Your Spiritual Diet: A Beginner’s Guide To Christian Fasting
- Santita Daley
- Jun 9
- 4 min read
Just as you feed your body, your spirit needs food as well. How often do you feed your spirit?
Here are some signs your spirit is hungry;
Not hearing from God
Trouble praying
Difficulty reading your bible
Stagnant in your spiritual walk with God (or stagnant in life)
Trouble interpreting your dream or not dreaming at all
When you don’t feed your spirit, or worse when you feed your spirit the wrong things, it can lead to spiritual sickness. Same as when you don’t feed your body - you are weak. When you feed the body junk - it becomes heavy, slow, fatigue or sick. When our bellies are hungry we know how to feed it. ,The opposite is true when it comes to our spirit. We tend to not know when the spirit is even hungry much less know how or what to feed it. Just as the body needs to be tended to and nourished the spirit also needs intentional care and attention.
Our spirit is what was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27 ) God is a spirit and does not eat food that our fleshly body eats. The spirit also can not thrive off of what I call “spiritual junk food”. What is “spiritual junk food”, you ask? Anything that is contrary to the word of God. Think, Astrology, wrong shows and movies, music or corrupt conversations. Your intentions maybe pure, you could listen to songs that make you feel good but the truth is those things pollute your spirit without you knowing!
When your interest moves from, what you are going to feed your stomach to what you will feed your spirit - that is the beginning of engaging in Christian fasting.
Fasting is when your focus shifts from the wants and desires of the flesh to the wants and desires of your spirit.
How To Nourish The Spirit
The good news is its not hard to give the spirit what it wants. “Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?” Romans 8:32 NLT. God has given us all things. The Lord has supplied all our needs including a way to nourish and attend to our spirit here on earth.
In John 6:35 it says, “And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
Jesus says “He is the bread of life” -obviously, He is not actual bread! He is saying He is the bread for your spirit. In sending Jesus, God sent us spiritual food. He sent us nourishment. It is Jesus - your spirit yearns to fellowship with its creator, whether you know it or not! We want to eat a big plate of Jesus! I know what you are thinking how can our spirit eat Jesus? Believe it or not we can.
In John 1:14 it says, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” Based on the Bible, The Word is Jesus. Jesus is The Word. If Jesus is bread for my spirit and Jesus is The Word, that means reading The Word of God is the nourishment our spirit needs for revival.
Sometimes when our body is sick it’s hard for us to eat food. That too can be true for our spirit. The best way to feed your spirit-man is through fasting!
The word of God paired with fasting is the most effective way to feed and strengthen your spirit to be in tune with God.
Fasting without scripture and prayer is useless. Fasting without the word of God is fleshly-dieting. However, fasting paired with prayer and bible reading is how your spirit gains power.
It is very important you know the difference. When you feed you spirit and suppress your flesh is when you see the power of God.
Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself, if you fast with scripture you will see a difference in your spirit. Your discernment is sharper, your intuition becomes louder and you will become lighter and stronger in your spirit.
If you have not fasted before, here is a guide to help you get started;
Christian Fasting Recommendations
Start Time | End time | Food Restrictions | Entertainment | |
Easy | 6:00am | 1:00pm | Water Only | Refrain from Social media, music and TV (keep yourself from enjoyable activities as much as possible) |
Intermediate | 6:00am | 3:00pm | Wafter, Tea and Coffee allowed | Refrain from Social media, music and TV (keep yourself from enjoyable activities as much as possible) |
Advance | 6:00am | 6:00am | Water only | Refrain from Social media, music and TV (keep yourself from enjoyable activities as much as possible) |
If your day allows, I recommend praying at 6am, 9am, 12pm and at the time of breaking fast.
Remember, you are fasting to feed and restore your spirit, the time used in entertaining yourself should now be used to read the Bible or pray.
I know it can be hard to change your lifestyle so drastically but if done right you will never be the same again! (In a very good way)
Comment if you are having trouble/have questions or if you completed the fast and would like to share your experience!
Before fasting, the very first step is to be born again! So, if you would like to give your life to Christ and follow Jesus say the following prayer out loud;
Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner and I need your forgiveness. I believe that you died on the cross for my sins and rose again. I invite you into my heart and life to be my Lord and Savior. Thank you for your sacrifice, fill me with your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Welcome to the Christian community! Leave a comment and let me know you are born again! Be sure to find a local church near you to fellowship with believers. May God richly bless you!
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