Fasting and Prayer in Scripture
Fasting and prayer are spiritual disciplines that intensify the pursuit of God. By setting aside physical need, the believer turns the whole being toward the Lord and expresses a deep hunger for His presence. Scripture regularly shows the people of God fasting and praying to discern His will, to repent, or to intercede. In Joel 2:12, the Lord calls His people to return to Him "with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Fasting is never a way to impress God or to earn merit: it is an act of humility that places the soul in complete dependence. In Acts 13:3, the church at Antioch fasts and prays before sending out Barnabas and Saul, showing that these two disciplines accompany important decisions and the seeking of divine direction. Jesus Himself teaches, in Matthew 6:16-18, to fast with sincerity and discretion, not to be seen by others, but for the Father who sees in secret. Philippians 4:6 invites us to present all our requests to God in prayer; fasting strengthens this supplication by focusing the heart. These verses encourage us to join fasting and prayer as an expression of humility, dependence, and ardent thirst for God, so that our pursuit of the Lord may be not only fervent but also deeply sincere and trusting.
Key verse snapshot
“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
Bible Verses about Fasting and Prayer in Scripture
6 Scripture passages on this theme
James 5:15
“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
James 5:16
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
Philippians 4:6
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
1 Corinthians 7:5
“Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.”
1 Kings 8:28
“Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:”
2 Chronicles 6:19
“Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee:”
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Apply These Verses to Your Life
Scripture comes alive when we meditate on it and apply it daily. Read these verses in full context, pray for understanding, and ask God how they speak to your situation with fasting and prayer in scripture.
- Author:
- The Lord Will Editorial Team
- Reviewed by:
- Ugo Candido
- Last updated:
- Category:
- Scripture Guidance