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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 yamim (days) will come when the Choson is taken away from them, and then they will undergo tzomot HaYom HaHu.
Then said he unto me, Al tirah (fear not), Daniel, for from the yom harishon (first day) that thou didst set thine lev to understand, oolehitannot (and to afflict, humble thyself) before Eloheicha, thy words were heard, and I am come because of thy words.
Sanctify ye a tzom (fast), call an atzarah (solemn assembly), gather the zekenim and all the yoshvei ha'aretz into the Beis Hashem Eloheichem, and cry unto Hashem,
Cornelius said, "Four days ago to this hour, I was davening in my bais at the ninth hour, and, hinei, a being stood before me enrobed in shining radiance,
And Moshiach said to them, Surely the Bnei HaChuppah (wedding invitees) are not able to act as avelim (mourners) as long as the Choson (Bridegroom, i.e., Moshiach) is with them. But the days will come when the Choson is taken away from them, and then they will undergo tzomot.
Then Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach touched their eyes, saying, According to your emunah, let it be done for you.
Is such as this a tzom that I have chosen? Merely for adam to afflict his nefesh? To bow down his rosh like a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and efer (ashes) under him? Wilt thou call this a tzom, and a yom ratzon (a day of acceptance, an acceptable day) unto Hashem?
Why have we done a tzom, say they, and Thou seest not? Why have we afflicted nafsheinu, and Thou takest no notice? See, in your yom tzom ye find chefetz (pleasure, personal advantage) and exploit all your toilers.
Therefore also now, saith Hashem, turn ye back to Me with all your lev, and with tzom, and with weeping, and with mourning;
And whenever you undergo a tzom (fast), don’t be like the sullen tzevuim (hypocrites), for they disfigure their faces to parade their tzom (fast). Omein, truly I say to you, they have received their sachar (reward).But when you undergo a tzom, anoint your rosh with shemen (oil) and wash your faceso that your tzom is concealed from Bnei Adam but not from your Av Asher b’Seter (Father Who is in Secret). And your Av HaRoeh b’seter (Father the One seeing in secret) will give you sachar.
Is not this the tzom that I have chosen? To loose the chartzubbot resha (chains of wickedness, injustice), to undo the aguddot motah (bindings of the yoke bar), and to let the retzutzim (oppressed ones) go as chafeshim (free ones), and that ye break kol motah (every yoke of oppression)?Is it not paras lechem (breaking bread of thine, i.e., serving food) to the hungry, and that thou bring the homeless aniyyim (poor) to thy bais? When thou seest the arom (naked), that thou cover him with clothing; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own basar (flesh and blood, kinspeople)?
Therefore also now, saith Hashem, turn ye back to Me with all your lev, and with tzom, and with weeping, and with mourning;And rend your lev, and not your garments, and turn unto Hashem Eloheichem; for He is channun (gracious) and rachum (merciful), slow to anger, and of rav chesed, and He relents from sending calamity.
Is not this the tzom that I have chosen? To loose the chartzubbot resha (chains of wickedness, injustice), to undo the aguddot motah (bindings of the yoke bar), and to let the retzutzim (oppressed ones) go as chafeshim (free ones), and that ye break kol motah (every yoke of oppression)?
So the people of Nineveh had emunah in Elohim, and proclaimed a tzom, and put on sackcloth, from their gedolim even to their ketanim.
They were ministering to Adonoi and under a tzom when the Ruach Hakodesh said to them, “Set apart for Me Bar-Nabba and Sha’ul for the avodas kodesh ministry to which I have called them.” [DIVREY HAYAMIM BAIS 13:10; 35:3; YECHEZKEL 40:46; 44:16; 45:4]Then, having continued the tzom and having davened and having laid their hands upon them, they sent them off.
And he was there with Hashem arba'im yom and arba'im lailah; he did neither eat lechem, nor drink mayim. And he wrote upon the Luchot the Divrei HaBrit (Words of the Covenant), the Aseres Hadevarim (Ten Commandments).
