House of Hope Online

January 11, 2026

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I want to talk to you today about fasting, what a fast is, what the Bible teaches about fasting, and what the benefits of fasting are to us.

What Is a Fast?

A fast is defined as abstaining from food.  The Greek word for “fast” is  “nesteuo,” which simply means to abstain from food.    The Hebrew word is “tsuwm,” (pronounced “tsoom”) which means to put a cover over the mouth. 

Some believe that a fast can be avoiding other things you might like, for example watching your favorite TV show, or scrolling on social media, etc.  These things might be good to do, but they are not fasts.  They are sacrifices, and if you feel God is calling you to sacrifice in that way, by all means do so.

Types of Fasts

Generally, there are two types of fast: a full fast from food as per its definition, and a partial fast that abstains from certain foods. 

In the full fast, only liquids such as water and coffee without sugar are consumed.  Note that protein shakes and smoothies, while liquified, are generally considered food, and would be abstained from on a full fast.

The partial fast is also known as the Daniel Fast.

Daniel 10:

 2 In those days I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks.

 3 I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all, until the entire three weeks were completed.

Daniel abstained from tasty food, meat, and wine.  Tasty food would exclude, presumably sweets, some fruits, dressings and condiments.  Some argue the Daniel Fast is not really a fast but instead is a sacrificial dietary restriction.  Daniel does not refer to it as a fast; he calls it “mourning” in verse 2.  Nonetheless, we can say he deprived himself of the pleasures of tasty food and wine so that He could receive from the Lord.

The advantage of the partial fast is that it can be maintained for longer periods of time.  Another type of partial fast is known as intermittent fasting; that is, a full food abstinence but for part of the day, for example from 6 AM to 6 PM.  Again the advantage here is the ability to maintain the fast for longer periods of time.

Should You Fast?

There is no question that healthy Christians should establish a lifestyle that includes regular fasting and praying, as Jesus indicated in Matthew 6.

Matthew 6:

 16 ¶ “And whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites [do,] for they neglect their appearance in order to be seen fasting by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

 17 “But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face

 18 so that you may not be seen fasting by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

Note Jesus said: “whenever you fast,” not “if you fast.”  Having noted that, I believe that diabetics and others with serious medical conditions should consult their doctors before fasting.  Those who take medications may be limited to partial or intermittent fasting.

Note that Jesus warns us not to fast in order to seen by others.  We want to be seen by the Father who is in secret. 

One final point: do not get overly religious about fasting.  We can get hung up on the rules of the fast and make it all about our ability to sacrifice.  Fasting should be a way to rely on the Lord for His help.  If you violate your intentions in the fast, no big deal.  Just continue as the Lord leads.  The point is to long for the Lord, and to desire His influence in your life.  Be sensitive to when the Lord may be calling you to a fast.

Purpose of Fasting

So, what is the purpose of fasting?

Fasting is a way to get closer to God, to hear His voice in our lives, and to get direction from Him so we stay in the middle of His purposes.  We get closer to God because fasting denies the flesh.  The Bible teaches that our flesh is opposed to the Spirit of God.  Therefore, we must deny the flesh to allow the Spirit of God to manifest in our lives.

Galatians 5:

 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

John 3 (Jesus teaching):

 6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 6 (Jesus teaching):

 63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

Romans 8:

 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,

 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able [to do so];

 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

 9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

When we fast, we are consciously denying the flesh in order to set our mind on the Spirit which is life and peace.

How to Pray While Fasting

Fasting is an excellent way to ask God to answer our prayer requests.  Philippians 4:6 tells us to be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  So, when we fast, we should let God know what our hearts’ desires are.

But let me caution you here.  Our requests need to be consistent with Isaiah 58, which gives clear guidance that our fast should be as much about others as it is about what we desire.

Isaiah 58:

 6 “Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free, And break every yoke?

 7 “Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

 8 ¶ “Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

 9 “Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

 10 And if you give yourself to the hungry, And satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness, And your gloom [will become] like midday.

 11 “And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

Note the purposes of the fast:

1. Loosen the bonds of wickedness.  There is wickedness in the earth, and we must do spiritual warfare against it always.  We said last week that God is a Righteous Judge who is indignant every day with the evil in our world.
2. Undo the bondage.  Pray that God would free us from bondages in our lives.  Whatever has us bound is not God’s will.  God wants us free.
3. Free the oppressed.  Many in our world are oppressed by evil.  When you fast, pray for the oppressed and seek the Lord for ways to help them.
4. Break every yoke.  A yoke is used to bind the oxen together to carry a heavy burden.  God’s will is for us to be unburdened, not heavy laden.  Jesus said Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.”
5. Divide the bread with the hungry.  Ask God to help you feed the hungry.
6. House the homeless.  Pray for a heart to help the homeless however you can.
7. Provide clothing for those who need it.  Look for ways to give your clothing away to the poor.
8. And not to hide yourself from your own flesh.  In other words, be mindful of your fleshly nature and deny it.  Do not consider yourself so spiritual that you do not need to be mindful of your fleshly nature.  Stay humble in this regard.

Notice in verses 8 through 11 the promises God makes to us when we fast with the right motives.    There will be acceleration in our lives because He says our recovery will speedily spring forth. The glory of the LORD will be our rear guard, meaning we will have His protection.  Verse 9 says He will answer our prayers and His presence will visit us.  And verse 11 says the LORD will continually guide us and satisfy our desires, and give strength to our bones.  And we will be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

Those are powerful benefits from fasting and prayer.

Biblical Examples of Fasting

In closing, let us review a few Biblical examples of fasting.

Ezra 8:

 23 So we fasted and sought our God concerning this [matter,] and He listened to our entreaty.

God listens to prayers when we fast.

Acts 13:

 1 ¶ Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was [there], prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

 2 And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

 4 ¶ So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

God gives direction in our lives and in our ministries when we fast.

When Daniel completed the 21-day fast, he was visited by an angel of the Lord and received great prophecy.

Daniel 10:

 4 And on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the Tigris,

 5 I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with [a belt of] pure gold of Uphaz.

 6 His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.

 7 Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves.

 8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength.

 9 But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.

 10 ¶ Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.

 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.

 12 Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding [this] and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.

 13 “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.

 14 “Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet [future.]”

Daniel alone saw the vision because he was fasting.  The other men did not see it.  Verse 14 says the angel had come to give Daniel understanding of what will happen to the people of God in the latter days.  The Book of Daniel is therefore a tremendous source of End Times prophecy. 

Note also that fasting overcame spiritual warfare from the prince of Persia as Daniel awaited the word of the Lord.  The devil wants us bound and unaware of God’s will and prophecy.  Fasting is effective spiritual warfare against that.

Let us pray.

Father God, thank You for the principle of fasting and prayer.  Quicken us to fast and pray regularly as we walk with Jesus.  Help us to deny our flesh so our spirits can commune with the Holy Spirit, who gives life.  Lord, may we fast and pray according to Isaiah 58, and may we loosen the bonds of wickedness, feed the hungry, house the homeless, and clothe the poor.  Show us, Lord, what You would have us do in life and in ministry.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.