How does one go about fasting, and what are the different types of fasting?

Fasting in scripture is primarily an extension of prayer. It is only in recent years that it has become a new form of diet or a popularized meditation technique. I will make a few comments on the biblical use of fasting and leave other uses to others.

Prayer and fasting are mentioned together in eleven verses in the Bible.

Here are a couple of examples:

• Matthew 17:20And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
  See All... And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
• Acts 14:23And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
  See All... And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

Many scriptures show the strong connection between fasting and prayer. Physically speaking, to fast is to go without food and perhaps without drink. Spiritually speaking, fasting is an intensification of prayer. Therefore, we are to fast when we are greatly troubled about something; when we specifically and earnestly need an answer from God; when we earnestly want to conquer some sin; when we strongly desire to return fully to God.

Fasting is also strongly connected with weeping or mourning. See the following examples out of eight times the words for fasting and weeping occur in the same verses:

• 2 Samuel 12:21Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
  See All... Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
• Nehemiah 1:4And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
  See All... And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
• Psalm 69:10When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.
  See All... When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.

David refers to the humbling of his soul with fasting (Psalm 35:13But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
See All...) and to the chastening of his soul with fasting (Psalm 69:10When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.
See All...). In the Bible, one of the synonymns for fasting is the afflicting of the soul.

• Leviticus 16:31It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.
  See All... It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.
• Isaiah 58:3Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
  See All... Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

Yet, it seemed that fasting became an empty ritual to the Jews. In Isaiah 58:3-7 [3] Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. [4] Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. [5] Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? [6] Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? [7] Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
See All..., the Lord reproved the Jews for their meaningless fasts. They found pleasure in the days of their fast (v.3). They fasted for "strife and debate" (v.4). This is not the fast God has chosen. His idea of a righteous fast is to "loose the bands of wickedness" (v.6). It is a telling sign that the Pharisees would fast often and the disciples of Jesus did not fast during His earthly ministry (Matthew 9:14-15 [14] Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? [15] And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
See All...). Although Jesus said that they would fast later (and they did), the emphasis on fasting is not as great for New Testament believers as it was for the Jews. It is certainly not to be a formulized ritual. Rather, it is to be practiced from the heart of the individual believer when that believer truly desires to intensify his prayer to God.

The apostles fasted as they sought direction from the Lord. We can take much from their example and do likewise. However, fasting is never commanded in the New Testament. Jesus comes close to telling us to fast when He declares that the faith to move mountains can only come by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:20-21 [20] And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. [21] Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
See All...). However, Paul never commands believers to fast in his epistles (though he did fast). Yet, the New Testament is filled with commands and admonitions to pray. What is the point? I think it is that fasting is a personal practice that is followed as God leads or as the individuals desires to follow after Him.

The Bible gives no instructions concerning how to fast. My best advice for beginners is to go without food (while allowing water) from one evening meal to the next evening meal. Do not make a scene of your fasting or tell anyone who does not need to know (as per Matthew 6:16-18 [16] Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. [17] But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; [18] That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
See All...). Spend added time in prayer during this time. Do not expect the ultimate religious experience. Trust God to bless your fast. He will.