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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. On that day they will go without eating.
He continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. You decided to get more understanding. You made yourself humble as you worshiped your God. Since the first day you did those things, your words were heard. I have come to give you an answer.
Announce a holy fast. Tell the people not to eat anything. Gather them together for a special service. Send for the elders and all who live in the land. Have them come to the house of the Lord your God. And pray to him.
Cornelius answered, “Three days ago at this very hour I was in my house praying. It was three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood in front of me.
Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the groom be sad while he is with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast.
Do you think that is the way I want you to fast? Is it only a time for people to make themselves suffer? Is it only for people to bow their heads like tall grass bent by the wind? Is it only for people to lie down in ashes and clothes of mourning? Is that what you call a fast? Do you think I can accept that?
‘We have gone without food,’ they say. ‘Why haven’t you noticed it? We have made ourselves suffer. Why haven’t you paid any attention to us?’ “On the day when you fast, you do as you please. You take advantage of all your workers.
The Lord announces to his people, “Return to me with all your heart. There is still time. Do not eat any food. Weep and mourn.”
“When you go without eating, do not look gloomy like those who only pretend to be holy. They make their faces look very sad. They want to show people they are fasting. What I’m about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward.But when you go without eating, put olive oil on your head. Wash your face.Then others will not know that you are fasting. Only your Father, who can’t be seen, will know it. Your Father will reward you, because he sees what you do secretly.
“Here is the way I want you to fast. “Set free those who are held by chains without any reason. Untie the ropes that hold people as slaves. Set free those who are crushed. Break every evil chain.Share your food with hungry people. Provide homeless people with a place to stay. Give naked people clothes to wear. Provide for the needs of your own family.
The Lord announces to his people, “Return to me with all your heart. There is still time. Do not eat any food. Weep and mourn.”Don’t just tear your clothes to show how sad you are. Let your hearts be broken. Return to the Lord your God. He is gracious. He is tender and kind. He is slow to get angry. He is full of love. He won’t bring his judgment. He won’t destroy you.
Priests, blow the trumpets in Zion. Announce a holy fast. Tell the people not to eat anything. Gather them together for a special service.
“Here is the way I want you to fast. “Set free those who are held by chains without any reason. Untie the ropes that hold people as slaves. Set free those who are crushed. Break every evil chain.
The people of Nineveh believed God’s warning. So they decided not to eat any food for a while. And all of them put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. That’s what everyone did, from the least important of them to the most important.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke. “Set apart Barnabas and Saul for me,” he said. “I have appointed them to do special work.”All this took about 450 years. “After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.Then the people asked for a king. He gave them Saul, son of Kish. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. He ruled for 40 years.God removed him and made David their king. Here is God’s witness about him. ‘David, son of Jesse, is a man dear to my heart,’ he said. ‘David will do everything I want him to do.’“From this man’s family line God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus. This is what he had promised.Before Jesus came, John preached that we should turn away from our sins and be baptized. He preached this to all Israel.John was coming to the end of his work. ‘Who do you suppose I am?’ he said. ‘I am not the one you are looking for. But there is someone coming after me. I am not good enough to untie his sandals.’“Listen, fellow children of Abraham! Listen, you Gentiles who worship God! This message of salvation has been sent to us.The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus. By finding him guilty, they made the prophets’ words come true. These are read every Sabbath day.The people and their rulers had no reason at all for sentencing Jesus to death. But they asked Pilate to have him killed.They did everything that had been written about Jesus. Then they took him down from the cross. They laid him in a tomb.The prophets and teachers fasted and prayed. They placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul. Then they sent them off.
Moses was there with the Lord for 40 days and 40 nights. He didn’t eat any food or drink any water. The Lord wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant law. Those words are the Ten Commandments.
But when they were sick, I put on the clothing of sadness. I made myself humble by going without food. My prayers for them weren’t always answered.
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church. The elders had trusted in the Lord. Paul and Barnabas prayed and fasted. They placed the elders in the Lord’s care.
By the canal that flows toward Ahava, I announced a fast. I told the people not to eat any food. In that way, we made ourselves humble in God’s sight. We prayed that he would give us and our children a safe journey. We asked him to keep safe everything we owned.I was ashamed to ask King Artaxerxes for soldiers and horsemen. They could have kept us safe from enemies on the road. But we had told the king that our God would keep us safe. We had said, “Our God is gracious and helps everyone who looks to him. But he becomes very angry with anyone who deserts him.”So we didn’t eat anything. We prayed to our God about all these matters. And he answered our prayers.
