Prayer & Fasting

As a gathered group of followers of Jesus, we have committed to sharing in a day per fortnight for prayer and fasting. This known day is an opportunity to seek the Lord and hunger for His presence and His power to be made manifest in every situation. Prayer and Fasting helps us to be aware of what God is doing, and rely on what God has promised, and proclaim those promises to the Lord. Monday Prayer and Fasting days can be found in the Church Calendar. However we want to share a little about what we mean by Prayer and Fasting. Biblical Fasting is not:

  • about twisting God’s arm to make Him move on our behalf

  • abstaining from every day habits (ie social media, TV etc)

  • abstaining from specific foods (ie chocolate or sweets)

  • a religious exercise to feel good

Jesus makes it clear in Matt 6:16-18 that, fasting should not be done to receive notice from others.  Fasting can be spiritually harmful when we do it to show off our spirituality or when we focus more on our own fasting than on the clear needs of others (see Isaiah 58:1–11).  We need to avoid boasting about fasting where for example, we only tell people we won’t be eating if necessary.  Fasting should not be done for false motives (1 Samuel 14:24-30).

Fasting rests on the finished work of Christ, only the blood of Jesus can atone for your sins.  Fasting is not about Gnosticism. We don’t fast because we believe the flesh is evil and spirit is good.  We don’t fast to starve the flesh to make way for spiritual life.  Rather, we fast to demonstrate that our faith is in God alone and not in anything else.  We align ourselves with our heavenly citizenship.  Fasting is not a hunger strike to force God’s hand or make God feel sorry for us!  We don’t impose our will upon God with fasting, but we declare our desire to be spiritually fed by Him.  Biblical Fasting is about saying to God that we want to increase our time and level of intimacy with Him, and seek after His will, and bring before the Lord what is upon our heart!

Fasting is a way that we draw closer to God. It's an act of devotion and surrender that positions us to seek, and hear from God more clearly. A biblical fast is when you dedicate a period of time to focus on God, and includes at least two things:

1) Going without food, and 2) A focus on prayer and the Word of God. 

Fasting is a time to focus our attention on God alone. Fasting is starving the flesh, not the body!  Fasting feeds the spirit. It’s a subtle but significant difference.  The word “flesh” in the New Testament symbolises earthly desires that can distract us from a deeper reliance on God.  Consider Galatians 5:16-18 (NKJV):

‘Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.’’

Paul is describing a battle of the flesh, and the spirit.

As followers of Jesus, the call is to crucify or starve the flesh, so that we can feed the spirit – and scriptures tell us true freedom is found when we do that.  Our lives become more and more transformed by the Word.  We are fed by the Word, and less so conformed by the world, which feeds our flesh.  Strengthened by the Word, the desire to indulge in unhealthy or even unproductive habits decreases.  By the practice of faith, our desire to pray and read His word and extend His love to others grows.

Fasting is not our idea.  Fasting comes from the Word.  When we fast, ideally we intentionally reduce our desire for fleshly things, whilst we choose our spiritual desires, which are strengthened as we give more time and awareness to the Lord.  John Piper says about Fasting - “The whole-body hungering for God. The absence of fasting is the measure of our contentment with the absence of Christ. If we don’t feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because we have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because we have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Our soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great.”

Fasting is never shown in Scripture to be the means to heightened spiritual experience, visions, or special insight or awareness.  Fasting is often connected to a regular spiritual discipline, or during times of testing, trial, or struggle. Fasting is a time of focus, giving all our attention to God alone, and we feed our spirit.  An obvious aspect decision to fast means we can give the time we spend eating to the Lord, and spend time with God. The Bible says that this sort of fasting has reward (Mt 6:17-18).  

However fasting without kingdom purpose is not fasting…at best, it’s dieting. 

Examples of Fasting from the Bible

Fasting for Kingdom purpose has breakthrough.  Fasting for breakthrough breaks spiritual bondages and oppression (Mark 9:29). Through fasting for breakthrough, we can experience deliverance in areas where we have been held captive. Fasting for breakthrough facilitates divine revelation and guidance (Dan 9:2-3). As we fast for breakthrough, we position ourselves to receive revelationary insights from the Lord, and understand God’s purposes more clearly.

However in this, we need to keep our heart right, and realise that fasting does not place us into any 'special righteous’ state that gets God’s attention (Luke 18:12).   Fasting for breakthrough overcomes obstacles and impossible situations (Ezra8:21). When we fast for breakthrough with faith, we open the way for God to intervene in seemingly impossible circumstances. Fasting for breakthrough demonstrates our earnestness in seeking God (Ezra 8:21, Daniel 9:3). Our commitment to fasting for breakthrough positions us for God’s favour and blessing.

Fasting is not our idea.  Fasting is practice of faith in the Word.  Fasting for breakthrough aligns our hearts with God’s heart for justice and compassion (Isaiah 58:6-8). As we fast for breakthrough, we are sensitised to the needs around us and God’s desires. Fasting for breakthrough ushers in revival, renewal, and spiritual awakening (Joel 2:12-13). Fasting for breakthrough often precedes seasons of spiritual revival and transformation among God’s people.

Fasting for breakthrough empowers us for ministry and specific callings (Acts13:2), empowering us for the work God has called us to.  Acts 14:23 records what while appointing elders “with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”

The prophet Joel 2:12 writes: “‘Yet even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.’”  Here we see that the Lord is declaring that fasting is a practice to draw us closer to himself.

People fasted to see the kingdom of God advance.  Paul and Barnabas fasted before their first missionary journey.  They committed their desires, hopes and calling to the Lord. People fast to discern God’s will. The Bible connects this spiritual discipline to prayer because it changes and strengthens our prayers as we focus on kingdom needs instead of our needs. In the same way, we want to see people healed. We want to see lost people come to a saving knowledge of God and be redeemed. We want marriages restored and protected.  We need God’s favour for decisions, and providence for our journey.

Fasting is not about giving up bad things but giving up good things, namely food, which God graciously provides.  We approach the throne of grace boldly, and express our desire before the Lord through fasting.  The process of fasting can help us to be honest, and examine our hearts.   Think about this, do we love God more than we love food?  Exodus 16:3 records such feeling, and the world has a subtle way of creating needs for us…needs that can superimpose themselves over the Lord.

With fasting, we affirm that while God meets our daily needs, what we truly need is to meet God daily.

The Bible records that fasting was often associated with a holy grief.  Nehemiah fasted when he realised that the city of God was in disrepair (Neh 1:4). Naturally, when grief weighs on us, we often lose our appetite. People fast to seek deliverance from enemies or circumstances. Esther called out a fast when she realised that the enemies of God’s people were getting ready to massacre them (Est 4:3, 16). Other examples of help and deliverance include:

  • Israel fasted after their defeat against the Benjamites (Jdg 20:26).

  • Samuel led the people of God to fast after they recovered the ark from the Philistines (1 Sam 7:6).

  • The men of Jabesh Gilead fasted to indicate their sorrow over the death of Saul and Jonathan (1 Sam 31:13; 2 Sam 1:12).

  • David fasted on behalf of his sick child (2 Sam 12:16).

  • Faced with a great multitude of attackers, Jehoshaphat declared a fast (2Chr 20:2) for the nation.

The children of God have engaged in prayer and fasting both as a spiritual discipline, and in a moment of crisis or need.  In the Old Testament, fasting was often a reaction from God’s people after a disastrous turn of events, or before a significant undertaking.  We see Jesus fasting, and we see the early Christian Church fast before starting on a new ministry. 

Jeremiah 29:13 says that – ‘You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’  It seems that fasting helps us to focus, and seek the Lord with all our heart!

Some practical considerations

It may be necessary to consult with your doctor or health professional before taking part in any fast, especially for persons with medical conditions.  All children and youth under the care of parents need to consult with their parents or caregivers if they are taking part in fasting.  And also consider the look and feel of your fast:

  • Consider Isaiah 58 before determining the look and feel of your fast.

  • Include a measure of concentrated prayer each day, and Bible reflection.

  • Make a commitment to fasting , like a given day(s) , or a meal.

In community

Fasting is a personal commitment between an individual and the Lord.  However there is something helpful and encouraging when we are united in fasting together, and form community with others who are fasting, or others who encourage us.  Being accountable to another can help and encourage you.  Let someone know you are fasting, and ask them to pray for you and keep you accountable.  Accountability is not the enemy, rather accountability is a way we can help maintain our integrity and intent before the Lord, and one another. At Church, joining in on the various opportunities to pray together, and gather for Proclaim Nights & EP Nights help to remind ourselves and one another that we are the united body of Christ who understand what it means to take everything to the Lord in prayer.

Monday Prayer and Fasting

We encourage those who have committed to prayer and fasting on Mondays to capture what the Lord is saying. As we seek the Lord, the Holy Spirit speaks to us in all sorts of ways. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit will guide and teach us:

  • But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come (John 16:13).

  • But I will send you the Advocate — the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me (John 15:26)

  • He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognise him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. (John 14:17)

As a community, we would to encourage one another in what the Lord is saying, and be bringing matters before the Lord together, in unity. Please take a copy of the 2026 Prayer and Fasting booklet from the Info Desk in the Church Foyer, and use it to record what the Lord is saying, and refer to the things we are seeking in the Lord for breakthrough, for the sake of the Kingdom and His glory.