But as for me, when they were choleh (ill), my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my nefesh with tzom (fasting); and my tefillah (prayer) turned back on mine own kheyk (bosom).
And having chosen for messianic s'michah Zekenim to be installed in every one of Moshiach's Kehillot, and having davened with tzomot, the Moshiach's Shlichim commended them to Adoneinu in whom they had emunah.
Then shalt thou call, and Hashem shall answer; thou shalt cry for help, and He shall say, Hineni! If thou remove from the midst of thee the motah (yoke), the pointing of the etzba (finger [of contempt]) and speaking aven (evil, lashon hora);And if thou draw out thy nefesh to the hungry, and satisfy the nefesh of the afflicted, then shall thy ohr rise in choshech, and thy darkness shall be as the noon;And Hashem shall guide thee tamid, and satisfy thy nefesh in drought, and strengthen thy atzmot; and thou shalt be like a gan raveh (well-watered garden), and like a motzah mayim (spring of water), whose mayim fail not.
Then I proclaimed a tzom there, at the Ahava River, that we might afflict ourselves before Eloheinu, to seek of Him a derech yesharah for us, and for our little ones, and for all our possessions.For I was ashamed to require of the Melech a band of soldiers and parashim to protect us against the enemy on the road; because we had spoken unto the Melech, saying, The Yad Eloheinu is upon all them for tovah that seek Him, but His power and His wrath is against all them that forsake Him.So we did a tzom and besought Eloheinu for this, and He was entreated of us.
Now Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach, full of the Ruach Hakodesh, returned from the Yarden, and was being led by the Ruach Hakodesh bamidbarWhere for ARBAIM YOM Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was undergoing nisayon by Hasatan. And he had no okhel in those yamim. And when the yamim had been completed, he was famished.
And Yehoshaphat feared, and set his face to inquire of Hashem, and proclaimed a tzom throughout all Yehudah.And Yehudah gathered themselves together, to ask help of Hashem, even from all the towns of Yehudah they came to seek help of Hashem.
(11) When I wept, and chastened my nefesh in the tzom (fast), that became my cherpot (reproaches).
Then kol Bnei Yisroel, and kol haAm, went up, and came unto Beit-El, and wept, and sat there before Hashem, and did a tzom that day until erev, and offered olot and shelamim before Hashem.
Do not deprive each other, unless by agreement for a set time, that you may renew zerizut (diligence) to tefillah (prayer) and again you may be together, lest Hasatan lead you into nissayon (temptation) because of your lack of shlitah atzmi (self-control). [SHEMOT 19:15; SHMUEL ALEF 21:4,5]
And they gathered together at Mitzpah, and drew mayim, and poured it out before Hashem, and did a tzom on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Hashem. And Shmuel judged the Bnei Yisroel at Mitzpah.
And, having undergone a tzom (fast) for arbaim yom varbaim lailah (forty days and forty nights), afterward Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was famished.
But they said to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Yochanan's talmidim undergo tzomot (fasts) often and offer tefillos; likewise also the ones of the Perushim; but your talmidim eat and drink.But Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach said to them, You are not able to make the Bnei haChuppah undergo tzomot while the Choson is with them, are you?But yamim will come when the Choson is taken away from them; then, in those yamim, they will undergo tzomot.
Speak unto kol Am Ha'Aretz, and to the kohanim, saying, When ye did a tzom and mourned in the fifth and seventh, even these past shivim shanah, did ye at all fast the tzom unto Me, even to Me?
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for several yamim, and did a tzom, and davened before Elohei HaShomayim,
Then shalt thou call, and Hashem shall answer; thou shalt cry for help, and He shall say, Hineni! If thou remove from the midst of thee the motah (yoke), the pointing of the etzba (finger [of contempt]) and speaking aven (evil, lashon hora);And if thou draw out thy nefesh to the hungry, and satisfy the nefesh of the afflicted, then shall thy ohr rise in choshech, and thy darkness shall be as the noon;
And Yehoshaphat feared, and set his face to inquire of Hashem, and proclaimed a tzom throughout all Yehudah.
