Fasting is a spiritual discipline that helps believers focus on God by abstaining from food or other distractions. Reading Scripture during fasting strengthens our connection with God, providing guidance, comfort, and inspiration. In this blog post, we will explore 20 powerful Bible verses to read when fasting and how they can encourage and uplift you during your time of spiritual reflection.
Why Read Bible Verses When Fasting?
The Bible serves as the ultimate source of wisdom and spiritual nourishment. During fasting, it helps to meditate on God’s Word to deepen your relationship with Him. These Bible verses to read when fasting will provide strength and clarity, helping you maintain focus on your spiritual journey.
20 Bible Verses to Read When Fasting
1. Matthew 6:16-18 (NIV)
- “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
This passage teaches humility and sincerity during fasting. It’s a reminder that fasting should be an act of personal devotion to God.
2. Isaiah 58:6 (NIV)
- “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?”
Isaiah highlights the true purpose of fasting: to align ourselves with God’s will and seek justice for others.
3. Joel 2:12 (NIV)
- “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
Fasting is a call to return to God with a repentant heart.
4. Psalm 69:10 (NIV)
- “When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn.”
The psalmist shows that fasting may bring mockery, but it strengthens our spirit.
5. Ezra 8:23 (NIV)
- “So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”
Fasting combined with prayer is powerful, bringing divine guidance and answers.
6. Nehemiah 1:4 (NIV)
- “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”
Nehemiah’s fasting was driven by his deep concern for the people of Israel, showing how fasting can accompany intercession.
7. Daniel 9:3 (NIV)
- “So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.”
Daniel’s fasting was part of his intense prayer life, seeking God’s intervention.
8. Acts 14:23 (NIV)
- “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.”
Fasting is crucial in moments of spiritual leadership and decision-making.
9. Esther 4:16 (NIV)
- “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Esther called for fasting in preparation for a life-threatening mission, showing the role of fasting in seeking divine favor.
10. Psalm 35:13 (NIV)
- “Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered.”
Fasting is an expression of humility before God.
11. 2 Chronicles 20:3 (NIV)
- “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.”
This verse shows how fasting is used in moments of crisis to seek God’s guidance.
12. Mark 9:29 (NKJV)
- “So He said to them, ‘This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.’”
Some challenges require fasting and prayer for deliverance.
13. Luke 4:2 (NIV)
- “Where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.”
Jesus fasted in the wilderness, setting an example of spiritual strength.
14. Isaiah 58:9 (NIV)
- “Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.”
This verse assures that God hears and responds during times of fasting.
15. Psalm 109:24 (NIV)
- “My knees give way from fasting; my body is thin and gaunt.”
The psalmist expresses the physical toll fasting can take, reminding us to depend on God’s strength.
16. Jonah 3:5 (NIV)
- “The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.”
Fasting can be a communal act of repentance, as demonstrated by the people of Nineveh.
17. Matthew 4:2 (NIV)
- “After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.”
This reminds us of Jesus’ spiritual discipline and reliance on God during His fast.
18. Acts 13:2-3 (NIV)
- “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”
Fasting accompanied by worship opens doors for divine instruction.
19. Deuteronomy 9:18 (NIV)
- “Then once again I fell prostrate before the Lord for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil in the Lord’s sight and so arousing his anger.”
Moses fasted for the sake of the people, showing how fasting can be an act of intercession.
20. Isaiah 58:11 (NIV)
- “The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”
God promises to guide and sustain those who seek Him in fasting.
Which Bible Verse Should I Read When Fasting?
Choosing a Bible verse during fasting depends on the intention behind your fast. Isaiah 58:6-9 is a great starting point, as it speaks directly to the heart of fasting, focusing on justice and compassion. Matthew 6:16-18 also teaches how to fast in a way that honors God.
What Psalm Is Read During Fasting?
Psalms are often read during fasting for spiritual reflection and prayer. Psalm 69 and Psalm 35 are especially fitting as they capture the humility, repentance, and deep dependence on God that are key aspects of fasting. Psalm 109 is also a great psalm to read, expressing a heart yearning for God’s mercy.
Conclusion
Fasting is a powerful spiritual practice, and knowing the Bible verses to read when fasting can guide you toward a deeper relationship with God. As you fast, meditate on these verses, pray for God’s strength, and trust Him to meet you in your time of need.
