Fasting and prayer have been integral practices in many spiritual traditions for centuries. They hold a profound significance in the lives of those who seek a deeper connection with the divine.
Fasting, often coupled with prayer, serves as a means of self-discipline, spiritual purification, and seeking guidance and strength from a higher power. The scriptures from various religious texts offer timeless wisdom, guidance, and inspiration to those who embark on this spiritual journey.
In this collection of “19 Fasting and Prayer Scriptures,” we will explore verses and passages from different religious traditions, each emphasizing the importance of fasting and prayer as a means of drawing closer to the divine, seeking forgiveness, and finding inner peace.
Whether you’re a devout practitioner or someone exploring the power of fasting and prayer for the first time, these scriptures will serve as a source of guidance and inspiration on your spiritual quest.
19 Fasting and Prayers Scriptures
These scriptures, spanning the Old and New Testaments, Psalms, Proverbs, and letters of Paul, provide a comprehensive view of the significance and practice of fasting and prayer in various contexts and for different purposes. They emphasize the spiritual, communal, and transformative aspects of fasting and underscore its role as a means of seeking God’s presence, guidance, and transformation in one’s life.
Old Testament Scriptures on Fasting and Prayer
1. 2 Chronicles 7:14 – Humbling oneself through fasting and prayer
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
In this verse, fasting and prayer are intertwined with humility and repentance. It emphasizes that fasting is not just about abstaining from food but also about humbling oneself, seeking God’s presence, and turning away from sinful ways. Through fasting and prayer, one can experience God’s forgiveness and healing.
2. Ezra 8:23 – Seeking protection through fasting and prayer
“So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”
In times of danger and uncertainty, as seen in the book of Ezra, fasting and prayer become a means of seeking divine protection and guidance. It demonstrates the profound belief that God listens to the prayers of those who humble themselves through fasting.
3. Nehemiah 1:4 – Mourning and fasting for the sins of the people
“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”
Nehemiah’s response to the distressing news about the state of Jerusalem is to engage in mourning, fasting, and prayer. It shows how fasting can be a way to express deep sorrow and intercede for the needs and sins of others.
4. Isaiah 58:6 – The kind of fasting that pleases God
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?”
Isaiah 58 offers a powerful perspective on the type of fasting that pleases God. It’s not solely about personal piety but also about actively working for justice and helping the oppressed. This scripture challenges us to combine fasting with social action and compassion.
5. Daniel 9:3 – Daniel’s prayer and fasting for understanding
“So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.”
Daniel’s practice of fasting and prayer illustrates a deep longing for understanding and divine guidance. Fasting becomes a way to intensify his communication with God and seek wisdom.
New Testament Scriptures on Fasting and Prayer
6. Matthew 6:16-18 – The correct attitude while fasting
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
In the New Testament, Jesus guides the attitude and purpose of fasting. It emphasizes the importance of sincerity and not seeking public recognition for one’s fasting but rather doing it for God’s approval.
7. Matthew 9:14-15 – The time for the disciples to fast
“Then John’s disciples came and asked him, ‘How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?’ Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.'”
In this passage, Jesus acknowledges that there is a time for fasting. His disciples were not fasting during His presence, but He hints at a future time for fasting when He would no longer be physically with them.
8. Mark 9:29 – Fasting and prayer as a means to cast out demons
“He replied, ‘This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting.'”
Jesus highlights the potency of fasting and prayer in overcoming challenges, even the expulsion of evil forces. It underscores the idea that fasting can be a source of spiritual strength and empowerment.
9. Acts 13:2-3 – Setting apart Saul and Barnabas through fasting and prayer
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.”
In the early Christian community, fasting and prayer were integral to discerning God’s will and commissioning individuals for specific missions. This passage exemplifies how fasting can be a means of seeking divine guidance.
10. Acts 14:23 – Appointing elders in the church with prayer and fasting
“Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.”
Fasting and prayer were part of the process of appointing church leaders, signifying the seriousness and spiritual significance of such appointments.
Psalms and Proverbs
11. Psalm 35:13 – Fasting as a form of humble prayer
“Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered…”
This verse from Psalm 35 underscores the connection between fasting and humility in prayer, especially in times of distress.
12. Psalm 69:10 – Fasting as a sign of mourning
“When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn…”
Psalm 69 acknowledges fasting as a visible expression of mourning and suffering, demonstrating how fasting can be a powerful way to connect with God during times of grief.
13. Proverbs 30:8 – A prayer to keep falsehood and lies far from me
“Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.”
While not explicitly about fasting, this verse from Proverbs 30 reminds us of the importance of sincerity and truthfulness in our prayers and our daily sustenance.
Fasting and Prayer in the Letters of Paul
14. 1 Corinthians 7:5 – Devoting oneself to prayer with fasting
“Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
In this letter, Paul encourages married couples to engage in fasting and prayer as a means of seeking God’s guidance and self-control.
15. 2 Corinthians 6:5 – Serving God in fasting and prayers
“in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger…”
Paul’s experiences, including hunger and fasting, are mentioned as part of his service to God. This underscores how fasting can be a component of devotion and commitment to one’s faith.
16. 2 Corinthians 11:27 – Paul’s experiences of hunger and fasting
“I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.”
Paul’s account of hunger and fasting in his missionary journeys highlights the physical sacrifices he made in service to God and the spread of the gospel.
Other Noteworthy Scriptures
17. Joel 2:12 – A call to return to God with fasting
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
The book of Joel issues a call to return to God with fasting, emphasizing the importance of genuine repentance and wholehearted devotion.
18. Esther 4:16 – Fasting for God’s intervention
“Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Esther’s courageous act of fasting and seeking God’s intervention demonstrates how fasting can be an act of faith in times of crisis.
19. Judges 20:26 – Israelites seeking God’s face through fasting
“Then the Israelites, all the people, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the Lord. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord.”
In this passage from Judges, the Israelites engage in fasting and weeping as they seek God’s guidance and favor before a significant battle. It illustrates how fasting can be a communal expression of faith and dependence on God.
Conclusion
Fasting and prayer are not merely rituals; they are profound expressions of our faith, discipline, and longing for a closer relationship with the divine. They invite us to turn our hearts and minds inward, to seek forgiveness, to find strength in times of need, and to experience the transformative power of spiritual purification.
Whether you practice fasting and prayer as a regular part of your spiritual life or are considering it for the first time, may these scriptures inspire and guide you on your journey. May you find solace, strength, and a deeper connection with the divine as you embrace the profound spiritual practices of fasting and prayer.
