Why Do We Fast? Understanding the Heart Behind the Sacrifice

As we get ready for our 21 days of prayer and fasting starting January 4th, it is important to understand what we are actually doing. Fasting is a "spiritual discipline"—a habit that Christians have used for thousands of years to get closer to God.

To understand fasting, we first need to understand a big word: Consecration.

To "consecrate" yourself simply means to set yourself apart for God. Think of it like a specialized tool that is only used for one important job. When we fast, we are setting our bodies and our time apart specifically for Him. It is our way of saying "No" to our physical cravings so we can say a louder "Yes" to God.

1. What is Biblical Fasting?

In the Bible, fasting almost always means going without food for a specific amount of time to focus on God. While people today sometimes "fast" from social media or TV, the biblical examples focus on food because food is our most basic need.

When we choose not to eat for a time, we are telling our bodies that God is more important than a meal. We are showing Him that we depend on Him even more than we depend on food.

• A Way to Stay Humble: In Psalm 35:13, King David wrote, "I humbled myself with fasting." Fasting reminds us that we aren't "the boss" of our own lives—God is.

  
  

• A Way to Show We Are Sorry (Repentance): In the book of Joel 2:12, God tells His people, "Return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping." Sometimes we use fasting to show God we are truly sorry for our mistakes and want to change.

  
  

• A Way to Follow Jesus: Before Jesus started His ministry on earth, He went into the desert and did not eat for 40 days (Matthew 4:1-4). When the devil tempted Him to turn stones into bread, Jesus said that we don't just live on bread, but on the words that come from God.

2. It’s About Your Heart, Not Just Your Stomach

One of the biggest mistakes people make is thinking that fasting is a "rule" or a way to show off. In the time of Jesus, some religious leaders (called Pharisees) would fast just so people would think they were holy. Jesus told them that God doesn't care about the outward show; He cares about what is happening inside you.

In Joel 2:13, God says: "Rend your heart and not your garments." In ancient times, people would tear their clothes (garments) to show they were upset. God was saying, "Don't just tear your clothes to look sad; let your heart be truly broken for me."

The Life Application Study Bible reminds us that if we fast but continue to be mean to others or hold onto secret sins, the fast doesn't work. If you are just skipping meals but your heart is still full of pride or anger, you aren't fasting—you’re just hungry.

The goal of these 21 days is to let God change who you are on the inside.

3. Why Should We Do It?

We don't fast to "trick" God into giving us what we want. We fast so that we can be changed. Here is what happens when we fast:

• We Hear God Better: When our stomachs are quiet, our spirits become more sensitive. In Daniel 10:12, an angel told Daniel that God started listening to his prayers the very first day he decided to humble himself and fast.

  
  

• We Get Spiritual Strength: Jesus taught that some difficult situations and "strongholds" (problems that feel impossible to move) can only be handled through prayer and fasting (Mark 9:29).

  
  

• We Get in Step with God: Fasting helps us stop focusing on what we want and starts helping us focus on what God wants.

4. How to Get Ready

Before we start on January 4th, take this week to prepare your soul:

1. Check Your Heart: Ask God to show you if there is any "clutter" in your life—like bitterness or bad habits—that you need to let go of.

   
   

2. Pick Your "One Thing": What is the main reason you are fasting? Is it for your family? A new job? To know God better? Write it down so you can stay focused.

   
   

3. Surrender Your Schedule: Tell God right now that these 21 days belong to Him.

This Week’s Homework: Read Isaiah 58 in your Bible. It explains the difference between a "fake fast" and a "true fast." Ask yourself: Am I ready to give God my whole heart, or just my lunch?