Hungry for
God.
Fasting is choosing to go without something good — usually food — for a season, so that our deepest hunger turns toward God. The point was never the empty plate. The point is him.
It's about nearness.
Fasting isn't a hunger strike to get God's attention, and it isn't a spiritual diet to prove our willpower. It's a way of saying, with our whole body, that we want God more than we want comfort.
When the usual thing we reach for isn't there, the craving doesn't disappear — it gets redirected. Every hunger pang becomes a small prompt to pray. That's the whole design: empty the hands so the heart reaches for him.
Jesus assumed his followers would fast. He didn't say "if you fast," he said "when." So we do — not to earn anything, but to draw near.
Pair it with prayer. Fasting without prayer is just going without; fasting with prayer is reaching. Decide ahead of time what you'll do with the space you create — a passage to read, a person to pray for, a question to bring to God.
"When you fast, it's for your Father — who sees in secret."Matthew 6 : 17–18
A few kinds.
There's no single "right" fast. Pick the one that lets you actually focus on God for the season you're in — then give that time to prayer.
Complete fast
Only liquids — water, and sometimes juice — for a set window of time. The most intensive kind, usually done for shorter durations and with care.
Selective fast
Remove specific foods. The "Daniel Fast" is the common example — fruit, vegetables, and water, while setting aside meat, sweets, and bread.
Partial fast
Fast during set hours — say, from waking until mid-afternoon — then a simple meal. A sustainable on-ramp if you've never fasted before.
Soul fast
Set aside something other than food — social media, streaming, a habit — to make room for God. A good path when health makes food fasting unwise.
A note of wisdom: if you're pregnant, managing a medical condition, or simply unsure, talk with your doctor first — and consider a soul fast. Fasting is about devotion, never about harming the body God gave you.
Where to read.
A few places to start. Read them slowly, and let them shape why and how you fast. References to confirm with the team
Get the guide.
A practical walk-through — how to prepare, what to expect, and how to pray while you fast. Perfect for your first time or your fiftieth.
Need prayer while you fast? Ask the team