I LOVE the perspective from The Message version on fasting (Isaiah 58:6-12):
6-9 “This is the kind of fast day I’m after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’
A Full Life in the Emptiest of Places
9-12 “If you get rid of unfair practices,
quit blaming victims,
quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
If you are generous with the hungry
and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
firm muscles, strong bones.
You’ll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,
restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
make the community livable again.
quit blaming victims,
quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
If you are generous with the hungry
and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
firm muscles, strong bones.
You’ll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,
restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
make the community livable again.
WHEN YOU FAST:
1) It shouldn’t be for your own glory.
2) It should be God-focused.
3) It should break the chains of injustice and bondage.
4) God wants you to be others-minded.
5) Give to the poor.
6) Be available to your own family.
7) Get rid of unfair practices.
8)Quit blaming victims.
9) Stop gossiping about other people’s sins.
10) Be generous with those who are hungry.
11) Start giving yourself to the down-and-out.
WHEN YOU FAST CORRECTLY:
1) The lights will turn on!
2) Your life will turn around at once.
3) Righteous living will pave the way.
4) God will secure your passage.
5) When you pray, God will answer you.
6) Your life with glow in the darkness.
7) You shadowed life will be bathed in sunlight!
8) God will show you where to go.
9) He will give you FULL life in the emptiest of places.
10) He will give you strength (firm muscles and strong bones).
11) You’ll be like a well-watered garden- blooming!
12) You will be like you will be like a bubbling spring.
13) Old rubble in your past will be used to rebuild and make new!
14) God will use you to fix lives for His glory!
15) You will restore, rebuild and renovate for His honor and praise.
SOME THINGS YOU COULD FAST FROM:
sugar
media
processed foods
television
computer
things that bind you
strongholds in your life
video games
spending too much money
“Fasting should always be paired
with the reading of God’s Word and prayer!”
“It was believed in the earlier days that people spend a lot of their time and energy in procuring, preparing, cooking, eating and digesting food. The effects of certain food on our body may make our minds dull or even agitated. By abstaining from eating or by eating light food, the otherwise pre-occupied mind is able to focus on spiritual thoughts and stay close to God. Hence, on certain days people decide to save time and energy and entertain noble thoughts.”
UPDATES FOR FREE: 
Subscribe in a reader
Thanks for visiting!