Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Introduction
In an age of abundance and instant gratification, the ancient spiritual discipline of fasting stands as a countercultural witness to deeper realities. Fasting—the voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes—has been practiced by God’s people throughout history, yet it remains one of the most neglected spiritual disciplines in today’s church. This essay explores the biblical foundations of fasting, its proper purposes, and its vital relevance for believers today.
It should be noted at the outset that the fasting discussed in this essay is fundamentally distinct from the popular intermittent fasting diets that have emerged in recent years. While modern fasting regimens focus primarily on health optimization and weight management, biblical fasting is oriented toward spiritual communion with God, repentance, humility, and the cultivation of dependence upon Him. The former is concerned with physical well-being and when we eat; the latter is concerned with spiritual growth and why we deny ourselves. Though both involve abstinence from food, their purposes, motivations, and ultimate goals are very different.
The Biblical Foundation of Fasting
Fasting in the Old Testament
The practice of fasting is woven throughout the fabric of Old Testament spirituality. The Law of Moses commanded Israel to fast annually on the Day of Atonement: “This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all” (Leviticus 16:29). This “afflicting of souls” traditionally included fasting as a day of national humiliation and repentance.
Beyond this mandatory fast, Scripture records numerous instances of voluntary fasting. David fasted upon hearing of Saul and Jonathan’s deaths (2 Samuel 1:12). Nehemiah fasted and mourned when he learned Jerusalem still lay in ruins: “So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 1:4). The prophet Joel called God’s people to corporate fasting: “Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning” (Joel 2:12).
In each case, fasting accompanied prayer, repentance, mourning, or urgent seeking of God’s intervention. It was never merely a physical exercise but always a spiritual act of drawing near to God.
Jesus’ Teaching on Fasting
The continuity of fasting into the New Covenant is established by Jesus Himself. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus provided explicit instruction on how His disciples should fast: “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 that Jesus said “when you fast,” not “if you fast.” He assumed His followers would continue this practice, though with proper motives. Jesus Himself fasted forty days in the wilderness before beginning His ministry (Matthew 4:2), modeling the discipline for His disciples.
When questioned about why His disciples didn’t fast while He was with them, Jesus responded: “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15). This prophecy pointed to the present age—the time between Christ’s ascension and return—as a season appropriate for fasting.
Fasting in the Early Church
The book of Acts demonstrates that the early church embraced fasting as a regular practice. Before sending out Barnabas and Saul as missionaries, the church at Antioch engaged in worship, fasting, and prayer: “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.’ Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13:2-3).
Likewise, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in the churches “with prayer and fasting” (Acts 14:23). This pattern reveals that fasting was a normative part of early Christian spirituality, particularly during times of significant decision-making and consecration to God’s purposes.
The Proper Purposes of Fasting
Humility and Repentance
At its core, fasting is an act of self-denial that cultivates humility before God. When we voluntarily deprive ourselves of physical sustenance, we acknowledge our dependence upon God for all things. Fasting deflates our pride and self-sufficiency, reminding us of our frailty and need for divine grace.
The Scriptures closely associate fasting with repentance. The physical act of denying oneself food mirrors the spiritual act of denying oneself sin. As the psalmist declared, “I humbled myself with fasting” (Psalm 35:13). This self-imposed humiliation serves as a tangible expression of contrition and a turning away from sin toward God.
Proverbs teaches that “the fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor” (Proverbs 15:33). Fasting is one practical means by which we cultivate that humility, positioning ourselves to receive God’s instruction and, ultimately, His honor.
Spiritual Clarity and Focus
Fasting helps to quiet the persistent demands of our physical appetites, allowing us to focus more intently on spiritual realities. When we withdraw from the normal rhythms of eating, we create space for heightened attention to prayer, Scripture, and communion with God.
This discipline has a way of drawing us out of our comfort zones built on self-reliance and earthly securities. As we physically weaken through fasting, we become more acutely aware of our spiritual weakness and dependence upon God. Paradoxically, it is in this weakness that we discover true spiritual strength. As Paul testified, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
Enhanced Prayer
Throughout Scripture, fasting is frequently paired with prayer. The combination creates a powerful synergy, as prayers offered in a spirit of humility and self-denial seem to carry particular weight before the throne of God.
Nehemiah’s example is instructive. Upon learning that Jerusalem remained in ruins, he “sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 1:4). His petition was ultimately granted, and he was instrumental in rebuilding the city walls. While fasting doesn’t manipulate God or earn His favor, it does align our hearts with His purposes and demonstrates the seriousness of our seeking.
Mourning and Grief
Scripture also presents fasting as an appropriate response to grief, loss, and distress. When David heard of Saul and Jonathan’s deaths, “they mourned and wept and fasted until evening” (2 Samuel 1:12). Fasting provides a means of processing sorrow by turning our attention toward God and eternal realities rather than being overwhelmed by temporal loss.
During seasons of mourning, the physical discipline of fasting can serve as a comfort, helping us maintain spiritual perspective and drawing us into closer communion with the God of all comfort. It acknowledges that our deepest needs cannot be met by physical sustenance but only by the presence and promises of God.
Historical Neglect and Modern Distortions
The Reformation’s Rejection
For approximately five centuries, fasting has often been neglected or marginalized in many Protestant traditions. This trend traces back to the Reformation, when leaders like Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli rightly rejected the Roman Catholic view of fasting as a meritorious work for earning salvation or reducing time in purgatory.
Rather than abandoning fasting entirely, the Reformers redefined it as a voluntary, non-meritorious discipline to support prayer, repentance, and self-control, free from superstition or legalism. They distinguished biblical fasting from medieval distortions while affirming its place in the Christian life under grace.
Ongoing Decline in Practice
In the centuries following, fasting gradually declined in many Reformed, evangelical, and Free Church contexts due to concerns over legalism, cultural abundance, and efforts to emphasize Christian liberty over ritual. While some traditions like Anglicanism and Methodism retained communal fasting practices, it became sporadic or rare in others, leaving much of Protestantism without regular teaching on this biblical discipline.
Contemporary Distortions
In recent decades, some interest in fasting has resurged, but often for the wrong reasons. Many modern approaches focus on health benefits, detoxification, mental clarity, or emotional experiences rather than spiritual purposes. These consumer-oriented motivations reduce fasting to another self-improvement technique, missing its essence entirely.
True biblical fasting is not about optimizing our bodies or inducing mystical experiences. It is about sacrifice, denial, and the crucifixion of pride. It is a means of sanctifying grace given by God to His church for the purpose of spiritual growth and deeper communion with Him.
Warnings About Misuse
Scripture provides several cautions about improper fasting that remain relevant today.
Seeking Recognition
Jesus warned against fasting to be seen by others: “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” (Matthew 6:16). Fasting must remain a private discipline between ourselves and God, not a display of piety to gain human approval.
Manipulating God
Fasting is not a tool for manipulating God into granting our desires. Isaiah rebuked Israel for fasting while continuing in injustice: “In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exploit all your laborers. Indeed you fast for strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, to make your voice heard on high” (Isaiah 58:3-4). The children of Israel were engaging in hypocritical rituals, outwardly humbling themselves with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes while inwardly pursuing selfish gain—they oppressed their workers through harsh labor and unpaid wages, quarreled bitterly among themselves, and resorted to violence against the vulnerable, all while expecting God to reward their empty performances with deliverance or prosperity. God desires genuine repentance and righteousness, not empty rituals designed to obligate Him to bless us.
Substitute for True Repentance
Fasting must never become a substitute for genuine heart change or a form of self-atonement for sin. Joel called the people to “rend your heart, and not your garments” (Joel 2:13), emphasizing that outward acts mean nothing without inward transformation. Christ alone atones for sin; fasting is simply a means by which we humble ourselves before Him and grow in grace.
Practical Application for Today
Following Jesus’ instruction, fasting should generally be practiced as a private discipline. We fast not to impress others but to meet with our Father in secret. The duration and frequency of fasting may vary—from skipping a single meal to extended fasts of several days—but the heart attitude matters most.
Corporate Occasions
While typically private, there may be occasions when corporate fasting is appropriate. The early church fasted together before making important decisions or commissioning workers. Churches today might consider seasons of prayer and fasting before calling a pastor, launching a mission initiative, or seeking God’s direction during crisis.
Joyful Sacrifice
Biblical self-denial involves denying ourselves a lesser good for a greater one. We fast not out of grim duty or self-pity, but out of desire for deeper joy in God. We willingly set aside temporal satisfaction to gain eternal treasure. Our fasting should flow from love and longing for God, not legalistic obligation.
Integration with Prayer and Scripture
Fasting can also be fruitful when combined with prayer and meditation on God's Word. As the physical act of fasting humbles us and heightens our spiritual awareness, it naturally creates opportunity for deeper communion with God through prayer and Scripture. The discipline itself draws us away from physical preoccupations toward spiritual realities.
Conclusion
The neglect of fasting in many Protestant traditions has fostered greater self-reliance in today's church. Without this discipline, we more easily fall into patterns of pride and preoccupation with temporal concerns. By recovering the biblical practice of fasting, we position ourselves to experience deeper sanctification, more powerful prayer, and more intimate communion with our heavenly Father.
As Jesus promised, “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:18). The reward is not health, success, or mystical experiences, but something infinitely better—the presence of God Himself, the joy of knowing Him more fully, and the transformation of our souls into the likeness of Christ.
May we embrace this ancient practice for our modern lives, discovering afresh that when we are weak, we are truly strong, and that in denying ourselves lesser goods, we gain the greatest good of all—deeper fellowship with the living God.
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