Fasting and Prayer
- Leann Williams
- Apr 4
- 5 min read
Please take a moment to pray for the reading of this blog, as I have prayed for the writing of it to touch hearts, minds and souls. Amen.
Our pastor has been going through some sermons on the instructions Jesus gave to his disciples as he walked here on earth with them. One of those was about fasting and how it can enhance your prayer life if done properly. Many believe fasting to be an old-fashioned or outdated practice that doesn't really have a place in current religious practices. Many more think it is only for the "ultra-religious" or the zealots. On the contrary, fasting can focus in the mind of anyone who needs to get clarity on any issue, religious or otherwise, and make your prayer life become a more intimate relationship with God, which should be the goal of any Christian.
I once undertook a fast in order to make a very important decision about a job change that would dramatically change our family. I decided to have only water and juice during the day for a week and eat just at the evening meal in order to clear my mind and laser-sight my thoughts about the issue at hand. Unfortunately, I failed to consult my doctor before undergoing this fast and ended up bringing on my first-ever case of pancreatitis. But, before the sickness, I was able to get two days of clarity of thought. With the prayer and supplication, I was able to discern God's plan and know what He wanted for our family. I needed that clarity and feeling of gnawing need in my stomach to match the gnawing need in my heart for the truth of the Lord. I was an open vessel ready to be filled. That is where fasting takes you. A brief outline of our pastor's ideas and some examples from scripture are contained below.
So, let's get to those details Jesus gave to His followers. If those instructions were important enough for Him to encourage his disciples, as in John 14:15 “If you love me keep my commandments,” to follow and for those to be recorded for posterity, then they are important enough for us to continue to do them today. Fasting is not a popular or oft-preached upon topic. Pastors touch upon tithing and praying and spreading the Gospel, but rarely do they spend sermon time talking about a fast.
Matthew 6:16–18 says “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Fasting is mentioned four times and the Hebrew word “nesteuo” is translated to mean to abstain from food for religious purposes. Dr. Ronnie Floyd says that “Fasting is abstinence from food with a spiritual goal in mind. It is when you abstain from one of the most natural things your body desires, food, so you can pursue the God of Heaven to do something supernatural in your life.” We have a natural joy and pleasure of food and abstaining from it is unnatural to our body and causes a pain of need in its absence. We all fast naturally every day. We have a last meal at night and then sleep. The breakfast meal is call “break — fast” because you are breaking your fast. Outside of that, most people do not understand the proper use and purpose of Biblical fasting in their lives. Joel 1:15–16 says “Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the almighty. Is not the food cut off before our eyes, Joy and gladness from the house of the God?” So, fasting is a serious issue that is to undertaken when serious needs arise.
Here are some times when fasting, along with your prayer and devotion, could be helpful: when you are heavily burdened, in desperation, in preparation, have a great need, have a big decision, or in need of God’s power or anointing. Remember that prayer and fasting are always intricately linked. Fasting without prayer is lost, and will be wasted. John MacArthur says “In every scriptural account genuine fasting is linked with prayer. You can pray without fasting, but you cannot fast Biblically without praying. Fasting is an affirmation of intense prayer, a corollary of deep spiritual struggle before God. It is never an isolated act or a ceremony or ritual that has some inherent efficacy or merit. It has no value at all — in fast becomes a Spiritual hindrance and a sin — when done for any reason apart from knowing and following the Lord’s will.” That gnawing that comes from your empty stomach as it tells you that you hunger can clarify your thinking and spur you to read Bible verses and satiate your Spiritual hunger. The hour you would have spent buying or preparing food at your workplace, you can now spend with a closed door reading and devouring the Word of God and getting into a better relationship with your Savior.
Here are some spiritual illustrations of fasting from the Bible:
Moses (Exodus 34:28)
Ahab (1 Kings 21:27)
Ezra (Ezra 8:21–23)
Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:4)
Nation (Exodus 4:3,16)
David (Psalm 35:13)
Daniel (Daniel 9:3)
Ninevah (Jonah 3:5)
Jesus (Matthew 4:2)
Widow (Luke 2:37)
Married Couples (1 Corinthians 7:5)
Many people fast from different ideas for different holidays. Often it is heard couples fast from relations, or people fast from social media for lent. Sometimes a person will fast from sugar or other restricted foods for a time. This is a different type of fast, restricting food and taking only water or juice. Also, it is a private matter and the Bible instructs people to keep it a private matter. Just as those decisions that need to be made are private, so is the practice of fasting. As a practical matter, of course check with your doctor to make sure you are healthy enough to fast. But, make sure that God has called you to fast on a specific topic. Determine the length of the fast — will you fast two days out of the week? for a weekend? It is crucial that you know the purpose of the fast and when the purpose has an answer then the fast is over. Keep a journal and record your thoughts, prayers and confessions. Identify, confess and repent before, during and after your fast. Also, consider others in your fast — don’t do this during holidays or family vacations. Let your loved ones know what you are planning and get their support.
God promises that fasting will give the Christian a brighter witness, divine protection, healing, answered prayer, more generosity, and can set you free from oppression — all if done correctly. Read Isaiah 58 to hear His promises. See below for a guide and step by step instructions on how to get started on a fast, as well as an online journal.
7 Basic Steps to Successful Fasting and Prayer:
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