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Practice of Fasting
FASTING
Whether this might be your first or your fiftieth experience fasting, the beauty of the experience is that it
is as alive as the roll of the seas. One occurrence of fasting can lead to outcomes unlike any other and
rarely are the experiences, in and of themselves, the same each time. Just as with the waves of the sea, the
view depends on which side of the wave you are on as well as how the sea decides to present itself. Such
is true with fasting and how God and His Spirit want to be perceived.
The first recorded fast goes as far back as Moses when he was lead to fast prior to meeting with God on
Mt. Sinai. As with Moses, biblically speaking, fasting is abstaining from food, drink, sleep or sex.
Fasting allows us to deny something of the flesh to glorify God, enhance the spirit, and go deeper in our
prayer life. It is a way to show God and ourselves our seriousness about our relationship with Him. The
purpose of fasting is to take our eyes off the things of this world and focus on God.
God said, "When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you" (Jeremiah 29:13,14). When a
person is willing to set aside desires of the flesh to focus on the work of praise and prayer, they are
demonstrating that are seeking God with all their heart.
Anyone can fast. Some with health concerns may not be able to fast from food, but everyone can
temporarily give up something in order to focus on God. Eliminating television, for example, for a period
of time can be a meaningful fast. However, the majority of the information contained in this document
will focus on food fasts.
Our Bodies and Food – A Scientific Perspective
First, let’s honor the beauty and glory of fasting and digestion as it relates to our bodies from a
physiological perspective. With our focus on food fasts, let’s consider “going without” food first.
According to www.modernforager.com, the following are just a few examples of what happens when we
fast for 24 hours:
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When fasting, there is an increase in three of the four hormones driving lipolysis (the breakdown
of fat stored in fat cells), indicating a tendency towards fat burning. Somewhere around 12-18
hours of fasting, lipolysis becomes a major energy pathway, producing energy from body fat.
Proteins that protect cells from stress increase.
Inflammatory markers decrease.
Insulin sensitivity improves.
Cancer protection increases,
Markers of heart disease decrease.
General immunity seems to improve.
Brain neurons are protected from stressors, BDNF increases (helps grow brain neurons), and the
brain is better protected from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases.
Fasting after a brain injury lessens the damage of the injury.
Exercise during a fast shows a higher rate of fat burning for fuel.
Learning is enhanced and jet lag may be reduced.
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How great is our God that He, in His infinite wisdom, knows the ins and outs of us so well that He has
given us a way to make our bodies respond to “less” in a “more” way!
Now, let’s consider “going with” food – in essence, digestion, and in particular, the energy and focus that
is required for digestion. Here are some key findings:
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We spend a lot of energy digesting food! The most energy consuming function our bodies
probably ever do is digesting food. Even more than exercise, respiration, circulation, thinking, etc.
(www.drkaslow.com)
We are very distracted by food because digestion begins in the brain! Before our meal, we imagine
how good the food is going to taste. Our eyes and noses get our bodies and minds in the mood for
food, and just the thought of food gets the digestive juices flowing. Our mouths water, and our
stomachs churn at the very thought of what is soon to grace our pallet. Even before the first bite
we think, sniff, and drool our digestion machines into action. Just anticipating eating gets the
intestinal tract ready for the job coming its way. (www.askdrsears.com)
Energy use and distraction can actually take us away from the focus and concentration we need to hear
from God. When we eat, our bodies are not only busy anticipating and breaking down food but we also
often become sleepy and lethargic (just think post-Thanksgiving meal). Even in a crisis when we are
immediately drawn to prayer, a full stomach can keep us from truly focusing on communication with God
– whether giving or receiving of communication. An empty stomach reduces the amount of energy given
to body processing and thus increases our ability to hear from God!
Our History and Fasting – a Biblical Perspective
To understand fasting from a Biblical perspective, it is helpful to learn from our history. How better to do
that than to review the “who”, “how”, “when” and “why” of fasts in the Bible.
Who fasted?
