Skip to content
Home » Blog » How to fast according to the Bible

How to fast according to the Bible

  • admin 
How to fast according to the Bible

The following are ways to fast according to the Bible:

  • One-night fast according to Daniel 6:18–24
  • A three-day fast according to Esther 4:16; Acts 9:9
  • A seven-day fast according to 1 Samuel 31:13; 2 Samuel 12:16
  • A fourteen-day fast according to Acts 27:33–38
  • A twenty-one-day fast according to Daniel 10:3–13
  • A forty-day fast according to Deuteronomy 9:9; 1 kings 19:8, Matthew 4:2

Let us discuss these approaches by examining the identified scriptures.

1. One night fast: Daniel 6:18–24; 2 Samuel 12:16

In this type of fast, an individual abstains from taking food or drinks from dusk (sunset) to dawn (sunrise), as recorded in Daniel 6:18–24, as follows:

“Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no musicians were brought before him. Also, his sleep went away from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, who you serve, continually been able to deliver you from the lions?’

Then Daniel said to the king, ‘O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.’”

Another example of a dusk-to-dawn fast was the one undertaken by King David when the child he had sired with Bathsheba fell ill. We read this story in 2 Samuel 12:16 as follows:

“David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.”

From these examples, one can also fast from dawn (sunrise) to dusk (sunset) on a given day, during which neither food nor drinks are taken.

This gives the person fasting ample time to focus on prayer and meditation on the word of God in order to strengthen his faith, spirit, and soul.

2. A three-day fast: Esther 4:15–16; Acts 9:9

In this kind of fast, a person completely abstains from taking any food or drink for a period of three days, that is, seventy-two hours. It is also known as a dry fast. This example is set to us by the Bible in the book of Esther 4, which says:

“Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!’”

Another example is the story of Saul, who later became Paul after the Damascus encounter with Jesus. The story is recorded in Acts 6:7-9 as follows:

“And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and he neither ate nor drank.”

3. A seven-day fast (1 Samuel 31:11–13)

With the help of the Holy Spirit, one can also go without food and water for a period of seven days, day and night. However, this is not advisable, especially if one has a medical condition. What we are saying here is that, unless the Holy Spirit has expressly directed you to go on this kind of fast, it is better to avoid it altogether.

Our Bible reference for this kind of fast is to be found in the book of 1 Samuel 31:11–13, as follows:

“Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men arose and traveled all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.”

4. A fourteen-day fast (Acts 27:33–38)

In this kind of fast, an individual goes without food for a period of fourteen days.

Our Bible example comes from the book of Acts 27:33–38, that says

“And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food and eaten nothing. Therefore, I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.’ And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all, and when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then they were all encouraged, and they also took food themselves. And in all, there were two hundred and seventy-six people on the ship. So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea.”

5. A twenty-one-day fast (Daniel 10:2–3)

In this kind of fast, a person goes without certain kinds of food for a period of twenty-one days. An example is set for us in the Bible in the book of Daniel 10:2–13, as follows:

“In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food; no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.”

The key point regarding this type of fast is denying yourself pleasant foods for these twenty-one days in order to spend time in prayer and meditating on the word of God.

6. A forty-day fast (Deuteronomy 9:9, 9:16; 1 kings 19:5-8, Matthew 4:2)

A forty-day fast entails abstaining from food and water for a period of forty days and forty nights. According to the Bible, only three people were able to achieve this feat: Moses, Elijah, and Jesus.

Please note that this kind of fast is not easy to undertake because of its health implications.

In Deuteronomy 9:9, we see Moses going without food and water for forty days and forty nights, as follows:

“When I went up into the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water.”

In Deuteronomy 9:18, Moses fasts for another forty days and forty nights. We thus read:

“And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sin which you committed in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger.”

We read about Prophet Elijah’s forty-day and forty-night fast in 1 Kings 19:5-8 as follows:

Then, as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, ‘arise and eat.’ Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals and a jar of water. So he ate, drank, and laid down again. And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, touched him, and said, ‘arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.’ So he arose and ate and drank, and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb and the mountain of God.”

