What is fasting? Why do we do it? How do we do it? What are some Biblical examples of fasting?
Fasting is giving up food or something else for a period of time in order to focus your thought on God. While fasting many will read their Bible, pray, or worship. Fasting is found over 50 times in the Old and New Testament. In Matthew 4:1-2, Jesus went to the wilderness to fast for 40 days. Throughout the Bible fasting and prayer a mentioned together like in Acts 13:3, or Luke 2:37. While we are fasting we are drawing near to Jesus.
There are many things that fasting can do. It can help us hear God better, reveal hidden sin, strength our intimacy with God, teach us to pray correctly, but ultimately it helps build our faith. While we are focusing on God during this time we are changing our hearts relationship with God. We are putting our focus back on God and learn more about who He is. We are opening our ears to hear the gentle whispers that we have muted over the years.
There are many ways to fast not just from food but also from TV/Movies, Social Media, Secular Music, Parties, anything that has split your focus from God. Choosing the "media" in which you fast from is something that you need to prayerfully consider. The length of your fast also depends on you and the what you feel lead to do. Here are a few examples of fasting is the Bible:
One day Fast - Judges 20:26; 1 Samuel 7:6; 2 Samuel 1:12, 3:35; Nehemiah 9:1; Jeremiah 36:6
Three-Day Fast - Esther 4:16; Acts 9:9
Seven-Day Fast - 1 Samuel 31:13 2 Samuel 12:16-23
Fourteen Day Fast - Acts 24:33-34
Twenty one Day Fast - Daniel 10:3-13
Forty Day Fast - Deuteronomy 9:9; 1 King 19:8; Matthew 4:2
Bible Verses about Fasting
Acts 14:23; Daniel 10:3; Esther 4:16; Exodus 34:38; Joel 2:12; Luke 2:37; Luke 4:2-4
Sign up for our Fasting & Prayer click link below
SIGN-UP