Join us for our 21 days of fasting in 2025! We encourage you to join with us by downloading the
Daily Guide with prayer points and supported scripture readings.

Guidance on Fasting

What is fasting and why do we do it?

Biblical fasting is simply abstaining from food. This can be done in many different rhythms and different ways. None of them are more holy than the other. But the degree to which a particular fast challenges your habits and urges will often determine the degree to which the fast is effective in leading you to seek the Lord.

Examples of different fasts include, but are not limited to:

• Abstaining from snacking

• Eating a reduced number of meals each day

• Abstaining from eating for a full day

• Abstaining from eating for continuous days

Broadly speaking, people in the Bible fasted in order to deepen their relationship with God. But more specifically, they fasted in order to:

• Mourn (2 Samuel 1:12)

• Express humility and repent (Joel 2:12-14)

• Pray and make requests of God with greater desperation (Isaiah 58, 2 Samuel 12:15-23)

• Usher in miracles (Matthew 17:14-21)

• Seek guidance and direction from God (Acts 13:2, 14:23)

Nearly all of these examples of fasting were accompanied by times of longer and/or deeper prayer. 

Are there other types of biblical fasting?

Narrowly speaking, everything referred to as a "fast" in the Bible involved total abstaining from food for a period of time. But there are other acts of abstinence cited in the Bible for the purpose of being set apart for God during a season, including:

• Abstaining from particular food and drink while not abstaining from food and drink altogether (Judges 13:7, Daniel 1:8-16, Daniel 10:3)

• Abstaining from marital intimacy (1 Corinthians 7:2-5)

These other examples highlight the spirit of fasting and thus open a whole world of things from which we might joyfully abstain in order to deepen our pursuit of God. Many people have abstained from social media, the news, certain types of music – anything we routinely give our time and attention to – in order that they might invest more time with God. 

Any and all of the above (and more!) is fair game for you during this time.  

Fasting Do’s

• Do introduce some discomfort into your life. Allow this time to humble you, to stir you to pray more often and with greater dedication and sincerity.

• Do repurpose the time you would normally spend eating or engaging in other routine activities and pray. Lean into moments of worship, silent reflection, listening for the inner voice of the Holy Spirit, Bible reading, and active prayer.