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan River. The Spirit led him into the desert.It is written, “ ‘The Lord will command his angels to take good care of you.They will lift you up in their hands. Then you won’t trip over a stone.’ ” (Psalm 91:11,12)Jesus answered, “Scripture says, ‘Do not test the Lord your God.’ ” (Deuteronomy 6:16)When the devil finished all this tempting, he left Jesus until a better time.Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit. News about him spread through the whole countryside.He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. On the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue as he usually did. He stood up to read.And the scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. Jesus unrolled it and found the right place. There it is written,“The Spirit of the Lord is on me. He has anointed me to announce the good news to poor people. He has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners. He has sent me so that the blind will see again. He wants me to set free those who are treated badly.And he has sent me to announce the year when he will set his people free.” (Isaiah 61:1,2)There the devil tempted him for 40 days. Jesus ate nothing during that time. At the end of the 40 days, he was hungry.
Jehoshaphat was alarmed. So he decided to ask the Lord for advice. He told all the people of Judah to go without eating.The kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace. His God had given him peace and rest on every side.So Jehoshaphat ruled over Judah. He was 35 years old when he became Judah’s king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 25 years. His mother’s name was Azubah. She was the daughter of Shilhi.Jehoshaphat followed the ways of his father Asa. He didn’t wander away from them. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.But the high places weren’t removed. The people still hadn’t worshiped the God of Israel with all their hearts.The other events of Jehoshaphat’s rule from beginning to end are written down. They are written in the official records of Jehu, the son of Hanani. They are written in the records of the kings of Israel.Jehoshaphat king of Judah and Ahaziah king of Israel agreed to be friends. Ahaziah did what was evil.Jehoshaphat agreed with him to build a lot of ships. They were built at Ezion Geber. They carried goods that were traded for other goods.Eliezer was the son of Dodavahu from Mareshah. Eliezer prophesied against Jehoshaphat. He said, “You have joined forces with Ahaziah. So the Lord will destroy what you have made.” The ships were wrecked. They were never able to sail or trade goods.The people came together to ask the Lord for help. In fact, they came from every town in Judah to pray to him.
Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel. They sat there and wept in front of the Lord. They didn’t eat anything that day until evening. Then they brought burnt offerings and friendship offerings to the Lord.
You shouldn’t stop giving yourselves to each other. You might possibly do this when you both agree to it. And you should only agree to it to give yourselves time to pray. Then you should come together again. In that way, Satan will not tempt you when you can’t control yourselves.
When the people had come together at Mizpah, they went to the well and got water. They poured it out in front of the Lord. On that day they didn’t eat any food. They admitted they had sinned. They said, “We’ve sinned against the Lord.” Samuel was serving as the leader of Israel at Mizpah.
Some of the people who were there said to Jesus, “John’s disciples often pray and go without eating. So do the disciples of the Pharisees. But yours go on eating and drinking.”Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the groom fast while he is with them?But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. In those days they will go without eating.”
“Ask the priests and all the people in the land a question for me. Say to them, ‘You mourned and fasted in the fifth and seventh months. You did it for the past 70 years. But did you really do it for me?
When I heard about these things, I sat down and wept. For several days I was very sad. I didn’t eat any food. And I prayed to the God of heaven.
Jehoshaphat was alarmed. So he decided to ask the Lord for advice. He told all the people of Judah to go without eating.
“Ask the priests and all the people in the land a question for me. Say to them, ‘You mourned and fasted in the fifth and seventh months. You did it for the past 70 years. But did you really do it for me?And when you were eating and drinking, weren’t you just enjoying good food for yourselves?
On one of those days, Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray. He spent the night praying to God.
The people of Israel say, “What should we bring with us when we go to worship the Lord? What should we offer the God of heaven when we bow down to him? Should we take burnt offerings to him? Should we sacrifice calves that are a year old?Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams? Will he take delight in 10,000 rivers of olive oil? Should we offer our oldest sons for the wrong things we’ve done? Should we sacrifice our own children to pay for our sins?”The Lord has shown you what is good. He has told you what he requires of you. You must act with justice. You must love to show mercy. And you must be humble as you live in the sight of your God.
One day John’s disciples came. They said to Jesus, “We and the Pharisees often go without eating. Why don’t your disciples go without eating?”Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the groom be sad while he is with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast.
The desires controlled by sin do not want what the Spirit delights in. And the Spirit does not want what the desires controlled by sin delight in. The two are at war with each other. That’s why you are not supposed to do whatever you want.
