We engage the Lord through daily personal encounters by welcoming the Holy Spirit, asking the Lord to speak to us, praying the Lord's Prayer and listening for His response.

It is easy to hear God when you are in His presence.

Here is a guide to help you encounter God daily!

Fasting Overview:

You connect with God through fasting. When you deny your flesh and feed your spirit, you feel closest to God. When you fast, you are resetting your appetite on the things of the Spirit. This spiritual discipline awakens your sensitivity to hear God’s voice, see what He wants to show you and be led into the things He is calling you to.

Fasting creates a supernatural faith and a spiritual strength. You intentionally withhold your desires to draw closer to God. Fasting is not just abstaining, but it is filling yourself up with the things of God. Like Daniel, you are resolved to not be filled with things of the world, but full of the Holy Spirit.

When you intentionally withhold (whether it is entertainment, social media, food, etc.), you are able to set distractions aside to fully lean into what God is saying in clarity.

Some Encouragement For Fasting:

Without prayer, it’s just a diet. While you are withholding entertainment, social media or food, be intentional about filling yourself up with the Lord
through prayer, worship and reading your Bible. It is not a fast unless you lean into your daily personal encounters with God. Jesus was tempted when He was fasting. This is why it is important that we daily encounter Him while we fast. Take time to be with the Lord outside of your typical discipline and agendas for no other reason than to be with Him and to hear what is on His heart.

Don’t allow shame to settle in if you break your fast before it’s over—you can restart and keep going! Jesus responded to attacks from the enemy with the Word of God. When you fast, fill yourself up with His Word.

Be cautious of boasting while you are fasting, but if someone asks if you are fasting you can answer. Don’t be weird about it! Pursue humility while you fast, because fasting opens doors that no man can open. Jesus began His ministry by fasting.

Fasting gives you access to His throne, and breakthrough comes after the fast.

- Fasting doesn't change God—it changes us.

- The goal of fasting is not deprivation but devotion.

- Every hunger pang can become an invitation to seek God's presence.

- God honors hearts that earnestly seek Him.

- Don't focus on what you're giving up; focus on Who you're drawing near to.

- Fasting is not about perfection—it is about pursuit.

- Even short fasts can produce lasting spiritual fruit when centered on Jesus.

- If you stumble during a fast, don't quit. Return your focus to the Lord and continue seeking Him.

- Fasting creates space for God to reorder our priorities and renew our dependence on Him.

(1) Connect With God Through Fasting

Here are some practical ways that you can connect with God.

Begin with Prayer:
Before your fast begins, ask God to reveal the purpose of your fast.
Seek Him with expectancy, not obligation.

Fast a Meal:
Start by skipping one meal and use that time to pray, worship, and read Scripture instead of eating. Let your physical hunger remind you to pursue God's presence.

Fast from Food for a Longer Period:
As the Lord leads and your health allows, consider fasting from sunrise to sunset, 24 hours, or longer.

Always use the time you would normally spend preparing or eating meals to intentionally seek God.

Fast Something Besides Food:
If food fasting is not possible for health reasons, consider setting aside something that regularly competes for your attention.

Examples include:
- Social media
- Television
- Video games
- Streaming services
- News
- Shopping
- Unnecessary technology

Replace that time with prayer and Scripture.

Read Scripture During Your Fast:
Choose passages that help you focus on God's character and promises.
Allow His Word to nourish your spirit while your body experiences physical hunger.

Keep a Journal:
Record what God is teaching you. Write down Scriptures, prayers, impressions, answered prayers, and ways you see Him working.

Worship Throughout the Day:
Use worship music to keep your heart focused on God rather than the discomfort of fasting.

Pray When Hunger Comes:
Every time you feel hungry, let it become a reminder to pray.

Instead of saying, "I need food,"

Allow your heart to say, "Lord, I need You even more."

Fast with Humility:
Don't announce your fast to gain attention. Let your fasting be an act of worship between you and God.

End Your Fast with Gratitude:
Thank God for what He has taught you, whether or not you received the answer you were hoping for. Celebrate His faithfulness.

(2) Worship & Pray in the Holy Spirit

Start with your favorite worship song and pray in your heavenly language.

(3) The Lord's Prayer

A starting guide when praying to God every day!

"Pray then like this: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Matthew 6:9-13

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name...

Begin praying by declaring,
“Father, you are HOLY!”

Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in
heaven...

Pray for God's perfect will to be done in your life.
"God, not my will, but yours!"

Give us this day our daily bread...
Tell God what it is that you need. He is our Provider!

And forgive us our debts...
Repent. Lay down your sins before God and ask for forgiveness.

As we also have forgiven our debtors...
List by name those you need to forgive and ask God for help!

And lead us not into temptation...
Grace is a gift we all have access to. Open the gift and accept God's grace to overcome sin.

But deliver us from evil...
Declare, "No spirit but the Holy Spirit" is welcome in your life!

(4) Go Through Your Personal Prayer List

Begin by praying for:
Yourself
Your Family
Your Friends & specific people as they come up in your spirit
Your Job
Your City
Your Church & Church Leaders
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem
(Psalm 122:6)
+ Add your own

(5) Read the Word

Find a devotional plan that challenges you:

Include:
15 Minute Scripture Reading:
READ:
1 Chapter in Psalms
1 Chapter in Proverbs
1 Chapter in one of the Gospels

30 Minute Scripture Reading:
READ:
1 Chapter in Psalms
1 Chapter in Proverbs
1 Chapter in one of the Gospels
1 Old Testament Chapter
1 New Testament Chapter
1 Chapter in Revelation

(6) Give God Room to Speak to You

"Speak Lord, Your servant is listening!"

(7) Ask Him to Teach You His Ways

Exodus 33:13b says, “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.”

After He speaks to you, ask Him to teach you.

(1) Repeat what you heard God say out loud.
(2) Write down what He says and obey Him.

This is a way we steward God’s words!

(8) Close in Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for inviting me into a deeper relationship with You through the discipline of fasting. Teach me to hunger for Your presence more than anything this world can offer. As I willingly set aside temporary comforts, remind me that You alone are the One who truly satisfies my soul.

Help me to fast with the right motives—not to earn Your favor or impress others, but to seek You with my whole heart. Let every moment of physical hunger become a reminder of my need for You. Strengthen me when I feel weak, keep my heart focused on You, and draw me closer to Your presence each day.

Give me spiritual eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart of understanding. Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening. As I seek You, reveal areas of my life that need to change. Align my desires with Yours, increase my dependence upon the Holy Spirit, and teach me to walk in greater obedience to Your Word.

Lord, may this fast produce more than self-discipline—may it produce intimacy with You. Let my heart become more sensitive to Your voice, my faith grow stronger, and my love for You deepen. May I leave this season more surrendered, more aware of Your presence, and more committed to living out Your purpose.

Thank You for being the Bread of Life who satisfies every longing of my soul. My greatest desire is not simply to experience a breakthrough, but to know You more.

In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Additional Key Fasting Scriptures


Matthew 6:16-18
"When you fast... your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Jesus assumes His followers will fast and teaches us to do so with humility.

Matthew 4:4
"Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Joel 2:12
"Even now," declares the Lord, "return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning."

Isaiah 58:6-11
True fasting is reflected in hearts that love God and love people.

Ezra 8:21-23
Ezra called the people to fast so they might humble themselves before God and seek His guidance.

Acts 13:2-3
"While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said..."

Fasting positioned the early church to hear God's direction.

James 4:8
"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you."

Psalm 63:1
"You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You; I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You..."

Recommended Books:

The Jesus Fast
Lou Engle

Fasting
Jentezen Franklin

A Wellspring Thought:
Fasting is more than giving something up... It is making room for Someone greater.

Every time we deny the cravings of our flesh, we remind our hearts that our deepest satisfaction is found in God's presence. Fasting doesn't force God's hand; it positions our hearts to hear His voice, deepen our dependence, and encounter Him in a fresh way.