Fasting

Preface

Fasting. The very word may stir up images of strained faces, empty stomachs, or long hours of denial. But the true fast — the fast God desires — is not about hunger. It is about union. This booklet is a call to go deeper. In a world obsessed with comfort and noise, fasting calls us into silence. In a church culture that often measures spirituality by outward works, fasting returns us to the inward reality — the condition of the heart before God. It is not a method for gaining favor. It is a means of surrender. Many believers fast. But few understand what fasting truly is. Jesus fasted before His ministry — not to grow stronger in flesh, but to be emptied of all but the Father’s will. Moses fasted not to impress God, but to enter into His holy presence. David fasted in grief — not commanded to do so, but broken in hope that God's mercy might still prevail. And you? When you fast, what do you seek? What are you hoping for? This booklet is not a guide to outward discipline — though it may help you begin. It is not a catalogue of rules — though it will challenge what you think fasting means. This is a spiritual reflection on the deeper reality of fasting:

• Fasting is not about food — it is about freedom.

• Fasting is not about loss — it is about being filled.

• Fasting is not a performance — it is an altar.

You will discover that God does not ask for an empty stomach, but for a yielded soul. And in that place — that sacred, secret place — He meets us, transforms us, and fills us with Himself. Fasting is where the clutter is cleared, where the heart is humbled, and where we are drawn into a place so holy, even angels enter with care. It is where we begin to see and hear again. It is where we are made ready to walk with God. So come, not as one who wants to prove something, but as one who longs to know Someone. Come hungry, yes — but come to be filled.

Let the fast begin.

Chapter 1: What Is Fasting?

Biblical Foundations of Fasting

Fasting is woven throughout Scripture, from the Old Testament prophets to the New Testament Church. It is never portrayed as a casual ritual — always as a solemn act of humility, dependence, and urgency.

To many believe, fasting is simply going without food. But in the eyes of God, fasting is not about starvation — it is about surrender. It is not a diet plan or a spiritual badge. It is a sacred act of the soul returning to its Creator, emptied and expectant.

At its core, fasting is a deliberate refusal to satisfy the flesh in order to awaken the spirit. It is the willful laying down of earthly pleasure — beginning with food, but not ending there — to draw near to God with undivided devotion. It is a cry from the depths of the soul that says, “Lord, I need You more than I need anything else.”

• Moses fasted forty days on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:28), preparing to receive God’s covenant law.

• David fasted in sorrow and repentance (2 Samuel 12:16), seeking mercy from the Lord.

• Esther called for a fast before she approached the king to save her people (Esther 4:16).

• Jesus fasted forty days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:2), preparing to confront temptation and begin His public ministry.

• The early Church fasted before appointing elders and making major decisions (Acts 13:2–3).

These moments were not about achieving spiritual superiority. They were about deep dependence on God, a desire for clarity, holiness, or mercy. Fasting, in its truest form, is a response to God — not a technique to control Him.

Though food is often the object of fasting, Scripture makes it clear that the act is deeper than physical abstinence: “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free…?”
— Isaiah 58:6

God’s chosen fast is not just an empty stomach. It is a broken and contrite heart. It is repentance that leads to mercy, and humility that opens the door to intimacy. Fasting becomes powerless when divorced from repentance, mercy, and worship. A body that abstains but a heart that clings to pride is no fast at all.

A Posture of the Soul

Fasting is ultimately about positioning ourselves rightly before God. It is not about depriving ourselves to feel holy. It is about recognizing our deep need — for forgiveness, guidance, transformation, and nearness to the One who satisfies. It is, as Joel writes, a call to return: “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” — Joel 2:12

Fasting is not about impressing God. It is about coming undone before Him — so that He may rebuild us in His image.

