Fasting Is About Getting Closer to God.

At Open Arms, we believe fasting is a simple but powerful way to draw closer to God. It’s not about rules, pressure, or trying to impress anyone. It’s about making room for God and putting Him first.

People fasted all through the Bible when they wanted to hear God more clearly, grow in faith, or see breakthrough. Jesus fasted—and He talked about fasting like it was something His followers would do too.

“When you fast…” — Matthew 6:16
(Not if you fast… but when.)

Fasting helps us slow down, tune out distractions, and refocus our hearts on God.

Fasting means intentionally taking a break from something for a period of time so you can spend more time with God.

Most people think of fasting from food—but you can also fast from things that pull your attention away from God, like social media, TV, or hobbies.

The key isn’t what you give up.
The key is why you’re doing it.

We fast because it helps us:

• Grow closer to God
• Hear His voice more clearly
• Break unhealthy habits
• Strengthen our prayer life
• Trust God more deeply

Jesus said there are some breakthroughs that only come through prayer and fasting:

You don’t have to do this alone. We offer several ways to pray together:

• During Sunday service – We pray as a church family
• Before service on Sundays
  • 🕘 9:00 AM | 📍 Library at Ridge Road Middle School
• Midweek Refresh
  • 🕢 Wednesdays at 7:45 AM ET | 📍 Facebook Live
  • Pastor Justin shares a short word and we pray together for about 15 minutes

Prayer isn’t just something we believe in—it’s something we practice.

There’s more than one way to fast—and that’s a good thing.

Fasting isn’t about doing it “right.”
It’s about choosing something that helps you slow down, remove distractions, and turn your heart toward God.

Some people fast from food.
Some fast from habits or screens.
Some fast for a day. Others for a season.

The goal is the same: less of what pulls us away, more space for prayer and listening to God.

These fasts focus on what—and when—we eat. They’re often chosen because food is something we depend on every day, which makes it a powerful way to remind ourselves that we depend on God even more.

Full Food Fast - Not eating food for a set time while drinking water and spending that time in prayer.
Partial Fast - Eating only during certain hours of the day, like sunrise to sunset.
Daniel Fast - A plant-based fast of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains inspired by the book of Daniel. More info on the Daniel Fast.
No Meats Fast - Avoiding all meat while continuing to eat other foods.
No Sweets / No Treats Fast - Cutting out desserts, candy, sugary drinks, and snacks.
Alcohol Fast - Choosing not to drink alcohol for a season to gain clarity and spiritual focus.

Not everyone can fast from food for health or life-stage reasons—and that’s okay. These fasts remove distractions that compete for our time and attention.

Social Media Fast - Stepping away from platforms like Instagram or Facebook to quiet the noise.
Entertainment Fast - Taking a break from TV, movies, or video games to make space for God.
Technology Fast - Limiting phone or screen time beyond what’s needed for work or school.
Secular Music Fast - Choosing to listen only to worship or Christian music for a season.
Shopping Fast - Avoiding non-essential spending to grow gratitude and contentment.
Hobby Fast - Pausing a leisure activity to spend more intentional time with God.

These fasts aren’t about removing something bad—they’re about creating margin to hear God more clearly.

Speaking Fast - Practicing intentional silence or limiting speech to listen more closely to God.
Sleep Fast - Waking up earlier than usual to pray, read Scripture, or sit quietly with God.

Fasts can look different for different people. You might choose:

• One day
• A few days
• One week
• Or several weeks

At Open Arms, we encourage you to pray first and ask God what He’s leading you to do. Start where you are. Short and faithful is better than long and forced.

You may notice:

• Hunger or cravings
• More awareness of habits
• Clearer thoughts
• A stronger desire to pray
• Deeper connection with God

When it gets uncomfortable, don’t quit—pray.

Every January, we come together as a church for Believe 21—a time of focused prayer and fasting as we seek God for the year ahead.

• We fast and pray believing God for:
• Spiritual growth
• Direction and clarity
• Healing and breakthrough
• Miracles, signs, and wonders

We believe God moves when His people seek Him—together.

Come experience worship, community, and prayer in person—we’d love to welcome you.

Let us pray with you and for you—you don’t have to carry it alone.

Pause midweek for a short word and 15 minutes of prayer together online.