Table of Contents Show
Prayer and fasting are powerful spiritual disciplines that have been part of the Christian faith for centuries. When combined, they allow us to grow closer in our relationship with God and open our hearts to hear His voice more clearly. In this article, we will explore the concept of prayer and fasting verses, their significance, and how they can enhance our spiritual journey.
Prayer And Fasting Verses
Prayer is a form of direct communication with the divine. It is a sacred practice where individuals express their thoughts, emotions, gratitude, and requests to a higher power. Fasting, on the other hand, involves voluntarily abstaining from food or specific activities for a designated period. Fasting serves to purify the body, quiet the mind, and create a receptive state for spiritual experiences.
The Bible provides us with guidance and encouragement to pursue these vital practices. Here are 20 impactful Bible verses on prayer and fasting.
1. Matthew 6:16-18
“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 received their reward in full. 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.”
Jesus expects us to fast, but to do it with the right heart and motives. We fast not to impress others but to draw near to God.
2. Joel 2:12
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
God calls His people to return to Him through prayer and fasting. It demonstrates the posture of our heart before Him.
3. Ezra 8:23
“So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”
Ezra and the exiles fasted and prayed as they sought the Lord’s guidance and protection. God graciously responded to their cries.
4. 2 Chronicles 7:14
“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.”
Prayer and repentance are tied together. As we fast, we humble ourselves and turn from anything displeasing to God.
5. Psalm 35:13
“Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting.”
David fasted and prayed fervently for his enemies when they were sick. This demonstrates love and intercession.
6. Daniel 9:3-5
“So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed…”
Daniel desperately sought the Lord in intense prayer and fasting while interceding for his people.
7. 1 Corinthians 7:5
“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.”
Fasting enables us to focus our hearts on prayer and devote time to intimacy with God.
8. Acts 13:2
“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.”
The early church fasted as they sought God’s direction. Through it, the Holy Spirit gave specific guidance.
9. Nehemiah 1:4
“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 grieved, fasted and prayed over the state of Jerusalem. God used this to stir his heart toward action.
10. Esther 4:16
“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.”
Queen Esther called the people to fast before she risked her life to save the Jews. It was an act of faith and dependence.
11. Matthew 17:20-21
“He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting“
Some spiritual breakthroughs only come through intense prayer and fasting. It demonstrates faith and submission to God.
12. Psalm 69:10
“When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn…”
Fasting to honour God often requires sacrificing comfort and reputation. It develops perseverance.
13. 1 Samuel 7:6
“When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.”
The Israelites gathered to repent and fast as Samuel interceded for them. God responded with victory.
14. Isaiah 58:6
“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?”
God calls us to accompany fasting with acts of justice, generosity, and kindness toward others.
15. Ezra 10:6
“Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.”
Ezra fasted and prayed over the widespread idolatry and unfaithfulness among God’s people. This reflected a broken, contrite heart.
16. Luke 18:9-14
“To some who were confident of their righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Prayer and fasting should produce humility, not pride. We reflect on our frailty and dependence on God, not our righteousness.
17. Mark 9:29
“He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting.”
Prayer and fasting enable victory in hard spiritual battles where ordinary means are not enough.
18. Acts 14:23
“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.”
The early church accompanied weighty decisions about leadership with prayer and fasting to confirm God’s leading.
19. Matthew 4:1-2
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.”
Jesus began His earthly ministry by fasting. It enabled Him to gain spiritual strength against temptation.
20. Daniel 10:2-3
“At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.”
Daniel relentlessly pursued God in intense prayer and fasting until he received understanding from the Lord.
Conclusion
Prayer and fasting passages have tremendous power and significance in our spiritual path. By incorporating them into our practice, we strengthen our connection to the divine, gain insight, and undergo personal development.
Prayer and fasting are constant disciplines that influence our lives and contribute to spiritual progress. Accept the power of prayer and fasting verses to start on a life-changing path of self-discovery and connection.
