What Is Fasting in the Bible?

The people said, “We have fasted before you!”

“Why aren’t you impressed?”

“We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice!”

“I will tell you why!” God said through Isaiah. He went on to describe what they were doing was wrong and explained how they should fast.

What was a mystery for them is a mystery to many still today. So in this video, we will cover the basics and show you how to start fasting for God in a way that works.

Examples of Fasting in the Bible

First, let’s see how the Bible defines fasting. 

Every year on the Day of Atonement, on what is considered to be the holiest day of the year, God instructs His people to “afflict” their souls. In Leviticus 23:26-32, this is mentioned three times.

The same Hebrew word translated as “afflict” in Leviticus 23 is used by David in Psalm 35, where he says:

I humbled myself with fasting (Psalm 35:13).

Or he “afflicted” himself with fasting.

Today, Christians and Jews still fast on this annual Holy Day.

Biblical Fasting Defined

So fasting is a practice of afflicting oneself or, in other words, temporarily denying the body its basic needs. 

It isn’t penance. It isn’t self-inflicted punishment to show God we’re sorry. And it isn’t done to make God feel sorry for us. We don’t fast in an attempt to bargain with or force our will on God.

No, the point of fasting is to humble ourselves.

It reminds us that we are not all-powerful, eternal spirit beings like God. But instead, we are mortal physical human beings who become very weak and powerless quite quickly.

It reminds us that without God, we are nothing. It helps us see that we need Him, that we must look to Him and rely on Him for our strength and salvation.

Fasting is a tool that brings humility and helps us gain the proper perspective in our approach to God and in our individual lives—when we do it correctly.

How to Fast Biblically

So, how then should we fast?

Well, Biblical fasting means abstaining from both food and drink for a period of time.

When Moses met with God on Mount Sinai, he fasted.

He was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water (Exodus 34:28, see also Deuteronomy 9:9).

When Esther was in desperate need of God’s intervention, she and the Jews with her fasted.

Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day” (Esther 4:15-16).

When Jesus was battling Satan’s temptations in the wilderness:

He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry (Matthew 4:2).

That’s certainly an understatement. David reflects on the effects of depriving the body during his fast in Psalm 109, saying:

My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness (Psalm 109:24).

A spiritual fast involves going completely without food and drink, including water, for a specified period of time. 

Staying off social media for one month is not a spiritual fast. Yes, that can be helpful. But that isn’t the biblical definition of fasting. Some want to extend the meaning of fasting to include any abstinence from a personal pleasure, such as watching TV, eating chocolate, or deleting their favorite app. If those things are hurting your relationship with God, then a change should be made. However, this has more to do with avoiding worldliness and putting off the works of the flesh. This type of abstinence is not the same as fasting.

How Long Should You Fast?

Now, how long should you fast?

Well, we’ve already seen that fasting lasted for varying lengths of time depending on the situation. For some, it was 40 days, for some seven days, for others three days, and the Day of Atonement is a one-day fast from sunset to sunset.

So when it comes to fasts outside of the Day of Atonement, fasting for 24 hours is a good place to start. However, some may not be able to fast for this length of time, and some may be able to fast longer. Much depends on your personal situation. But the duration of the fast is not what’s most important.

Spiritual Benefits of Fasting

What is most important is that we use this tool regularly and with the right attitude to achieve the right results.

When Jesus was teaching His disciples on proper fasting, He said:

“When you fast, do not be like the hypocrites” (Matthew 6:16).

Jesus didn’t say, “if you fast” but “when you fast,” indicating that this is a practice to be used regularly by those who walk in His footsteps. Christians need to fast on a regular basis.

He went on to explain that fasting is not done for show. We shouldn’t try to impress others by making it obvious we are fasting. Instead, we should do it privately so that to others it simply appears we’re having a normal day (except maybe your family, who might need to know for practical purposes).

He said:

“When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 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” (Matthew 6:16-18).

In Isaiah 58, God condemns the people of ancient Israel for their superficial show of religion. They fasted, but not for the right reasons. Instead of fasting to humble themselves, seek God’s will, and put off their sinful behavior, they fasted only to appear righteous before God. God wasn’t pleased.

“We have fasted before you!” they say. “Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!”
“I will tell you why!” I respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers. What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the Lord?” (Isaiah 58:3-5, NLT).

God will not be pleased and will not reward our fasting if we aren’t truly seeking humility, His guidance, His power, and His will to be done in our lives. Our fasting will be in vain if we aren’t genuinely trying to put off our carnal nature, which is filled with selfishness, greed, and vanity, and put on the mind and character of Jesus Christ.

God says:

But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word (Isaiah 66:2).

The book of James teaches us that:

God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, submit to God... Draw near to God and He will draw near to you... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (James 4:6-10).

What Is the Purpose of Fasting?

The purpose of fasting is to grow in humility, draw closer to God, and submit to His will in our lives. 

If we aren’t doing it for the right reasons, the fast will be ineffective.

So when we fast, we need to spend the majority of our time in prayer, Bible study, and meditation.

When Daniel was seeking understanding, he “set [his] face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplication, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes” (Daniel 9:3).

Daniel’s example gives us much to learn from.

Not only was his fasting accompanied by long and heartfelt prayer, but in his prayer, he was praising God, acknowledging God’s authority and control. He was confessing his sin and wrongdoings, and he was asking for God’s forgiveness.

Daniel’s prayer in verses 4-19 displays the humble and submissive attitude God is looking for. And because of this, the angel Gabriel was sent to him, telling him that he was “greatly beloved” and his prayers were heard (Daniel 9:23).

What to Do During a Fast

Fasting is a time to devote ourselves to the things of God.

Colossians 3:2 says:

Set your mind on things above, not on the things on the earth.

So when we fast, we want to shift our focus away from the carnal, temporal, and futile things of this material world and set our minds on God’s will, His way of life, His promises, His plan, and our spiritual life.

To do this, we need to fill our minds with His word. That means we need to read and study the Bible while we’re fasting.

We also want to spend time meditating on the truth of the Bible.

God instructed Joshua, saying:

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success (Joshua 1:8).

As we devote our time of fasting to God, we want to fill it with prayer, Bible study, and meditation.

We don’t want to let the things of this world distract us and divert our attention away from God.

We need to guard our minds from Satan, from the carnal society around us, and from the selfish desires of our own human flesh and self-will.

How to Prepare for a Fast

Now, here are some practical tips for fasting.

Since fasting is time devoted to God, it’s generally best to take time off work and avoid doing it on busy days with scheduled activities. Choose a time when you are least busy to really allow yourself to keep a spiritual focus throughout the day.

It’s also wise to prepare your body physically.

Stay hydrated the day before your fast, avoid over-exerting yourself, and don’t eat heavy, salty, or spicy meals right before. These foods will increase your thirst, and your body will cry out for water.

Also, be sure to consider your current state of health and personal circumstances.

If you’re pregnant, elderly, have a medical condition, or never done it before, you may need to adjust how to fast—and for how long—based on what your body can handle.

If you do have health concerns, be sure to talk with a doctor before undertaking any fasts longer than your body is used to.

Summary of Biblical Fasting

Biblical fasting is a powerful spiritual tool God has given us to humble ourselves, to draw near to Him, and to seek His will in our lives. Throughout Scripture, we see that when God’s people humbled themselves through fasting, He responded. He gave understanding. He gave direction. He gave strength. And He gave deliverance.

But in conjunction with fasting, we must know how to meditate the right way. When people think of meditating, they often think they need to empty their mind, but that is extremely dangerous. Watch this video to learn how to practice biblical meditation. It will give you three simple keys to meditate correctly and will bring spiritual results.