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Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough
Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough is a thought provoking book on one of the least understood, but most powerful disciplines of Christianity. Most believers know about fasting, but few of us really understand the wonderful benefits that come when we fast with purpose and direction. Written in Dr. Elmer Towns’ dynamic; descriptive style, this book gives the why of fasting, rather than just the how. Towns avoids a glut of techniques and schedules, and instead provides a probing look at Isaiah 58, often called the fasting passage. Learn how fasting can strengthen your faith and draw you closer to God, helping you to be a true overcomer in Christ.
252 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
51 people are currently reading
542 people want to read
About the author
Elmer L. Towns
337 books48 followersDr. Elmer Towns is a college and seminary professor, an author of popular and scholarly works (the editor of two encyclopedias), a popular seminar lecturer, and dedicated worker in Sunday school, and has developed over 20 resource packets for leadership education. He began teaching at Midwest Bible College, St. Louis, Missouri, for three years and was not satisfied with his textbooks so he began writing his own (he has published over 100 books listed in the Library of Congress, 7 listed in the Christian Booksellers Best Selling List; several becoming accepted as college textbooks. He is also the 1995 recipient of the coveted Gold Medallion Award awarded by the Christian Booksellers Association for writing the Book of the Year, i.e., The Names of the Holy Spirit.
He was President of Winnipeg Bible College for five years, leading it to receive American Accreditation and Provincial authority to offer degrees (1960-1965). He taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, in greater Chicago, Illinois, in the field of Religious Education and Evangelism (1965-1971).
He is co-founder of Liberty University, with Jerry Falwell, in 1971, and was the only full-time teacher in the first year of Liberty's existence. Today, the University has over 11,400 students on campus with 39,000 in the Distance Learning Program (now Liberty University Online), and he is the Dean of the School of Religion.
Dr. Towns has given theological lectures and taught intensive seminars at over 50 theological seminaries in America and abroad. He holds visiting professorship rank in five seminaries. He has written over 2,000 reference and/or popular articles and received six honorary doctoral degrees. Four doctoral dissertations have analyzed his contribution to religious education and evangelism.
His personal education includes a B.S. from Northwestern College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a M.A. from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary also in Dallas, a MRE from Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, and a D.Min. from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
He was President of Winnipeg Bible College for five years, leading it to receive American Accreditation and Provincial authority to offer degrees (1960-1965). He taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, in greater Chicago, Illinois, in the field of Religious Education and Evangelism (1965-1971).
He is co-founder of Liberty University, with Jerry Falwell, in 1971, and was the only full-time teacher in the first year of Liberty's existence. Today, the University has over 11,400 students on campus with 39,000 in the Distance Learning Program (now Liberty University Online), and he is the Dean of the School of Religion.
Dr. Towns has given theological lectures and taught intensive seminars at over 50 theological seminaries in America and abroad. He holds visiting professorship rank in five seminaries. He has written over 2,000 reference and/or popular articles and received six honorary doctoral degrees. Four doctoral dissertations have analyzed his contribution to religious education and evangelism.
His personal education includes a B.S. from Northwestern College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a M.A. from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary also in Dallas, a MRE from Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, and a D.Min. from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 28, 2023
I rarely give a 5 star review. This book is fantastic. I had no idea there were so many different kinds of biblical fasts. I can't remember the last time I put this many book darts in a book. If you're looking for a book to help you start the discipline of fasting - I highly recommend this one. It will be making a permanent home on my bookshelf. The chapters are easy to read as stand alone. Each chapter ends with directions on how to prepare for the fast described in the chapter, discussion questions and a prayer.
January 1, 2022
I fantastic book full of insight and a wonderful breakdown on different types of fasting as well as reasons. This is a gem I recommend to anyone looking for help or looking to dive deeper into such an important part of our Christian walks.
August 19, 2024
Thought it was alright but might have been better named fasting for problem solving.
February 12, 2014
Book Review: I found Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough by Elmer L. Towns to be an informative read. If you are reading it alone, it can be a little challenging. Not in a bad way, but it requires you to do a little more bible studying to understand all the different types of fasts listed in the book. It has scriptures and life applications that I love. I would absolutely suggest reading this book with a group. Be prepared to spend some quality time with it. This is not what I would call a quick, fast, or easy read. You have to read this book and put some work into it. Each chapter ends with a page guide to help with each fast, so that helps. Over all this book is a must have for anyone starting a fast. This books helps you to know why you are fasting, what type of fast you may want to do, and results you should expect from each fast. Even if you have been doing it for years, I promise you will learn something new.
Tip: For this particular book I would suggest purchasing the hard copy vs. the kindle edition that I purchased.
Tip: For this particular book I would suggest purchasing the hard copy vs. the kindle edition that I purchased.