Speak unto kol Am Ha'Aretz, and to the kohanim, saying, When ye did a tzom and mourned in the fifth and seventh, even these past shivim shanah, did ye at all fast the tzom unto Me, even to Me?And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
So the people of Nineveh had emunah in Elohim, and proclaimed a tzom, and put on sackcloth, from their gedolim even to their ketanim.For word came unto HaMelech of Nineveh, and he arose from his kisse, and he laid aside his royal robe, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of HaMelech and his gedolim, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing; let them not eat, nor drink mayim;But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto Elohim; yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the chamas that is in their hands.Who can tell if HaElohim will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, that we perish not?And HaElohim saw their ma'asim, that they shavu (turned) from their derech hara’ah; and HaElohim relented of hara’ah, that He had said that He would do unto them; and He did it not.
Now it came about in those yamim that Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach went forth to the mountain to daven, and he was spending the whole night b’tefillah to Hashem.
With what shall I come before Hashem, and bow myself before Elohei Marom (G-d on High)? Shall I come before Him with olot (burnt offerings), with calves a year old?Will Hashem be pleased with thousands of eilim (rams), or with ten thousand rivers of shemen (olive oil)? Shall I give my bechor (firstborn) for my peysha, the p’ri (fruit) of my beten for the chattat (sin) of my nefesh?He hath showed thee, O adam (man), what is tov. And what doth Hashem require of thee, but to do mishpat, and ahavat chesed, and to walk humbly with Eloheicha?
Then Yochanan’s talmidim approached Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, saying, Why do we and the Perushim often undergo tzomot (fasts), but your talmidim do not undergo tzomot?And Moshiach said to them, Surely the Bnei HaChuppah (wedding invitees) are not able to act as avelim (mourners) as long as the Choson (Bridegroom, i.e., Moshiach) is with them. But the days will come when the Choson is taken away from them, and then they will undergo tzomot.
For the basar desires against the Ruach HaKodesh, and the Ruach HaKodesh desires against the basar--for these oppose each other--with the result that the things you wish you cannot do (Ro chp 7).
I appeal to you, therefore, Achim b'Moshiach, through the rachamei Hashem (mercies of G-d), to present your geviyah (BERESHIS 47:18), all of your being as a korban chai (living sacrifice), kadosh (holy) and acceptable to Hashem (BERESHIS 8:21), which is your spiritual avodas kodesh service.Stop allowing yourself to be conformed to the Olam Hazeh, but be transformed by your hitkhadshut (regeneration, renewal) of your mind, so that you may ascertain what is the ratzon Hashem (the will of G-d), what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of G-d.
Be anxious in nothing [Mt 6:25; 1K 5:7], but in everything by tefillah and by techinnah (supplication) with hodayah (thanksgiving), let your requests be made known before Hashem,And the shalom Hashem [YESHAYAH 26:3; Yn 14:27; Co. 3:15], surpassing all binah (understanding), will guard your levavot and your machshavot (thoughts) in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua.
But they that wait upon Hashem shall renew their ko'ach; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not grow weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Stay awake and offer tefillos, lest you enter lidey nisayon (Mt 6:13). Indeed the ruach is willing but the basar is weak.
But as for me, when they were choleh (ill), my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my nefesh with tzom (fasting); and my tefillah (prayer) turned back on mine own kheyk (bosom).I went about as though he had been my re'a or ach; I bowed in sadness, as one that mourneth for his em.
I appeal to you, therefore, Achim b'Moshiach, through the rachamei Hashem (mercies of G-d), to present your geviyah (BERESHIS 47:18), all of your being as a korban chai (living sacrifice), kadosh (holy) and acceptable to Hashem (BERESHIS 8:21), which is your spiritual avodas kodesh service.
