How do you do a Bible study on fasting?

Work through passages of Scripture that talk about fasting, one at a time, and answer a question about each one, alone or in a group. This study has seven lessons, from Matthew 6 to Ecclesiastes 5, and you can do it all at once or use it as a seven-week plan.

What is fasting in the Bible?

In the Bible, fasting means going without food on purpose, for a time, to seek God. The Greek word in the New Testament combines "not" with "eat". Fasting is different from going hungry: in hunger a person has no choice, in fasting they choose.

Did Jesus tell Christians to fast?

Not as a formal command, but the expectation is clear. In Matthew 6:16-18 He says "when you fast", not "if you ever fast". In Luke 5:33-35 He warns that when the bridegroom was taken away, the disciples would fast. The early church understood it that way, as Acts 13:2-3 shows.

Does fasting make God grant my request?

No. Fasting is not a bargain or a way to put pressure on heaven. The one who changes during a fast is the person fasting, not God. David fasted seven days for his son's life, and the child died (2 Samuel 12:15-23). The fast did not bring what he asked for, but it left him surrendered before God.

What kinds of fasting appear in the Bible?

Esther went three days without food or water. Jesus went forty days without eating, and the text mentions hunger, not thirst. Daniel spent three weeks without meat, wine or rich food, a partial fast. The Bible gives no required menu: each person decides the form, frequency and length.

Who should talk to a doctor before fasting?

Anyone with diabetes, who is pregnant, breastfeeding or under some kind of treatment should talk to a doctor before fasting. Long fasts call for clear direction from God, preparation and a slow return to food.

Bible study on fasting: 7 passages to understand and practice

Want to put it into practice? HolyFast keeps your fast and prayer times organized. Download on the App Store

Many churches say little about fasting and explain even less. This study walks through seven passages of Scripture on fasting. Each one carries a central idea and a question to answer on your own or in a group. You can do it all at once or use it as a seven-week plan.

Before you start: what fasting is

In the Bible, fasting means going without food on purpose, for a time, to seek God. The Greek word in the New Testament combines "not" with "eat". You can include other sacrifices, such as shows, social media and even intimacy between husband and wife, if both agree (1 Corinthians 7:5). But the center is still food. And fasting is different from going hungry: in hunger a person has no choice, in fasting they choose. The article on the biblical meaning of fasting goes deeper into that definition.

Lesson 1: Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus said "when"

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about fasting as naturally as He talks about prayer and helping the poor. He says "when you fast", not "if you ever fast". It is not a formal command, but the expectation is clear: whoever follows Jesus will fast, and He wanted to teach the right way to do it.

What Jesus corrects is fasting done to be seen by others. The word "hypocrite" came from the theater and meant actor. These actors put on a suffering face to be admired. The problem is not that someone knows about your fast, but wanting them to know so you can be praised. Sharing the experience afterward, with humility, can even encourage others to start (Matthew 5:16).

To reflect on: if nobody ever found out, would you still fast?

Lesson 2: Luke 5:33-35 and Acts 13:2-3, fasting did not stay in the past

People asked Jesus why His disciples ate while John's disciples and the Pharisees' disciples fasted. He answered with the picture of a wedding: nobody mourns while the bridegroom is there. But He warned that the bridegroom would be taken away, and then the disciples would fast.

That time is ours, and the early church understood it that way. In Antioch, the leaders were worshiping and fasting when the Spirit set apart Barnabas and Saul. Later, the two of them prayed and fasted before appointing elders in the new churches (Acts 14:23). Paul himself says he fasted often (2 Corinthians 11:27). The New Testament letters hardly mention the subject, but not mentioning it is not the same as forbidding it.

To reflect on: why do we treat prayer as essential and fasting as optional?

Lesson 3: Daniel 9:3 and Zechariah 7:5, the focus is God

Daniel says he turned to the Lord to seek Him, with prayer and fasting. That is the main reason for every Christian fast: to be closer to God. Centuries later, God asked the people, through Zechariah, whether all those years of fasting had really been for Him.

