Fasting

As you prepare to participate in the Covid-19 Fast Day on 30 April 2020, I hope you will find this brief guide helpful in getting focussed and ready.

Richard Foster once wrote in his book Celebration of Discipline, “The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.” 

Spiritual disciplines, of which fasting is only one, serve to help ordinary, busy, working men and women to grow deeper in our relationship with God. They are what John Wesley called the “Means of Grace” and they function to open us up to a “free flow” of God’s Spirit and grace into our lives.

What is fasting?

At its heart, fasting is abstaining from food for spiritual purposes. It is choosing to go without food for a specific time in order to seek God with more passion and intensity. This is the overriding aim of all true Christian fasting – deeper and deeper intimacy with God (Zechariah 7:5). Therefore Christian fasting is always accompanied by prayer and often by worship too (See Luke 2:37 and Acts 13:2). Fasting without prayer is just starvation.

Are there different kinds of fasts?

Yes indeed. Here are some of the fasts we encounter in the Bible:

· Normal fast = Abstaining from all food, solid or liquid, but not water – Matthew 4:2 and Luke 4:2

· Partial fast = abstaining from certain foods and luxuries –  Daniel 10:3

· Daniel Fast = Fresh fruit and vegetables – Daniel 1:8-16

· Absolute fast = abstaining from food and drink - Esther 4:16; Acts 9:9

· Corporate fast = in times of emergency – 2 Chr. 20:1-4; Joel 2:15; Ezra 8:21-23

The horrifying pandemic which we face at the moment, with its massive damage to our health, economy, social practices and lifestyles, is what has led our Presiding Bishop to call for this corporate fast. There is great power in our agreeing in prayer and fasting together.

How should I prepare to fast?

1. Make sure you know why you are fasting and that your primary reason is to seek the Lord’s face.

2. If you are on medication, check with your doctor regarding how a fast might affect your ability to take it properly. Adjust your fast accordingly.

3. If you are planning to fast from coffee or tea as well as food, reduce your coffee and tea intake for two days prior (This will help with caffeine withdrawal headaches)

4. Don’t tell anyone except your household (So that they don’t think you are sick)

What should I do on the day:

· Get up much earlier than you normally would to maximise your time with God.

· If you have to eat because you take medication, then eat a very little bit of fruit and take your medication early. If you don’t have to take medication just start the day with some water, and drink water at regular intervals.

· Start the day with a time of Scripture reading and prayer. In the prayer time, speak to the Lord about what it is you hope to accomplish on this fast day and write it down in your journal or on a piece of paper you can tuck into your Bible. Examples might be:

· extended times with You, Lord, in prayer and intercession for the pandemic.

· a deeper experience of You Lord;

· a greater surrender to You Lord;

· a clearer understanding of Your will Lord;

· a more passionate love for Jesus;

· a greater fullness of the Spirit

· Set aside a set time to pray into the Covid-19 Pandemic. We suggest:

o 12pm-1pm is a time when all Methodists are being called to pray

o Any other time that suits you best

o Feel free to use the “Praying the Lord’s Prayer” Outline to help focus this prayer time.

· Whenever the temptation arises to put something solid in your mouth … turn it down and turn to God … reminding yourself and the Lord that you are seeking Him.

· If you need a point of focus, then make it worshiping Him and meditating on Scripture. Take a worshipful Psalm and memorise a line or two. Then repeat it over and over to the Lord… emphasising different words each time to really bring out every shade of meaning.

· Whenever you feel hunger:

o take your mind back to your Scripture and meditate on it some more. Remember “One does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Luke 4:4)

o intercede for the pandemic situation

· In your journal or on your piece of paper, keep a record of any revelation or direction the Lord gives you during the day.

How should I end this fast?

At the time you have decided to end the fast, get totally alone with Jesus. Picture others from the Church being at prayer, review your journal prayerfully, and turn your experience of the day over to God in prayer. Be sure to verbalise any commitments you’re making … or any revelation that you want to make sure to remember and hold in your heart. Give thanks to God for sustaining you!