, their health, and most importantly, where the Spirit leads them.

For something a little more, in-depth, than the link above, I also recommend Dr. Bill Bright’s Guide to Fasting & Prayer—a fantastic guide that takes far more than I have room for here into account.  FYI, Bill Bright is NOT a doctor of medicine.  In addition, if anyone can tell me which actress that girl on the link above looks like, I will be grateful…it has been bugging me for a few days now. 

Please keep in mind throughout all of this, that it is ultimately through the Spirit that you should decide to fast, and remember it is all for the glory of the Father & the Son.  If you do chose to fast, I would like to ask that you remember Matthew 6:16-18:

16"And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.