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 will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.

“Then he said to me, ‘Don’t be afraid, Daniel! For from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come because of your words.

Consecrate a fast. Proclaim a solemn assembly. Gather elders and all living in the land to the House of Adonai your God, and cry to Adonai.

Cornelius declared, “Four days ago at this hour, I was praying minchah in my house. Suddenly, a man stood in front of me in shining clothes.

And Yeshua said to them, “The guests of the bridegroom cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith, let it be done for you.”

Is this the fast I have chosen? A day for one to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and spreading out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to Adonai?

“Why have we fasted. yet You do not see? Why have we afflicted our souls, yet You take no notice?” “Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and exploit all your laborers.

“Yet even now” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping and lamenting.”

“And whenever you fast, do not become sad-faced like the hypocrites, for they neglect their faces to make their fasting evident to men. Amen, I tell you, they have their reward in full!But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,so that your fasting won’t be evident to men, but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

“Is not this the fast I choose: to release the bonds of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to tear off every yoke?Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the homeless poor into your house? When you see the naked, to cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh and blood?

“Yet even now” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping and lamenting.”Rend your heart, not your garments, and turn to Adonai, your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abundant in mercy, and relenting about the calamity due.

Blow the shofar in Zion! Sanctify a fast; proclaim an assembly.

“Is not this the fast I choose: to release the bonds of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to tear off every yoke?

Then the people of Nineveh believed God and called for a fast and wore sackcloth—from the greatest of them to the least of them.

While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Ruach ha-Kodesh said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”all of this took about 450 years. After that, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.After removing him, He raised up David to be their king. He also testified about him and said, ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do My will.’“From this man’s seed, in keeping with His promise, God brought to Israel a Savior—Yeshua.Before His coming, John had proclaimed an immersion of repentance to all the people of Israel.As John was completing his service, he said, ‘What do you suppose me to be? I am not He. But behold, One is coming after me, whose sandal I’m not worthy to untie.’“Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham and those among you who are God-fearers, it is to us the message of this salvation has been sent.For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers—not recognizing Him or the sayings of the Prophets that are read every Shabbat—fulfilled these words by condemning Him.Though they found no charge worthy of a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed.When they had carried out all that had been written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.Then after fasting, praying, and laying hands on them, they sent them off.

So he stayed there with Adonai for 40 days and 40 nights, and he did not eat bread or drink water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant: the Ten Words.

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting, my prayer kept returning to my heart.

When they had handpicked elders for them in every community, and prayed with fasting, they placed them in the care of the Lord—in whom they had put their trust.

Then I proclaimed a fast there at the Ahava River so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from Him a straight way for us, our little ones, and all of our possessions.For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and cavalry to protect us from the enemy along the way, because we had spoken to the king saying, “The gracious hand of our God is upon everyone who seeks Him, but His great anger is against everyone who forsakes Him.”So we fasted and sought our God about this, and He responded to our plea.

Yeshua, now filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh, returned from the Jordan. He was led by the Ruach in the wildernessFor it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning you, to guard you,’and ‘upon their hands they will lift you up, so that you may not strike your foot against a stone.’”But answering, Yeshua said to him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put Adonai your God to the test.’”And when the devil had completed every test, he departed from Him until another occasion.Yeshua returned in the power of the Ruach to the Galilee, and news about Him went out through all the surrounding region.He taught in their synagogues, and everyone was praising Him.And He came to Natzeret, where He had been raised. As was His custom, He went into the synagogue on Shabbat, and He got up to read.When the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him, He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,“The Ruach Adonai is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim 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,and to proclaim the year of Adonai’s favor.”for forty days, being tested by the devil. Now He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He was hungry.

Jehoshaphat was afraid so he resolved to seek Adonai, and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was untroubled for his God gave him rest all around.Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was 35 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for 25 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shlihi.He walked in the way of his father Asa and did not stray from it, doing what was right in the eyes of Adonai.However, the high places were not removed, nor did the people direct their hearts to the God of their fathers.Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from beginning to end, behold, they are written in the annals of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is included in the book of the kings of Israel.Afterward, King Jehoshaphat of Judah allied himself with King Ahaziah of Israel, thereby acting wickedly.He joined with him to construct ships to go to Tarshish, and they constructed the ships in Ezion-geber.Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, Adonai will break up your works.” So the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.Judah assembled to seek help from Adonai; indeed, they came from all the cities of Judah to seek Adonai.

For zeal for Your House consumed me— the insults of those who insulted You have fallen on me.

Then all Bnei-Yisrael went up, and all the people came to Bethel and wept and sat there before Adonai. They fasted that day until evening and they offered burnt-offerings and fellowship offerings before Adonai.

