How the Gift of Fasting Can Change Your Life

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When you consider spiritual disciplines, where does fasting rank? Most Christians pray, read, and study their Bibles regularly. Praise God! Many engage in fellowship, discipleship, and evangelism. Yet, fasting often falls lower on the list of our practiced disciplines. Why is this? I propose fasting is among the most powerful spiritual disciplines a believer can adopt, impacting their lives in ways that prayer, Bible study, and fellowship alone cannot achieve. I also propose that the significance of fasting as a means of grace in the Christian life will challenge common misconceptions and encourage us to consider its place in our pursuit of holiness.

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We do not provide medical advice. Please consult your trusted medical community for their perspectives, advice, and recommended paths forward before you take any action that affects or alters your health.

Why Is It Vital?

The Bible consistently presents fasting as a spiritual discipline. Scripture portrays individuals fasting in times of grief, repentance, decision-making, and worship. From Moses’ 40-day fast on Mount Sinai to Jesus’ 40-day fast in the wilderness, the Bible places fasting at the center of our significant spiritual movements and revelations. It is a form of self-denial that helps us draw nearer to God, reminding us that our dependence should be on Him rather than on the things of this world. Through fasting, we choose to humble ourselves before God, creating a space to deny the flesh’s cravings and to strengthen our spirit.

It is a discipline that encourages self-control, and unlike other spiritual disciplines, fasting intensifies our focus on God by stripping away earthly distractions. Yet, despite its importance, fasting often needs to be more frequently addressed among Christians. For most, skipping meals may seem unnecessary or unhealthy, a sentiment primarily tied to how modern culture has conditioned us to eat at regular intervals, often without considering hunger’s true meaning. This unfamiliarity with genuine hunger can make fasting intimidating and daunting, which brings us to one of the key barriers to fasting: understanding what true hunger is.

Are You Hungry?

Most people have never experienced true hunger pangs, those legitimate signals of physical need for nourishment. When people speak of hunger, they typically describe a habitual response—what their bodies feel when they deviate from their normal eating ritual. They develop a hunger habituation through routine, which is nothing more than muscle memory gaslighting them into believing they must eat now or perish. This routine feeling of hunger is the body signaling its preference, not a real biological need for sustenance. Most people in first-world countries have never had any experiences with legitimate hunger pangs.

They are hesitant to fast because they fear the discomfort of skipping a meal or going without food for an entire day. True hunger only sets in after many days or weeks without food. Missing a meal or a day of eating doesn’t produce legitimate hunger pangs. Understanding this distinction is foundational, as it reframes fasting as an attainable practice rather than an arduous deprivation. The body adjusts to fasting quickly, and once it breaks free from a meal-based schedule, physical hunger largely subsides. This adjustment allows us to focus on the spiritual side of fasting without constant reminders of physical discomfort.

Pathway to Self-control

One of the most profound spiritual benefits of fasting is the self-control it cultivates. When we fast, we deny our natural desires and teach our bodies submission to a higher purpose. This exercise in self-control directly opposes the culture around us, which encourages indulging in comfort wherever you can find it and the accompanying instant gratification. My journey with fasting began during my Bible college years. A friend and I decided to fast for 24 hours, hoping for a spiritual breakthrough. That first experience was, by most measures, unsuccessful. I spent the entire day thinking about food, making the fast feel more like a test of endurance than a spiritual practice. But over time, as I practiced fasting, I learned how to overcome this initial fixation on food and transition to a place of spiritual focus and growth.

Years later, when dating my wife, Lucia, we committed to fasting together to build self-control and strengthen our relationship. We would fast one week every month, relying on water alone. This rhythm of fasting proved invaluable in teaching us both self-control—an essential quality in a dating relationship and one that has continued to benefit our marriage. By regularly setting aside food, we learn to control our desires, whether it’s eating or other areas of life. Self-control is like a muscle that grows through discipline and practice. When we master our physical appetite, we become better equipped to exercise self-control in areas like speech and time management.

Spiritual and Physical

Fasting offers not only spiritual growth but also mental and physical benefits. Many experience increased clarity, sharper focus, and improved energy during extended fasts. Without the constant demands of digestion, our bodies can redirect energy toward other functions, including mental and spiritual pursuits. After the initial three days of fasting, the body enters a state where the need for food fades into the background, and hunger is no longer the primary focus. You do not hunger after three days. In this state, the mind becomes more alert, and tasks seem more manageable.

I have experienced some of my most productive seasons during fasting regarding mental clarity and spiritual insight. The simplicity of fasting is freeing, allowing us to channel our energy toward prayer, study, or reflection without the distractions of food preparation, eating, or even grocery shopping. For some, intermittent fasting has become a popular practice. While intermittent fasting (such as restricting eating to a four or 12-hour window) can be beneficial for weight management and digestion, it does not provide the same spiritual benefits as traditional fasting. Intermittent fasting focuses more on physical health, but a biblical fast involves denying food for spiritual growth.

