Posts with the tag “fasting”

What does the Bible teach about fasting? Biblical fasting involves abstaining from eating (and/or drinking) for spiritual purposes. In the Old Testament, Israel celebrated certain annual fasts, the most prominent being the Day of Atonement. There were also occasional fasts tied to specific historical events, sometimes individual and sometimes corporate. Here are a few of the occasions for fasting: at a time of grief (I Sam. 31:13; Nehemiah 1:4), at a time of repentance (I Sam 7:6; I Kings 21:27), as an expression of humility (Ezra 8:21; Psalm 69:10), and as an expression of a need for God’s guidance and help. What all of these fasts share in common is that they were an expression of dependence on God. Several New Testament passages give us insight about fasting.   Read More

Fasting is voluntarily going without food—or some other regularly enjoyed gift from God—for spiritual purposes. In short, we fast from food so we can feast on God. Fasting is not our attempt to manipulate God to do what we want Him to do. Fasting does not bring God into alignment with our desires but brings our desires into alignment with God’s.   Read More