Have you considered fasting?

Have you ever felt powerless in the face of overwhelming challenges?

Do you sometimes wonder if there's a way to tap into a greater spiritual strength to overcome life's most daunting obstacles?

Do you have a habit, hang-up, or addiction that you've wrestled with for years and nothing has seemed to work? 

If you've answered "yes" to any of the above, fasting might be a discipline worth considering. Pray about it, and ask if this is something God wants you to try.

Before I go into more detail on the Biblical basis for fasting, I have to add the disclaimer. Certain kinds of fasts may not be advisable for some people dealing with certain health conditions. I'm not a medical doctor. So, if you have any worries at all about it, consult a medical professional.

I have to be honest, growing up as a Christian I hardly ever heard anything about fasting. I remember we did a "fundraiser" for a mission trip once in the youth group where we took "pledges" from people because we were going to do a fast (I don't remember how long it was supposed to be). Looking back at it, it probably wasn't the best use of fasting from a biblical perspective. But it's really the only experience I had with it being raised in the church.

In recent years, though, I've heard a lot more about fasting than ever before. In just the last week (probably because Lent is starting) I heard about it on multiple occasions.

But here's the thing. Fasting is all over the Bible. There are verses that encourage it, and several passages that warn against improper fasts (fasting for the wrong reasons). It was a practice by devout believers (and also hypoctites) in both the Old and New Testaments. So, it's worth noting--clearly, the Scriptures support the practice, but they also warn that there are more than a few wrong ways/reasons/motivations to go about it.

In the Old Testament, fasting often accompanies repentance and seeking God's favor. The prophet Joel exhorts, "Yet even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning" (Joel 2:12 ESV). The Hebrew word for fasting, צוֹם (tsom), denotes abstaining from food for religious purposes, linking the physical act with spiritual intent.

In the New Testament, Jesus assumes His followers will fast. In His Sermon on the Mount, He instructs, "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward" (Mt 6:16 ESV). The Greek ὅταν (hotan) for "when" implies an expectation of regular fasting among His disciples.

But what is it about fasting that potentially augments prayer in spiritual warfare? Is there an inherent power in abstaining from food, or does fasting serve a different purpose?

Fasting, at its core, is an act of self-denial. By voluntarily relinquishing something we normally depend on—in this case, food—we create space for increased focus on God and spiritual matters. This intentional redirection of our attention can be particularly potent when grappling with issues that seem resistant to change through prayer alone.

Moreover, fasting serves as a physical reminder of our dependence on God. As our bodies experience hunger, we're viscerally reminded of our human frailty and our need for divine sustenance. This humbling experience can prepare our hearts for more earnest, focused prayer.

However, it's crucial to approach fasting with the right motivation. Fasting is not a magical solution or a way to manipulate God into granting our desires. Rather, it's a means of humbling ourselves before God, acknowledging our weakness, and creating space for deeper communion with Him.

For those struggling with addictions or persistent sins, combining prayer with fasting can be a powerful way to break cycles of dependency. The physical discipline of fasting can reinforce our spiritual resolve, helping us resist temptation and rely more fully on God's strength.

Yet, we must exercise wisdom in our approach to fasting, especially for those with health concerns. The goal is not self-harm but spiritual growth. For some, fasting might involve abstaining from certain types of food or activities rather than complete abstinence from all food.

As we contemplate the power of prayer and fasting in our spiritual lives, we're reminded of the paradoxical nature of Christian strength: it is in our weakness that we find true power (2 Cor 12:9-10). By denying ourselves, we open ourselves to God's strength. In our hunger, we find spiritual satisfaction.

This principle extends beyond fasting. In what areas of your life might God be calling you to practice self-denial? How might intentional abstinence from certain habits, comforts, or distractions create space for deeper communion with God? In such a practice, it might be tempting to say "I'm going to abstain from this or that bad habit," e.g. something that's not good for me, for a time.

Consider, though, it might be more effective to fast from something you especially enjoy. It might be something that's actually good for you, or is at least neutral. It's a "pleasure" it's a "comfort," and removing it willingly from your life for a time may be more powerful in terms of fasting (and the benefits you might get from it) than simply abstaining from something that you want to remove from your life anyway.

I mean, food is good for you. It's nutritious. We need it.

