Fasting Guide

Jesus assumed His disciples—then and now—would fast. He said, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do” (Matthew 6:16), and again: “The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15). Fasting is not optional in the Christian life; it is an expected and vital part of our devotion to Him. It is basic Christianity—a spiritual discipline that should be part of every believer’s lifestyle, not just an occasional event.

 

We also live in a critical hour. Through the prophet Joel, God calls His people: “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning” (Joel 2:12). This is not just an individual call but a corporate one: “Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly” (Joel 2:15). By His Spirit, God is speaking the same to the Church today—it is time to fast, to humble ourselves, and to seek Him together.

 

Why? Because our God is an all-consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). Fasting does not create God’s fire; it positions us closer to His consuming fire, allowing us to encounter more of His presence and the things of the Spirit. It also burns away distractions and dullness of the flesh, increasing our spiritual sensitivity and hunger for Him. Fasting intensifies every spiritual discipline—whether prayer, worship, or study of the Word.

 

But let us be clear: fasting does not buy us anything in the Kingdom. Salvation, righteousness, and acceptance before God were fully purchased by Jesus Christ on the Cross. “It is finished” (John 19:30). Fasting adds nothing to the price already paid. Instead, fasting positions us to experience more of what Jesus has already accomplished. It opens our hearts more fully to His presence and to everything that is ours through the finished work of the Cross.

 

Above all, the primary reason we fast is love for Jesus and hunger to know Him more. We fast because we want to be hungrier for Him than for anything else. We set aside food so that our souls cry louder: “Jesus, You are my bread of life, You are my portion, You are enough.” This is not about earning His love—it is about responding to His love with wholehearted devotion.

 

Biblical Purposes of Fasting

 

The Bible shows many reasons God’s people have fasted. Here are some of the main ones:

• To humble ourselves before God (Ezra 8:21; Psalm 35:13).

• Out of longing for more of Jesus (Matthew 9:15).

• To return to Him in repentance (Joel 2:12).

• To seek His guidance and direction (Acts 13:2–3).

• To strengthen prayer and intercession (Nehemiah 1:4; Daniel 9:3).

• To overcome spiritual battles (Matthew 17:21).

• To prepare for ministry and breakthrough (Luke 4:1–14).

• To draw closer to His presence (James 4:8).

 

Even when fasting feels dry or when we feel nothing is happening, God is at work in the unseen: something is taking place in the Spirit.

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The Lord sees every sacrifice: all that we do and all that we avoid doing our of love for Him. Fasting is an investment into the future. Whatever we invest now, we will reap later. If nothing else, we will reap more of His presence—and that is the greatest reward of all.

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Other themes you will learn in the complete Fasting Guide eBook.

• Types of Fasting in the Bible

• The True Fasting in the Bible

• 10 Main Scientific Health Reasons to Water Fast

• How Water-Only Fasting Affects the Body — Short Timeline

• Another alternative to water fast

• Guidelines for Water Fasting

• Why "Juice fast" is a poor choice

• How to Break a Fast Properly

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