May 17th, 2023
by Keith Birdsong
by Keith Birdsong
Fasting is an interesting subject in the Bible. It is prevalent and, clearly, important. However, there are very few passages that describe it as a topic. While it is clear that Jesus expected His disciples to fast (“When ye fast…”), most of what we know about fasting in the Bible is simply by observing what Jesus and men and women of faith did.
What is fasting, technically?
Fasting is abstaining from food and drink. At least, that's the medical definition. Usually, water is consumed during a fast.
What is fasting, spiritually?
Fasting, spiritually speaking, is about putting off food and putting on God. The Hebrew word is צוּם (tsoom) - to abstain from food, to cover over the mouth. The Greek word is νηστεύω (nee - stoo - owe) - to abstain as a religious exercise from food and drink.
What is fasting not?
There are many ideas about fasting, and some of them are good ideas, but they aren't technically a part of a spiritual fast. Here are some examples:
Matthew 6:16
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.
What are the purposes of fasting?
People fast to draw closer to God.
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.
People fast as a part of repentance and mourning.
Joel 2:12-13
12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye [even] to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
13 And rend 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 kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
People fast when they’re engaged in spiritual warfare.
Matthew 17:21
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
People fast as a way of running to God for desperate and important situations.
Esther 4:3
And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
People fast as an intense extension of intercessory prayer.
2 Samuel 12:16
David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
People fast to discern God’s will.
Acts 10:30
And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing…
People fast to galvanize their faith to God and to themselves.
Esther 4:16
Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
People fast before embarking on a ministry endeavor.
Acts 13:2-3
2 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.
3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid [their] hands on them, they sent [them] away.
People fast to build up spiritual discipline in their life.
Psalm 69:10
When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.
People fast to intentionally weaken their flesh to strengthen their spirit.
Psalm 109:24
My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness.
What prompts a fast?
There aren't any rules, really, for what should prompt a fast in your life. Here are some common prompts:
The Holy Spirit may prompt a fast in your life.
Circumstances, such as a big decision, crisis, or struggle may prompt a fast.
Nehemiah 1:4
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
Brokenness for personal, church-wide, or national sin may prompt a fast.
Daniel 9:3
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes…
A desire for a deeper relationship with God should prompt fasts in our lives.
Exodus 34:28
And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
Brokenness for the weakness of our spiritual lives should prompt fasts.
Ezra 8:23
So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.
How long should we fast?
There’s no formula to determine how long we should fast. In the Bible, there’s a correlation between the extent of a fast and the desperation of the circumstance.
What do I do when I fast?
Not eating is only part of fasting. Fasting is hitting pause on food to feast on the things of God. When you fast, spend more time in prayer, study, and meditation in the Word.
How do I behave when I fast?
Your fast is not for men, so don’t purposely signal that you’re fasting.
Matthew 6:17-18
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.
Fasting, though not to be done for praise from men, is often done in community, and doesn’t have to be done in secret.
Acts 13:3
And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
What are the rules?
The Bible gives direction about attitude and behavior when fasting, but not specific direction about timing and diet. Some fasts in the Bible were total fasts (Esther fasted with no food or water.) It seems evident that fasts lasting for more than three days would be fasting from food, but not from water since we will die after three days of no water. Though spiritual leaders (priests, pastors, etc.) have called people to fasting, it is always a voluntary practice and there are no records of children fasting in the Bible.
What is fasting, technically?
Fasting is abstaining from food and drink. At least, that's the medical definition. Usually, water is consumed during a fast.
What is fasting, spiritually?
Fasting, spiritually speaking, is about putting off food and putting on God. The Hebrew word is צוּם (tsoom) - to abstain from food, to cover over the mouth. The Greek word is νηστεύω (nee - stoo - owe) - to abstain as a religious exercise from food and drink.
What is fasting not?
There are many ideas about fasting, and some of them are good ideas, but they aren't technically a part of a spiritual fast. Here are some examples:
- Fasting is not abstaining from social media, tv, etc.
- Fasting is not about losing weight.
- Fasting is not about improving your health.
- While fasting can be a powerful way to seek the Lord for a particular struggle, we shouldn’t use fasting as a way to tempt God by backing Him into a corner. (We shouldn’t be like a kid holding his breath until his parents comply with his demands.)
- Fasting is not an opportunity to prove to others how spiritual you are.
Matthew 6:16
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.
What are the purposes of fasting?
People fast to draw closer to God.
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.
People fast as a part of repentance and mourning.
Joel 2:12-13
12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye [even] to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
13 And rend 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 kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
People fast when they’re engaged in spiritual warfare.
Matthew 17:21
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
People fast as a way of running to God for desperate and important situations.
Esther 4:3
And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
People fast as an intense extension of intercessory prayer.
2 Samuel 12:16
David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
People fast to discern God’s will.
Acts 10:30
And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing…
People fast to galvanize their faith to God and to themselves.
Esther 4:16
Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
People fast before embarking on a ministry endeavor.
Acts 13:2-3
2 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.
3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid [their] hands on them, they sent [them] away.
People fast to build up spiritual discipline in their life.
Psalm 69:10
When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.
People fast to intentionally weaken their flesh to strengthen their spirit.
Psalm 109:24
My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness.
What prompts a fast?
There aren't any rules, really, for what should prompt a fast in your life. Here are some common prompts:
The Holy Spirit may prompt a fast in your life.
Circumstances, such as a big decision, crisis, or struggle may prompt a fast.
Nehemiah 1:4
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
Brokenness for personal, church-wide, or national sin may prompt a fast.
Daniel 9:3
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes…
A desire for a deeper relationship with God should prompt fasts in our lives.
Exodus 34:28
And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
Brokenness for the weakness of our spiritual lives should prompt fasts.
Ezra 8:23
So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.
How long should we fast?
There’s no formula to determine how long we should fast. In the Bible, there’s a correlation between the extent of a fast and the desperation of the circumstance.
What do I do when I fast?
Not eating is only part of fasting. Fasting is hitting pause on food to feast on the things of God. When you fast, spend more time in prayer, study, and meditation in the Word.
How do I behave when I fast?
Your fast is not for men, so don’t purposely signal that you’re fasting.
Matthew 6:17-18
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.
Fasting, though not to be done for praise from men, is often done in community, and doesn’t have to be done in secret.
Acts 13:3
And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
What are the rules?
The Bible gives direction about attitude and behavior when fasting, but not specific direction about timing and diet. Some fasts in the Bible were total fasts (Esther fasted with no food or water.) It seems evident that fasts lasting for more than three days would be fasting from food, but not from water since we will die after three days of no water. Though spiritual leaders (priests, pastors, etc.) have called people to fasting, it is always a voluntary practice and there are no records of children fasting in the Bible.
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