Scriptural Fasting

Study To Learn & Do
Scriptural Fasting...!

Why not discover for yourself Scriptural Fasting by studying just how Scriptural Fasting can benefit you. Below are references to fasting in the Word of God. Both full and partial fast's are listed. A yearly study through the Bible on the topic of fasting might well benefit you in more way then one. It may help you make up your mind to the hard things in your life. Start by doing one for just 3 days at first. Then you can move on to a 7 day fast. You may then find God will then lead you to do a longer one, maybe a 21 days. (I do not recommend you do a 40 days fast unless you really know God has calls you to one, and even then, never without water like Moses did.)

Studying the subject should certainly encourage you to try one during the coming year. I believe many of you want to live a more fasted life for our Lord. I pray this study will help all of you.

Why Fast?
As fasting relates to the faithfulness of God toward us, fasting will also draw you much closer to Lord and in a whole new way. It will also help many of you who are seeking an answer from God, to get one. I have found that in the times I have fasted, God spoke so clearly to me about the hard things I was seeking Him for. Its as if He was in the same room with me, speaking directions right into my ears. "Hearing God" better is a great reason to fast.

A True Story
After a three day fast some 15 years ago, I saw a woman healed from colon cancer. It was what they call a "stage 4" colon cancer, and the Dr. said she had little hope of living more then a few years. She was a good friend and I was a fairly new believer in the Lord, but such faith rose up in me that was led to fasted for her for three days. As I was seeking the face of the Lord on her behalf, I just knew she was going to be healed, because in my spirit I heard our Lord tell me she would be. Today some 15 years later, my friend Betty is a living testimony of God's faithfulness to heal even the hard cases of cancer. I believe it was not just me fasting, but many others in her small church who were also fasting and praying on her behalf that God heard, and healed her. When the three days where over, I went to my Betty and stated by the Spirit, "You shall live and and not die, you shall give glory to God for this all the days of your life" - and you know what, my friend Betty does that every chance she gets. To God be the glory, He is the Healer!

Fasting Other Things
So as you consider whether or not fasting is for you, pray about other "things" you might fast beside food. Things such as "TV" or your "Newspaper" for a month, or it may be God will lead you to fast from "grumbling" to your spouse or coworkers. He did that once with me. It might become something that God will take from you permanently. In any case, I pray you will print out the list below and make it part of your year long study in the Word of God.

Shalom,
Barbara Di Gilio

PS -- The list below was not put together by Mayim Hayim Ministries, but by someone else who's name was not listed on the paper I used to write this article.

