January 6, 2021
Different Types of Fasts
Many people have asked me to share my teaching on fasting and the different types of fasts, the purpose of fasting, and the benefits. Today I am sharing the different types of fasts. I pray this blesses you and gives you a deeper understanding and revelation about the power of fasting.
1. Daniel Fast – 21 Days Fast for the understanding of the vision.
(Daniel 1:11-16)
Daniel spoke with the attendant, who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. So, after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others.
Another reason to fast for twenty-one days is for clarity and focus. Perhaps you are seeking instruction to know what to do to fulfill the vision.
Fasting is a great way to position yourself for a breakthrough. A Daniel Fast includes fruit, vegetables and nuts, and water. Eat no meat, bread, pasta, or sweets.
2. Go on a 3-Day Fast when you are in a crisis or trouble, a 3-Day Fast to change your present situation.
a. Esther 4:6 “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”
• In all the history of Israel, God’s people were never called to fast for fasting’s sake. They were called to forego food to deny all else but God. Most fast in ancient days was limited to daylight hours or certain foods and rarely included fasting from water. Why? The risk of dehydration was too dangerous.
• Difficult situations or a crisis calls for serious measures such as fasting everything for three days with total prayer and fasting – denying all else but God.
• Fasting indicates prayer, and prayer indicates God is the Book of Esther. You will not find the mention of God in Esther, but He is all over the book.
• Esther and the Jews of Susa went without food so they could wholeheartedly focus their petitions before God.
• Their refusal to receive sustenance demonstrated their desperation to receive something much more significant: DELIVERANCE!
b. Joel 2:17 Describes an appeal of God’s people who came together for a holy fast. Let them say, ‘Spare your people, O Lord – do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a by-word among nations.
• Look at how closely related Esther 4:6 and Joel 2:17 are related. For what reason were they fasting? Deliverance from their present situation.
(Acts 3:19-20)
So, repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean). So, there will be times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air). May you experience the presence of the Lord; and that He may send [to you] the Christ (the Messiah), who before was designated and appointed for you, even Jesus.
What were they instructed to do during this time? Fast!
Look at the parallel between Joel and Esther – whether Esther knew it or not, she blew the trumpet in Zion, commanding a fast for all the Jews of Susa to see if the Lord may relent from sending the calamity on the Jewish people of being wiped out. Joel did likewise.
C. In this crisis, there was no neutral position.
D. Failure to decide brings personal loss and misses the opportunity to fulfill God’s purposes.
E. These are generally Defining Moments
Saul fasted for three days when he was blind before he received his sight.
Acts 9:7-9
The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard someone’s voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he was blind. So, his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.
3. Fast three days for Healing and Sickness
If you need healing doing a liquid fast will help, if you go to the hospital for tests, they put you on a liquid or bland fast.
(1 Samuel 30:11-13)
Along the way, they found an Egyptian man in a field and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink. They also gave him part of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins, for he hadn’t had anything to eat or drink for three days and nights. Before long, his strength returned. “To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?” David asked him. “I am an Egyptian—the slave of an Amalekite,” he replied. “My master abandoned me three days ago because I was sick.
4. Fast for a Mate (3 Day)
It is the man who is supposed to seek a wife and pursue her. For he who finds a wife finds a good thing and the (gift) glory of a man is his wife. (Proverbs 18:22) A woman is the glory of her husband. (1 Corinthians 11:7) What does glory mean? Glory means to honor and praise. The wife is a gift to her husband. (Proverbs 19:14) She is to honor and praise her husband. God designed man that they cannot succeed at whatever they do without praise. Women, you must find a way or something to praise and encourage your man. You will see him bend over backward for you if you become his number one cheerleader. Find little ways to celebrate and praise him and honor him.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Whoso finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor of the LORD. (Proverbs 18:21-22 NLT)
(Read Genesis 24 Isaac finds a wife)
5. 1 Day Fast – for self-examination and consecration.
• Check up on self spiritually – tune-up to make sure you are still on the right track, and you’re excited about God and your relationship.
• The Israelites did what God said to do. They went out against the tribe of Benjamin, and 22,000 men lost their lives. Same thing they went out again and lost 18,000 men.
• Then they came back crying and got before the Lord and fasted and prayed – then they won the battle. NEVER go into a Major Battle without fasting and praying.
• Always find out the regional controlling spirits when you are going to another state or country so you can fast and pray before going. Many people are attacked and get sick on trips and never realize a spirit attacked them.
6. Fast to ask God for instructions on what to do when you are making decisions.
(Judges 20: 48)
(v. 18) Before the battle, the Israelites went to Bethel and asked God, “Which tribe should go first to attack the people of Benjamin?” The LORD answered, “Judah is to go first.”
(v. 22-25) But the Israelites encouraged each other and retook their positions at the same place they had fought the previous day. For they had gone up to Bethel and wept in the presence of the LORD until evening. They had asked the LORD, “Should we fight against our relatives from Benjamin again?” And the LORD had said, “Go out and fight against them.” So, the next day, they went out again to fight against the men of Benjamin, but the men of Benjamin killed another 18,000 Israelites, all of whom were experienced with the sword.
7. Fasting and praying for someone else. (1 day)
(1 Kings 21:27-29)
But when Ahab heard this message, he tore his clothing, dressed in burlap, and fasted. He even slept in burlap and went about in deep mourning. 28 Then another message from the LORD came to Elijah: 29 “Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has done this, I will not do what I promised during his lifetime. It will happen to his sons; I will destroy his dynasty.”
8. Fast for your health; it’s been medically proven, fasting improves:
a. Fasting increases Autophagy – Your body naturally removes cellular debris. Your body will always eat bad cells first.
b. Fasting increases Stem Cells – Stem cell-based regeneration of new immune cells and heals old injuries.
c. Fasting will increase Ketones – Ketones produce to burn fat cells for energy, ketones heal the brain, gut, and turn off bad genes.
d. Fasting increases energy diversion. Energy is diverted and assimilates food; this breaks down, regulates inflammation and oxidative stress.
e. Fasting optimizes your Hormones; your cells become sensitive to hormones and insulins. Insulin and glucose are controlled.
f. Fasting Resets Microbiome, fixes gut barrier, and influences our genetic expression.
g. Fasting resets your DNA and turns off bad genes, powers up good genes.
h. Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol.
i. Preserves your memory.
