Fasting With Prayer

As much as food is a part of the Biblical diet (refer to Leviticus chapter 11, and Deuteronomy chapter 14), not eating food is also part of the Biblical diet, for “man shall not live on bread alone” (Matthew 4:4), says Yahushua. There are examples of fasting all over the Bible, in both the Tanakh (wrongfully called the Old Testament) and the Brit Chadashah (wrongfully called the New testament). Fasting has been used for repentance, deliverance, mourning, to gain wisdom and gifts, and to worship YAHUAH more deeply.

The very first time a devout follower of Mashiach should fast, is during conversion. When we finally surrender our mind to the full study of Aluahim’s Word, and our body to be an instrument to fulfill Aluahim’s will, then we must first ask Aluahim to renew our body and spirit. Paul writes, “knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Romans 6:6). And he further writes, “Therefore if any man be in Mashiach, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Conversion happens when we choose to turn away from a life of fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, and choose to keep Aluahim’s precepts. The Prophet writes

Ezekiel 33:14-16: Again, when I say unto the wicked, You shall surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is Lawful and right; If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he has committed shall be mentioned unto him: he has done that which is Lawful and right; he shall surely live.

There are multiple reasons why we should fast during conversion. This very first fast is one of the most important fasts. For it shows Aluahim that we know longer desire to live for self-satisfaction, that we are truly sorry for transgressing His Law (Torah), and that we are humble and ready to receive Truth. This is the time to mourn for the death of your past self, to weep at the feet of our Aluahim and Savior, and to plead with YAHUAH. The Prophet writes,

Joel 2:12: Turn you even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping and with mourning.

There are multiple stories in the Bible of times in which people fasted and prayed for many days in order to plead to Aluahim for mercy and forgiveness. Sometimes this was a corporate fast, and other times it was a single person fast. A person can fast and pray for Aluahim to forgive them of their own sins, or for the sins of their friends and family. This humbles our character, and shows love and mercy for our brethren. Below are examples:

Jonah 3:5: So the people of Nineveh believed YAHUAH, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

Ezra 8:23: So we fasted and besought our Aluahim for this: and He was intreated of us.

Nehemiah 1:4: And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the Aluahim of heaven.

Daniel 9:3,20: And I set my face unto YAHUAH Aluahim, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Yasharal…

Ester 4:16: Go, gather together all the Yahudim that are present in Shushan, and fast you for me, and neither eat nor drink three days and three nights: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

1 Samuel 7:6: And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before YAHUAH, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against YAHUAH. And Samuel judged the children of Yasharal in Mizpeh.

2 Samuel 12:16: David therefore pleaded with Aluahim for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.

There are accounts of prayer and fasting being done from one single day and night, all the way up to forty days and forty nights. The length of the fast has everything to do with the motive, and the desired outcome. Specifically during conversion, a fast should not end until we have wept our last tear and prayed for our last sin. We then pick ourselves up from our knees, look up towards heaven, and thank our Aluahim and Savior for His mercy, His love, His sacrifice, and His everlasting covenant. Like the converted Nebuchadnezzar says,  

Daniel 4:34,37: I lifted up my eyes unto heaven, and my understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most-High, and I praised and honored Him that lives forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. Now I […] praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and His ways judgment: and those that walk in pride He is able to abase.   

Conversion may happen before or after baptism, for baptism is merely a physical gesture in showing both YAHUAH and or our chosen loved ones the straight and narrow path we have chosen to take. After Paul seen Yahushua and was convicted of the Truth, he fasted for three days, and afterwards, was baptized by Ananias. The Acts of the Apostles records this.

Acts 9:8-9: And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

After Yahushua was baptized by his cousin John the Baptist, He also fasted. Matthew writes,

Matthew 4:1-2: Then was Yahushua led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungered.

Fasting, repentance, prayer, and deep studying of the Scriptures, are all part of walking with Aluahim. After we are converted, baptized, and choose to live each and every day for the will of Aluahim, fasting should be practiced regularly. Yahushua does not say “if you fast”, but “when you fast”, We read,

Matthew 6:16-18: Moreover when you fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But you,when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; That you appear not unto men to fast, but unto your Father which is in secret: and your Father, which sees in secret, shall reward you openly.

These days, it has become custom to let everyone know about every little thing that we do. Everything is often recorded on social media and broadcasted to the whole world. Not only is this a form of vanity and boastfulness, but is also not showing love to our neighbors by tempting them with feelings of jealousy and covetousness. When it comes to giving to the poor, fasting, and praying, we are told not to let others know of it (refer to Matthew 6:2-6,16-18). We are supposed to keep these things between ourselves and YAHUAH. Of course, the ones we live with will be aware.

Fasting can help us overcome certain obstacles in our life, and bring clear answers to questions we have brought to Aluahim. Before Moses received the ten commandments, he fasted and meditated day and night on YAHUAH. We read,

Exodus 34:28: And he (Moses) was there with YAHUAH forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And YAHUAH wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

Fasting is a good thing to do before embarking on a spiritual journey, such as: starting a ministry, traveling to speak to unbelievers, or relocating. Before Paul and Barnabas began their long intense ministry, they fasted and prayed with the other church brethren. We read,  

Acts 13:1-3: Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to YAHUAH, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Fasting along with prayer can also assist with miraculous healing, and the ridding of demons. Yahushua says,

Matthew 17:21: Howbeit this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting.