In Summary

Fasting is the intentional denial of the flesh to awaken spiritual hunger. It is rooted in Scripture, practiced by the prophets, Christ, and the early Church. It is not merely about food, but about repentance, worship, and dependence. It is a soul-posture — low before God, open, ready, and hungry for Him. David's Fast: Trusting God's Sovereignty. King David’s fast in 2 Samuel 12:16–23 is one of the most sobering examples in Scripture. After his child became gravely ill as a result of his sin, David lay prostrate, refusing food, pleading with God for the life of his son. “David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.”
— 2 Samuel 12:16

Yet the child died. David's fast did not yield the outcome he hoped for. But what followed reveals the maturity and humility of a heart that trusts in God’s sovereignty. “But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”
— 2 Samuel 12:23

This is a truth at the center of biblical fasting: it is not a transaction, nor is it a way to force God’s hand. It is a form of submission — placing ourselves in God’s hands, with no guarantee but His wisdom. David fasted in faith, and when God's answer came — though painful — he accepted it without bitterness. His fast did not bring back the child, but it brought clarity, peace, and renewed worship.

Application for Us Today

In fasting, as in David’s case, we learn that the goal is not to change God's mind, but to align our hearts with His will — even when the answer is “no.” Fasting teaches us to surrender outcomes. To let go. To say, like Christ in Gethsemane:

“Not my will, but Yours be done.”

This is the true fast God honors — not just abstaining from food, but yielding our desires to His greater purposes

Chapter 2: Fasting and the Heart of Man

Fasting is often misunderstood as a means to obtain something from God — healing, breakthrough, direction, provision. But fasting is not a tool for control. It is a mirror held up to the soul, revealing who we are and how deeply we depend on God — or don’t.

It is in the place of fasting that the heart of man is laid bare. What surfaces is not always beautiful. Pride, fear, impatience, self-reliance, hidden motives — these are the things fasting exposes. As we deny the flesh, the true posture of our heart is revealed.

The False Hope of Performance

Some fast as a performance, thinking their hunger will earn God's attention or approval. But God is not impressed with empty rituals:

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites… Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”
— Matthew 6:16

Fasting that is detached from humility becomes nothing more than spiritual hunger games — an external act without internal transformation.

God desires truth in the inward parts. He desires brokenness, not showmanship.

David’s Fast: Sorrow, Hope, and Surrender

One of the most honest fasts in Scripture is that of King David in 2 Samuel 12. After his child became gravely ill as a consequence of his sin, David threw himself before God — not because God had commanded it, but because his soul was undone.

“David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.”
— 2 Samuel 12:16

This was not a ceremonial fast. God had not called him to fast. David did it because his heart was broken and he hoped for mercy. It was a voluntary, soul-driven fast — one born out of sorrow and love.

Yet, the child died. And David’s response reveals the spiritual maturity that fasting is meant to produce: “Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”
— 2 Samuel 12:23

David understood something vital: fasting is not a bargaining tool. It does not guarantee the outcome we desire. But it does prepare us to receive God’s answer — even when it’s “no.” In David’s case, fasting led to acceptance, not despair.

The Purpose of the Wilderness

God often calls us to fast not to get something, but to become something — to be cleansed, humbled, and recalibrated.

Jesus fasted for forty days not to be filled, but to be emptied — to face temptation and prepare for ministry. Israel fasted in the wilderness not because they were ready, but because God was training their hearts to trust Him.

“He humbled you and let you hunger… that He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone.”
— Deuteronomy 8:3

Fasting takes us into the wilderness of the soul — where all pretense is stripped away, and only God and our true self remain.

A Fast That Leads to Faith

The greatest fruit of fasting is not answered prayer — it is a renewed relationship with God. A deeper trust. A quieter spirit. A humbled soul.

Fasting says:
“I will seek You, even if the answer is no. I will trust You, even when I don’t understand.”
This is the fast that transforms.

More Than Food

Chapter 3: Fasting and Pleasure — More Than Food

When most people think of fasting, they think of food — and rightly so. In Scripture, food is often the first thing laid down in times of prayer, repentance, or seeking God. But fasting is never just about what we eat. It is about what we love, what we cling to, and what we trust instead of God.

Food is only the tip of the iceberg. Beneath it lies the real heart of fasting: letting go of earthly pleasures in order to return to God with a whole heart.