It should be noted (despite everything I said above) that Biblical fasting almost always has to do with abstaining from food. There's a benefit to "digital fasts" and the like, and there are thousands of testimonies to that effect, but Scripturally speaking, fasting from food is pretty much the only kind of fasting that has a lot of support. We just don't have any examples of abstaining from other things for the same reasons, at least not in terms of what the Bible calls "fasting," but that doesn't mean the practice can't be helpful.

Remember, the power doesn't lie in the act of fasting itself, but in the God to whom we turn when we fast. Prayer—with or without fasting—is our lifeline to the ultimate source of power. As we pray, we align our will with God's, inviting His power to work in and through us.

In our modern world of instant gratification and constant connectivity, the disciplines of prayer and fasting stand as countercultural practices that can reshape our spiritual landscape. They remind us that true strength often comes through surrender, and that victory sometimes requires withdrawal from the noise of the world to engage in the quiet battle of the spirit.

Fasting is supposed to be difficult. Often, in discussions with other Christians who've considered fasting, they take the wrong approach. They'll say something like, "Well, it would be easier to do it" this way, or that way. Usually when someone says that, I laugh and say, then that's exactly why you shouldn't do it that way. The benefits of fasting (in my experience) are directly proportional to how difficult it is. If it's to easy, are you really denying yourself much? If it's too easy, why even do it at all?

Don't make it impossible, either. If you've never fasted before, committing to a 40 day fast (like Jesus and Moses did) without any food at all probably isn't advisable. For some people, that kind of extreme fast isn't medically possible (again, consult with your physician). It might be best to start with sixteen hour fast, limiting ourself to eating to an eight-hour window for a few days. Then, you might do a 24 hour fast, with one meal... then by making the meal smaller.

There are plenty of Christians out there with a lot more experience fasting than I have. It's only something I've been "awakened" to incorporating in my spiritual disciplines over the last couple of years. So, take my "advice" below with a grain of salt.

Some people do a "bread and water" fast. Honestly, though, if you think you're going to stick with bread to "ease into" fasting, or to make it a little easier to start... in my experience, adding a little bread actually keeps the "hunger" pangs going longer than if you don't eat anything at all. Other people have told me they've had the same experience.

When I add bread, though, or just "juice," it actually makes me hungrier. If you do a full fast (water only) the hunger actually fades after several hours, and for the most part, gets more tolerable the longer you go.

I never remove water from my fasts. Some people do for a time, but you have to be a lot more careful with that. Our bodies can go a long time without food (a lot longer than you might expect) but we can't survive more than a few days without water. The point of a fast isn't to damage your health (done correctly, it should actually be beneficial to your health).

As you face your own spiritual battles, consider how prayer and fasting might play a role in your strategy. Remember, you're not alone in this fight. The same power that enabled Jesus to cast out demons is available to you through prayer. And in those moments when the battle seems unwinnable, perhaps that's precisely when we need to step back, fast, pray, and allow God's power to shine through our weakness.

But here's the thing. Jesus warned the Pharisees about making a "public display" of their fasts. By doing that, they make it about themselves, and about impressing other people. Don't "disfigure your faces" he warns, or make a point to tell everyone. "Oh... please don't eat that in front of me, I'm fasting right now," or to complain about how hungry you are, or whatever. That defeats the entire point. If you're going to make a show of it, you'd be better off not doing it at all.

If I'm doing a fast at a particular time, I usually only tell a few trusted spiritual brothers and my wife (for support). My wife needs to know, so she doesn't make me food. She's also a strong support. But the people you share it with should be the same people you "confide" in and can trust not to tell others about what you're doing. It should be the same people you'd be comfortable confessing your sins to, someone who can hear what you're struggling with and won't judge you. These are people who walk beside you and understand what you're doing, not someone you're looking to impress, or whatever.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't share your experience with fasting as a testimony. But if you give a testimony about your fasting, watch how you are saying it. If it's, "Look, I did this really hard fast, and look at what my effort did for me" (you'd probably be saying it more subtly) you're taking credit, and making it about you again. Instead, if you give a testimony about fasting, talk about what God did for you when in the process of fasting you devoted more time to hearing His world, to meditating on Scripture, and in prayer. The focus should be, "This is what God has done through fasting in my life," not, "When I suffered, I got the strength to change myself..." etc.

Again, this is a discipline that might be encouraged for specific season in the Christian life... but there's no law. Fasting does not have the power to save us. But it can have benefits, particularly when we learn to put our bodies under discipline (so we aren't a slave to our passions, lusts, and whims), by removing distractions and barriers that make it harder for us to heed God's voice on a daily basis.

 

Blessings all,

Judah