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Imagine Jesus in the wilderness, surrounded by the dry, rugged beauty of cacti and barren land (Matthew 4:1-2). As He fasted for 40 days, the cactus might serve as a symbol of resilience and reliance on God. Like the cactus, Jesus endured the harsh conditions—not seeking comfort but drawing strength from His connection with the Father.

The cactus survives by storing water during droughts, and Jesus shows us that we can store up spiritual strength through fasting, prayer, and God’s Word. Even in the wilderness, He remained steadfast, showing us that when we rely on God, we too can thrive in life’s driest seasons.

The goal of fasting is to draw nearer to God. Biblical fasting always has to do with eliminating distractions for a spiritual purpose; it hits the reset button of our soul and renews us from the inside out. It also enables us to celebrate the goodness and mercy of God and prepares our hearts for all the good things God desires to bring into our lives.

Remember, your fast should present a level of challenge, but it is essential to know your body and your options and, most importantly, to seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.

Why Pray?

The power of prayer deepens our dependence on Him and sharpens our faith. When we pray we choose to put everything in God’s hands knowing that His hand will show up in every aspect of our lives and in those around us.

The act of prayer is what creates our intimacy with God. We can practice the spiritual habit of prayer knowing that our requests go to a God who hears us and who invites us to be intimately involved in His plan. For this reason, we pray in confidence knowing that our prayers are powerful and can bring about change in any circumstance.

There are no levels to this. We all can enter prayer with a posture of trust, openness, and faith, believing that God can do far more than we could even ask or imagine.  It’s not about our circumstances, it’s about our heart stance.

Why Fast?

Fasting is the ancient practice of choosing to abstain from food for a certain period of time. It is a spiritual discipline, the purpose of which is training to become more like Jesus. The motivation of our fasting is to draw closer to the heart of God. Fasting is a Christian discipline to break the power of the flesh in our life – our desires, sins, and cravings – and to feed on the Holy Spirit.

“Fasting helps us to express, to deepen, and to confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves, to attain the Kingdom of God.” - Scot McKnight.

In summary, fasting is not about getting from God but it is about getting to God.
There are different types of fasting, and we recommend prayerfully considering which practice is best for you at this time.