Reasons for fasting

Situations in which fasting is appropriate

Bereavement

1 Chronicles 10:11–12 KJV 1900

And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

See also 2 Sa 1:11–12; 2 Sa 3:31–35

Distress

Esther 4:3 KJV 1900

And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

See also 1 Sa 1:7; 1 Sa 20:34; 1 Ki 21:4–6; Ps 109:24; Da 6:18; Ac 27:33

Penitence

1 Samuel 7:5–6 KJV 1900

And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord. And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

See also Ne 9:1–3; Da 9:3–6 Daniel identifies himself with the sin of the people; Da 9:20; Joe 1:13–14; Joe 2:12–15; Jon 3:5–9

Seeking God’s intervention

2 Samuel 12:15–17 KJV 1900

And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

See also 2 Ch 20:2–4; Ezr 8:21; Es 4:15–16; Ps 35:13–14

Seeking guidance

Judges 20:26–28 KJV 1900

Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And the children of Israel inquired of the Lord, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

See also Dt 9:9 Moses fasts before the revelation of the Law; Da 9:1–3; Da 9:20–23; Da 10:1–2; Da 10:12; Ac 13:1–3 The church receives direction through the Holy Spirit while fasting.

Indicating earnestness

Acts 23:12–13 KJV 1900

And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.