What Does the Bible Say About Fasting? #8
Fasting is the voluntary abstaining from food (or other goods) for a set time in order to seek God more intently, and the Bible treats it as a serious spiritual discipline rather than an end in itself — Jesus assumes his followers will fast, saying 'when you fast' rather than 'if,' but warns against doing so for show (Matthew 6:16-18). Scripture pairs fasting with prayer and repentance at moments of urgent need or seeking, as in Joel 2:12, and consistently subordinates the outward act to genuine inward humility before God. Fasting done rightly sharpens focus on God rather than performing piety for others.
Fasting can seem like an ancient practice with little relevance to modern faith, yet Jesus assumed his followers would continue it, and the Bible treats it as a meaningful way of seeking God with heightened focus and humility. Understanding what fasting is meant to accomplish — and what it is not — helps recover its place as a genuine spiritual discipline rather than either a legalistic requirement or an irrelevant relic.
What the Bible Teaches
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructs, “be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance… but thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret” (Matthew 6:16-18), assuming the practice while redirecting its motive away from public display and toward private devotion. Joel calls the nation to national repentance through fasting, but insists that the outward act must reflect real inward change: “rend your heart, and not your garments” (Joel 2:13). Isaiah 58:6-7 pushes further, warning that a fast which ignores justice and mercy toward others — “to loose the bonds of wickedness… to share your bread with the hungry” — misses the point of the discipline entirely. In Acts 13:2-3, the early church fasts and prays together before commissioning Paul and Barnabas for missionary work, showing fasting used to seek clarity and God’s direction for a significant decision.
Living It Out
Practically, fasting sets aside a normal comfort — food, or another good thing — to create space for concentrated prayer, repentance, or seeking God’s guidance at a significant moment, letting physical hunger serve as a reminder to hunger for God. Because Jesus warns against fasting for the sake of being noticed, it is best practiced quietly, judged by its private effect on the heart rather than by outward display. Paired with prayer and genuine change of life, as Joel and Isaiah both insist, fasting becomes a means of sharpened attention to God rather than an empty ritual performed for its own sake.
Key References
- Matthew 6:16-18
- Joel 2:12-13
- Isaiah 58:6-7
- Acts 13:2-3