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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 days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and at that time they will fast.
Then he said to me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel, for from the very first day you applied your mind to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come in response to your words.
Announce a holy fast; proclaim a sacred assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the temple of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.
Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock in the afternoon, I was praying in my house, and suddenly a man in shining clothing stood before me
Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.
Is this really the kind of fasting I want? Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves, bowing their heads like a reed and stretching out on sackcloth and ashes? Is this really what you call a fast, a day that is pleasing to the Lord?
They lament, ‘Why don’t you notice when we fast? Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’ Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, you oppress your workers.
“Yet even now,” the Lord says, “return to me with all your heart – with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your garments!”
“When you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, they have their reward.When you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
No, this is the kind of fast I want. I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke.I want you to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. When you see someone naked, clothe him! Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood!
“Yet even now,” the Lord says, “return to me with all your heart – with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your garments!”Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and boundless in loyal love – often relenting from calamitous punishment.
No, this is the kind of fast I want. I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke.
The people of Nineveh believed in God, and they declared a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.
While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”All this took about four hundred fifty years. After this he gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years.After removing him, God raised up David their king. He testified about him: ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my heart, who will accomplish everything I want him to do.’From the descendants of this man God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, just as he promised.Before Jesus arrived, John had proclaimed a baptism for repentance to all the people of Israel.But while John was completing his mission, he said repeatedly, ‘What do you think I am? I am not he. But look, one is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet!’Brothers, descendants of Abraham’s family, and those Gentiles among you who fear God, the message of this salvation has been sent to us.For the people who live in Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize him, and they fulfilled the sayings of the prophets that are read every Sabbath by condemning him.Though they found no basis for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.When they had accomplished everything that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb.Then, after they had fasted and prayed and placed their hands on them, they sent them off.
So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread, and he did not drink water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
When they were sick, I wore sackcloth, and refrained from eating food. (If I am lying, may my prayers go unanswered!)
When they had appointed elders for them in the various churches, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the protection of the Lord in whom they had believed.
I called for a fast there by the Ahava Canal, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from him a safe journey for us, our children, and all our property.I was embarrassed to request soldiers and horsemen from the king to protect us from the enemy along the way, because we had said to the king, “The good hand of our God is on everyone who is seeking him, but his great anger is against everyone who forsakes him.”So we fasted and prayed to our God about this, and he answered us.
Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’and ‘with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’”So when the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until a more opportune time.Then Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and news about him spread throughout the surrounding countryside.He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by all.Now Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed,to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”where for forty days he endured temptations from the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were completed, he was famished.
Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to seek the Lord’s advice. He decreed that all Judah should observe a fast.Jehoshaphat’s kingdom enjoyed peace; his God made him secure on every side.Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.He followed in his father Asa’s footsteps and was careful to do what the Lord approved.However, the high places were not eliminated; the people were still not devoted to the God of their ancestors.The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Jehu son of Hanani which are included in Scroll of the Kings of Israel.Later King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, who did evil.They agreed to make large seagoing merchant ships; they built the ships in Ezion Geber.Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, “Because you made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will shatter what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and unable to go to sea.The people of Judah assembled to ask for the Lord’s help; they came from all the cities of Judah to ask for the Lord’s help.
So all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel. They wept and sat there before the Lord; they did not eat anything that day until evening. They offered up burnt sacrifices and tokens of peace to the Lord.
Do not deprive each other, except by mutual agreement for a specified time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then resume your relationship, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
After they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. They fasted on that day, and they confessed there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” So Samuel led the people of Israel at Mizpah.
Then they said to him, “John’s disciples frequently fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours continue to eat and drink.”So Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you?But those days are coming, and when the bridegroom is taken from them, at that time they will fast.”
“Speak to all the people and priests of the land as follows: ‘When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and seventh months through all these seventy years, did you truly fast for me – for me, indeed?
When I heard these things I sat down abruptly, crying and mourning for several days. I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to seek the Lord’s advice. He decreed that all Judah should observe a fast.
“Speak to all the people and priests of the land as follows: ‘When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and seventh months through all these seventy years, did you truly fast for me – for me, indeed?And now when you eat and drink, are you not doing so for yourselves?’”
Now it was during this time that Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent all night in prayer to God.
With what should I enter the Lord’s presence? With what should I bow before the sovereign God? Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?Will the Lord accept a thousand rams, or ten thousand streams of olive oil? Should I give him my firstborn child as payment for my rebellion, my offspring – my own flesh and blood – for my sin?He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God.
Then John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.
For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want.
Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice – alive, holy, and pleasing to God – which is your reasonable service.Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another.Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord.Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer.Contribute to the needs of the saints, 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 haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people.If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God – what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.
Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.
Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
When they were sick, I wore sackcloth, and refrained from eating food. (If I am lying, may my prayers go unanswered!)I mourned for them as I would for a friend or my brother. I bowed down in sorrow as if I were mourning for my mother.
Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice – alive, holy, and pleasing to God – which is your reasonable service.
for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down argumentsand every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.
As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God!My enemies’ taunts cut into me to the bone, as they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”Why are you depressed, O my soul? Why are you upset? Wait for God! For I will again give thanks to my God for his saving intervention.I thirst for God, for the living God. I say, “When will I be able to go and appear in God’s presence?”
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us,
In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three whole weeks.He said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Now I am about to return to engage in battle with the prince of Persia. When I go, the prince of Greece is coming.However, I will first tell you what is written in a dependable book. (There is no one who strengthens me against these princes, except Michael your prince.I ate no choice food; no meat or wine came to my lips, nor did I anoint myself with oil until the end of those three weeks.
For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things.
But stay alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that must happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Create for me a pure heart, O God! Renew a resolute spirit within me!Do not reject me! Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me!Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance! Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey!
But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want.
I called for a fast there by the Ahava Canal, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from him a safe journey for us, our children, and all our property.
When you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
“When you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, they have their reward.
Each competitor must exercise self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.So I do not run uncertainly or box like one who hits only air.Instead I subdue my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified.
So I turned my attention to the Lord God to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.