5 Spiritual Reasons to Fast
I once heard someone say that February 1st is the new January 1st. Nothing magical happens on January 1st; we do not have to feel rushed about having all of our plans and goals set in stone just because it is a new year. I believe God uses the month of January as an invitation to be reset. We rest and wait in the presence of God for clarity and confirmation concerning His will for us in a new year. One of the best ways to gain focus is by incorporating fasting.
One very popular, biblically-based fast I often observe people participating in is called The Daniel Fast (see Daniel 1:8-16 for background context). With this particular fast, one only eats plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and water while abstaining from eating meat, dairy, sweeteners, alcohol, processed foods, and leavened breads.
As Christ-followers, we practice fasting as a spiritual discipline because Jesus modeled fasting for us. Matthew 4:2 (NKJV) tells us, “And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.” If Jesus, the Son of God, demonstrated a commitment to a lifestyle of fasting, then we can be encouraged to do the same today as New Testament believers.
We live in a culture where the expression, “What’s your why?” can be inserted into various contexts. When it comes to fasting, it is imperative that we know our “why,” because motive matters in the eyes of God. Understanding “why” we do “what” we do helps us practice fasting with intention, purity, and authenticity.
There are several reasons one may fast, but it all starts with our why. The first response to the question, “What’s your why?” should always start with, “because God told me to…” Although Jesus fasted 40 days (see the Scripture referenced above in Matthew 4:2), when we go back to the first verse of Matthew 4, it says this: “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Even Jesus fasted out of obedience from being prompted by the Spirit of God. Jesus was led by God to fast because fasting was God’s idea.
If the Lord prompted you to complete a 21-day fast in January, that is great. However, if He did not convict you and you are only doing it because it has become a fad, perhaps this is a good time to assess your 'why'. As a proponent of the spiritual discipline of fasting, I would never discourage someone from going on a fast unless they are simply joining the crowd, jumping on the bandwagon because “everyone is doing it.”
Our why must be personally convicting. Otherwise, we will not maintain the motivation necessary to be sustained throughout the fast. Our acts of fasting should be attached to God’s purposes for us as we respond to His prompting with obedience.
This is why I have abandoned the idea of having all my goals completely and perfectly articulated on paper by January 1st. If God is calling me to go on a fast at some point during the year, then I need to hear His voice speak to me first so I can realign my heart with His plans. Fasting creates an atmosphere where we learn to wait in the presence of God and become sensitive to His will for our lives.
This level of awareness is applied as we first ask God questions like, “When do you want me to fast?” “How long do you want me to fast?” “What type of fast should I undertake?” We cannot be presumptuous that our fast should start at the very beginning of January in the form of a 21-day Daniel fast. It is vitally important that we seek God’s guidance before beginning a fast so we will know how to initiate it. Our “why” will then inform our “when and how” choices related to our fasting experience.
I recently had the pleasure of leading a community of women through a 7-day fast. As a resource, I created a fasting guide and workbook to support their decision to commit to this fast. One of the key elements of the guide and workbook is to supply suggestions and ideas of how we might carry out our why. I was careful to emphasize that our fasting journey, even when done in community, is not meant to be prescriptive because fasting is uniquely personal.
The reasons God prompts us to begin a fast, as well as how to implement the fast, are all highly individualized, as they should be. Fasting requires sacrifice on our part. I remember hearing a preacher say that God is not interested in equal giving, but in equal sacrifice. In other words, what God considers a sacrifice for one person may not necessarily be a sacrifice for another. Therefore, since we are not cookie-cutter Christians, there is no one-size-fits-all universal fasting plan. Jesus has offered us a blueprint, and so did His early disciples. However, we each have a responsibility to inquire of God for ourselves and to follow His leading.
Fasting is not a spiritual discipline reserved only for some Christians who are mature in their faith and have walked with God for a very long time. It is a discipline we should all practice and embrace as much as others, like reading the Bible or praying. Food is a natural need and desire. However, when we deny our belly the satisfaction of eating, it has spiritual ramifications that lead to long-term benefits for us. Those benefits encompass our relationship with God and with others.
If you have sensed God’s nudging or have been praying about how to be consistent in the area of fasting, I hope you will draw inspiration from the five reasons for fasting and five recommendations for fasting I am sharing with you today:
5 Reasons for Fasting
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1. When Desiring Closer Fellowship with God
1. When Desiring Closer Fellowship with God
Fasting starts with a desire to foster an intimate relationship with God. We are reminded in Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV) that fasting also requires a willingness to walk humbly and honestly with God, so that He may lead us according to His ways for us. Although it will involve sacrifice, the blessings of fasting far outweigh the inconveniences we temporarily experience.
2. When Seeking Direction from God
2. When Seeking Direction from God
Whenever we face major decisions or unexpected crossroads in life, we should turn to God for direction through fasting. If there is something you are unsure of and need greater clarity about, fasting gives us the opportunity to hear the voice of God without distractions.
I am reminded of Esther and how she fasted on behalf of the Jewish people, seeking God’s direction on what to do to spare their lives. She even declared a corporate fast so that they might collectively entreat the throne room of God with prayer and fasting (see Esther 4:15-16). Before making choices that could have potentially severe, irreversible consequences, it is wise to seek God first through fasting.
