TYPES OF FASTS
COMPLETE FAST
In this type of fast you drink only liquids, typically water with light juices as an option
SELECTIVE FAST
This type of fast involves removing certain elements from your diet. One example of a selective fast is the Daniel Fast, during which you remove meat, sweets, and bread from your diet and consume water and juice for fluids and fruits and vegetables for food.
PARTIAL FAST
This fast, sometimes called the “Jewish Fastâ€, involves abstaining from
eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon. This can either
coorrelate to specific times of the day, such as 6 am to 3 pm, or from
sunup to sundown.
SOUL FAST
This fast is a great option if you do not have much experience fasting
food, have health issues that prevent you from fasting food, or if you
wish to refocus areas of your life that are out of balance. For example,
you might choose to stop using social media or watching TV for the
duration of the fast and then carefully bring that element back into
your life in healthy doses at the conclusion of the fast.
TIMING OF THE FAST
At BFCNaz, we encourage fasting for 21 days each year in the month of January. This is part of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, a season of focused prayer as a church family. It’s very typical to fast a single meal, a whole day, or three days or more.
As we put 2022 behind us and press on towards 2023, we want to start out the New Year right with Prayer & Fasting for BREAKTHROUGH!
As we put 2022 behind us and press on towards 2023, we want to start out the New Year right with Prayer & Fasting for BREAKTHROUGH!
THEME FOR EACH WEEK
Before we can begin to pray for our own personal BREAKTHROUGH, we need to begin by praying for others. Each week will take you closer and closer to leading your heart out of bondage and into God’s glorious care for your life.
WEEK 1: Pray for the World, Nation, and Community
WEEK 2: Pray for Your Church
WEEK 3: Pray for Your Personal Growth
WEEK 1: Pray for the World, Nation, and Community
WEEK 2: Pray for Your Church
WEEK 3: Pray for Your Personal Growth
A WORD OF WARNING
Your personal fast should present a level of challenge, but it is very important to know your body, your options, and most importantly, to seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Matthew 6: 16-18
Matthew 9: 14-15
Luke 18: 9-14
Acts 27: 33-37
Nehemiah 9: 1-3
Matthew 9: 14-15
Luke 18: 9-14
Acts 27: 33-37
Nehemiah 9: 1-3
CREATING A LIFESTYLE OF PRAYER
Prayer is most effective when it isn't something we do every now and then. but when it's a lifestyle we cultivate. To understand how to have a lifestyle of prayer, we can look at the example Jesus gave during His life on earth.
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed"
Mark 1: 35
Mark 1: 35
HAVE A CERTAIN TIME
Jesus got up early in the morning to spend time with His Heavenly Father. Make a daily appointment with God — whether it’s first thing in the morning, at lunch, or in the evening — and faithfully keep it.
HAVE A CERTAIN PLACE
Jesus had a specific place He went to pray. Having a designated place to pray helps us remove distractions and frees us to worship and pray out loud.
HAVE A CERTAIN PLAN
When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He gave them a prayer outline. We call it “The Lord’s Prayer.” As we pray every day, our plans for our prayer time can vary, include worship music, Bible reading, and quiet time with God. It doesn’t always have to look the same; it just helps when we have a plan for connecting regularly with God.