Fasting Clears the Mind, Humbles the Soul

Fasting is not just physical hunger — it is spiritual clarity. It quiets the mind and cleanses the soul from distraction. When the stomach growls, the soul begins to speak. And what it says is often uncomfortable:
“I crave comfort. I love entertainment. I need attention. I cannot sit still before God.”

It is in this place of honesty that transformation begins. The fast brings to light what we run to when God feels far away — the things we use to numb ourselves: Television. Constant noise. Endless scrolling. People’s approval. Even religious busyness.

When we fast rightly, we see these things not as sins, necessarily, but as substitutes for God — and we let them go.

Beyond Food: The Pleasures We Cling To

The soul does not live on bread alone. And the soul does not fast on food alone. We must ask: What fills the space in my life that belongs to God? What do I use to distract myself from conviction? What do I reach for when I feel empty or lonely?

True fasting asks us to give these things up — not forever, perhaps, but for long enough to feel their grip, and to let them go

Entering the Holy Place

You are now entering a place that few people have been: into the presence of God.
This is where fasting takes you, as it did for Moses on Sinai — forty days with no bread or water, only the sustaining presence of the Lord.

You are now at one-to-one.

A place so holy, even angels enter with care. With the clarity of mind that only a surrendered soul can know, you approach the throne of God. There is no noise, no movement, no distraction:

You hear nothing around you.
You see nothing but God before you —
His glory flooding your heart,
His holiness drawing your breath away,
His love covering you like fire and dew.

This is what fasting is for.
To bring you here.
Not to suffer for suffering's sake,
but to clear the way —
so that you may be filled with Him.

The Purpose Is God

You do not fast to lose weight. You do not fast to be seen. You fast to be free — from yourself, from your idols, from the noise of the world — so that you may know God again in purity and truth.

When you lay down food, pleasure, distraction, or self, you are saying: “Lord, You alone are my portion.” And in that place, God meets you.

The Passage: A Healing That Required More

“This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
— Matthew 17:21 (KJV and NKJV; some manuscripts omit it in modern translations, but the phrase is historically significant)

The context: A man brought his son, suffering from seizures (often associated with epilepsy), to the disciples. They could not cast out the demon. Jesus later rebuked the demon, healed the boy, and the disciples asked, "Why could we not cast it out?"

Jesus' reply centers around faith — and then this phrase: “This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

What Did Jesus Mean by Fasting?

It’s clear from the Gospels that Jesus did not fast constantly from food during His ministry — He ate with sinners, shared meals with disciples, and feasted at weddings. So He could not have meant that food fasting was a constant prerequisite for healing.

But remember: Jesus began His ministry with forty days of fasting in the wilderness. That fast set the tone for His entire ministry — an utter dependence on the Father, complete rejection of worldly satisfaction, and total authority over Satan.

So the fasting Jesus spoke of was likely not limited to food, but referred to a lifestyle of: Self-denial. Undistracted intimacy with the Father and Living not by bread, but by every word from God.

Fasting as a Way of Life

When Jesus said, “This kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting,” He was revealing that certain spiritual battles require more than casual faith. They demand: A deeply cultivated. intimacy with God. A life of ongoing surrender. A posture of spiritual readiness that comes only through fasting — not just from food, but from the pleasures and powers of self. It is not about skipping meals. It’s about living in a state of emptied self, so that the authority of heaven can flow freely through you.

Jesus Lived in a Constant Fasted Posture

Jesus didn't fast every day from food — but He lived in constant abandonment of self-will, and in perfect submission to the Father (John 5:19).
That is the deepest form of fasting: "Not My will, but Yours be done." — Luke 22:42

Chapter 4: Fasting as Union with God

Fasting is not just about what we lay down — it’s about what we take up. You don’t fast just to empty yourself. You fast so that God may fill you. Without that, fasting is just starvation.

We must not stop at hunger. The hunger must lead to holiness — to union with God.

The Purpose of Emptiness

Fasting clears space. It removes noise. It strips away the clutter of the flesh — but that space must be filled. “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person… it returns to my house, empty, swept, and put in order… and the last state of that person is worse than the first.” — Matthew 12:43–45 (paraphrased).

