Your Breakthrough is a Fast Away

We believe that more than anything else, fasting is about unlocking the healer within in order for you to experience a genuine breakthrough.

 When we say breakthrough, we are talking about catapulting your life to an entirely new level—not a tiptoe, not even a walk to the next line, but a genuine transformation where strongholds are removed, and you can finally get your health where it needs to be.

You can accomplish all of this through fasting—the not-so-hidden secret from the Bible that has been largely forgotten in modern times until recently.

 The early church fathers, Luther, Calvin, and Wesley all practiced this health “secret.” It was one practiced by the great men and women of God, from Moses, David, and Solomon to Daniel, Esther, and Jesus Himself.

According to the prehistoric Germanic etymology of the word we know today as fasting, the original meaning was “to hold firmly” and evolved into the idea of “having firm control of oneself.”

To us, that is incredibly accurate, because when you fast, you take control—control over your own body and over food addictions and habits that may have led you down the path to dysfunction and disease.

It dawned on us that sin came into this world through our appetite. In other words, it originated in the lust of food. Eve saw the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and wanted a taste. She and Adam had access to the purest, most amazing food on Earth, but all she wanted was the one thing she couldn’t have. The forbidden fruit appealed to Eve’s eye, and she and Adam ate—and sin entered the world due to giving in to those appetites.

It was the only thing in their perfect utopia she could not consume, but she just couldn’t resist.

Remember Esau? He was willing to give away his birthright for a meal. Food is just that powerful. Esau was simply giving in to the primal desire we all feel to satisfy hunger and therefore stay alive.

Thankfully, thousands of years later, Jesus showed us that man could resist the desires of the physical body in order to achieve great things. He started His ministry after forty days without consuming any food.

 Jesus was all man and all God, but in this case, there is no reason to believe this was a supernatural fast. Biblical scholars believe that Jesus didn’t eat, but He drank water during that time. Why? Because you can go without food for months and survive. However, you can go without water for only three to four days. At the end of those forty days, the Word says that “Jesus was hungry,” but it didn’t say He was thirsty.

 During His fast, satan came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (Matt. 4:3) Jesus was weak. Jesus was hungry. But He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (v. 4).

 Jesus didn’t consume food, but He still “ate.” He feasted on the Word of God, and that sustained Him during those forty days. Jesus prepared for the ministry of salvation, the ministry of reconciliation by abasing and emptying Himself and going without solid food.

Fasting can do things in your life that no other health practice can. That’s why for thousands of years great men and women of God have fasted, and that’s also why your breakthrough is only a fast away.

Three Biblical Fasts

There are three types of fast mentioned in the Bible. The first is a standard or normal fast. This fast would be defined as consuming no food but drinking water. When we look throughout Scripture, we conclude that a “normal fast” would have been a water-only fast. This is the fast that Jesus likely undertook for forty days.

 A standard or normal fast is simple, yet also incredibly difficult. That is also why it produces impressive results.

 The second type of fasts in the Bible is an absolute fast, which means consuming no food or water. Every year, the people of Israel are commanded to fast on one day called Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement. They neither eat nor drink. Esther declared an absolute fast when Haman, the enemy of the Jews, was about to destroy her entire people, and Moses completed a forty-day absolute fast.

Never in Scripture was an absolute fast done for more than three days except by Moses. Scholars believe this means that when Moses was in the presence of God, he was supernaturally able to consume no water or food because humans can’t survive more than a few days without water.

We don’t ever recommend absolute fasting (also called dry fasting) to anyone. We will not be discussing it because it’s simply not a good idea for most people, but it is worth noting that it was a form of fasting mentioned in the Bible and in some parts of the world is still practiced today for religious reasons.

Finally, there’s the partial fast. The partial fast is typified by a cleanse or fast popularly known as the Daniel fast. Daniel went on two fasts—one that was ten days and one that was twenty-one days. During both, he avoided certain things and ate others.

Get Ready for Breakthrough

Whether you are a fasting novice and nervous about how your body will react or you have been fasting for years, there is a fasting type that works for everyone. Get ready to learn more about each type as we explore the many benefits of fasting, the pitfalls, and the best practices, as well as supplements and other tips that can turn fasting from an intimidating mystery into a routine and powerful practice in your life.

 As much as we’ll talk about fasting, it’s important to note that the Bible also recognizes eating and its tremendous importance. Food is and will always be a central part of our lives.

Food signifies celebration. It provides an opportunity to share not only food but also conversation. We fellowship and grow closer to others over a meal. Eating is a sign of contentment and provides a satisfying way to relax.

It’s crucial that you understand how much we love food too! Finding delicious new recipes and breaking bread with our families is one of the great highlights of every day for us. That is why we also provide our recommendations for the best and most delicious foods to consume when you are not fasting.

 In life, there’s always a balance.

We’re not expecting you to give up Thanksgiving or stop eating all the foods you love. What we are saying is that fasting will open doors for you that have remained closed for far too long. Fasting will show you just how strong you are and just how much control you have over your health. Fasting will help you appreciate food in new and exciting ways!

 No man knows the day or hour he will pass from this earth. That is not in our control. What is in our control is how well we live out the days we are given. Use fasting as a tool to get the most out of every day you have.