I undergo a tzom (fast) twice during the week, I give the ma’aser (tithe) of everything as much as I get. [YESHAYAH 58:3, MALACHI 3:8]
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the basar, [Ep 6:13 17] but full of ko'ach through Hashem to the overthrowing of strongholds, reasonings [Jer 1:10; 23:29]And every high minded thing rising up against the da'as of Hashem, and leading captive every machshavah (thought) into the mishma'at of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, [Isa 2:11,12]
For the one directing Maskil for the Bnei Korah As the deer panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my nefesh after Thee, O Elohim.(3) My nefesh thirsteth for Elohim, for El Chai. When shall I come and appear before Elohim [in the Beis Hamikdash]?
So, therefore, als (since) we have surrounding us so great an Anan Edim (Cloud of Witnesses), let us also lay aside every weighty impediment and easily ensnaring averos, and let us run with endurance and savlanut the race set before us,
In those days I Daniel was mourning a full shloshah shavu'im (three weeks).Choice lechem I did not eat, neither came basar nor yayin into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, until the completing of the full shloshet shavu'im.
For many, of whom I was often telling you, and now also I say with weeping, walk as oyvim (enemies) of Moshiach’s Etz [DEVARIM 21:23; 27:26; Ga 3:13; 1C 1:23; Ga 6:12 cf Pp 2:8].Their destined end [TEHILLIM 73:17] is churban (destruction, Gehinnom). Their g-d is their appetite [Ro 16:18], and their kavod, what they glory in, is their bushah (shame). Their machshavot are set on the Olam Hazeh [Ro 8:5-6].
But be shomer (on guard, alert), always davening that you may be able to escape all these things that are about to happen and that you may be able to stand before the Ben HaAdam (Moshiach DANIEL 7:13-14).
But seek first the Malchut Hashem and the Tzidkat Hashem, and all these things will be added to you.
(12) Create in me a lev tahor, O Elohim; and renew a ruach nekhon (steadfast spirit [i.e., regeneration Ezek 36:26; Yn 3:3,6]) within me.(13) Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Ruach Hakodesh from me.(14) Restore unto me the sasson of Thy salvation; and uphold me with a ruach nedivah (a willing spirit; see Jer 31:31-34).
But I say, let your halakhah be by the Ruach HaKodesh, and by no means will you carry out the ta'avot (lusts) of the basar.For the basar desires against the Ruach HaKodesh, and the Ruach HaKodesh desires against the basar--for these oppose each other--with the result that the things you wish you cannot do (Ro chp 7).
And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, This kind of gerush shedim is accomplished only by davening with tzomot.
Then I proclaimed a tzom there, at the Ahava River, that we might afflict ourselves before Eloheinu, to seek of Him a derech yesharah for us, and for our little ones, and for all our possessions.
But when you undergo a tzom, anoint your rosh with shemen (oil) and wash your faceso that your tzom is concealed from Bnei Adam but not from your Av Asher b’Seter (Father Who is in Secret). And your Av HaRoeh b’seter (Father the One seeing in secret) will give you sachar.
But this kind [i.e., kind of mazikim (malicious spirits)] do not come out except by tefillah and tzom.
And whenever you undergo a tzom (fast), don’t be like the sullen tzevuim (hypocrites), for they disfigure their faces to parade their tzom (fast). Omein, truly I say to you, they have received their sachar (reward).
And everyone competing in the [Olympic] games in all things exercises shlitah atzmi: those ones, therefore, that they may obtain a perishable wreath; but we, an imperishable.Therefore, I run not as one without a goal that is kovua (fixed, set). I box as not beating the air.But I do more than merely spar with my basar; I pommel it and keep it under strict subjection, so that after I am the maggid to others, I myself will not become declared ineligible.
And I set my face unto Adonoi HaElohim, to plead by tefillah and tachanunim (supplications), with a tzom, and sackcloth, and ashes;