And lastly, the Scriptures tell us that in order to worship the Aluahim of the Bible more deeply, we must practice fasting and prayer on a regular basis. The Prophetess Anna, who praised YAHUAH for being able to live long enough to witness the coming of the Mashiach, gives us the perfect example of how to worship YAHUAH.

Luke 2:37: And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served YAHUAH with fasting and prayers night and day.

Fasting shows YAHUAH that we love Him more than we love ourselves. It is part of the process in ridding both the body and mind from uncleanliness, while renewing our spirit. The benefits of fasting are innumerable. Spiritual developments alone are reasons to regularly fast, but of course the physical body also has much to gain from such a practice. Both intermittent fasting, and longer durations of fasting can have powerful effects on both the body and brain.

Intermittent fasting is a daily practice of simply only eating within a specific window of time. The fasting period usually starts at night, and is typically a minimum of 12 plus hours. An example of an experienced intermittent fast would be someone who fasts for 16 hours and only eats within an 8-hour time window. Note: autophagy begins at 16 hours. The majority of the fast would be during the night hours so that your body can heal during sleep. This type of fast would be practiced daily, and during intermittent fasting hours, only water is consumed.   

Longer fasting methods such as 24 hours or more can be applied on a weekly or monthly cycle. Just the smallest piece of food, a caffeinated drink, or a sugary drink, will break the fast. Therefore, the only substance one should intake, is water. This will help the clearing out of toxins while staying properly hydrated. Epson salt baths are also very helpful in aiding with the clearing of toxins. If during a fast, you are not having regular bowel movements, then certain teas can assist with the clearing out process so that toxins do not build up in your body, but are released.

Some of the health benefits from regular fasting include:

• Cellular repair
• Human growth hormone levels go up
• Insulin resistance: blood sugar levels go down
• Extended lifespan due to gene expression
• Fights off diseases
• Weight loss
• Reduces inflammation
• Reduces “bad” cholesterol
• Aids in new nerve cell growth
• Boosts metabolism

While fasting, we should have extra time for prayer and studying of the Scriptures. Between the amount of time it takes to prepare our meals, eat the food, and then clean up, could be hours in a day. This extra time should be set aside for Aluahim. As the Psalmist writes, “I will meditate also of all Your work, and talk of Your doings” (Psalm 77:12). And, “I will meditate in Your precepts, and have respect unto Your ways” (Psalm 119:15). If you are the cook in the family, then it is a good time to view this  service as a gift to your family. And what a selfless gift, to prepare food to nourish the very ones you love, and not partake of it at all. Think of the times when Yahushua fed thousands yet he did not eat (refer to Matthew chapter 14 and 15, and John chapter 4). Yahushua says, “I have food to eat that you know not of”. And he further states, “my food is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work” (John 4:32,34).

I need to mention, that a proper biblical fast is typically a dry fast; no food nor water but if you are new to fasting, have certain underlying health issues, or simply not willing or able to perform a dry fast, then a water fast will be sufficient. I, personally, practice both.

Before concluding, I want to give a short explanation on how we are commanded to pray. Most professed followers of Mashiach do not pray according to the examples provided in Scripture. Many of the common prayer postures are pagan traditions that has been passed down from generation to generation. The clasping of hands, and the palms pressed together with the fingers pointing upwards are not Scriptural at all, but have pagan roots.

The Bible tells us that in most public settings or when we give thanks for our food, we are to put our palms up in the air and pray looking up towards heaven. In a personal and private setting, we are to fall on our knees with our face towards the ground, we should remove our shoes, and cover our heads with the proper head covering. Our private prayer sessions should be practiced three times a day. Examples of prayer are found in: John 17, Luke 9:16,18:10-14, Mark 14:35-36, 1 Timothy 2:8, Daniel 6:10, Psalm 55:17, and Psalm 5:3.

For a deeper study on head coverings, please read the article, What Does the Bible Say About Hair, Beards, and Head Coverings?

A few suggestions while fasting:

• Use natural toothpaste without added sugars, and use minimal.
• You may dream of food, but while awake keep busy in order to keep the cravings at bay.
• Hydrate a lot before, during, and after a fast. Especially important before and after a dry fast. I recommend coconut water.
• Detox from caffeine before fasting.
• After a conversion fast, is a good time to change your diet from unclean to clean foods.
• It should be easier after a fast to practice intermittent fasting. So give it try!
• While fasting from food, try to also fast from news, social media, and any and all things that pertain to this dying world. Try to limit contact with the world.
• Try not to speak about worldly topics.
• Abstain from sex (refer to 1 Cor 7:5).
• Study the Bible as often as possible.
• Pray as often as possible.

Most Christian churches do not teach the importance of fasting, but instead support self-indulgence in excess meat and alcohol during gatherings, pagan holidays (Easter and Christmas), and spectator sports (also a pagan tradition). A true devout follower of Mashiach knows that their body is no longer their own, but a tabernacle for the Ruach of Aluahim (refer to 1 Cor. 3:16-17). For this reason, we separate ourselves from the uncleanliness of the world, from the immoderate, and from the coveters. We practice temperance in all things, and purify ourselves with the fire of Aluahim – the Ruach HaQodash (Holy Spirit). Our brother Paul writes,

Romans 12:1-2: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of Aluahim, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Aluahim, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of Aluahim.