Prayer and Fasting – What the Bible Says

The Old Testament law specifically required prayer and fasting for only one occasion, which was the Day of Atonement. This custom became known as “the day of fasting” (Jeremiah 36:6) or “the Fast” (Acts 27:9). Moses fasted during the 40 days and 40 nights he was on Mount Sinai receiving the law from God (Exodus 34:28). King Jehoshaphat called for a fast in all Israel when they were about to be attacked by the Moabites and Ammonites (2 Chronicles 20:3). In response to Jonah’s preaching, the men of Nineveh fasted and put on sackcloth (Jonah 3:5). Prayer and fasting was often done in times of distress or trouble. David fasted when he learned that Saul and Jonathan had been killed (2 Samuel 1:12). Nehemiah had a time of prayer and fasting upon learning that Jerusalem was still in ruins (Nehemiah 1:4). Darius, the king of Persia, fasted all night after he was forced to put Daniel in the den of lions (Daniel 6:18).

Prayer and fasting also occurs in the New Testament. Anna “worshipped night and day, fasting and praying” at the Temple (Luke 2:37). John the Baptist taught his disciples to fast (Mark 2:18). Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights before His temptation by Satan (Matthew 4:2). The church of Antioch fasted (Acts 13:2) and sent Paul and Barnabas off on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:3). Paul and Barnabas spent time in prayer and fasting for the appointment of elders in the churches (Acts 14:23) The Word of God does not specifically command believers to spend time in prayer and fasting. At the same time, prayer and fasting is definitely something we should be doing. 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 for a longing for Him.

Fasting should always be limited to a set time because not eating for extended periods can be damaging to the body.

Fasting is not a method of punishing our bodies and it is not be used as a “dieting method” either. We are not to spend time in prayer and fasting in order to lose weight, but rather to gain a deeper fellowship with God.

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 declares, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Prayer and Fasting

What does it accomplish?

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 tells us, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him.” 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). The same way in Zechariah chapter 7 The Lord says

“Obedience is better than fasting”. Many times we are fasting when God has already made a decree in His word upon things that are indisputable. King David a man after God’s own heart fasted and prayed while his first child from his sinful act of adulatory and murder was still alive in hope that God would avert His judgment.  However in the entire period of him seeking God’s face in repentance he found out some things with God is irreversible and must be placed on God’s sovereignty in judging them according to His righteousness. This hard lesson learned by King David was another means through which he learned to develop a heart after God.

His fasting and prayer was not able to twist the arm of the Lord to bend His mighty hands from performing His divine justice, even on behalf of His most favorable of men.

Justice had to be served The Lord’s way.

Jesus Christ Himself fasted and spoke many things about fasting, but when He was approached by the religious about fasting He completely changed their conception of this act from an earthly and religious act to a spiritual and heavenly virtue.

Earthly religious mindset sees fasting as a means to earn the favor of God, where in opposite it can further displease Him if it is done with the wrong perspective.

We too just like the Pharisees think that we could escape God’s disapproval of our lives, by merely do acts of religious so called piety.

In Mark chapter 2 a very serious lesson is taught by the Lord in regards to fasting. Mark 2:12-18 is a lesson in response to the false teachings of Pharisees in regards to fasting. Although Jesus in other places has spoken about the benefits of spiritually lead fasting, here He completely introduces the greatest lesson on fasting ever thought by anyone in Judaism.

Jesus here speaks of the relationship of the bride and the Bridegroom. A supernatural longing in the heart of the new Covenant Church having to do with bridal affections and not a religious act. Jesus here clarifies unless this act is done with spiritual motives of bridal affections it is not considered New Covenant fasting. In another words it must be done by the bride in pursuit of pure bridal passionate love.

This is why He brought the two examples of the garment and the wine. He established this fast in the New Testament, that fasting under the New Covenant is just to seek His face unto fellowship and obedience.

This brought the understanding of His new covenant relationship with His own chosen bridegroom. This also proved the New Covenant fasting would be not a religious ritual, but the fruit of a passionate longing on behalf of the new covenant bride during the time of His physical absence from them.

This also gave way to the understanding of a higher demand called love. The religious of Jesus’s time did not know what to do with Him and His teaching. It created a true problem for them called

“The Jesus problem”.

As He said in Matthew 11:18 & 19  “John the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking and they  said he has a demon and the Son of Man came eating and drinking and they say look a glutton and a winebibber a friend of the  tax collectors and sinners, but wisdom is justified  by Her own children.”

These comments were thrown at Him since the religious mindset could not contain the new wine of His joyous celebration of the finished work of the cross. The meaning of grace and righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit had no meaning to them.

They observed the law as means of justification and not as a product of their trust in the finished work of the cross.

Although the New Covenant teaches us that the Lord fasted in many occasions, but we see the motives were all pure divine and nothing selfish was in them. It was always in longing to hear the Father in performing His will and to further His kingdom on earth.

Even when he subjected to His disciples to fast and pray it was still to further the Father’s kingdom purposes and not for their own religious piety. Apostle Paul too, often fasted, yet in them all his obedience to the Lord’s will surpassed any and all his own will.

The fasting can be regarded as a spiritual discipline when it is done by leading of the Lord’s revealed will for a person or a corporate body only when it is obeyed in response to a clear call from Him.

Fasting in the New Covenant is a clear indication of longing to hear Him in His command to obey His will.

If you fast according to God’s will, you will take delight in approaching God. Your voice will be heard on high. You will lose bonds of wickedness, undo heavy burdens, let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke. You will share (physical and spiritual) bread with the hungry, and clothe (spiritually and physically) the naked. Your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. You shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am’. Your light will dawn in the darkness; your darkness shall be as the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail (which implies continual fullness and refreshing by the Holy Spirit); you shall restore and build up the community in righteousness. (See Isaiah 58).