Reasons to Fast

Throughout history, God’s people have fasted at critical periods in their lives. In the Bible, fasting appears as both an individual spiritual experience, and as a corporate event. Fasting does not earn us merit with God, but it can enable us to better focus on our relationship with God. Below are eight Biblical reasons that we should engage in fasting.

“Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rent your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kingness, and repenteth him of the evil.” (Joel 2:12)

“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? 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? 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? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.” (Isaiah 58:5-8)

“And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, fortydays and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drinkwater, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doingwickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.” (Deuteronomy 9:18)

“Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 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. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.”  (Matthew 17:19-21)

“In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples [unto him], and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat.” (Mark 8:1-2)

“In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.” (Daniel 9:2-3)

“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” (Acts 13:2-3)

“For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.” (Jonah 3:6-8)

Ways to Fast

The Bible indicates many appropriate ways to fast, depending on the circumstances and reason for the fast. Exceptional examples from sacred history include the extraordinary 40 day fasts of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus Christ. Other fasts included much shorter time periods, such as the one day fast by David and his men after King Saul was killed (2 Samuel 1:12).

The Bible also mentions fasts having nothing to do with abstinence from food, such as the “true fast” of showing mercy to others as explained in Isaiah 58, or the consentual agreement of a husband and wife to refrain from marital relations for a period of time so that they may give themselves to fasting and prayer (1 Corinthians 7:5).

The decision to fast, and the details of how that fast should be conducted, is a personal, private matter (Matthew 6:16-18). Below are a few suggestions regarding ways to fast. Remember that the fast that might be appropriate and needed by one person, may be different from that needed by someone else. Finally, consult your physician first if your medical condition is such that a food fast could be detrimental to your health.

IDEAS FOR EFFECTIVE FASTING

1. TAKE A SOLID FOOD FAST

Abstain from solid foods one day each week. Replace solid foods for a time with water or juiced fruit and vegetables.

2. TAKE A JUNK FOOD FAST

Abstain from sugar, deserts, processed foods, or animal products for a period of time. Replace these items with whole food, plant-based foods.

3. BEGIN PRAYING LIKE DANIEL

Start personal or family prayer every morning, noon, and evening like Daniel did while in Babylon.

4. HELP SOMEONE ELSE

Take time normally spent on a hobby or personal pursuit, and help someone else instead.

5. TAKE A MEDIA FAST

Turn off the news, stop watching movies, or unplug the internet. Study the Bible instead.

6. ABSTAIN FROM GOSSIP, FAULT-FINDING, AND AN ACCUSATORY SPIRIT

Ask God to help you stop all negative thoughts toward others, and pray for them instead when tempted to think negatively.

7. TAKE A BREAK FROM WORRY AND ANXIETY

Ask God to help you take every worry and problem to Him immediately, and then trust in His power and love to solve the problem.

8. KEEP A FASTING JOURNAL

Write down specific prayer requests, and God’s answers to them.

9. FAST FROM A BUSY SCHEDULE

Clear your schedule as much as possible and say “no” to extra activities.

10. FIND A BETTER ACTIVITY

Replace the time normally spent in cooking, eating, or other activities with time spent in prayer and meditation of God’s Word.