Jesus warned that when a soul is cleansed but not filled with God, it becomes an open door for greater darkness. This is just as true in fasting. If you fast but do not fill your soul with prayer, Scripture, worship, and the Spirit of God — your fast becomes an empty room waiting to be occupied.

Jesus’ Fast: Preparation and Warfare

When Jesus fasted for forty days in the wilderness (Matthew 4), it was not just self-denial. It was preparation. As soon as the fast ended, Satan came — with subtle, tailored temptations:

Turn these stones to bread — satisfy your hunger your own way. Throw yourself down — prove you are who God says. Bow to me — take power without the cross.

This is Satan’s strategy: to interrupt the closeness between you and God, especially when you are being prepared for something greater. He wants to stop you before you begin. Fasting is war. It is drawing close to God — and that always attracts resistance.

But Jesus overcame not just because He fasted — but because He was full of the Word, full of the Spirit, and full of obedience.

Born Again and Filled Again

When you are born again, your “house” is swept clean — sin is forgiven, chains are broken. But just as Jesus taught, that house must be filled — with the presence of God, with truth, with prayer, with love.

Fasting reminds us of this: Emptying is not enough. God must dwell in the soul. Let your fasting not be just denial — but invitation. Not just discipline — but divine habitation.

Fasting Draws God Near

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” — James 4:8 The soul that fasts to seek God — not things from God, but God Himself — is the soul that becomes a temple of His presence.

Fasting brings us back to Eden — walking with God in the cool of the day. It brings us closer to the cross — where our will dies, and His will rises. It prepares us for Pentecost — to be filled with the Spirit, to walk in power, to be sent.

This is the goal: not hunger, but holy union.

Chapter 5: False Fasts and Fleshly Discipline

Not all fasting pleases God. In fact, Scripture is clear: some fasting is worthless, even offensive to God. It may look holy to others. It may feel noble to us. But if it is not led by humility, truth, and love — it is just religious noise.

Why have we fasted, and You see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You take no knowledge of it?”— Isaiah 58:3

God responds: “Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure…Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.” — Isaiah 58:3–4.

Fasting is not about controlling God. It is about being controlled by God.

When Fasting Becomes a Performance

Jesus warned His followers not to fast like the Pharisees — men who disfigured their faces and made their hunger visible, so they could be praised for their devotion.

They have received their reward.”
— Matthew 6:16

That is the tragedy of a false fast: it gets what it wants — human approval — but misses what it needs — God’s presence.

Religious flesh is still flesh. It loves effort, rules, and recognition. But the Spirit calls us to secret places, where no one sees but the Father, and where fasting becomes worship, not a show.

Fleshly Discipline Isn’t Spiritual Power

Fasting can become a form of spiritual pride, if we forget that self-denial is not the same as holiness. Some fast for detox, self-control, or mental strength. These have natural benefits, but they are not spiritual breakthroughs.

You can fast and remain: Unrepentant. Judgmental. Bitter and self-righteous. It is not the hunger that transforms you. It is the humility. Without repentance, fasting becomes just another work of the flesh.

“If I give up my body… but have not love, I gain nothing.”
— 1 Corinthians 13:3

Fasting Must Align with Righteousness

God gave Israel many fasts — but by the time of the prophets, their hearts were far from Him. They fasted while oppressing the poor, ignoring justice, and walking in pride. And God refused their fasts.

“Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness…
to share your bread with the hungry…
to bring the homeless poor into your house…”
— Isaiah 58:6–7

A true fast is not just between you and God — it spills out in mercy, compassion, and righteousness. If you fast and remain hard-hearted, your fast is fruitless.

The Litmus Test of a True Fast

Ask yourself: Has my fasting led me closer to God? Has it softened my heart? Has it made me more merciful, more obedient, more joyful? Or has it made me more impressed with myself?

The purpose of fasting is transformation, not starvation.

The Heart God Sees

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”
— Psalm 51:17

That is the fast God sees: not the one that bends the body, but the one that bends the heart.

True fasting always leads us to the same place:
a deeper love for God,
a clearer vision of Christ,
and a greater readiness to obey.