All Peoples Church Wide Fast
January 5th – 7th
Exchanging the hunger of our bodies for a hunger for God.
A Pastoral Word
Fasting is a spiritual discipline, but is not performance. You are doing this from a place of acceptance not trying to earn it. Fasting will help you feel God's love more, but it has more to do about your own heart's ability to see and feel, than God finally being happy with you. Don't forget these gospel foundations! Use these principles to keep your focus on Christ rather than the rules.
"Fasting without more of the Word & Prayer is just dieting and promotes self-righteousness! Empty your body so you can fill it up with more of Christ!"
1. Prepare with Purpose
- Don't Skip the Prep: Follow the physical preparation and "Prep Day" guidelines. Success in a fast begins with prayer and a plan.
- Seek Wise (and Private) Counsel: If you are new to fasting, talk to a few experienced people for guidance. In keeping with Jesus’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, keep your fast private—don't broadcast it to the crowd, but do lean on a trusted few for encouragement.
2. Guard Your Heart Posture
- Reject Comparison: A strict water-only fast does not make you "holier" than someone doing a modified fast. God looks at the posture of your heart, not the contents of your stomach.
- Seek God, Not Optimization: While fasting has proven health benefits (like detoxing or weight loss), these are not our focus. We are fasting to seek God’s face, not to "bio-hack" our bodies.
- Release Shame: If you cannot finish your intended fast or need to modify it halfway through, there is no shame. Do not let the enemy use a physical limitation to cause spiritual condemnation.
3. Keep the Main Thing, the Main Thing
The ultimate goal of fasting is more of Christ. Don’t get bogged down in technicalities like, "Am I allowed to have coffee?" Instead, ask: "What will help me die to self and connect with Jesus?" Let your personal rules organize themselves around that supreme goal.
4. Have Healthy Expectations
If this is your first time fasting and your heart has been far from Christ lately, don't expect your whole relationship to be healed overnight. Just like if you neglected a spouse for a year, you wouldn't expect one date or an intensive to fix everything. It takes time for the heart to thaw, the idols to be exposed, and for us to loosen our death grip over them. It may be take the whole 3 days for your heart to soften and for you to begin to hear his voice again.
1. How To Fast (Physical & Safety Guide)
As we prepare to seek God together to start the year, we want to ensure everyone participates safely and fruitfully. Fasting is not merely abstaining from food; it is exchanging the hunger of our bodies for a hunger for God.
Below is everything you need to know to prepare, endure, and break your fast.
1. Important Medical & Safety Guidelines
Please read this section first.
Who Should NOT Do a Full Food Fast:
(Please consult your doctor. See citations from reputable health authorities below.)
- Women who are pregnant or nursing.
- Individuals with diabetes, hypoglycemia, or other blood sugar issues.
- Those with kidney or liver disease, ulcers, gout, cancer, or blood diseases.
- Anyone currently fighting an illness or recovering from surgery.
- Those with a history of eating disorders (unless under strict medical/counseling supervision).
The "Modified Fast" Option:
If you fall into the categories above, or if your job requires heavy physical labor/operating machinery, please choose a Modified Fast. You can participate fully in the spiritual aspect without total abstinence from food.
2. The Commitments & Heart of the Fast
The "Package Deal": Food + Media
If you choose to fast from food, you should also consider fasting from all forms of media.
- This includes social media, news, streaming services, video games, and unnecessary browsing.
- Exception: You may use technology and media strictly as required for your job or employment.
- Why? We want to replace the time spent eating and scrolling with time spent seeking God.
3. How to Prepare (The Days Before Jan 5th)
The success of your fast often depends on how you prepare your body 2–3 days beforehand.
- Wean Off Caffeine: If you drink coffee regularly, start cutting back. Stopping caffeine abruptly on Day 1 of a fast often causes severe withdrawal headaches.
- Reduce Sugar and Carbs: Begin eating lighter meals. Cut out heavy desserts and processed sugars 48 hours before the fast begins. This helps stabilize your blood sugar so the "crash" on Day 1 isn't as severe.
- Hydrate Early: Don't wait until the fast starts to drink water. Start super-hydrating two days before.
4. During the Fast (Jan 5-7)
The Golden Rule: Hydration
- Water: Drink significantly more water than you think you need.
- Electrolytes: This is crucial. Fasting flushes electrolytes out of your system.
- Suggestion: Drink bone broth or sugarfree, zero cal electrolyte drinks.
- Pro-Tip: Put a pinch of Pink Himalayan Salt into your water. This helps prevent "fasting headaches," dizziness, and the "spinning" sensation.
Managing Physical Symptoms
It is not uncommon to feel physical discomfort, particularly on Day 3, which is often the hardest day physically.
- The "Wrenching" Feeling: You may feel hollow in your gut or muscles. This is usually your digestive system resting and the body detoxing.
- Cold Chills: As your metabolism slows, your body temperature may drop. Wear layers or keep a blanket nearby.
- The Remedy: If you feel pain, hunger pangs, or headaches, chug water. Much of the pain your body goes through is actually related to dehydration, not starvation.
For Families & Couples
- Tag-Team: If you are married or have young children, talk to your spouse beforehand. Plan "shifts" where one person watches the kids so the other can have uninterrupted prayer time.
- Patience: You may have a shorter fuse when hungry. Extend extra grace to your spouse and children during these three days.
Absolutely! While children (especially those under 12) should not participate in a full food fast, they can still learn the heart of fasting: saying "no" to the flesh to say "yes" to God.
1. The "Modified Fast" for Kids
Sit down with your kids and ask, "What is something we really like that we can give up for three days to focus on Jesus?"
- Sugar Fast: No candy, soda, or desserts.
- Screen Fast: No YouTube, video games, or iPad.
- Toy Fast: Choosing one favorite toy to put "in timeout" for 3 days.
2. Adding, Not Just Subtracting
Fasting isn't just about emptiness; it's about filling.
- The "Kindness" Fast: Fast from complaining or fighting with siblings.
- Bedtime Prayer: During the fast, replace the normal bedtime story with reading the Bible story from Matthew.
3. Explain the "Why"
Kids understand hunger. Use it as a teaching moment. Say: "You know how your tummy growls when you're hungry? We are fasting to tell Jesus that we want Him even more than we want a snack."
5. Breaking the Fast (Jan 7th Evening / Jan 8th)
Ending a fast is just as important as starting one.
- Go Slow: Do not break your fast with a huge meal. Your digestive system has been asleep; waking it up violently will cause stomach pain.
2. Heart Prep Work (Must do it at latest Jan 4th)
Take 10 minutes the day before the fast to write these down.
1. Define Your "ONE THING"
What is the one relationship, truth, or situation you want to pound on the doors of heaven about (Luke 18:1–8)?
2. Define Your Fast
Ask God: "What do you want me to fast?" (Full fast, Daniel fast, Media fast?)
3. Define Your Time & Place
Where will you go during work breaks? Who do you need to coordinate with?
4. Select Your Anchor Verse
Pick one memory verse to marinate on. This will be your refuge when hunger hits.
3. The 3-Day Devotional Guide
Use this guide morning, noon, and night to stay anchored.
DAY 1 (Jan 5): Tuning In
Morning: Be with the Father
1. Warm-Up: Read Psalm 19:7–11. Pray it back to God. Tell Him you want to taste His Word more than food.
2. Essential Daily Prayers
Day 1 Special Prayer
"God, give me vision and direction on what kind of habits You want me to incorporate this new year. What should I put off, and what should I put on?"
3. TRUTH Bible Study (Read Matthew 3)
• T (Text): What is the main point?
• R (Revelation): Who is God in this text?
• U (Understanding): What does this reveal about my brokenness/identity?
• T (Treasure): How does this point to Jesus?
• H (Humbly Respond): "Jesus, what are You saying to me?"
Mid-Day Reset
Verse: Read your Anchor Verse slowly.
Heart Check-In: Pause. Ask "God, what am I feeling?" Name the emotion and entrust it to Him.
Your ONE THING: Spend 2 mins praying for your breakthrough.
Evening Debrief
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise” - Ephesians 5:15
- 1. Great is Your Faithfulness: Thank God for today's gifts and mercies.
- 2. Straying & Adjustment: Did anything pull me away from abiding in God today? Any adjustments I can make tomorrow?
- 3. Relationships: Are there any relationships that need to be reconciled (including God)?
- 4. Unloading My Heart: Is there something weighing on your heart that you need to entrust to God? (1 Peter 5:7)
DAY 2 (Jan 6): Going Deeper
Morning: Be with the Father
1. Warm-Up: Read Psalm 119:9–16. Ask God to help you store His word in your heart.
2. Essential Daily Prayers
Day 2 Special Prayer
"God, help me faithfully live out each of the roles You have entrusted to me (e.g., father, student, worker, friend)."
3. TRUTH Bible Study (Read Matthew 4)
• T (Text): What is the main point?
• R (Revelation): Who is God in this text?
• U (Understanding): What does this reveal about my brokenness/identity?
• T (Treasure): How does this point to Jesus?
• H (Humbly Respond): "Jesus, what are You saying to me?"
Mid-Day Reset
Verse: Recite your Anchor Verse from memory.
Intercession: Use your hunger as a prompt to cry out for more of God. Every time your stomach growls, pray for someone else.
Your ONE THING: Pound on the doors of heaven for your breakthrough.
Evening Debrief
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise” - Ephesians 5:15
- 1. Great is Your Faithfulness: Thank God for today's gifts and mercies.
- 2. Straying & Adjustment: Did anything pull me away from abiding in God today? Any adjustments I can make tomorrow?
- 3. Relationships: Are there any relationships that need to be reconciled (including God)?
- 4. Unloading My Heart: Is there something weighing on your heart that you need to entrust to God? (1 Peter 5:7)
DAY 3 (Jan 7): Looking Forward
Morning: Be with the Father
1. Warm-Up: Read Psalm 1. Visualize yourself as a tree planted by streams of water.
2. Essential Daily Prayers
Day 3 Special Prayer
"God, we pray for our governing leaders in keeping with 1 Timothy 2. Pray for the President, Governor, Mayor, and all authorities. We ask for wisdom regarding immigration and for Your protection over our immigrant brothers and sisters facing difficult situations."
3. TRUTH Bible Study (Read Matthew 5)
• T (Text): What is the main point?
• R (Revelation): Who is God in this text?
• U (Understanding): What does this reveal about my brokenness/identity?
• T (Treasure): How does this point to Jesus?
• H (Humbly Respond): "Jesus, what are You saying to me?"
Mid-Day Reset
Verse: Recite your verse. Thank God His Word sustains you.
Silence: Set a timer for 5 minutes. No requests. Just sit in His presence.
Your ONE THING: Final prayer for your breakthrough.
Evening Debrief
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise” - Ephesians 5:15
- 1. Great is Your Faithfulness: Thank God for today's gifts and mercies.
- 2. Straying & Adjustment: Did anything pull me away from abiding in God today? Any adjustments I can make tomorrow?
- 3. Relationships: Are there any relationships that need to be reconciled (including God)?
- 4. Unloading My Heart: Is there something weighing on your heart that you need to entrust to God? (1 Peter 5:7)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Do I have to do this fast?
A: Absolutely not. This is an invitation, it's not law.
Q: Can I drink coffee?
A: Ideally, stick to water and herbal tea. However, if you are prone to caffeine headaches, you may drink black coffee (no cream or sugar) or plain tea to keep functional. Just try to limit the amount.
Q: Can I exercise while fasting?
A: It is best to stick to light movement, like walking or stretching. Avoid high-intensity interval training or heavy weightlifting, as you won't have the caloric energy to recover properly.
Q: What if I "mess up" and eat something?
A: Don't give up! If you absentmindedly eat a cookie or grab a handful of nuts, don't view the whole fast as a failure. Just stop, pray, and resume the fast.
Q: Will I lose muscle mass if I fast for 3 days?
A: This is a common fear, but experts (such as Dr. Jason Fung and Dr. Peter Attia) generally agree that for a short 3-day fast, you do not need to worry about muscle loss.
- The Science: During a fast, your body ramps up Human Growth Hormone (HGH)—sometimes by as much as 300%—specifically to protect your muscles while burning stored fat for energy.
- The Look: You might feel "flatter" or smaller, but this is usually just water and glycogen leaving the muscles, not the muscle tissue itself.
- The Return: Once you resume eating, your muscles refill with glycogen very quickly. Any perceived loss is typically regained within a few days of normal eating.
Q: Why do I feel so cold?
A: When you fast, your body conserves energy by slowing down your metabolic rate, which produces body heat. This is normal. Drink warm tea or broth and wear a sweater.
Q: I have a headache. Should I stop?
A: A mild headache is very common (usually caffeine withdrawal or dehydration). Try drinking salt water or electrolytes first. If the pain is severe, persistent, or you feel like you might faint, please break the fast and eat something small.