October 23, 2021
Fasting is becoming popular in a lot of the long life programs that I see. However, it is an ancient practice with roots in spiritual health long before the doctors discovered physical benefits. This book covers the Christian perspective on fasting, listing out the nine ways that the people of God have been fasting--what they fasted from, for how long, and for what purpose.
It's not just skipping a meal. There are two partial fasts (only some foods) and even an absolute fast where even water is avoided (this is very brief). Some are supposed to be private and some very public. Some last for a day and one can last for a lifetime.
I enjoyed learning all the options and their historical examples. I especially enjoyed the practical tips on what a modern expression of that could look like. Best of all, he was concise and clear, so this book doesn't take that long to read.
If you're looking for spiritual breakthrough, whether for an internal issue or an external challenge, this book could be a useful summary of how to engage in fasting to accelerate your progress.
It's not just skipping a meal. There are two partial fasts (only some foods) and even an absolute fast where even water is avoided (this is very brief). Some are supposed to be private and some very public. Some last for a day and one can last for a lifetime.
I enjoyed learning all the options and their historical examples. I especially enjoyed the practical tips on what a modern expression of that could look like. Best of all, he was concise and clear, so this book doesn't take that long to read.
If you're looking for spiritual breakthrough, whether for an internal issue or an external challenge, this book could be a useful summary of how to engage in fasting to accelerate your progress.
December 31, 2018
Wasn’t looking for legalistic ways or formulas for fasting, just interested in seeing how has fasting helped some Bible characters.
And I learned a very interesting and surprising fact from one appendix: fast helped kids with dyslexia and other learning disabilities! I am still researching this subject...
And I learned a very interesting and surprising fact from one appendix: fast helped kids with dyslexia and other learning disabilities! I am still researching this subject...
April 7, 2018
Excellent resource on nine types of fasting. Very detailed and has great additional material on preparing for a fast, journaling during a fast and lengthy and type of fasts.
November 22, 2018
My church has been doing a communal 21-day fast every January. For myself, I felt I was falling into 2 wrong ways of thinking about fasting: either I was only focused on weight loss or I struggled with spiritual pride. Last January I decided I would fast from fasting. After that, i decided i needed to educate myself on fasting. This book was a very helpful first step. It describes several types of fasts, giving the biblical basis for each. For anyone who struggles with the concept of fasting like me, this book was very helpful and even inspiring. I am now looking forward to my church's fast and looking for ways to incorporate fasting into my every day life.
September 25, 2021
Some good principles and good ideas, especially for corporate fasting, but with a large dose of bad theology, proof texting, and random thoughts presented as Biblical truth. My favorite line might be, "without enough information to draw a conclusion, I believe it's the latter." The latter in this case was Satanic attack leading to someone's death. That's a pretty huge conclusion to draw right after saying you don't have enough information to draw it. There's a strong fundamentalist bent with overtones of prosperity preaching.
February 4, 2025
3.5 Stars
This is not particularly charismatic, which lots of books on fasting are. Much more vanilla evangelical!
It was practical and helpful, and honestly gave good advice, but also read plenty into the words of scripture that aren't there. Nothing BAD, but things like "this is Elijah's fast..." and it really had nothing to do with the story of Elijah in scripture.
But Towns talks with a very measured, balanced approach and I found myself wanting to be more intentional in my fasting practice.
This is not particularly charismatic, which lots of books on fasting are. Much more vanilla evangelical!
It was practical and helpful, and honestly gave good advice, but also read plenty into the words of scripture that aren't there. Nothing BAD, but things like "this is Elijah's fast..." and it really had nothing to do with the story of Elijah in scripture.
But Towns talks with a very measured, balanced approach and I found myself wanting to be more intentional in my fasting practice.
March 22, 2022
A good discussion of nine Biblical fasts, context of how they were used within the Bible, and how they can support us today. I vibed with the format and discussion. I’m unable to get over the author’s love of Jerry Falwell. It stains the book for me. But angry, vitriolic Christians aside, the text is solid and filled with biblical references for anyone who appreciates and requires them.
February 27, 2014
Fasting is a natural body process which has many benefits for a person, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
But it can be done incorrectly, or at least, ineffectively so that little or no benefits result, or even worse, damage is done to the body. Fasting takes commitment and effort. It is not sensible to do it incorrectly.
Most physical fasting is a form of detoxing the body. If you want to read an excellent book on detoxing, read "The Detox Book: How to Detoxify Your Body to Improve Your Health, Stop Disease and Reverse Aging" by Bruce Fife. After I read it, I no longer referenced any of my other 30 books on detoxing. It is the most complete detoxing book that I have ever read. More important, it takes you step by step through each successive stage of detoxing so that you are detoxing only one organ or system at a time, and doing them in the correct order so that too no systems are overloaded.
The same comments apply to fasting for spiritual reasons. Many people approach fasting with a sacrificial attitude -- I am just going to suffer and endure until this is over and I can eat again.