Moses was the first recorded faster in the Bible. In Deuteronomy 9:11-18, we learn he fasted before
meeting the presence of God on Mt. Sinai to learn about the 10 commandments. He also fasted after the
mountain meeting when he found that his people had become impatient and abandoned the precepts set
forth by God while they waited for Moses to return from his meeting with God. By Jesus' time, fasting
had become a very important part of the Jewish life. Based on Luke 18:12, we know that even the
Pharisees fasted twice a week.
As a fast, Daniel, Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego only ate vegetables and drank water (Daniel 1:15).
Daniel also practiced a limited diet for three weeks (Daniel 10:3) and described this event by using the
word "mourned" - a common synonym for fasting. Esther fasted for three days abstaining from both
"food and water" both "day and night" (Esther 4:15-16). The rabbi Ezra and the apostle Paul also went
without food and water for three days (Ezra 10:6-9; Acts 9:9). David is an example of a radical fast when
he went seven days without food (but probably with liquid) as a plea to God to save the life of his child (2
Samuel 12:15-20). The longest fasts we find in the Bible are for forty days: Moses practiced this 3 times
(Deuteronomy 9:9,18; Exodus 34:28), Elijah, once (1 Kings 19:8), and Jesus once as well (Matthew 4:2).
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How did they fast?
Examples of how people fasted can be found in many areas of the Bible including joyful fasting
(Zechariah 8:19), worship and fasting (Act 13:2-3) and even insincere fasting (Zechariah 7:1-6). What
seems to be most clear in the Bible, however, is that we are not to make public our fasting as the Pharisees
did. We are to go about our regular routines and not complain of our hunger or discomfort. Matthew
6:16-18 demonstrates this as Jesus pictures a situation in which Christians are among other people going
about their normal duties and activities. We are specifically told, "When you fast, do not look somber as
the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have
received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will
not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who
sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
We are not to let fasting slow us down or be used as an excuse to under-perform in our daily duties. In
fact, soldiers involved in the activity of warfare sometimes fasted (1 Samuel 14:24) as well as the sailors
on the ship with Paul (Acts 27:33). In those two important and often dangerous professions, an excuse of
fasting was not something they could afford and it is not something we should consider.
When did they fast?
Only one particular day for fasting was commanded in Scripture; the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16).
The fast on the Day of Atonement was a deep mournful time of confessing sin. In addition to the Day of
Atonement (Leviticus 23:32) you can see examples of one day fasts in Judges 20:26; 1 Samuel 14:24; 2
Samuel 1:12; and 2 Samuel 3:35. There were also times when those in authority proclaimed a fast, as was
done by King Saul (1 Samuel 14:24) or Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:3).
There was one segment of time when fasting seemed unnecessary for Christians: when our Lord was here
on earth. According to the Word, during that time Jesus' disciples did not fast. This was questioned by
the religious leaders. "Then the followers of John came to Jesus and said, 'Why do we and the Pharisees
often fast for a certain time, but your followers don't?' Jesus answered, 'The friends of the bridegroom are
not sad while he is with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and
then they will fast.'" (Matthew 9:14-15).
Now that Jesus is no longer physically present with us, there continues to be spiritual struggles, and times
of great concern, and the need to fast. Our Lord knows there will be times when we will desire to fast as a
natural response to a fallen world. The Lord assumes that Christians will fast, "when you fast" (Matthew
6:16) and from several examples in the New Testament we know that fasting did occur. For example, the
Book of Acts records believers fasting before they made important decisions (Acts 13:4; 14:23) and Luke
5:33-35 tells us there is a time to eat and a time to fast.
Why did they fast?
Fasting and prayer are most often linked together (Luke 2:37; 5:33). This is clear also from Joel's call to
the nation of Israel: "Yet even now," says the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting. . ."
(Joel 2:12). Believers in the Great Almighty were told to "to humble oneself before the Lord" (Psalm
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35:13; 1 Kings 21:29; Ezra 8:21). Fasting also occurred in very specific times of need such as when a
person had a very troubled spirit or a very anxious heart. AllaboutGod.com gives good examples of this:
Fasting when mourning someone's death: We see fasting and mourning connected in 1 Samuel 31:13; 1
Chronicles 10:12; 2 Samuel 1:12; and 2 Samuel 3:35. In these situations fasting showed the sorrow that
the people felt over the loss of someone God used in their lives. In fact, the custom of fasting in mourning
was considered normal behavior among the Israelites. That's why the servants of David were so
astonished when David got up and ate following the death of his son: "David's servants said to him, 'Why
are you doing this? When the baby was still alive, you refused to eat and you cried. Now that the baby is
dead, you get up and eat food?!'" (2 Samuel 12:21).
