fasting guide
A Practical Guide to Prayer and Fasting
WHAT IS FASTING AND WHY DO WE DO IT?
Fasting (abstaining from food for a time) is an ancient practice about turning and drawing closer to God, reawakening our hunger for Him, and seeking Him for spiritual breakthrough or guidance. The Bible gives many examples of God’s people combining fasting with their prayers to stir up their passion for God, put their other desires last and Him first, and renew their dedication and intimacy to the Creator. King David wrote that he “humbled [him]self with fasting” (Psalm 35:13). Fasting is always accompanied by prayer.
The Bible records that great heroes of faith such as Moses, Daniel, Paul and Jesus himself fasted so that they might draw close to God (Exodus 34:28, Daniel 9:3, 2 Corinthians 11:27, Matthew 4:2). Jesus knew that his true followers, once He was no longer there in the flesh with them, would at times need to fast to regain and renew their passion to serve him (Mark 2:18-20).
What Fasting Is Not (and What It Is)
Before we go further, it’s worth being clear about what fasting does and doesn’t do, because it’s easy to get this twisted.
Fasting does NOT:
Earn you anything with God. You can’t fast your way into His favour. We come to Him on the basis of what Jesus has done, not what we’ve gone without (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Make you better or more spiritual than people who don’t fast. Jesus reserved some of his sharpest words for people who used their fasting to feel superior (Luke 18:11-12, Matthew 6:16-18).
Put God in your debt. Fasting doesn’t twist God’s arm or oblige Him to give you what you want. He is not a vending machine, and we are never owed (Isaiah 58 confronts exactly this, people fasting while expecting God to jump).
Turn us toward God in repentance. God’s people fasted as they turned from sin and sought His mercy (Joel 2:12, Jonah 3:5, Nehemiah 9:1-2). Fasting is one way we say with our bodies, “we mean this.”
Position us to seek God’s power and breakthrough. Jesus linked some spiritual battles to prayer and fasting (Mark 9:29), and the early church fasted as they sought God for direction and mission (Acts 13:2-3, Acts 14:23).
Draw us near to God and reawaken our hunger for Him. Fasting clears away the noise and the lesser appetites so we can feast on Him instead (Matthew 4:4, Psalm 63:1). David fasted to humble himself before God (Psalm 35:13).
Sharpen our prayers and our dependence. When we go without, we’re reminded how much we actually need Him, and that’s a good and clarifying thing (Matthew 6:16-18, Luke 2:37).
So we don’t fast to get God to love us more. We fast because we already have His love, and we want more of Him.
Practical Tips on Fasting
Have a purpose - decide clearly why you’re fasting and return to that purpose constantly
Start small - just start with skipping one meal a day for a few days in a row
Fast with others - find a group, or at least one person, to fast alongside when you’re starting out. Having someone you can talk to about it, pray with and be encouraged by makes a real difference. Group fasts are all over the Bible (when the whole nation faced danger, Queen Esther called the Jews of Susa to fast together for three days before she went to the king - Esther 4:16). We’re not meant to do this alone, so “encourage one another daily” (Hebrews 3:13).
Plan to pray instead of eating - use the time to pray and be filled by God instead of something else
Pray when hunger comes - use hunger pangs to turn your mind and attention to God
Keep a journal - it is sometimes a good idea to write down what God is showing you
Don’t draw attention to your fast - you may have to tell some people you’re fasting for practicality’s sake, but don’t talk about it all the time or make it a big deal
Don’t let your fast become a burden to others - keep it discreet and don’t make it everyone else’s problem. Don’t sulk through family meals or make dinner difficult because you can’t eat, and don’t be the person who can’t stop mentioning it. And if your fast is going to put real strain on the people around you, it’s okay to break it. Love comes first, and a fast that makes you unkind has missed the point.
Ways to Fast: Some Ideas to Get You Started
There’s no single right way to do this. Pick something that genuinely stretches you toward God without wrecking your health or your responsibilities. Here are some options depending on where you’re at.
If you’re new to fasting
Skip lunch and use that time to pray. Let your hunger bring your attention back to God.
Drink only water every Monday (or another day where you don’t have anything strenuous on). Don’t take on anything too demanding on that day.
Delete Instagram, YouTube or Facebook for this season, and use the time you’d normally spend scrolling for silence and prayer when you wake up.
Cut out all sugar and snacks for the whole fasting period.
If you’ve fasted before and want to go deeper
Drink only liquids for the fasting period. If you’re working, a smoothie or shake can help give your body what it needs to get through.
Set a daily fasting window of 20 hours, eating only within a 4-hour window (for example, 4pm-8pm).
Try a longer water-only fast of 3 or more days (with medical approval, and drinking plenty of water).
If your schedule allows, take a couple of days away by yourself for a silent retreat, fasting from speaking, eating and technology.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fasting
Q: Is fasting from food dangerous for my health?
No, within reason fasting is safe and even some say in limited times healthy for our bodies, but for some it might be harmful (illness, pregnancy, children etc.). If you’re unsure, check with a doctor, and if you haven’t fasted before start small with just missing a meal or a 24-hour fast. Don’t fast from food for long periods of time (3+ days) without medical approval, and drink plenty of water.
If you have any history of disordered eating, please don’t fast from food. Choose a different fast instead, like media, TV or a habit. This isn’t a small caveat to skim past, it genuinely matters, and choosing a different kind of fast takes nothing away from what God can do in you.
Q: Can I fast from something other than food?
Fasting in the Bible usually means abstaining from food, so this is a good option. For some this is medically unwise or impossible due to physical work or age, so stopping other distracting things like social media or TV can work well too.
Q: Do Christians have to fast?
There is no clear command in the New Testament that you have to fast, so technically no. BUT it seems to be assumed that God’s people will as a normal part of the Jesus way (“when you fast...” - Matthew 6:16). It does seem to be a pretty clear path to seeking more of our incredible God though, and who doesn’t want that! It has also been a regular practise for devoted Christians for centuries.
Q: What do I do if I “fail” or break my fast early?
Don’t condemn yourself. Fasting isn’t about earning something from God or proving how strong your willpower is. If you eat when you didn’t plan to, just turn your heart back to your purpose and keep going. God’s grace covers this completely. More fasts get derailed by guilt than by hunger, so don’t let one stumble talk you out of the whole thing.
Q: What can I expect to feel?
The first day or two can bring headaches, irritability, low energy or trouble concentrating, especially if you’re coming off caffeine or sugar. This is normal and usually settles. On the spiritual side, fasting has a way of surfacing what’s really in us, the impatience or anger we usually keep buried. Don’t be discouraged by that. Bringing it into the light before God is part of the point.
Q: How do I break my fast well?
Ease back in gently, especially after a longer fast. Start with something light like fruit, soup or vegetables rather than a big heavy meal. After several days without food your body needs to readjust, so going slow here matters for your health, not just your comfort.
Q: How do I fast when I’ve got family, work and a full schedule?
You don’t need to disappear to a monastery for fasting to count. Plenty of faithful people have fasted in the middle of ordinary, demanding life. If skipping meals isn’t workable because of physical work, health or caring for others, fast from something else that has a grip on you, like social media, TV or a daily habit. The aim is the same: clearing space to seek God and letting that gap turn your attention back to Him.
A Final Word
However you fast over these days, keep coming back to the why. This isn’t about food, willpower or ticking a spiritual box. It’s about turning our hunger toward the One who made us and saying, with our whole lives, that we want more of Him. As you fast, may you find Him nearer than you expected. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8).
For More Information on Fasting, Safety and Preparation