How Health Fasting and Biblical Fasting Work Together
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I have heard many believers say that we should not confuse health fasting and biblical fasting.
I understand what they’re trying to say.
It’s true, we shouldn’t use spiritual fasting as a weight loss tool, but health fasting has taught me a lot about what God does in our hearts when we fast biblically.
When I began health fasting, I downloaded an app called Life Fasting Tracker.
On the tracker, it shows you what is happening in your body as you fast. I must clarify this by saying that the health benefits they show come from water fasting.
Water fasting is when you consume nothing but water, leaf teas, and black coffee.
When I did my first long-term fast (72 hours), I was blown away by how the physical benefits of long-term, water fasting correlate with what God does in our lives through biblical fasting.
It completely revolutionized the way I thought about fasting.
How Health Fasting and Biblical Fasting Work Together
The first way I changed how I thought about fasting was that I stopped looking at fasting as a way to flagellate my body to show God how serious I am about something.
Mainly because after having followed a ketogenic diet for a while, even long-term fasting wasn’t very difficult as my body was accustomed to using fat cells for fuel.
This began to change the very foundation of how I had always approached fasting.
While deep inside I probably knew that torturing ourselves to prove our dedication to Him is not what God intended fasting to be, it is still how I approached fasting.
This is not Christianity at all.
I highly recommend this book for further insight on Christian fasting
God doesn’t require us to torture ourselves to prove to Him that we’re serious about something. That’s pagan.
God designed biblical fasting as a way to become more spiritually aware of Him, His will, His desires, and His presence.
As we deny ourselves food, our spirit grows more sensitive and acute.
1. 12-18 Hours of Fasting
At about 12 hours of fasting, your body may go into a state called ketosis.
Ketosis is when your body begins to break down fat cells for energy. This process produces chemicals called ketones.
This is not to be confused with ketoacidosis, which can be life-threatening.
Ketosis is simply the state of your body producing ketones, and that happens when your body switches from using glucose to using fat as a fuel source.
If your body isn’t used to being in ketosis, you may experience “keto-flu” at first, which can have similar symptoms to the flu virus.
However, this is passing, and once it’s passed, you will likely experience a wave of increased energy, mental clarity, and overall sense of well-being unlike you’ve had before.
I have found this correlates so well with biblical fasting. Biblical fasting can be spiritually challenging at first.
But my experience has been, when I make the choice to push through, suddenly the Bible comes alive!
I can hear God’s voice clearer.
I have wisdom that I didn’t have before!
2. 24 Hours of Fasting
At the 24-hour mark of water fasting, your body may begin a process called “autophagy”.
Autophagy is when your body begins to recycle and repair old and damaged cells that are linked to some of our modern, age-related diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Possibly even cancer.
I remember the first time I read this. It was immediately clear to me how God designed the physical benefits of fasting to mimic the spiritual benefits.
Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?
Isaiah 58:6
3. 48 Hours of Fasting
At 48 hours of water fasting, your growth hormone will likely increase 5 times what it was in the beginning.
This natural increase of growth hormone protects us from disease and increases muscle strength and leanness.
The more we fast spiritually and the more in tune we are with hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit, the more we grow in the fear of the Lord.
It protects our spirit.
We are able to hear God’s voice reveal to us those things that are not pleasing to Him – the excesses that are keeping us from running this race with endurance.
4. 55 Hours of Fasting
At this point in long-term fasting, your insulin levels will likely drop to their lowest level and your body begins to build insulin sensitivity.
Insulin resistance is one of the leading causes of most modern diseases: including infertility.
Building insulin sensitivity begins healing your body and improving overall hormone function – it biologically puts our body in a state God created for us.
The more we fast spiritually, the greater sensitivity we build to hearing the voice of God. The more we are able to bear fruit in our lives.
Even when we’re not fasting.
Overall, our ability to hear God’s voice, sense His will and direction, and receive His divine wisdom is improved.
5. 72 hours of fasting
New stem cells and immune cells can begin to form at 72 hours of water fasting. Also, oxidative stress is likely reduced at this stage.
This is yet another layer of protection against modern, age-related diseases that we see today.
The longer you fast beyond 72 hours, the greater and greater benefit you are likely to see from all of these five stages of fasting.
Once again, we see the spiritual benefits of biblical fasting as we grow more sensitive to the heart of God, learning to love what He loves and hate what He hates.
It protects us from the sin that is so destructive in our lives.
However, biblical fasting isn’t meant to be used for our own personal benefit.
While both health fasting and biblical fasting will have a great healing benefit in your own body and spirit, those benefits will even more greatly benefit those around you.
Isaiah 58 clearly teaches us that we should fast and pray to see those in bondage set free.
Jesus reiterated this truth in Matthew 17 and Mark 9 when his disciples were not able to cast a demon out of a young man.
Jesus said, “This kind does not go out but by prayer and fasting.”
Once again, prayer and fasting aren’t to prove something to God but to increase our own sensitivity to the Holy Spirit so that His power and anointing can flow unhindered through us.
Do you long to walk in greater power?
Do you want to do the works Jesus commanded: preach the kingdom, make disciples, heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse the leper, and raise the dead?
I challenge you to begin fasting and praying.
Start small with just one meal, then 12 hours, and slowly begin increasing your fasting time.
** Please do this in cooperation with your general practitioner, especially if you are on any kind of medication. **
More Resources on memorizing, meditation on Scripture and Fasting:
