Category
VERSES ABOUT FASTING
Fasting helps me grow closer to God and strengthens my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I try not to see it as something I do for my own benefit, but as a way to improve my walk with God. It's a voluntary choice, a time when I set aside the physical need for food to nourish my spirit. It's a special time to seek God's presence, which is why I find it helpful to fast in a quiet place where I can talk with Him alone.
The Bible talks about this too. Daniel 9:31 says, "So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes." It's really inspiring to see how people in the Bible sought God through fasting.
“In addition, when you fast [i.e., go without food and/or drink for religious reasons], do not be like the hypocrites with long faces; for they go around with gloomy expressions on their faces in order to advertise that they are fasting. It is true when I say to you; these people have [already] received their reward.But when you fast, groom your hair and wash your faceso that people will not see that you are fasting, but [only] your Father who is in secret [will know about it]. For, [since] He sees [what is done] in secret, He will repay you.
As these men were ministering to the Lord [i.e., this probably means worshiping] and fasting, the Holy Spirit said [to one of them by way of inspiration]: “Set Barnabas and Saul apart for Me, [commissioning them] to do the work for which I have called them.”Then, as these prophets and teachers fasted and prayed [for the two men], they placed their hands on them [signifying their appointment for this ministry] and sent them away.
Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River [i.e., where He had been immersed. See 3:21] and was led by the Holy Spirit [See Matt. 4:1] into the desert.During the forty days He was being put to the test by the devil, He did not eat anything; then after it was over He was [very] hungry.
And when Paul and Barnabas had appointed elders [for the churches] in every congregation and had prayed and fasted [over these elders], they committed them to [the care of] the Lord, in whom they had come to trust.
Some of John’s disciples came to Jesus saying, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast frequently [i.e., going without food and/or drink for religious reasons], but your disciples do not fast [at all]?”Jesus said to them, “Can the groomsmen act sadly while the groom is still with them? But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
Do not deprive each other [of these marital rights], except by mutual agreement, so that you can spend the time in prayer. Then resume [normal sexual] relations again, so Satan is not able to tempt you [i.e., to have an affair] because of your lack of self-control.
{Some manuscripts contain this verse:} But this kind [of spirit] can not be driven out except by praying and fasting.}
Cornelius [then] said, “Four days ago, when I was at home, praying at the appointed hour (i.e., three o’clock in the afternoon) [See verse 3], suddenly a man in bright clothing appeared in front of me.He said to me, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and God has taken account of your giving money to poor people.
so that people will not see that you are fasting, but [only] your Father who is in secret [will know about it]. For, [since] He sees [what is done] in secret, He will repay you.
But I work out and get my body in shape [i.e., spiritually], so that after preaching to other people, I myself do not become disqualified [i.e., for winning the prize from God. See verse 24].
As these men were ministering to the Lord [i.e., this probably means worshiping] and fasting, the Holy Spirit said [to one of them by way of inspiration]: “Set Barnabas and Saul apart for Me, [commissioning them] to do the work for which I have called them.”
and has been a widow [all these years], and is now eighty-four years old.) She has never left the Temple, but worships [God] by fasting [i.e., going without food and/or water for religious reasons] and praying night and day.
But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them [Note: Jesus here refers to Himself]. Then they will fast at that time.”
Then Jesus was led up to the desert by the Holy Spirit in order to be put to the test by the devil.After He had fasted forty days and nights, He was [very] hungry.The tempter [i.e., the devil] came and said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to turn into bread.”But Jesus answered, “It is written [Deut. 8:3], ‘A person is not to live by [eating] bread only, but [instead] by [believing and obeying] every statement spoken by God.’”
As it was dawning, Paul urged them [i.e., the crew, soldiers and probably the passengers] to eat something, saying, “You have been waiting for fourteen days [for the weather to break] and you have continued to fast [all that time], eating nothing [at all].I urge you to eat some food; it will be for your own good, for not one hair from anyone's head will be lost.”
Jesus said to them, “Can the groomsmen act sadly while the groom is still with them? But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
I have worked and suffered. I have often gone without sleep, been hungry and thirsty, often gone without food [i.e., for spiritual reasons], been cold and had inadequate clothing.
“In addition, when you fast [i.e., go without food and/or drink for religious reasons], do not be like the hypocrites with long faces; for they go around with gloomy expressions on their faces in order to advertise that they are fasting. It is true when I say to you; these people have [already] received their reward.
I fast [i.e., going without food and/or drink for religious reasons] twice a week and I give [to God’s work] a tenth of everything I get.’
Some of John’s disciples came to Jesus saying, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast frequently [i.e., going without food and/or drink for religious reasons], but your disciples do not fast [at all]?”Jesus said to them, “Can the groomsmen act sadly while the groom is still with them? But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth onto an old garment; for what was intended to cover up [the hole] actually tears away [part of] the garment [i.e., when it shrinks], causing a bigger hole.Also, people do not put freshly squeezed grape juice into bottles made of previously used animal skins. If they did, the [old dried-out] animal skins would break open and the grape juice would [all] leak out, and the animal skins would become useless. But people put freshly squeezed grape juice into newly prepared animal skin bottles. That way both of them will survive.”
Cornelius [then] said, “Four days ago, when I was at home, praying at the appointed hour (i.e., three o’clock in the afternoon) [See verse 3], suddenly a man in bright clothing appeared in front of me.
Then Jesus was led up to the desert by the Holy Spirit in order to be put to the test by the devil.After He had fasted forty days and nights, He was [very] hungry.The tempter [i.e., the devil] came and said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to turn into bread.”But Jesus answered, “It is written [Deut. 8:3], ‘A person is not to live by [eating] bread only, but [instead] by [believing and obeying] every statement spoken by God.’”Then the devil took Him to the holy city [i.e., Jerusalem] and placed Him on an [elevated] wing of the Temple,and said to Him, “If you are the Son of God jump off, for it is written [Psalm 91:11-12]: ‘He will put His angels in charge of you’ and ‘They will lift you up with their hands so you do not trip over a stone.’”Jesus said to him, “It is also written [Deut. 6:16], ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”The devil took Him again, [this time] to a very high mountain and showed Him all the world’s kingdoms, along with their splendor,and said to Him, “I will give you all these things if you fall to the ground and worship me.”Then Jesus replied to him, “Get away from me Satan, for it is written [Deut. 6:13], ‘You are supposed to worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.’”Then the devil left Him and angels came and tended to His needs [i.e., food, water, etc.].
Then they said to Jesus, “John’s [the Immerser’s] disciples fast frequently [i.e., going without food and/or drink for religious reasons] and they offer earnest prayer requests, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same things. But your disciples eat and drink.”Jesus answered them, “Can you force the companions of the groom to fast while the groom is [still] with them?But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them [Note: Jesus here refers to Himself]. Then they will fast at that time.”
But when you pray, go to a private place and after closing the door, pray to your Father who is in a secret place, and [since] He sees in secret places, He will reward you.
And there was a woman prophet named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, from the tribe of Asher [i.e., she was a descendant of one of Jacob’s son]. (She was very old, having lived with her husband for [only] seven years after being married,and has been a widow [all these years], and is now eighty-four years old.) She has never left the Temple, but worships [God] by fasting [i.e., going without food and/or water for religious reasons] and praying night and day.
Now in the church at Antioch there were [these] prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon, called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, the foster-brother of Herod the Tetrarch [i.e., governor of Galilee], and Saul.As these men were ministering to the Lord [i.e., this probably means worshiping] and fasting, the Holy Spirit said [to one of them by way of inspiration]: “Set Barnabas and Saul apart for Me, [commissioning them] to do the work for which I have called them.”Then, as these prophets and teachers fasted and prayed [for the two men], they placed their hands on them [signifying their appointment for this ministry] and sent them away.
After He had fasted forty days and nights, He was [very] hungry.The tempter [i.e., the devil] came and said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to turn into bread.”But Jesus answered, “It is written [Deut. 8:3], ‘A person is not to live by [eating] bread only, but [instead] by [believing and obeying] every statement spoken by God.’”
During the forty days He was being put to the test by the devil, He did not eat anything; then after it was over He was [very] hungry.
And suddenly, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes and his sight was [immediately] restored. So, he got up and was immersed [See 22:16];then ate a meal and received strength. And he stayed on for a number of days with the disciples at Damascus.
And everyone who [strenuously] competes in athletic events exercises self-control during training. Now they do this to receive a laurel wreath that withers, but we [do it to receive] a lasting crown.So, I run with a purpose and I fight that way [too]; I do not just shadow box.But I work out and get my body in shape [i.e., spiritually], so that after preaching to other people, I myself do not become disqualified [i.e., for winning the prize from God. See verse 24].
Then they said to Jesus, “John’s [the Immerser’s] disciples fast frequently [i.e., going without food and/or drink for religious reasons] and they offer earnest prayer requests, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same things. But your disciples eat and drink.”