A Biblical Fast for FAST Results
When all else fails, go on a fast.
I did a 25 day biblical fast. It sounds intense but I promise you it’s more rewarding than you think. I did the 25 day Year of the Bride Fast with a ministry Covered by God and it changed my entire perspective. This was a biblical fast for people in relationships who wanted to get married but also wanted to fix their relationships and get closer to God. If there is one thing that I learned, it’s that your relationship with God is a priority before your desires.
Where is fasting mentioned in the Bible?
Fasting is a powerful tool in the Bible. If someone needed a desperate answer from God, they would fast and abstain from food for a time. During this time, they would be in prayer and worship, awaiting an answer from the Lord. Fasting disciplines the body and kills the flesh and you can focus on the spirit. If you are not in prayer and worship during fasting, then there’s no point in fasting, you are simply dieting. Here are some scriptures in the bible where fasting was exhibited.
Moses fasted for 40 days and nights on Mount Sinai, and God gave him the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28).
Esther and the Jewish people fasted for three days before she approached the king, and their lives were spared (Esther 4:15-16).
Daniel fasted for 21 days, and an angel visited him and revealed visions and understanding (Daniel 10:2-3, 12-13).
The people of Nineveh fasted and repented, and God spared their city from destruction (Jonah 3:5-10).
Ezra proclaimed a fast, and God granted them protection on their journey (Ezra 8:21-23).
The early church fasted and prayed, and God guided them in making important decisions (Acts 13:2-3).
Cornelius fasted and prayed, and God sent an angel to instruct him to send for Peter (Acts 10:30-33).
Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights, and He overcame temptation by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11).
The disciples fasted and prayed, and God filled them with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:12-14, 2:1-4).
How to Prepare for a Fast?
Before you start a fast, you want to establish what it is you want from this fast. Maybe you need an answer about a major decision or you need a move of God in your life that seems impossible to you at that moment. Don’t worry and be anxious for nothing (Phil 4:6-7). God to God with your request. If it seems that you have been praying about this answer for a while, fasting helps to move it forward for according to Matthew 17:20-21, Jesus says to the disciples this kind only comes out by prayer and fasting. Even if you are a beginner in biblical fasting, the preparation will help you to feel like you can tackle this fast and grow your relationship with God.
Gather up some scriptures before your fast that you want to focus on for the fast and determine how many days you want to fast for.
Fasting is obtaining from food for a certain period and you can determine what kind of time frame you are going to establish. If you are just starting with fasting, you can fast from 6 am to 3 pm for example. Once you establish a time to fast, then make sure that you are not hindered by distractions and prepare to pray over the scriptures you have gathered.
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What does Seek First the Kingdom of God mean?
Seeking the kingdom first requires repentance and thanksgiving. You must repent and come clean before God and this is not limited to fasting alone. You should be in repentance daily and it is portrayed as a necessary step towards reconciliation with God and turning away from sin. Here are a few verses that highlight the biblical perspective on repentance:
Acts 3:19: "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
Luke 15:7: "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."
2 Peter 3:9: "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
Matthew 4:17: "From that time on Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.'"
When you’re focused on repentance, you can come to God boldly and clean before you make your supplications. This is great practice as well to have in your daily routines.
The Outline of the 25 day Fast
The 25 day Year of the Bride was outlined by first establishing a connection with God, then by establishing the supplication and reaffirming what it is that we are acquiring from God.
In the days 1-10, we were focused on complete repentance and forgiveness. This doesn’t have to happen on a 25 day fast, you can do all of these things in a shorter fast but the extent was to have a hyper-focus on each of these topics. The rest of the fast was dedicated to thanksgiving and speaking Bible scriptures over the things that we desire from God.
I learned that in the 25 days, there was more to fasting than just asking. Of course, we are encouraged to ask for things from God, (Matt. 7:7) but I learned that seeking His face comes with more than the reward of your desire. It comes with heightened discernment and longing to continue to pray and fast.
I was more aware of how God was answering my prayers than to complain about why my main desire was not being fulfilled. There are plenty of prayers being answered daily and if take the time to focus on God and even remember the things that we pray for, we can see the answered prayers around us in the current moment.
Related Article: Gratitude: The Ultimate Key to Receiving
Bible verses to Study with Examples of Fasting
One of my favorite books in the Bible is the Book of Esther. We can see in the Book of Esther the Jewish people called a fast for 3 days before Esther went to the King. The result of this fast caused the King to show favor towards Esther and she was able to set her people free from the hands of the wicked Haman and evil laws against them. They made a sacrifice of prayer and worship and pleading to God and God answered His people by giving favor to Esther. Surely there are many instances in the Bible where fasting has shown quick results.
Here are the scriptures to study and see how God answered each person when they fasted.
Matthew 6:16-18: "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
Acts 27:9: "Since much time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous because even the Fast was already over, Paul advised them."
Joel 2:12: "Yet even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning."
Ezra 8:21: "Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods."
Psalm 35:13: "But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest."
Isaiah 58:6: "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?"
Daniel 9:3: "Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes."
Luke 2:37: "And then as a widow, until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day."
Take Away Trail
We learn in the book of Isaiah 58:6 the true essence of fasting - to break the chains of wickedness and set the oppressed free. Through fasting, we detach from worldly distractions, allowing our focus to shift towards prayer, worship, and a renewed connection with our Heavenly Father. Embrace the power of biblical fasting, experiencing spiritual growth, and drawing closer to God in our lives
The next time you are unsure of something or you feel in manifestation, I highly encourage a fast to help move things along and watch how God will answer you in ways you had no idea.
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