Spiritual Growth · Practical Guide

Fasting Guidelines

Guidance for pursuing a fasting lifestyle through prayer, repentance, worship, Scripture, and focused surrender to God.

Welcome to the Fasting Lifestyle

The Revival Center has historically joined together during September for unified fasting and repentance, seeking the face of the Lord. Past congregational fasts have focused on Kingdom provision, freedom for people in darkness, prayer for the nation, the Book of Ezra, believing for miracles, Matthew 25, and the Church's identity as the Bride of Christ.

“This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”Matthew 17:19–21

01 · What Fasting Does

Awareness. Submission. Freedom.

Fasting is practiced together with prayer. It can increase spiritual awareness and submission to God, heighten sensitivity to the spiritual realm, reveal our inadequacy beside God's sufficiency, and help us listen for His voice.

Hannah fasted and prayed while longing for a child—1 Samuel 1.
New Testament believers fasted when appointing elders—Acts 14:23.
God's people fasted during national crisis—Esther 4:16.

02 · Principles of Fasting

Prayer gives the fast its purpose.

Some biblical fasts involved water only; others allowed limited foods, as in Daniel 1:12. Nazarite vows included dietary restrictions, and John the Baptist lived with a special consecration. Married believers are instructed to agree together concerning periods of abstinence—1 Corinthians 7:5. Paul also practiced fasting—2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:27.

A practical pattern

Deny yourself a chosen portion of food and a chosen pleasure while intentionally increasing prayer, Scripture, worship, and attention to God.

03 · Biblical Fasts

Different needs. Focused surrender.

The Disciples’ Fast

To loosen the bands of wickedness

The disciples were unable to deliver a boy until Jesus intervened and taught them about prayer and fasting.

Matthew 17:16–21

The Ezra Fast

To undo heavy burdens

The Israelites fasted and prayed before a dangerous journey to Jerusalem with their children, possessions, gold, and silver.

Ezra 5:15; 8:23

The Samuel Fast

To confront physical and spiritual oppression

Israel repented, put away idols, sought God, and saw a former place of oppression become a place of victory.

1 Samuel 4; 7:6

The Elijah Fast

To break every yoke

After great victory, Elijah became afraid and depressed. During a forty-day journey, fasting opened his heart to hear God and receive new direction.

1 Kings 19:4–8

The Widow’s Fast

To share bread with the hungry

The widow surrendered a meal in obedience, and God sustained her flour and oil. The lesson emphasizes following the Lord rather than measuring a fast only by its length.

1 Kings 17:13–16

The Paul Fast

To allow God’s light to break forth

After encountering Jesus, Paul was blind and fasted for three days while God prepared Ananias to speak direction over his life.

Acts 9:3–15

The Daniel Fast

To maintain a spiritual standard

Daniel and his friends declined the king’s food and drink. After ten days, they were found healthy, wise, and favored.

Daniel 1:12

The John the Baptist Fast

To bring forth righteousness

John lived with unusual consecration, prepared the way for Jesus, and called people toward righteousness.

Luke 1:41; Mark 1:6

The Esther Fast

To seek protection from evil

Esther called her people to fast before she approached the king on behalf of Israel.

Esther 3:6, 12–13; 4:16

The Jehoshaphat Fast

To seek victory in crisis

Jehoshaphat sought the Lord and called the nation to fast. They stood in faith, praised God before the answer arrived, and experienced deliverance.

2 Chronicles 20:1–30

The eight steps of the Jehoshaphat Fast +

Do not be afraid
Lean upon the Lord—the battle is His
Stand
Rise early to meet with God and receive instruction
Believe that God will do what He says
Praise the Lord before the promise arrives
Expect complete—not partial—deliverance
Prepare for abundant blessing

Psalm 149 connects the high praises of God's people with judgment against the enemy.

04 · When We Fast

Take responsibility for freedom.

Fasting can help confront enslaving habits and behaviors. Submitting the body can expose attitudes, strengthen discipline, and help believers reject the lie that temptation or bondage must control them. God provides a way through temptation—1 Corinthians 10:13.

Renounce and disown sin

Acknowledge the problem

Forgive

Submit to Christ

Take responsibility

Raise a godly standard

Read the Bible

Worship

Spend quiet time with God in prayer

Seek the Lord’s heart and be willing to change

05 · The Discipline of the Fast

Be obedient. Be watchful.

Emotional and physical habits may need to be broken. Jesus sets captives free—Luke 4:18. The guide also warns believers to remain attentive after victory:

Noah came through the flood but later fell into drunkenness—Genesis 6–9.
Lot escaped Sodom but later fell into grave sin—Genesis 19.
Peter received revelation about Jesus, yet later denied Him—Matthew 16:16; 26:34.
Elijah experienced great victory and then became afraid and depressed—1 Kings 19.

06 · A Review in the Life of Elijah

Prepared for a new beginning.

Before Elijah's fast, God provided food, water, and rest—1 Kings 19:4–8. The journey revealed Elijah's limitations and God's sufficiency, brought him back to Horeb, opened his heart to hear God's gentle voice, built faith, restored peace, and gave him new direction.

God prepares us.
God reveals our limitations.
God provides inspiration.
God opens our hearts to hear Him.
God builds faith to agree with His Word.
God speaks with a tender inner voice and gives peace.
God shows His desire for our victory.
God gives new and clear direction.

Elijah had prophesied drought, prayed for rain, stood against Ahab and Jezebel, and called down fire. Yet after Jezebel's threat, he ran in fear and asked to die. God met him there and sent him back with new assignments: anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha. The guide's encouragement is not to fear the new beginning a fast may bring—John 8:36.

Remember

Ask the Lord what—and how long.

Seek God about the focus and duration of your fast. The historic guide describes water-only fasts, juice fasts, skipping a particular meal, or limiting food in another way, while also laying down a pleasure or activity. Any food or fluid restriction should be approached with medical wisdom and appropriate professional guidance.

Commit the fast to prayer. Make time to listen, read the Word, worship, and respond to God's direction. When hunger reminds you of the fast, let it become a prompt to pray. The original guide recommends Psalm 119 as a daily reading for developing a deeper love for Scripture.

Expect distraction and discouragement, but remain attentive and steadfast. Rise early to pray, read, and worship. Be ready to hear and obey the Lord, trusting Him not only to protect ground but to help you take new ground.

“I have prepared this to help you succeed in your quest for Christ and pray that the Lord leads you through it as you yield to Him.”Your shepherd and friend, Sandi