Join in 21 Days of Prayer + Fasting, Jan. 5-25, 2026

The goal of fasting is to draw near to God.

It hits the reset button of our soul and renews us from the inside out.

Fasting enables us to celebrate the goodness and mercy of God. It prepares our hearts for all the good things God desires to bring into our lives.

When deciding on a fast, we encourage you to seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.

Matthew 9:14-15 (NIV)

14 Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”

15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.”

Ezra 8:21

“There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. 22 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, ‘The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.’ 23 So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”

Matthew 6:16-18 (NIV)

16 When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Types of Fasts

Water Fast

In this type of fast, you drink only liquids, typically water. Remember you can and should add electrolytes!

Partial Fast

This fast is sometimes called the “Jewish Fast” and involves abstaining from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon. This can either correlate to specific times of the day, such as 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, or from sunup to sundown.

Selective / Daniel 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.

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 certain areas of your life that are out of balance.

For example, you might choose to stop using social media or watching television 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.

The timing of your fast is not as important as the strength of your focus on God as you fast.

We encourage fasting for 21 days each year in the month of January. This is part of our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting season.

You may also choose to fast at other times during the year for your own spiritual development. It’s very typical to fast a single meal, a whole day, or three days or more.

Step 1: Set an Objective for Your Fast
Step 2: Commit to Your Fast
Step 3: Prepare Yourself Spiritually
Step 4: Prepare Yourself Physically
- Expect to suffer. This is an ancient practice where we are telling our flesh no. We are pursuing the spiritual in the abundance of the physical.
- Limit your physical activity.
- Exercise only moderately. Walk one to three miles each day if convenient and comfortable.
- Prepare yourself for temporary mental discomforts, such as impatience, crankiness and anxiety.
- Expect some physical discomforts, especially on the second day. You may have fleeting hunger pains or dizziness. Withdrawal from caffeine and sugar may cause headaches. Physical annoyances may also include weakness, tiredness or sleeplessness.
- Break an extended water fast with fruit such as watermelon.
- Bone broth or light soup