Brothers and sisters, God has shown you his mercy. So I am asking you to offer up your bodies to him while you are still alive. Your bodies are a holy sacrifice that is pleasing to God. When you offer your bodies to God, you are worshiping him in the right way.Love one another deeply. Honor others more than yourselves.Stay excited about your faith as you serve the Lord.When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful.Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Welcome others into your homes.Bless those who hurt you. Bless them, and do not curse them.Be joyful with those who are joyful. Be sad with those who are sad.Agree with one another. Don’t be proud. Be willing to be a friend of people who aren’t considered important. Don’t think that you are better than others.Don’t pay back evil with evil. Be careful to do what everyone thinks is right.If possible, live in peace with everyone. Do that as much as you can.My dear friends, don’t try to get even. Leave room for God to show his anger. It is written, “I am the God who judges people. I will pay them back,” (Deuteronomy 32:35) says the Lord.Don’t live the way this world lives. Let your way of thinking be completely changed. Then you will be able to test what God wants for you. And you will agree that what he wants is right. His plan is good and pleasing and perfect.
Don’t worry about anything. No matter what happens, tell God about everything. Ask and pray, and give thanks to him.Then God’s peace will watch over your hearts and your minds. He will do this because you belong to Christ Jesus. God’s peace can never be completely understood.
But those who trust in the Lord will receive new strength. They will fly as high as eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not grow weak.
“Watch and pray. Then you won’t fall into sin when you are tempted. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
But when they were sick, I put on the clothing of sadness. I made myself humble by going without food. My prayers for them weren’t always answered.So I went around crying as if I were mourning over my friend or relative. I bowed my head in sadness as if I were weeping over my mother.
Brothers and sisters, God has shown you his mercy. So I am asking you to offer up your bodies to him while you are still alive. Your bodies are a holy sacrifice that is pleasing to God. When you offer your bodies to God, you are worshiping him in the right way.
The weapons I fight with are not the weapons the world uses. In fact, it is just the opposite. My weapons have the power of God to destroy the camps of the enemy.I destroy every claim and every reason that keeps people from knowing God. I keep every thought under control in order to make it obey Christ.
A deer longs for streams of water. God, I long for you in the same way.My body suffers deadly pain as my enemies make fun of me. All day long they say to me, “Where is your God?”My spirit, why are you so sad? Why are you so upset deep down inside me? Put your hope in God. Once again I will have reason to praise him. He is my Savior and my God.I am thirsty for God. I am thirsty for the living God. When can I go and meet with him?
A huge cloud of witnesses is all around us. So let us throw off everything that stands in our way. Let us throw off any sin that holds on to us so tightly. And let us keep on running the race marked out for us.
At that time I was very sad for three weeks.So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia. When I go, the prince of Greece will come.But first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. No one gives me any help against those princes except Michael. He is your leader.I didn’t eat any rich food. No meat or wine touched my lips. I didn’t use any lotions at all until the three weeks were over.
I have told you these things many times before. Now I tell you again with tears in my eyes. Many people live like enemies of the cross of Christ.The only thing they have coming to them is death. Their stomach is their god. They brag about what they should be ashamed of. They think only about earthly things.
Always keep watching. Pray that you will be able to escape all that is about to happen. Also, pray that you will not be judged guilty when the Son of Man comes.”
But put God’s kingdom first. Do what he wants you to do. Then all those things will also be given to you.
God, create a pure heart in me. Give me a new spirit that is faithful to you.Don’t send me away from you. Don’t take your Holy Spirit away from me.Give me back the joy that comes from being saved by you. Give me a spirit that obeys you so that I will keep going.
So I say, live by the Holy Spirit’s power. Then you will not do what your desires controlled by sin want you to do.The desires controlled by sin do not want what the Spirit delights in. And the Spirit does not want what the desires controlled by sin delight in. The two are at war with each other. That’s why you are not supposed to do whatever you want.
So we didn’t eat anything. We prayed to our God about all these matters. And he answered our prayers.
By the canal that flows toward Ahava, I announced a fast. I told the people not to eat any food. In that way, we made ourselves humble in God’s sight. We prayed that he would give us and our children a safe journey. We asked him to keep safe everything we owned.
But when you go without eating, put olive oil on your head. Wash your face.Then others will not know that you are fasting. Only your Father, who can’t be seen, will know it. Your Father will reward you, because he sees what you do secretly.
“When you go without eating, do not look gloomy like those who only pretend to be holy. They make their faces look very sad. They want to show people they are fasting. What I’m about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward.
All who take part in the games train hard. They do it to get a crown that will not last. But we do it to get a crown that will last forever.So I do not run like someone who doesn’t run toward the finish line. I do not fight like a boxer who hits nothing but air.No, I train my body and bring it under control. Then after I have preached to others, I myself will not break the rules. If I did break them, I would fail to win the prize.
So I prayed to the Lord God. I begged him. I made many appeals to him. I didn’t eat anything. I put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. And I sat down in ashes.