How to Combine Prayer and Fasting from Food

Food is a gift from God (Acts 14:17), but the ways we approach food can be dangerous. At times we overeat, like gluttons (Prov. 23:21). At other times we might fast (or abstain) from food to exalt ourselves in the eyes of God and others, merely pretending to be holy and righteous (Luke 18:12).

How do we avoid these dangers? When we eat, we eat with joy and gratitude to God (Acts 27:35; 1 Cor. 10:31). And when we choose to skip one or more meals to fast and pray, we do so with God’s guidance from his Word.

When we fast as Christians, we communicate to God that we value him, his Word, and his work in our lives more than we value food. It is an act that simultaneously communicates that he is our God and food is not. With the time that we planned to devote to eating, we devote to Bible reading and prayer. Why, more specifically, do we fast?

1. We fast to look inward—to self-reflect, to turn from sin, and to turn to God.

Even now—this is the Lord’s declaration—turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the Lord your God. For he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and he relents from sending disaster. (Joel 2:12–13)

In his grace, God grants us an inner conviction of our sin (John 16:8; Rom. 2:4; Acts 11:18). Particularly when that conviction runs deep within us—when we see the ugliness and offensiveness of our sin—we combine grief, repentance, and fasting (Joel 2:12–13; Acts 9:8–9).

2. We fast to look forward—for strength to do God’s will.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:1–2, 4; see Esth. 4:16)

Prior to his public confrontation with the devil, Jesus fasted. Before, during, and after the temptation, he communicated that God, his Word, and his will were more important than food. That attitude of humble submission is what enabled Jesus to obey God in every area of his life, including going to the cross on behalf of his people.

3. We fast to look upward—to express worship, gratitude, and desire.

There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and was a widow for eighty-four years. She did not leave the temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers. At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36–38)

Ultimately, fasting is a God-centered activity—an opportunity to worship, to give thanks, and to express our desires in prayer. We fast for other reasons, such as to grieve over tragedies (Esth. 4:3) or to anticipate Jesus’s return to earth (Matt. 9:15). But fasting is always an opportunity to intensify our focus on God, which simultaneously strengthens our souls and glorifies God.

Next Steps

Oftentimes we do not fast because we do not ask for God’s help in this area of our lives and we do not plan to fast. Below are some suggestions for how to proceed.[1]

  • Ask God for guidance and strength as you fast, perhaps praying something like this: “God, please lead and empower me to seek you through your Word, prayer, and fasting. Help me to turn from those things that I value more than you.”

  • Schedule a time to skip a meal and be alone with God, just as you would as if you made any other appointment on your calendar.[2]

  • As an alternative to skipping a meal, devote the first part of your lunch break to Bible reading and prayer (even if it is for five to fifteen minutes), and eat after that. By God’s grace, your mind will shift from “lunchtime” to “midday prayer” (whether you eat lunch after that or not).

  • Quiet yourself and listen to God, particularly what he is saying to you through his Word. Consider journaling about your emerging desires, thoughts, and emotions.

  • Express your desires to God about yourself, your family and friends, your church and its leaders, and the world.

    For example:

    • “God, please reveal my sins to me with greater clarity and grant me the willingness to repent.”

    • “God, grant me supernatural boldness to share the gospel with those in my sphere of influence.”

    • “God, lead me and my spouse to enjoy greater spiritual intimacy together through reading your Word and praying together.”

    • “God, grant my church leaders clarity in proclaiming and explaining the truth of your Word.”

    • “God, empower me to serve you more faithfully in my family and local church.”

    • “God, grant me the ability to trust you regarding _____________.”

  • Express your love, worship, and gratitude to God for who he is and what he does.

  • Trust that God will answer in his perfect way and his perfect timing.

For more guidance regarding fasting, read 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting by Gary Rohrmayer. For example, perhaps you choose to skip lunch for the next 21 days for the purposes of Bible reading and prayer. Or, perhaps you fast from food less frequently, but you cut out all social media for the purposes of Bible reading and prayer.

For Reflection and Discussion

  1. What is fasting? What do we fast from? What do we fast to?

  2. What reasons might you want to fast?

  3. What is a plan for you to incorporate fasting into your life?


[1] Particularly if you have a medical condition, please consult a doctor before you start a fast.

[2] In time, you may choose to skip more than one meal in a row or to fast one or more times in a week. But skipping one meal per week for the purposes of Bible reading and prayer is a helpful goal. God will meet you, change you, and reward you (Matt. 6:16–18).