This attitude is unnecessary and harmful. Fasting is intended to be a rest for your body. It should be welcomed as much as sleep. Your attitude should be that you can hardly wait for the next day of fasting. You know how much work it takes to digest a heavy meal and how sleepy you become after the meal. With fasting, you have more energy to perform other tasks because your body's energy is not involved in digestion.
However, you will not be spending your fasting time in heavy exercise. You will be minimizing exercise so that your body, instead of digesting food or producing energy, can spend time detoxing the cells.
Many people approach a fast in a similar way... they will just endure until they can eat again, and hope that God rewards their sacrifice... which is relying on works instead of on God.
So people need to approach a spiritual fast in the same way as a physical fast, with the correct attitude and plan that will make this fast a pleasant and beneficial experience.
The author takes the instructions for fasting from Isaiah 58:6-8 and describes 9 purposes of spiritual fasting. He describes each one according to its purpose and method and gives a "prescription" to follow at the end of each chapter with specific instructions on that fast.
Why is this important? Because most people who fast for spiritual reasons do not know what they are doing. So they end up frustrated, tired and hungry and do not get the spiritual benefits of the fast that God has promised, such as solutions to problems, success in evangelism, a closer relationship with God, provision for the needy, protection in crisis situations, restoration of health, etc.
Like physical fasting, spiritual fasting has steps to follow to achieve results. These steps are described thoroughly in this book.
I have many books on spiritual fasting. I have much experience in fasting, both for physical and spiritual reasons. I have fasted correctly and I have fasted incorrectly.
Besides being a book on spiritual fasting, it has extensive appendices which give guidance to people with special dietary needs and to people who have never fasted. It is a book of moderation, not extremes, showing people how they can incorporate regular periods of fasting even into a busy lifestyle by partial fasts, short fasts, non-food fasts such as media fasts, and even fasts that give up only one family of food at a time in order to determine food sensitivities.
It is a book with something relevant to every person, with immediate success, because it has you start at a level with which you are comfortable.
So why do a spiritual fast instead of a physical detox fast?
Not be be "holier than thou".
Because, if you want the fastest results on a fast, you combine the greatest number of tools to help you.
Your mind has ascendancy over your body (if you allow it to... most people let their bodies rule them.) Fasting teaches you to get your mind back in control over your body.
But your spirit has ascendancy over your mind (again, if you train it to...). So if you incorporate the spiritual principles, well that is like using dynamite instead of a firecracker... You get better results with less effort and less time.
I kind of like that idea. :)
I encourage anyone who is interested in fasting to read this book and try some of the principles.
Your body will thank you.
And if you also use these fasts to develop a closer relationship with God, you will find some amazing answers to problems that you just couldn't figure out. Of course, when you fast physically, you also often find that your mind is clearer and your emotions more balanced, so you can get amazing answers to problems on just a physical fast.
So, who should not read this book? Anyone who is interested in results without effort. This book does not make promises like that ... lose 50 pounds without changing your diet or exercise patterns... you know the kind of book I am talking about. There is effort involved. Minimum effort gets minimum results; no effort gets no results. Fasting takes effort. You need to determine for yourself if the results are worth the effort.
But it can be done incorrectly, or at least, ineffectively so that little or no benefits result, or even worse, damage is done to the body. Fasting takes commitment and effort. It is not sensible to do it incorrectly.
Most physical fasting is a form of detoxing the body. If you want to read an excellent book on detoxing, read "The Detox Book: How to Detoxify Your Body to Improve Your Health, Stop Disease and Reverse Aging" by Bruce Fife. After I read it, I no longer referenced any of my other 30 books on detoxing. It is the most complete detoxing book that I have ever read. More important, it takes you step by step through each successive stage of detoxing so that you are detoxing only one organ or system at a time, and doing them in the correct order so that too no systems are overloaded.
The same comments apply to fasting for spiritual reasons. Many people approach fasting with a sacrificial attitude -- I am just going to suffer and endure until this is over and I can eat again.
This attitude is unnecessary and harmful. Fasting is intended to be a rest for your body. It should be welcomed as much as sleep. Your attitude should be that you can hardly wait for the next day of fasting. You know how much work it takes to digest a heavy meal and how sleepy you become after the meal. With fasting, you have more energy to perform other tasks because your body's energy is not involved in digestion.
However, you will not be spending your fasting time in heavy exercise. You will be minimizing exercise so that your body, instead of digesting food or producing energy, can spend time detoxing the cells.
Many people approach a fast in a similar way... they will just endure until they can eat again, and hope that God rewards their sacrifice... which is relying on works instead of on God.
So people need to approach a spiritual fast in the same way as a physical fast, with the correct attitude and plan that will make this fast a pleasant and beneficial experience.