Fasting for repentance and confession: Examples of this are found in Deuteronomy 9:18; 1 Samuel 7:6;
1 Kings 21:27; Ezra 10:6; Jonah 3:5; and Acts 9:3-9. When people wished to demonstrate that they were
serious about repenting from their sin, they fasted.
Fasting during a situation of impending danger; for protection: When Ezra was carrying a large
consignment of gold and silver to the temple in Jerusalem along a route infested with bandits, he records:
"I proclaimed a fast...that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a straight way for
ourselves, our children, and all our goods" (Ezra 8:21,23,31). Other examples of fasting for protection are
found in Jeremiah 36:9 and Esther 4:3.
Fasting for direction: An example of fasting for direction is in 2 Chronicles 20:1-30. Three nations were
coming against Judah to destroy them. King Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, proclaimed a fast for the
whole nation and they asked the Lord what they should do. God heard their prayer and their fast and gave
the people prophetic direction through one of the choir members. Acts 13:2 is another example of
direction being given by God during a fast. Here we find the leaders of the church of Antioch worshipping
and fasting. The Holy Spirit used this occasion to tell the church leaders to choose Paul and Barnabas
from among their group and send them out to spread the gospel among the Gentiles.
Fasting for healing of sickness: There are two examples in Scripture of fasting on behalf of those who
are sick: 2 Samuel 12:15-23; Psalm 35:13. Both of these examples come from the life of David and
include a seven day fast when his child was ill. In Psalm 35:13 David says, "Yet when they were sick, I put
on clothes of sadness and showed my sorrow by going without food."
Fasting for the ordination of missionaries or church leaders: Fasting appears to have been a regular
part of the ordination of church leaders and missionaries as seen in Acts 13, the calling of Paul and
Barnabas for missionary service. Verse 3 tells us that after they received this direction from the Lord, then
they ordained them for missionary service by prayer, fasting and laying their hands upon them. We find
the same thing later on in the book of Acts -- Paul and Barnabas fasted at the selection of the first elders
for the new churches they planted (Acts 14:23).
Fasting for special revelation: Exceptional insights from God were sometimes given to the prophets and
others during periods of fasting. Daniel sought God with fasting to ask God to fulfill His promise to
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restore Jerusalem (see Daniel 9:9,18 and compare with Jeremiah 29:10-13). He received through the angel
Gabriel a wonderful unfolding of God's plan for Israel. Other examples of prophetic revelation during
times of fasting are found in Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:9,18; and Daniel 10:1-3. God decided to
speak to these men while they were in the midst of a fast.
Remember, fasting and praise! We are told to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6). Fasting can
be a wonderful opportunity to break from the normal behaviors we exhibit when we experience
discomfort, to praising Him for the blessing of growing closer to Him.
Insincere fasting: We must never think of fasting as a formula of action to force God's decision or to get
our own way. He already knows our hearts and desires to complete the good work He began in us
(Jeremiah 29:11). God is good (Psalm 119:8) and eager to answer our prayers. He is generous (James
1:5) and eager to give us 'good things' (Matthew 7:11). Because of His love for us, Christian fasting also
isn't some kind of a "work" that's commanded by Christ or required by Scripture. However, trying to use
fasting as a form of manipulation is a familiar story in the Bible.
One group of people in the book of Acts tried to get God on their side by manipulative fasting: "In the
morning some of the Jews made a plan to kill Paul, and they took an oath not to eat or drink anything
until they had killed him. They went to the leading priests and the older Jewish leaders and said, 'We have
taken an oath not to eat or drink until we have killed Paul'" (Acts 23:12,14). But God did not hear their
prayer and their plan did not work
Using fasting in a manipulative way was done by the people in Jeremiah's day as well. God said,
"Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offering, I
will not accept them. I will destroy them with the sword, famine, and plague" (Jeremiah 14:12). Fasting
didn't move God in the direction they had hoped.
