Fasting is not a modern spiritual trend or a religious performance. As Pastor Vlad Savchuk of HungryGen Ministries teaches, it is one of the oldest disciplines in Scripture and one that God has consistently used in moments of major spiritual significance. Fasting creates space. It quiets the flesh, sharpens spiritual sensitivity, and restores hunger for God.
Throughout the Bible, fasting appears before revelation, ministry, repentance, and spiritual breakthroughs. Jesus fasted before beginning His ministry, the early church fasted before major decisions, and believers today are still called to practice it with wisdom and purpose.
What Fasting Is
Fasting means to go without food in order to hunger for God. It is a voluntary, temporary abstinence from nourishment for spiritual reasons. In Scripture, fasting expressed humility, submission, repentance, mourning, and preparation for God’s direction. While only one fast was commanded in the Law, fasting was widely practiced by God’s people and emphasized even more clearly in the New Testament.
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Five Reasons Every Believer Should Fast
- Jesus Expected His Followers to Fast
Jesus said, “When you fast,” not “if you fast.” While He rebuked hypocritical fasting, He never removed the practice itself. Fasting is assumed to be part of a believer’s spiritual life. - Fasting Restores Hunger for God
Fasting exchanges physical hunger for spiritual hunger. It helps reset a distracted or dull spiritual life and rekindles desire for God’s presence. - Fasting Prepares You for Temptation
Learning to say no to what is lawful strengthens the ability to resist what is sinful. Fasting disciplines the flesh and builds spiritual self-control. - Fasting Is a Biblical Way to Humble Yourself
Scripture repeatedly connects fasting with humility. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Fasting is a voluntary way to position yourself for God’s help rather than His resistance. - Fasting Prepares You for a New Level in God
Fasting often precedes new assignments, clarity, and spiritual growth. It is not about striving for power, but about obedience and preparation for what God is releasing next.
Three Things to Keep in Mind While Preparing to Fast
- The Right Time
Fasting is not appropriate for everyone in every season. Those who are pregnant, nursing, under 18, or managing medical conditions should seek guidance. Minors are encouraged to consider non-food fasts. - The Right Motive
Fasting should never be forced or copied from others. Extended fasts must be Spirit-led and done out of obedience, not pressure or comparison. - The Right Preparation
Reducing caffeine and solid foods ahead of time helps physically. Preparing the heart through prayer and repentance matters even more. Fasting begins internally before it becomes external.
Fasting is not about proving spirituality. It is about humility, focus, and renewed hunger for God. When practiced biblically and wisely, it remains a powerful discipline that aligns believers with God’s presence, direction, and purpose.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
