Fasting That Transforms: A Sacred Rhythm for Real Breakthrough
Summer Sampler 2025: The Spiritual Disciplines That Form Us
What are spiritual disciplines? And why are they relevant to our lives? Spiritual disciplines are purposeful practices that cultivate a deeper, richer, and more intentional relationship with God and others. They are not simply rituals, but tools for growth, transformation, and living a more Christ-like life. Each week in our Summer Sampler we will be exploring one of these disciplines. Our hope is that you’ll discover one or more that are a fit for you and that you can incorporate into your walk with Jesus.
By Riqisha Rios
“Fasting is not just a physical discipline; it is a spiritual one, meant to bring the spirit man in alignment with the Holy Spirit.” – Jentezen Franklin, Fasting
Fasting is a powerful but often neglected spiritual discipline. In a culture full of noise, indulgence, and distraction, fasting helps us realign with God’s heart.
Jesus said, “When you fast …” (Matthew 6:16). Not as a suggestion, but as a rhythm of spiritual transformation and intimacy.
While fasting is typically associated with completely refraining from food for a set period of time, that is only one of the ways to fast. There is also, for example, a media fast, a liquid fast, and the Daniel fast. Isaiah 58:6 further clarifies that fasting is not always about food. The phrase “Is not this the fast that I have chosen?” is a rhetorical question emphasizing God’s desired kind of fasting, which involves acts of compassion and social justice rather than mere outward religious rituals.
Fasting is not about deprivation, it’s about devotion. It fills us with what we truly need: the presence and power of God.
The Journey of Fasting: Formed, Free, and Fueled
Over the years, I’ve come to understand fasting as a sacred spiritual discipline. Fasting is not just about what I lay down but how God reshapes us in the laying down. Through fasting, I’ve noticed a clear pattern of what God is doing deep within:
Fasting forms us. Fasting frees us. Fasting fuels us.
This simple phrase reflects the transforming power of fasting:
● Formation through spiritual discipline
● Freedom from strongholds and fear
● Fuel for Spirit-filled living and intimacy with God
Fasting Forms Us (Spiritual Formation)
Fasting confronts our appetites, interrupts our routines, and makes space for God to shape us more deeply. Fasting is not about getting something from God, but rather about becoming someone who reflects Him more clearly.
In Scripture, we see this kind of formation:
● Esther fasted and was formed into a bold deliverer (Esther 4:16).
● Daniel fasted and grew in wisdom and influence (Daniel 10).
● Jesus fasted and was spiritually prepared to launch His ministry (Matthew 4:1–2).
Fasting makes us sensitive to the Spirit and grounded in the Word.
Fasting Frees Us (Spiritual Breakthrough)
Fasting also frees us. In surrender, strongholds break, fear loses its grip, and clarity replaces confusion. It silences the world’s voices so we can hear Heaven’s.
During my third pregnancy, my son was diagnosed in utero with serious heart and brain conditions. Each week, the reports grew worse. I committed to a regular partial fast, sacrificing things I enjoyed, to press into God’s presence.
As the medical reports grew darker, my faith grew deeper. Fasting didn’t just change the atmosphere, it changed me. I was free from anxiety and fear. I was free from trying to have control over the future. I was free to believe that God was working on my behalf. Today, that child is a continuous walking miracle.
Fasting frees us to believe again.
Fasting Fuels Us (Spiritual Power & Intimacy)
Fasting fuels us with clarity, intimacy, and supernatural strength for the journey ahead. Every fast, whether a Daniel fast, water fast, or media fast, leaves us more alive in Christ. Scripture comes alive. Worship feels new. We are quicker to repent, reconcile, and obey.
Fasting is not about deprivation, it’s about devotion. It fills us with what we truly need: the presence and power of God.
How to Build a Fasting Rhythm
You don’t have to start big. Build a rhythm that grows with your walk:
1. Start with Partial Fasting
Give up something like coffee, sugar, or social media. Use that time to seek God with intentionality.
2. Move into Regular Fasting
Fast one meal a week or one day a month. Make it a consistent rhythm of surrender.
3. Try an Annual or Biannual Fast
Commit to an extended fast once or twice a year. I personally love starting the year with the 21-Day Daniel Fast to seek clarity, realignment, and spiritual renewal.
Are You Ready to Be Formed, Free, and Fueled?
Do you feel dry – spiritually tired, distant from God’s presence?
Do you need clarity for a decision, healing in your heart, or strength for what’s ahead?
Do you feel the nudge to go deeper … but don’t know where to begin?
Let fasting be your first YES!
Fasting may not instantly change your circumstances – but it will change you. It clears the noise. It breaks the chains. It awakens the soul. It draws you into holy, life-giving alignment with the Spirit of God.
What if your breakthrough isn’t waiting on a bigger platform, a clearer plan, or more effort – but on a simple, surrendered fast?
Let this be the season where breakthrough truly begins, as …
Fasting forms you. Fasting frees you. Fasting fuels you.
For more about Spiritual Disciplines, check out the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Calhoun.
Pastor Riqisha F. Rios is the co-founding pastor of Generations Church (Iglesia Generaciones), a vibrant Latino congregation in Houston, TX. With over 23 years in full-time ministry, she is a passionate voice for spiritual formation, leadership development, and the empowerment of women in ministry.
Riqisha is currently completing her Master of Theology and Ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary. She and her husband, Pastor Joseph Rios, have ministered across 24 nations and are raising four wonderful children.