Maybe you've felt a tug. You keep running into the word "fasting," in your Bible reading, in a sermon, in a friend's story. And you wonder if God is inviting you into it.
Or maybe fasting sounds like something for super-Christians. Hungry, grumpy, and trying hard to impress God.
It's simpler than that. And it's better.
What is Christian fasting?
Fasting is choosing to go without food, or something else you'd normally reach for, for a set time, so you can seek God. You set something down to make room for Him.
It isn't a diet. And it isn't a hunger strike to get God's attention. You already have His attention. In the Bible, fasting is a way of humbling yourself before the Lord. David wrote, "I humbled myself with fasting" (Psalm 35:13). Ezra called a fast "that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones" (Ezra 8:21).
Jesus said "when," not "if"
Jesus talked about fasting the same way He talked about giving and prayer. He assumed His followers would do it.
"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, 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)
Notice the word. When. Jesus also said the days would come when He, the bridegroom, would be taken away from His friends, "and then they will fast" (Matthew 9:15).
And He did it Himself. Before His ministry began, Jesus "was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness," and He "fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry" (Matthew 4:1–2). When the devil tempted Him to turn stones into bread, Jesus answered, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).
That's what fasting teaches you. There's a hunger deeper than your stomach.
The early church fasted
The first Christians fasted when they needed to hear from God. In Antioch, "as they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, 'Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them'" (Acts 13:2). Then they fasted and prayed again before sending them out (Acts 13:3).
When Paul and Barnabas appointed leaders in new churches, they "prayed with fasting" and "commended them to the Lord" (Acts 14:23). Big decisions. Empty plates. Open ears.
What fasting is for (and what it isn't)
Here's where people get tripped up. Fasting doesn't earn anything or twist God's arm.
In Isaiah's day, people complained, "Why have we fasted, and You have not seen?" (Isaiah 58:3). God's answer was honest. They were skipping meals while mistreating their workers and fighting with each other (Isaiah 58:3–4). Then He described the fast He actually wants:
"Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out..." (Isaiah 58:6–7)
And then the promise: "Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am'" (Isaiah 58:9).
The fast God chooses turns you toward Him and toward your neighbor. So a fast pairs well with serving. Our serve teams and Laundry Love are good places to start.
God says it again through the prophet Joel: "Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. So rend your heart, and not your garments" (Joel 2:12–13). And He tells you why you can come: "For He is gracious and merciful" (Joel 2:13).
You don't fast to get God to love you. You fast because He already does, and you want more of Him.
Fasting goes with prayer
Going without food and not praying is just being hungry. In Scripture, fasting and prayer travel together.
When the hunger hits, let it remind you to pray. Every pang is a little bell. Spend your mealtime with Jesus. Read a Psalm. Worship. Tell Him what you're asking for. If you want help getting started, read how to pray with purpose.
Kinds of fasts
- A single meal. Skip lunch and pray instead. This is a great place to begin.
- A full day. Go from dinner to dinner, or sunup to sundown, with water only.
- A Daniel fast. Daniel asked for "vegetables to eat and water to drink" (Daniel 1:12). Later, for three full weeks while he sought God, he "ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth" (Daniel 10:2–3).
- A media fast. Set down social media, streaming, or your phone for a set time. Paul said it plainly: "I will not be brought under the power of any" (1 Corinthians 6:12). Sometimes the thing that has a grip on you isn't food.
How to start
- Start small. One meal is a real fast. You don't have to begin with forty days.
- Drink water. Lots of it.
- Have a plan for the time. Know what you'll read and pray about. Our Bible reading plan can help.
- Keep it quiet. Jesus said to fast for your Father who sees in secret. Tell your spouse or roommate so dinner isn't awkward. No need to post about it.
- Break it gently. After a longer fast, start with something light and small.
- Give yourself grace. If you get cranky or cave early, that's not failure. It shows you how much you need Jesus, which is the lesson anyway.
Take care of your body
God isn't asking you to hurt yourself. If you're pregnant or nursing, diabetic, have a history of eating disorders, take medication, or have any health condition, talk to your doctor before you fast from food. You can still fast from something other than food, like media or coffee, and give that time to God.
Questions people ask
How long should I fast?
There's no required length. Ask the Lord, and start with what you can do. One meal with your whole heart is better than three miserable days.
Can I fast for something specific?
Yes. People in the Bible fasted for direction, for protection, for leaders, and for repentance. Bring Him your request. Just hold it with open hands. The goal is Jesus, not a result.
Is fasting only for Lent?
No. Many Christians fast during Lent, but you can fast any time the Holy Spirit stirs you.
If God is drawing you to fast, you don't have to do it alone. Come worship with us any Sunday at 10am at 3102 Prairie Rd in Madison. Plan your visit here. Or tell us what you're seeking God for, and our pastors will pray with you.