Types of Fasting

Fasting can take different forms depending on one’s circumstances, goals, and experience level. Here are some common approaches:

• Water-Only Fast: This is the most challenging but also the most effective. It involves drinking only water and is typically done for an extended period.
• Water and Juice Fast: For those who find it difficult to go without food, adding juice can provide necessary nutrients without compromising the essence of fasting. Bone broth is an excellent choice.
• Partial Fasting: This practice involves abstaining from specific meals or foods. Daniel’s fast in the Bible, during which he consumed only vegetables and water, is an example of a partial fast.
• Shorter Fasts: One to three-day fasts are often harder because the body is still adjusting and craving food. Longer fasts (10 days or more) can be easier in many respects as the body adapts and the desire for food diminishes. Your body will take the hint and not bother you any longer, freeing you from the desire to eat.

Practical Tips for Fasting

For those new to fasting, it’s helpful to remember a few tips to make the experience more fruitful and sustainable.

• Start Slowly: To learn what fasting entails, begin with a 24-hour fast. As you grow confident, you may increase the duration. However, remember that your body “will not leave you alone” because you have trained it to eat, and it will remind you of your habit.
• Create a Fasting-Friendly Schedule: Plan your first few fasts when you can rest, such as a weekend. This strategy allows you to deal with physical adjustments without added responsibilities.
• Stay Hydrated: Drinking water during a fast is vital. It helps curb hunger pangs and keeps you energized.
• Expect Resistance from Your Body: Initially, your body may “complain” as it adjusts. With practice, however, the body becomes more accustomed to fasting. Your body will fight to stay alive. Don’t worry; you will be okay if it stops “requesting” food.
• Embrace the Spiritual Discipline: Fasting isn’t just about physical endurance. Use the time to pray, meditate on Scripture, or engage in other spiritual disciplines that draw you closer to God.
• Toxin Elimination: As your fast moves into three to five days, you may experience body odor because you have given your body a chance to do something other than digest food. It has time to heal by eliminating those things that are not good for you. Your tongue will also become chalky. Though your breath will smell, it will be exhilarating to know your body is doing what the Lord designed it to do: care for itself.

Understanding the Barriers

One of the greatest challenges in fasting is overcoming the mental and spiritual barriers. During the first three days, you will likely experience a battle with physical cravings. But beyond this point, fasting becomes a mental challenge. As your bodily desire for food subsides, you start focusing on your mental and spiritual needs. Fasting forces us to address the “false hunger” in our lives—the cravings that arise from internal heart cravings. As we abstain from food, we uncover the things we often turn to for comfort rather than relying on God. Fasting reveals the idols we may have unwittingly nurtured. The spiritual growth we gain from fasting reaches far beyond self-denial. By fasting, we position ourselves to hear God’s voice more clearly, seek His will, and tangibly depend on His strength. When our need for physical nourishment is set aside, our desire for spiritual nourishment intensifies.

The Grace Benefits

Fasting fosters a deeper relationship with God and transforms us on multiple levels.

• Increased Self-Control: As mentioned, fasting develops our ability to exercise restraint over our desires. This practiced restraint through fasting will spill into other areas where we need self-control.
• Enhanced Spiritual Focus: The hunger for food is replaced by a hunger for God, enhancing our prayer life and devotion.
• Clarity and Discernment: Many report heightened clarity in their decision-making and greater sensitivity to God’s leading.
• Freedom from Distractions: Fasting eliminates the distractions that often pull us away from time with God, offering undistracted time for spiritual growth.
• Practical Benefits: A few pluses include more time, increased energy, and financial savings. Imagine not having to shop, prepare a meal, eat, clean the dishes, or eliminate what you had for dinner.

This newfound time can be redirected toward activities that build faith, such as prayer, Bible study, or serving others. You can redirect the freedom gained from fasting toward spiritual investments that bring eternal rewards. Our lives are deeply tied to food in ways we may not realize, and setting food aside can provide spiritual and practical benefits.

The Warnings

It’s essential to remember that fasting is not for everyone and requires careful consideration. Some people may have medical conditions that make fasting inadvisable. Always consult a medical provider before beginning any type of fast, especially if you have health concerns. Moreover, fasting should never become a performance or a source of pride. Jesus warned against fasting for the sake of outward appearance. Instead, fasting should be a private matter between you and God, done with humility and reverence.

Call to Action

1. What are your thoughts about fasting? Will you share them with a friend?
2. Have you ever fasted? Will you speak with a friend about how it went? Perhaps they have fasted, too, making your conversation an inspiring time of reflecting on God’s grace.
3. If you have not fasted, perhaps after consulting with your trusted friends and healthcare providers, you can strategize how to make fasting a part of your spiritual journey.

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Rick Thomas

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).