3. When Needing Deliverance from Sin Behavior
3. When Needing Deliverance from Sin Behavior
We praise God that our salvation has been purchased with the precious, incorruptible blood of Jesus. Although we are saved, it does not mean we will never sin. Sometimes, we will even find ourselves struggling with sin behaviors, addictions, or strongholds that must be overcome. One way we can receive deliverance is through fasting.
In the Old Testament, the prophet and priest Samuel assembled the nation of Israel to fast and confess their sin before God. As a result, they were then able to achieve victory over their enemy, the Philistine nation (see 1 Samuel 7:5-11).
In the New Testament, Jesus’ disciples questioned why they were not able to cast out a demon that had possessed a young boy. Jesus explained to them that they needed the power that comes from prayer and fasting in order to take authority over the spirit (Matthew 17:21).
If we ever attempt to deny the fact that we live in a world that has unseen powers at work, and that we can physically overcome in our own strength those supernatural powers that form against us, then we are deceiving ourselves. In order to experience a breakthrough, we will need to draw near to God through fasting and cry out to him for our deliverance.
4. When Petitioning God for Healing
4. When Petitioning God for Healing
One of the advantages of knowing God is knowing His heart to see us live in perfect healing, not sickness. Isaiah 58:8 (NIV) helps us understand how God responds to those who fast with pure motives and how that can impact our physical healing. The Scripture tells us, “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you.”
Healing, we know, is not limited to physical diagnosis and the eradication of symptoms, or to the experience of wholeness in the human body. Sometimes the healing we need is mental, relational, financial, or emotional. These are all reasons we can seek God through fasting.
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5. When Interceding on Behalf of Someone
5. When Interceding on Behalf of Someone
In all of our lives, there will be times we are moved by the pain or plight of someone we know. Although we may not be the person going through the trial, it causes us grief and sorrow because we don’t want to see our loved one suffering. In these moments when we often feel as if there is nothing we can do, that the situation is too hard and difficult, and possibly bigger than anyone’s ability to “fix it,” it is then that we must remind ourselves that the greatest act of love we can show another person is our gesture of fasting on their behalf.
Nehemiah 1:4-11 depicts a narrative that illustrates how God pricked Nehemiah's heart to stand in the gap through prayer and fasting on behalf of the remnant of Jews who survived exile and remained in Jerusalem. Even though He was the king’s cupbearer and did not live there, he was filled with compassion to intercede on behalf of the people. There will be many people in our path; God will touch our hearts and impress upon our spirits to “turn down your plate for them.” We should do so without the slightest hesitation.
5 Recommendations for Fasting
1. Identify your purpose(s) for your fast.
1. Identify your purpose(s) for your fast.
There should be a specific purpose for which God has led us to engage in fasting. Writing down our “why,” along with any instructions and insights God provides prior to the fast beginning, is a great idea. It may be helpful to journal each day of the fast.
2. Understand the different types of fasts.
The Bible offers insight into two primary types of fasts: an absolute fast (as Jesus did in the wilderness) and a partial fast (as Daniel modeled). With an absolute fast, we completely abstain from eating and drinking. A partial fast means we have particular criteria surrounding the conditions of our fast. Some ideas for partial fasting include abstaining from (or a combination of) meat, sugar, dairy, bread, caffeine, candy, etc. The Holy Spirit will guide us with peace, and we will know the type of fast He is leading us to.
3. Establish a duration for the fast.
3. Establish a duration for the fast.
The length of time we choose to fast may vary. We may choose to fast for intermittent periods, such as one, three, seven, twenty-one, or forty days. We may also decide to fast from sunrise to sunset, or sunup to noon, or only twelve hours in one day. This might look like only having one or two meals a day for a prescribed period of time. If we are refraining from something else in addition to food (electronics, social media, television, etc.), we will still need to decide time parameters as boundaries. Pray and allow God to give you His strategy for your particular details.
4. Decide what all to abstain from during the fast.
Clarifying what we are giving up during our fast helps us to establish expectations about what we can eat, our level of physical activity, and engagement in other ways. For example, we may not want to plan a coffee date with a friend during this time.
5. Determine a substitution focus.
5. Determine a substitution focus.
Determining what will substitute our attention in place of what we are denying ourselves is crucial. This gives us the ability to focus on the goals and benefits of fasting rather than on what we are not able to eat, do, or be comforted and gratified by.
The replacement activities we chose should help redirect our focus back to God. This is not the time for self-indulgence, but an opportunity to soberly reflect upon our relationship with the Lord.
I invite you and challenge you to start by choosing one day a week as your built-in fasting day. Pray about it and let God guide you through the details. Once you have the green light, keep showing up weekly to keep growing by God’s grace.
Disclaimer: As with any changes to your diet and nutrition, please seek the counsel of your medical professional.
Related:
10 Things You Need to Know about Fasting
What Is Fasting and How Do Christians Get Started on This Practice?
10 Tips for Successful Fasting
A 21-Day Daniel Fast Prayer Guide
Originally published February 19, 2026.