The people of Isaiah's day thought that they could fast in disobedience and God would hear them. But
God said, "on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting
ends in quarreling and strife and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high". (Isaiah 58:3b-4). Disobedience to God never leads to Godly
communication.
The “rightness” of fasting
Having reviewed some examples of fasting with wrong motives, in Isaiah 58, we also learn what true
fasting is like.
As Isaiah 58:3-7 tells us, fasting encourages humility, loosens the chains of injustice, unties the chords of
the yoke, frees the oppressed, feeds the hungry, provides for the poor, and clothes the naked. Fasting is
about so much more than one person’s temporary discomfort however, God promises such a wonderful
outcome of our efforts;
"Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your
righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and
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the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am' (Isaiah 58:8-9). Fasting is not just a onetime act of humility and denial before God, whether your fast involves withdrawing from food or another
comfort, fasting is an important part of a lifestyle of servant ministry to others.
Fasting and You - How to get started
The following are some guidelines on how to begin your fast:
1. Reach a personal conviction on the subject through careful Bible study. Get into the Word on your
own or with a friend. See what the Bible really says about fasting. Check the things that have been
said here, read the Scripture references in this article and go deeper into the Word for your own
guidance.
2. If you have a Christian mentor, consider asking her to enter a fast with you especially for fasting due
to concerns and/or healing.
3. Make sure you are medically able to fast before attempting it. God knows and understands your
medical condition and does not expect you to harm your "temple" (1 Corinthians 6:19). There are no
rigid standards about fasting in the Bible that say you must do this or that.
4. Begin with short fasts and gradually move to larger periods of time if you desire. If you've never
fasted before, you need to start slow. Start with a one day fast!
5. Be prepared for some dizziness, headache, and even crankiness in the early going. Most of our bodies
have never gone without food for longer than a few hours.
6. When you feel a hunger pang or find yourself thinking about food, turn that thought into a praise of
your Father for His provisions and His sovereignty.
7. Have a journal with you all the time to record your prayers and guidance you may receive in return.
Even record your dreams during a day or season of fasting. You will find this as wonderful reference
to return to as you remember your time of fasting. Often the “answers” you will receive may not
make sense right away, but upon reflection of your notes at a later date, you can often detect the
footprints and fingerprints of God’s presence during your time with Him of fasting.
8. Remember that fasting is a personal experience. Avoid “bragging rights” of how hungry you may feel
or wearing your experience with an outward appearance for all to see.
9. Break any fast gradually with meals that are light and easy to digest. You will be tempted to overeat
but avoid gorging yourself following a fast. Gorging will leave you with an unpleasant memory of
your time of fasting.
10. Enter with a positive faith that God will reward those who fast with the right motives.
11. Sometime during your fast, mix your fast with prayer, time in Scripture reading, singing (He loves and
encourages singing!), or devotional reading. Remember: fasting is not an end in itself.
12. Keep checking your motives concerning your fasts. Hypocrisy and spiritual pride can easily creep in.
There is a reward for fasting, but only fasting done with the right motives (Matthew 23:28).
13. If you feel you are not experiencing fasting as it should be, search yourself for any hidden (and
unhidden) sin in your life. Ask not only for forgiveness but for a powerful conviction from the Holy
Spirit to change your ways and break the strongholds of that sin. Active sin (as well as reliving sin
from the past) will block your communication with God.
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Biblical References of Fasting
Ezra 8:21-23; 10:6
Nehemiah 1:4
Esther 4:16
Job 33:19,20
Psalm 69:10; 102:4
Isaiah 58:6
Daniel 9:3,20-23; 10:3
Joel 2:15
Exodus 34:28
Deuteronomy 9:9-18
2 Samuel 12:16,17
Matthew 4:2; 6:16; 9:15
Acts 13:3; 14:23
1 Corinthians 7:5
2 Corinthians 11:27,28
Jonah 3:5,10
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