The Old Covenant

Gen. 24:33 Abraham's servant seeking a bride for Isaac

Exodus. 34:28 Moses' first period of forty days on Sinai

Lev. 16:29-31 On the Day of Atonement

Lev. 23:14 Until the sheaf of the wave offering was offered

Lev. 23:27,32 On the Day of Atonement

Num. 6:3,4 The law of the Nazarite

Num. 29:7 On the Day of Atonement

Deut. 9:9,18 Moses' two periods of forty days on Sinai

Judges 20:26 By Israel after their defeat by Benjamin

I Sam. 1:7,8 Hannah's prayer for a child

I Sam. 7:6 At Mizpah under Samuel

I Sam. 20:24 Jonathan grieved at Sha'ul's hatred of David

I Sam. 28:20 Sha'ul before his death in battle

I Sam. 30:11,12 Egyptian servant David found in the field

I Sam. 31:13 By those that buried Sha'ul and his sons

II Sam. 1:12 By David and his men at news of Sha'ul's death

II Sam. 3:35 By David at Abner's death

II Sam. 11:11 Uriah's self-discipline in time of battle

II Sam. 12:16-23 By David for the child of Bathsheba

I Kings 13:8-24 By prophet who cried against altar at Bethel

I Kings 17:6, 14-16 Elijah's restricted diet at Cherith and Zarephath

I Kings 19:8 By Elijah on his journey to Horeb

I Kings 21:4,5 By Ahab after Naboth's refusal

I Kings 21:9,12 When Naboth was set on high at Jezebel's instigation

I Kings 21:27 By Ahab in self-humiliation

I Chron.10:12 By those who buried Saul and his sons

II Chron.20:3 Proclaimed by Jehosaphat before battle

Ezra 8:21-23 Proclaimed by Ezra at Ahava, a river of Babylonia

Ezra 9:5 Ezra mourning for the faithlessness of exiles

Ezra 10:6 Ezra mourning for the faithlessness of the exiles

Neh. 1:4 By Nehemiah for the restoration of Jerusalem

Neh. 9:1 By people of Jerusalem, confessing their sins

Est. 4:3 By the Jews following Haman's decree

Est. 4:16 Called by Esther before her audience with the king

Est. 9:31 In connection with the Feast of Purim

Job 33:19,20 As a result of pain or sickness

Psa. 35:13 David on behalf of others who were sick

Psa. 69:10 The cause of David being reproached

Psa. 102:4 The Psalmist forgets food in his affliction

Psa. 107:17, 18 As a result of sickness

Psa. 109:24 The cause of David's physical weakness

Isa. 58 The kind of fasting which pleases God

Jer. 14:12 That which is unacceptable to God

Jer. 36:6,9 Baruch reading Jeremiah's scroll on a fast day

Dan. 1:12-16 Daniel and his companions refuse the king's food

Dan. 6:18 Darius when Daniel was in the lion's den

Dan. 9:3 Daniel praying for Jerusalem

Dan. 10:2,3 Daniel's three weeks' partial fast

Joel 1:14 In view of the day of the Lord

Joel 2:12 When returning to God with all the heart

Joel 2:15 Proclaimed by blowing a trumpet in Zion

Jonah 3:5-9 Proclaimed by the people and king of Nineveh

Zech. 7:3-5 With mourning in the fifth and seventh months

Zech. 8:19 Kept in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months

The New Covenant

Matt. 4:2 By Yeshua (Jesus) for forty days

Matt. 6:16-18 Not to be practiced as the hypocrites (actors) do

Matt. 9:14-15 By John's disciples and the Pharisees

Matt. 9:15 By the guests when the Bridegroom has departed

Matt. 11:18 The self-restraining character of John the Baptist

Matt. 17:21 This kind can only come forth by fasting

Mark 2:18 By John's Disciples and the Pharisees

Mark 2:19-20 By the guests when the Bridegroom has departed

Mark 8:3 Yeshua' states, the four thousand, then our Lord fed them

Mark 9:29 This kind can only come forth by fasting

Luke 2:37 By Anna the prophetess worshipping in the Temple

Luke 4:2 By our Lord for forty days

Luke 5:33 By John's Disciples and the Pharisees

Luke 5:34,35 By the guests when the Bridegroom has departed

Luke 7:33 The self-restraining character of John the Baptist

Luke 18:12 By the boastful Pharisee, twice a week they fasted

Acts 9:9 Sha'ul of Tarsus after his encounter with Messiah

Acts 10:30 By Cornelius when an angel appeared to him

Acts 13:2-3 By prophets and teachers in Antioch

Acts 14:23 At the appointment of elders in the Churches

Acts 23:12-21 By Jews under an oath to kill Rabbi Sha'ul (Paul)

Acts 27:9 A remez (hinting) to the annual Day of Atonement ("the fast")

