Fasting Guide

 

What is Biblical Fasting?

Biblical fasting is the spiritual discipline of intentionally setting aside physical appetites to increase your hunger for God it is the practice of replacing what normally sustains or entertains us with focus time in God’s word and prayer when we fast we acknowledge that God alone there are ultimate source of life strength and provision.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6

Fasting creates space for God to move powerfully in your life by bringing your mind body and spirit into complete alignment with his purposes it is not about depriving ourselves but about redirecting our desires toward the only One who truly satisfies.

Why We Fast

Fasting is a declaration that God alone sustains us.  Just as prayer and Bible reading are essential to spiritual growth, fasting is a vital discipline that accelerates our spiritual development.  It recalibrates our entire being—body, mind and soul—back to God as our center.

Personal Benefits:

Draws us closer to God and intimate, personal revival

Sharpens our spiritual sensitivity and discernment

Breaks unhealthy patterns and dependencies

Deepens our prayer life and focus

Corporate Benefits:

When believers fast together, it creates spiritual momentum

Corporate fasting prepares the way for national and spiritual revival

United fasting amplifies our prayers for breakthrough and healing

Biblical Foundations for Fasting

Scripture is filled with examples of God’s people fasting for different purposes:

To Seek God’s Guidance

“Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the Lord. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord.” Judges 20:26

When facing critical decisions or unclear paths fasting helps us tune out distractions and hear God’s voice more clearly.

To Strengthen Prayer

“So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.” Ezra 8:23

Fasting amplifies the power and focus of our prayers, creating spiritual intensity that moves heaven.

To Repent and Return to God

“When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, ‘We have sinned against the Lord.’  Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah.” 1 Samuel 7:6

Fasting accompanies genuine repentance, demonstrating the seriousness of our desire to turn from sin and return to God.

To Humble Ourselves Before God

“When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: ‘Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.'” — 1 Kings 21:27-29

Fasting is an act of humility that acknowledges our complete dependence on God’s mercy and grace.

To Express Deep Grief

“Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.” — 1 Samuel 31:13

In times of profound sorrow or loss, fasting gives expression to grief that words cannot capture.

To Intercede for Others’ Needs

They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”  When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Nehemiah 1:3-4

To Seek God’s Protection

“Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.  The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.” 2 Chronicles 20:3-4

When facing threats or danger, fasting demonstrates our trust in God as our ultimate defender and refuge.

To Overcome Temptation

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:1-4

Fasting strengthens us spiritually to resist temptation and stand firm in spiritual warfare.

To Express Love and Devotion

“There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.  She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” Luke 2:36-37

Fasting can be a beautiful expression of wholehearted devotion and love for God.

To Maintain Right Relationship with God

“‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ Yet 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. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?’” Isaiah 58:3-7

True fasting must be accompanied by righteous living, justice, and compassion. God is not impressed by religious ritual divorced from genuine transformation.

How to Fast: Practical Approaches

Before beginning your fast, prayerfully consider your personal health and spiritual needs. Ask God to guide you in choosing the approach that will best draw you closer to Him.

Types of Fasts

Full Fast (Liquids Only) Abstain from all solid food for the duration of your fast. Drink water and juice to stay hydrated. This type of fast requires significant physical and spiritual preparation.

Daniel Fast Based on Daniel’s example in the Bible, abstain from meat, sweets, and bread. Drink water and juice; eat only fruits and vegetables. This approach is sustainable for longer fasting periods.

Partial Fast Abstain from specific categories of food or drink, such as sweets, restaurant meals, snacks, alcohol, or caffeinated beverages. This allows flexibility while still creating space for spiritual focus.

Non-Food Fast (Media/Activity Fast) Choose something you routinely do for relaxation, entertainment, or pleasure and replace that time with seeking the Lord. Consider fasting from:

  • Social media and internet browsing
  • Television and streaming services
  • Video games
  • Shopping
  • Excessive work or busyness

This type of fast can be particularly powerful in our media-saturated culture.

Preparing for Your Fast

Physical Preparation

When fasting from food, prepare your body wisely:

  • Hydrate well: Drink plenty of water in the days leading up to and throughout your fast
  • Consult a doctor: If you have any health conditions, medical concerns, or take regular medications, speak with a healthcare professional before fasting
  • Ease in gradually: Consider reducing portion sizes and avoiding heavy foods in the days before your fast begins

Spiritual Preparation

To maximize the spiritual benefits of fasting:

Create a Prayer Schedule

  • Set aside dedicated time (15-60 minutes) once or multiple times daily for prayer and scripture reading
  • Guard these appointments as sacred—don’t let anything interfere

Choose Your Prayer Space

  • Find a quiet location where you won’t be interrupted
  • This could be a room in your home, a spot outdoors, or a church sanctuary

Select Your Scriptures

  • Choose specific passages to meditate on and pray through during your fast
  • Write them out or bookmark them for easy reference

Keep a Fasting Journal

  • Record prayers, insights, breakthroughs, and experiences
  • Document what God reveals to you during this time
  • Note any struggles or victories
  • This journal becomes a testimony of God’s faithfulness

Breaking Your Fast

Physical Reentry

If you’ve fasted from most or all food, reintroduce your normal diet with wisdom:

  • Start slowly: Break your fast with light, easily digestible foods
  • Avoid heavy meals: Don’t shock your digestive system with large portions or rich foods for 24-48 hours
  • Continue hydrating: Keep drinking plenty of water as you return to normal eating
  • Listen to your body: Pay attention to how different foods make you feel as you reintroduce them

Spiritual Reflection

Don’t rush past this crucial phase:

  • Review your journal: Read through what God revealed during your fast
  • Give thanks: Praise God for His faithfulness and what He accomplished
  • Share testimonies: Tell trusted friends and family about breakthroughs and insights
  • Apply what you learned: Don’t let the spiritual momentum end with the fast—implement the changes God has called you to make

Final Encouragement

God’s love for you is already complete and unconditional. Fasting positions us to receive what God already desires to give: deeper intimacy with Him, spiritual breakthrough and the transformation of our hearts and our nation.

As you fast on Repentance Day, trust that God sees your sacrifice, honors your hunger for Him, and that He will move powerfully in response to your seeking heart.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13