Finally, we have the story of Jesus fasting for forty days and forty nights in Matthew 4:1–2, as follows:

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.”

Further reading

In Matthew 6:16–18, Jesus teaches us how to fast according to the Bible by saying this:

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and you Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

According to this passage, Jesus teaches that our fasting should be directed towards God. In other words, it should be a matter of the heart. This is because God judges the intentions of our hearts before anything else. So, rather than fasting to be seen by men, it should be done with our focus on God alone.

Joel 2:12–13 also gives us directions on how to fast as follows:

“Now, therefore, says the LORD, turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm.”

In this passage, Prophet Joel teaches us that the correct way to fast is by returning to God with fasting, weeping, and mourning. He urges us to approach God with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, both of which are pleasant sacrifices to our God. We also read this in Psalm 51:17, which says

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart; these, O God, You will not despise.”

Fasting is not a means of getting God to do something for us, nor is it a way of arm-twisting Him into granting us our wishes! Instead, it is a way of worship aimed at drawing His mercies towards us, given our rebellious, sinful, and wicked ways. This is the example set to us by His servant Moses, as recorded in Deuteronomy 9:18–19, 25–29, which says

“And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sin which you committed in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure with which the LORD was angry with you, to destroy you. But the LORD listened to me at that time also.”

“Thus I prostrated myself before the LORD; forty days and forty nights I kept prostrating myself, because the LORD had said He would destroy you. Therefore I prayed to the LORD and said, ‘O Lord God, do not destroy Your people and Your inheritance, whom You have redeemed through Your greatness, whom You have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; do not look on the stubbornness of this people, their wickedness or their sin, lest the land from which You brought say, ‘because the LORD was not able to bring them to the land which He promised them, and because He hated them, He has brought them out too kill them in the wilderness.’  Yet they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out by Your mighty power and by Your outstretched arm.’”  

The book of Isaiah 58 also gives us a guide on how to fast according to the Bible. This is what it says:

“It this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?”

There are several lessons about fasting that we can learn from this passage. The Prophet tells us that a true fast entails treating others in a manner that pleases God. This means that we should never take advantage of other people because of our high positions in society. This includes oppressing those who serve under us, whether at home, in church, or at work. Exploiting those who work under us also goes against the principle of fasting.

According to the prophet Isaiah, fasting is not only about denying ourselves food and drink; it is also about meeting the needs of others. Consequently, proper fasting entails giving to those who are in need in terms of food, clothing, and, where possible, shelter. This act of almsgiving and caring for the underprivileged in society earns us a place in the heart of God, who in turn releases the following blessings mentioned in Isaiah 58:8–12.

“Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ ‘If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and 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, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.’ Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to dwell in.”

From this passage, we discover that when we fast in the right way and for the right reasons, God answers our prayers, and this builds up our faith in Him. Fasting in the right way also helps us develop patience, which is a very important virtue required of every Christian.

Conclusion

In this article, we have looked at the topic of how to fast according to the Bible. In this regard, we identified six different approaches one can use to fast, including:

  • One night fast according to Daniel 6:18–24
  • A three-day fast according to Esther 4:16; Acts 9:9
  • A seven-day fast according to 1 Samuel 31:11–13; 2 Samuel 12:16
  • A fourteen-day fast according to Acts 27:33–38
  • A twenty-one-day fast according to Daniel 10:3–13
  • A forty-day fast according to Deuteronomy 9:9; 1 kings 19:8, Matthew 4:2

Keep in mind that fasting is NOT an easy undertaking and should only be done under the direction of the Holy Spirit. In addition, one should also consider their medical condition before embarking on any kind of fast. This is especially the case if you are considering fasting for more than three days. Remember, fasting is NOT about PUNISHING yourself in order to ATTRACT God’s attention to yourself. Instead, it is about rending our hearts before God, that we may obtain mercy and forgiveness for our sins, in order to achieve the objectives of our fasting.

Related Post: The importance of fasting in the bible

admin
Follow me
Latest posts by admin (see all)