Fasting is not a bargain or a way to put pressure on heaven. The one who changes during a fast is the person fasting, not God. Jesus promises a reward, but it comes as a consequence of seeking God, not as payment for the effort.

To reflect on: in this fast, what do you want to receive from God and what do you want to offer Him?

Lesson 4: Ezra 8:21-23 and 2 Samuel 12:15-23, when the answer is different

Ezra called a fast before a dangerous journey to Jerusalem, and the group arrived safely. Notice that the journey was already God's plan. The fast was not a way to get God to approve a personal project.

David fasted seven days for his son's life, and the child died. He got up, washed, worshiped and went back to eating. The fast did not bring what he asked for, but it left him surrendered before God. Seeking God is one thing. Seeking from Him only the answers you want is another.

Many reasons fit within that search:

repentance (1 Samuel 7:6);
asking for protection (Esther 4:16; 2 Chronicles 20:3);
praying for the sick (Psalm 35:13);
interceding for a people (Daniel 9);
preparing for a new mission (Matthew 4:1-2; Acts 13:3);
simple worship, as the prophetess Anna did in the temple (Luke 2:37).

To reflect on: would you be willing to fast and receive an answer different from the one you want?

Lesson 5: 1 Thessalonians 5:23, fasting reaches the whole person

Paul prays that God would sanctify the spirit, soul and body completely. Fasting works on all three:

Spirit: it clears away what gets in the way of prayer and makes God's voice within clearer.
Soul: this is where thoughts, emotions and decisions live. Here fasting is uncomfortable, because it exposes impatience, irritability and dependencies. It is unpleasant, but that is how character gets shaped.
Body: it trains self-control. Every small "no" to food strengthens the bigger "no"s in life.

Right after talking about fasting, Jesus talks about new wine in new wineskins (Luke 5:36-39). New life needs a new way of living, and fasting helps with that change.

To reflect on: what comes out in you when hunger hits?

Lesson 6: Daniel 10:2-3, Luke 4:2 and Esther 4:16, many ways to fast

The Bible shows very different fasts:

Esther: three days without food or water, a short and rare kind. See the context in the article on the Esther fast.
Jesus: forty days without eating. At the end the text says He was hungry, but it does not mention thirst, which suggests He drank water.
Daniel: three weeks without meat, wine or rich food, in other words a partial fast. The article on the Daniel fast shows what the text describes.

There are also fasts set on the calendar and others that arise in an emergency, individual fasts and fasts for the whole community, and lengths that range from part of a day to forty days. What the Bible does not give is a required menu. Paul called the "do not touch, do not taste" imposed on others a human rule (Colossians 2:21-22). Each person decides the form, frequency and length, or follows a specific leading of the Spirit.

To reflect on: what kind of fast fits your routine today without becoming a burden?

Lesson 7: Romans 8:14 and Ecclesiastes 5:4-5, start small and grow slowly

Many people do not fast because they are afraid they will not make it. Almost everyone who fasts has stopped a fast early at some point. That does not disqualify anyone: you just start again. That is why it is better to have a firm intention without turning the length into a promise, since Ecclesiastes warns against vows that are not kept.

The easiest path is to go step by step: one meal, then one day, then more. Long fasts call for clear direction from God (Romans 8:14), preparation and a slow return to food. Anyone with diabetes, who is pregnant, breastfeeding or under some kind of treatment should talk to a doctor before fasting.

To reflect on: what would be a realistic first step for you this week?

Putting it into practice

Pick a day this week and fast from late one afternoon until late the next afternoon. A night's sleep helps the hours go by. At the times you would normally eat, read Lesson 1 and answer its question. The following week, do the next lesson. The article on how to do a spiritual fast has more practical detail.

In HolyFast, you set the fasting window, choose what you abstain from and mark your prayer times. The app reminds you through the day, so every meal you set aside becomes time with God.