“Fasting helps to express, to deepen, and to confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, to sacrifice ourselves, to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.”
—Andrew Murray
The word “fast” in Hebrew means “to cover the mouth.”
In Greek, it means “to abstain from food”.
Therefore, biblical fasting is the temporary elimination or decrease of our food consumption (physical nourishment) in order to grow and increase in our devotion to God (spiritual nourishment). Just like how our stomachs are hungry for food, so should our hearts be hungry for God and His presence.
Missionary pioneer and author Dr. Wesley Duewel defines fasting like this:
“…choosing not to partake of food because your spiritual hunger is so deep, or your determination in intercession so intense, or your spiritual warfare so demanding that you have temporarily set aside even fleshly needs to give yourself to prayer and meditation.”1
Why fast?
Fasting goes beyond just denying food. Ultimately, it is denying self. The goal of fasting is to help our heart, soul, and mind focus on prayer and fellowship with God. Fasting helps us to calibrate our hearts so we may hear from God more clearly.
Fasting is a powerful tool to…
- Train us to overcome temptation and sin (Luke 4:1-4)
- Feast on the Word of God to feed our souls (Matthew 4:4)
- Humble ourselves to elevate God in our lives (Ezra 8:21)
- Praise God for who He is and what He is doing (Zechariah 8:19)
- Depend on God to seek His provision and solutions (Isaiah 58:6)
How do I fast?
Simplicity is key! If you are a beginner to fasting, do not jump in too audaciously. Start by skipping a meal and pray instead. On a different day, try skipping two meals. Eventually, practice fasting by going a full day or two without any food, spending meal times praying or reading your Bible instead. Keep in mind that fasting is not a challenge that we face out of will power. It is instead an act of obedience and seeking after God, which is done out of a willing heart.
What if I can’t completely eliminate food?
If you are pregnant, nursing, or have a medical condition that requires calorie consumption, consult a medical or health professional to guide you. If you are very active or work a job that is physically demanding, think of creative ways to consume the minimum calories needed to accomplish physical tasks while remembering to intentionally seek God and listen for His voice.
Some ideas:
- Drink a protein shake
- Consume liquids containing calories (juice fast)
- Snack minimally throughout the day
- Only eat breakfast or dinner that day
Stay hydrated! Staying hydrated will not only keep you functioning, but it will help to suppress your appetite, as well as to maintain energy levels. Drinking coffee and/or sparking water can also help.
Fasting sounds hard. How do I stay committed?
Fasting is less about you stomach and more about your heart. It’s not just the absence of food in our bellies, but also the absence of other forms of intake in our hearts, either by what we see or hear. It pleases God when we pursue Him in the area of fasting. Fasting is a lot easier when we know why we are fasting in the first place. Knowing the “why” (see above) and keeping an attitude of prayer will help you to not only stay committed, but also have a joyful heart while fasting.
Whether your fast is short or long, simple or intense, God honors any effort done for Him. Stay focused, stay devoted, stay committed.
“…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
—1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)
Scriptures on Fasting
You may find the following verses helpful to read and meditate on as you prepare for and engage in fasting.
- Exodus 34:28
- Nehemiah 1:4
- Esther 4:16
- Psalm 69:10
- Isaiah 58:6
- Daniel 10:3
- Joel 2:12
- Matthew 6:16-18
- Mark 2:18-20
- Luke 2:37
- Acts 13:2–3
Quotes on Fasting
“Fasting helps to express, to deepen, and to confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, to sacrifice ourselves, to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.”
—Andrew Murray
“The purpose of fasting is to loosen to some degree the ties which bind us to the world or material surroundings as a whole in order that we may concentrate all our spiritual powers upon the unseen and eternal things.”
—Ole Hallesby
“Christian fasting, at its root, is the hunger of a homesickness for God.”
—John Piper
- Wesley L. Duewel, Touch the World Through Prayer (Zondervan, 1986), 97. ↩︎
