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66 Bible verses about the power of Fasting
The power of fasting really lies in honestly opening your heart to the Lord. It's in that space where His love shines through and transforms every part of who you are. Fasting is something you do when you’re truly seeking Jesus, when you're willing to sacrifice physical needs to ask for a deeper connection with Him.
It strengthens your spirit, grows your faith, and draws you closer to God. By saying "no" to the physical demands of your body, you're saying "yes" to a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. It's about prioritizing that connection above all else.
When you abstain from food or drink for a set time, it’s like a spiritual and physical cleanse. It helps to clear away anything that might be holding you back or weighing you down.
Remember what Matthew 6:16-171 says – it's not about showing off or seeking attention when you fast. It's about humility and sincerity before the Lord.
But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.
‘Don’t be afraid, Daniel,’ he said to me, ‘for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers.
Announce a sacred fast; proclaim a solemn assembly! Gather the elders and all the residents of the land at the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.
Cornelius replied, ‘Four days ago at this hour, at three in the afternoon, I was praying in my house. Just then a man in dazzling clothing stood before me
Jesus said to them, ‘Can the wedding guests be sad while the groom is with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
Will the fast I choose be like this: A day for a person to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the Lord?
‘Why have we fasted, but you have not seen? We have denied ourselves, but you haven’t noticed! ’ ‘Look, you do as you please on the day of your fast, and oppress all your workers.
Even now – this is the Lord’s declaration – turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
‘Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Isn’t this the fast I choose: To break the chains of wickedness, to untie the ropes of the yoke, to set the oppressed free, and to tear off every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your house, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to ignore your own flesh and blood? ,
Even now – this is the Lord’s declaration – turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the Lord your God. For he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and he relents from sending disaster.
Isn’t this the fast I choose: To break the chains of wickedness, to untie the ropes of the yoke, to set the oppressed free, and to tear off every yoke?
Then the people of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth #– #from the greatest of them to the least.
As they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’This all took about 450 years. After this, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.After removing him, he raised up David as their king and testified about him, “I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart, , who will carry out all my will.” ‘From this man’s descendants, as he promised, God brought to Israel the Saviour, Jesus.Before his coming to public attention, John had previously proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.Now as John was completing his mission, he said, “Who do you think I am? I am not the one. But one is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet.” ‘Brothers and sisters, children of Abraham’s race, and those among you who fear God, it is to us that the word of this salvation has been sent.Since the residents of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognise him or the sayings of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, they have fulfilled their words by condemning him.Though they found no grounds for the death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him killed.When they had carried out all that had been written about him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a tomb.Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.
Moses was there with the Lord for forty days and forty nights; he did not eat food or drink water. He wrote the Ten Commandments, the words of the covenant, on the tablets.
When they had appointed elders for them in every church and prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
I proclaimed a fast by the River Ahava, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us, our dependents, and all our possessions.I did this because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, ‘The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his fierce anger is against all who abandon him.’So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and he was receptive to our prayer.
Then Jesus left the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wildernessFor it is written: He will give his angels orders concerning you, to protect you, ,and they will support you with their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ , And Jesus answered him, ‘It is said: Do not test the Lord your God.’ , After the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.Then Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread throughout the entire vicinity.He was teaching in their synagogues, being praised by everyone. He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. As usual, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read.The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written:The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed,to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour. , for forty days to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry.
Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the Lord. Then he proclaimed a fast for all Judah,Then Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was quiet, for his God gave him rest on every side. Jehoshaphat became king over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.He walked in the ways of Asa his father; he did not turn away from it but did what was right in the Lord’s sight.However, the high places were not taken away; the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their ancestors. The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign from beginning to end are written in the Events of Jehu son of Hanani, which is recorded in the Book of Israel’s Kings. After this, Judah’s King Jehoshaphat made an alliance with Israel’s King Ahaziah, who was guilty of wrongdoing.Jehoshaphat formed an alliance with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion-geber.Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, ‘Because you formed an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord has broken up what you have made.’ So the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.who gathered to seek the Lord. They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek him.
The whole Israelite army went to Bethel where they wept and sat before the Lord. They fasted that day until evening and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord.
Do not deprive one another #– #except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the Lord’s presence. They fasted that day, and there they confessed, ‘We have sinned against the Lord.’ And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
Then they said to him, ‘John’s disciples fast often and say prayers, and those of the Pharisees do the same, but yours eat and drink.’Jesus said to them, ‘You can’t make the wedding guests fast while the groom is with them, can you?But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them #– #then they will fast in those days.’
‘Ask all the people of the land and the priests: When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and in the seventh months for these seventy years, did you really fast for me?
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of the heavens.
Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the Lord. Then he proclaimed a fast for all Judah,
‘Ask all the people of the land and the priests: When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and in the seventh months for these seventy years, did you really fast for me?When you eat and drink, don’t you eat and drink simply for yourselves?
During those days he went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God.
What should I bring before the Lord when I come to bow before God on high? Should I come before him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousand streams of oil? Should I give my firstborn for my transgression, the offspring of my body for my own sin?Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.
Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast? ’ Jesus said to them, ‘Can the wedding guests be sad while the groom is with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honouring one another.Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; , serve the Lord.Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality.Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honourable in everyone’s eyes.If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, , says the Lord.Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.
Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.
since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish argumentsand every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.
Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us,
In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.He said, ‘Do you know why I’ve come to you? I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come.However, I will tell you what is recorded in the book of truth. (No one has the courage to support me against those princes except Michael, your prince.I didn’t eat any rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over.
For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame; and they are focused on earthly things.
But be alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of Man.’
But seek first the kingdom of God , and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh.For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.
I proclaimed a fast by the River Ahava, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us, our dependents, and all our possessions.
But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
‘Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.
Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown.So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air.Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.