The author takes the instructions for fasting from Isaiah 58:6-8 and describes 9 purposes of spiritual fasting. He describes each one according to its purpose and method and gives a "prescription" to follow at the end of each chapter with specific instructions on that fast.
Why is this important? Because most people who fast for spiritual reasons do not know what they are doing. So they end up frustrated, tired and hungry and do not get the spiritual benefits of the fast that God has promised, such as solutions to problems, success in evangelism, a closer relationship with God, provision for the needy, protection in crisis situations, restoration of health, etc.
Like physical fasting, spiritual fasting has steps to follow to achieve results. These steps are described thoroughly in this book.
I have many books on spiritual fasting. I have much experience in fasting, both for physical and spiritual reasons. I have fasted correctly and I have fasted incorrectly.
Besides being a book on spiritual fasting, it has extensive appendices which give guidance to people with special dietary needs and to people who have never fasted. It is a book of moderation, not extremes, showing people how they can incorporate regular periods of fasting even into a busy lifestyle by partial fasts, short fasts, non-food fasts such as media fasts, and even fasts that give up only one family of food at a time in order to determine food sensitivities.
It is a book with something relevant to every person, with immediate success, because it has you start at a level with which you are comfortable.
So why do a spiritual fast instead of a physical detox fast?
Not be be "holier than thou".
Because, if you want the fastest results on a fast, you combine the greatest number of tools to help you.
Your mind has ascendancy over your body (if you allow it to... most people let their bodies rule them.) Fasting teaches you to get your mind back in control over your body.
But your spirit has ascendancy over your mind (again, if you train it to...). So if you incorporate the spiritual principles, well that is like using dynamite instead of a firecracker... You get better results with less effort and less time.
I kind of like that idea. :)
I encourage anyone who is interested in fasting to read this book and try some of the principles.
Your body will thank you.
And if you also use these fasts to develop a closer relationship with God, you will find some amazing answers to problems that you just couldn't figure out. Of course, when you fast physically, you also often find that your mind is clearer and your emotions more balanced, so you can get amazing answers to problems on just a physical fast.
So, who should not read this book? Anyone who is interested in results without effort. This book does not make promises like that ... lose 50 pounds without changing your diet or exercise patterns... you know the kind of book I am talking about. There is effort involved. Minimum effort gets minimum results; no effort gets no results. Fasting takes effort. You need to determine for yourself if the results are worth the effort.
December 5, 2021
An interesting read. And a good expose on different motives and purposes of fasting. The mostly-Fundamentalist Protestantism misses the point on some things but a worthy read and use of time overall.
January 16, 2022
9 different types of fasts listed in the Bible. Christianity is a relationship. Fasting helps to cultivate and get closer to God. Jesus didn’t demand for us to fast but to use it as a tool when correctly implemented.
December 15, 2023
Fasting and prayer are wonderful spiritual disciplines. But one can never fast and pray enough to rid their lives of all troubles. Sometimes things go badly, and no matter how godly you are, things may not necessarily change for you or those you love.
May 3, 2013
A very good book on fasting. The principles in this book are backed by the Bible and it explains the aspects and benefits of fasting. It fully explains 9 different fasts of the Bible and leaves the reader with a good understanding of when to use which fast and what it is comprised of. I would recommend it if you are truly seeking God's will through fasting.
March 6, 2014
I used this book as a companion to my annual 21-day fast, and this was the first time I did a no food fast. This book by Mr. Towns really helped me stay focused on my fast and the reasons I was fasting. Have already recommended it to two people who are fasting for the first time, and they are having the same experience I did as far as being able to stay focused.
November 18, 2017
Towns really unpacked the nine biblical fasts! Loved it! Lived it! I recommend if you want to learn about fasting and begin practicing fasting as a part of your spiritual discipline being a servant of God, start with this book!
April 11, 2016
This book challenges me because I hate to go without food, but I also recognize the power that can come as a result of fasting. It was also interesting to read that fasting is basically good for our bodies, but it doesn 19t make it any easier to go without food.
August 26, 2016
Great book. Goes into details of fasting to a new level. Best part is the categorization of the different fasts and also the purposes and outcomes associated with it. Recommend for anyone who wants to understand why we need to fast and our purpose while doing it.
January 17, 2017
A biblically sound book on fasting. Appendix 5 - Biblical References to Fasting is for me quite simply the most exhaustive list of verses on fasting I've ever seen and I shall be returning to this book for years to come. Excellent work Dr. Towns!
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January 21, 2010I own it
January 9, 2019
Useful as an overview to different kinds of fasting
April 8, 2015
A favorite on my shelf.
December 25, 2015
This should be on the must-read a list of every student of spiritual disciplines.
December 1, 2015
presentation related to fasting in general and that according to the Bible, which is done by biblical figures with their purpose.
April 14, 2022
Always good information to read right before a 5o day fast.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews