PRAYER AND FASTING

Prayer and fasting is defined as voluntarily going without food in order to focus on prayer and fellowship with God. These two activities are combined and dedicated to God’s glory that they reach their full effectiveness. Having a dedicated time of prayer and fasting is not a way of manipulating God into doing what you desire. Rather, it is simply forcing yourself to focus and rely on God for the strength, provision, and wisdom you need.

Far too often, though, the focus of prayer and fasting is on abstaining from food. Instead, the purpose of Christian fasting should be to take our eyes off the things of this world and focus our thoughts on God.

Fasting should always be limited to a set time because not eating for extended periods can be damaging to the body. By taking our eyes off the things of this world through prayer and biblical fasting, we can focus better on Christ. Matthew 6:16-18

Spending time in prayer and fasting is not automatically effective in accomplishing the desires of those who fast. Fasting or no fasting, God only promises to answer our prayers when we ask according to His will. 1 John 5:14-15

In the prophet Isaiah’s time, the people grumbled that they had fasted, yet God did not answer in the way they wanted (Isaiah 58:3-4). Isaiah responded by proclaiming that the external show of fasting and prayer, without the proper heart attitude, was futile (Isaiah 58:5-9).

How can you know if you are praying and fasting according to God’s will? Are you praying and fasting for things that honor and glorify God? Does the Bible clearly reveal that it is God’s will for you?

If we are asking for something that is not honoring to God or not God’s will for our lives, God will not give what we ask for, whether we fast or not. How can we know God’s will? God promises to give us wisdom when we ask. James 1:5 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

TYPES OF BIBLICAL FASTING

 

ABSTAINING FROM FOOD AND WATER – Esther 4:16

ABSTAINING FROM FOOD – Matthew 4:2

ABSTAINING FROM NON FOOD – Daniel 10:3, Daniel 9:3, 1 Corinthians 7:5

*Abstaining from non-food can include phones, video games, social media, TV, music, books, activities, etc.  Anything that can take our attention and focus away from the Lord. 

 

Remember that it is the attitude of a heart sincerely seeking Him to which God responds with a blessing. May God greatly bless you as you fast!

LENGTH OF FAST

 
Partial day fast – Judges 20: 26 “then all the Israelites went up to bethel and wept in the presence of the Lord and fasted until evening they also brought burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord”
 
1 day fast – II Samuel 1:12 “they mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan and for the Lord’s army and the nation of Israel because they had died by the sword that day”
 
3 day fast – Esther 4:16 “go and gather all the Jews of Susa and fast for me do not eat or drink for three days night or day”
 
7 day fast –  I Samuel 31:13  “then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Bish and they fasted seven days”
 
10 day fast – Daniel 1:11-14 “Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.” 
 
14 day fast – Acts 27:33-34 “When it was about daylight, Paul urged them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been waiting and going without food, having eaten nothing. So I urge you to take some food. For this is for your survival, since none of you will lose a hair from your head.” 
 
21 day fast – Daniel 10:3 “I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.” 
 
Supernaturally Sustained 40 day No Food fast – Matthew 4:2 “After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.”
 

Supernaturally Sustained 40 Day No Food or Water fast – Exodus 34:28 “So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.”

*Please note that 40 Day fasts are intense fasts and you should consider consulting a doctor before beginning.

THE MODEL PRAYER

“Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name” — The prayer principles of adoration (praise for who God is) and thanksgiving (praise for what He has done).

“Your kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” — The principle of affirmation, that is, agreeing with God’s will and submitting to it.

“Give us this day our daily bread” — The principle of supplication, in which we make requests both for ourselves (petition) and for others (intercession).

“And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors” — The principle of confession in view of our need for forgiveness of sins.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” — The necessity of renewal as we face the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

“For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever” — A closing prayer that honors the Lord and completes our thoughts.