Do not deprive one another—except by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that satan doesn’t tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water and poured it out before Adonai. They fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against Adonai.” Then Samuel was judging Bnei-Yisrael at Mizpah.

After He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.

But they said to Him, “John’s disciples often fast and offer prayers, as do the disciples of the Pharisees. But Your disciples are eating and drinking.”But Yeshua said to them, “You cannot make the guests of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you?But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”

“Speak to all the people of the land and to the kohanim saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh months for the past seventy years, did you really fast for Me?

Upon hearing these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days. I prayed and fasted before the God of heaven.

Jehoshaphat was afraid so he resolved to seek Adonai, and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

Humble yourselves in the sight of Adonai, and He shall lift you up.

“Speak to all the people of the land and to the kohanim saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh months for the past seventy years, did you really fast for Me?When you eat and drink, are you not eating and drinking for yourself?

And it was during these days that Yeshua went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent all night in prayer to God.

With what shall I come before Adonai? With what shall I bow myself before God on high? Shall I present Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?Will Adonai be pleased with thousands of rams, with hordes of rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my belly for the sin of my soul?He has told you, humanity, what is good, and what Adonai is seeking from you: Only to practice justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Then John’s disciples came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”And Yeshua said to them, “The guests of the bridegroom cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

For the flesh sets its desire against the Ruach, but the Ruach sets its desire against the flesh—for these are in opposition to one another, so that you cannot do what you want.

I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice—holy, acceptable to God—which is your spiritual service.Be tenderly devoted to one another in brotherly love; outdo one another in giving honor.Do not be lagging in zeal; be fervent in spirit. Keep serving the Lord,rejoicing in hope, enduring in distress, persisting in prayer,contributing to the needs of the kedoshim, extending 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, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own eyes.Repay no one evil for evil; give thought to what is good in the eyes of all people.If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in shalom with all people.Never take your own revenge, loved ones, but give room for God’s wrath—for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” says Adonai.Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Do not be anxious about anything—but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.And the shalom of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Messiah Yeshua.

but they who wait for Adonai will renew their strength. They will soar up with wings as eagles. They will run, and not grow weary. They will walk, and not be faint.

Keep watching and praying, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting, my prayer kept returning to my heart.I went about mourning as though for my own friend or brother. I bowed down dressed in black as though for my own mother.

I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice—holy, acceptable to God—which is your spiritual service.

I fast twice a week and tithe on all that I get.’

For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly but powerful through God for the tearing down of strongholds. We are tearing down false argumentsand every high-minded thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Messiah—

For the music director, a contemplative song of the sons of Korah.I will say to God my Rock: “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go about mourning, under the oppression of the enemy?”As with a crushing in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, by saying to me all day, “Where is your God?”Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why are you murmuring within me? Hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, the salvation of my countenance and my God.As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God.

My knees totter from fasting, and my flesh is lean, with no fat.

Therefore, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also get rid of every weight and entangling sin. Let us run with endurance the race set before us,

“In those days, I, Daniel was mourning for three whole weeks.“Then he said: ‘Do you understand why I have come to you? Now I must return to fight against the prince of Persia! When I go, behold, the prince of Greece will come.But first, I will tell you what is recorded in the writing of truth.’ (No one strengthened me against these, except Michael your prince.I ate no rich food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I anoint myself with oil, until the end of three weeks.

For many walk who are enemies of the cross of Messiah—I have often told you about them, and now I am even weeping as I tell you.Their end is destruction—their god is their belly and their glory is in their shame. They set their minds on earthly things.)

But stay alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things about to happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

May He remember all your meal offerings and accept the fat of your burnt offering. Selah

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Let me hear joy and gladness, so the bones You crushed may rejoice.Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

But I say, walk by the Ruach, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.For the flesh sets its desire against the Ruach, but the Ruach sets its desire against the flesh—for these are in opposition to one another, so that you cannot do what you want.

So we fasted and sought our God about this, and He responded to our plea.

And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out except by prayer.”

Then I proclaimed a fast there at the Ahava River so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from Him a straight way for us, our little ones, and all of our possessions.

But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,so that your fasting won’t be evident to men, but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

[footnote: Most manuscripts omit verse 21: But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.]

“And whenever you fast, do not become sad-faced like the hypocrites, for they neglect their faces to make their fasting evident to men. Amen, I tell you, they have their reward in full!

Every competitor exercises self-control in all respects. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we do it to receive an imperishable one.So I run in this way—not aimlessly. So I box in this way—not beating the air.Rather, I punish my body and bring it into submission, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

So I set my face to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.

Prayer