Acts 27:21,33 By those with Rabbi Sha'ul (Paul) before the shipwreck

I Cor. 7:5 In the marriage relationship one can fast, but not for to long

Mayim's Endnote

Why not discover for yourself Scriptural Fasting by studying just how Scriptural Fasting can benefit you. Below are references to fasting in the Word of God. Both full and partial fast's are listed. A yearly study through the Bible on the topic of fasting might well benefit you in more way then one. It may help you make up your mind to the hard things in your life. Start by doing one for just 3 days at first. Then you can move on to a 7 day fast. You may then find God will then lead you to do a longer one, maybe a 21 days. (I do not recommend you do a 40 days fast unless you really know God has calls you to one, and even then, never without water like Moses did.) Studying the subject should certainly encourage you to try one during the coming year. I believe many of you want to live a more fasted life for our Lord. I pray this study will help all of you. Why Fast? As fasting relates to the faithfulness of God toward us, fasting will also draw you much closer to Lord and in a whole new way. It will also help many of you who are seeking an answer from God, to get one. I have found that in the times I have fasted, God spoke so clearly to me about the hard things I was seeking Him for. Its as if He was in the same room with me, speaking directions right into my ears. "Hearing God" better is a great reason to fast. A True Story After a three day fast some 15 years ago, I saw a woman healed from colon cancer. It was what they call a "stage 4" colon cancer, and the Dr. said she had little hope of living more then a few years. She was a good friend and I was a fairly new believer in the Lord, but such faith rose up in me that was led to fasted for her for three days. As I was seeking the face of the Lord on her behalf, I just knew she was going to be healed, because in my spirit I heard our Lord tell me she would be. Today some 15 years later, my friend Betty is a living testimony of God's faithfulness to heal even the hard cases of cancer. I believe it was not just me fasting, but many others in her small church who were also fasting and praying on her behalf that God heard, and healed her. When the three days where over, I went to my Betty and stated by the Spirit, "You shall live and and not die, you shall give glory to God for this all the days of your life" - and you know what, my friend Betty does that every chance she gets. To God be the glory, He is the Healer! Fasting Other Things So as you consider whether or not fasting is for you, pray about other "things" you might fast beside food. Things such as "TV" or your "Newspaper" for a month, or it may be God will lead you to fast from "grumbling" to your spouse or coworkers. He did that once with me. It might become something that God will take from you permanently. In any case, I pray you will print out the list below and make it part of your year long study in the Word of God. Shalom, Barbara Di Gilio PS -- The list below was not put together by Mayim Hayim Ministries, but by someone else who's name was not listed on the paper I used to write this article.
The Old Covenant
Gen. 24:33	Abraham's servant seeking a bride for Isaac
Exodus. 34:28	Moses' first period of forty days on Sinai
Lev. 16:29-31	On the Day of Atonement
Lev. 23:14	Until the sheaf of the wave offering was offered
Lev. 23:27,32	On the Day of Atonement
Num. 6:3,4	The law of the Nazarite
Num. 29:7	On the Day of Atonement
Deut. 9:9,18	Moses' two periods of forty days on Sinai
Judges 20:26	By Israel after their defeat by Benjamin
I Sam. 1:7,8	Hannah's prayer for a child
I Sam. 7:6	At Mizpah under Samuel
I Sam. 20:24	Jonathan grieved at Sha'ul's hatred of David
I Sam. 28:20	Sha'ul before his death in battle
I Sam. 30:11,12	Egyptian servant David found in the field
I Sam. 31:13	By those that buried Sha'ul and his sons
II Sam. 1:12	By David and his men at news of Sha'ul's death
II Sam. 3:35	By David at Abner's death
II Sam. 11:11	Uriah's self-discipline in time of battle
II Sam. 12:16-23	By David for the child of Bathsheba
I Kings 13:8-24	By prophet who cried against altar at Bethel
I Kings 17:6, 14-16	Elijah's restricted diet at Cherith and Zarephath
I Kings 19:8	By Elijah on his journey to Horeb
I Kings 21:4,5	By Ahab after Naboth's refusal
I Kings 21:9,12	When Naboth was set on high at Jezebel's instigation
I Kings 21:27	By Ahab in self-humiliation
I Chron.10:12	By those who buried Saul and his sons
II Chron.20:3	Proclaimed by Jehosaphat before battle
Ezra 8:21-23	Proclaimed by Ezra at Ahava, a river of Babylonia
Ezra 9:5	Ezra mourning for the faithlessness of exiles
Ezra 10:6	Ezra mourning for the faithlessness of the exiles
Neh. 1:4	By Nehemiah for the restoration of Jerusalem
Neh. 9:1	By people of Jerusalem, confessing their sins
Est. 4:3	By the Jews following Haman's decree
Est. 4:16	Called by Esther before her audience with the king
Est. 9:31	In connection with the Feast of Purim
Job 33:19,20	As a result of pain or sickness
Psa. 35:13	David on behalf of others who were sick
Psa. 69:10	The cause of David being reproached
Psa. 102:4	The Psalmist forgets food in his affliction
Psa. 107:17, 18	As a result of sickness
Psa. 109:24	The cause of David's physical weakness
Isa. 58	The kind of fasting which pleases God
Jer. 14:12	That which is unacceptable to God
Jer. 36:6,9	Baruch reading Jeremiah's scroll on a fast day
Dan. 1:12-16	Daniel and his companions refuse the king's food
Dan. 6:18	Darius when Daniel was in the lion's den
Dan. 9:3	Daniel praying for Jerusalem
Dan. 10:2,3	Daniel's three weeks' partial fast
Joel 1:14	In view of the day of the Lord
Joel 2:12	When returning to God with all the heart
Joel 2:15	Proclaimed by blowing a trumpet in Zion
Jonah 3:5-9	Proclaimed by the people and king of Nineveh
Zech. 7:3-5	With mourning in the fifth and seventh months
Zech. 8:19	Kept in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months
The New Covenant
Matt. 4:2	By Yeshua (Jesus) for forty days
Matt. 6:16-18	Not to be practiced as the hypocrites (actors) do
Matt. 9:14-15	By John's disciples and the Pharisees
Matt. 9:15	By the guests when the Bridegroom has departed
Matt. 11:18	The self-restraining character of John the Baptist
Matt. 17:21	This kind can only come forth by fasting
Mark 2:18	By John's Disciples and the Pharisees
Mark 2:19-20	By the guests when the Bridegroom has departed
Mark 8:3	Yeshua' states, the four thousand, then our Lord fed them
Mark 9:29	This kind can only come forth by fasting
Luke 2:37	By Anna the prophetess worshipping in the Temple
Luke 4:2	By our Lord for forty days
Luke 5:33	By John's Disciples and the Pharisees
Luke 5:34,35	By the guests when the Bridegroom has departed
Luke 7:33	The self-restraining character of John the Baptist
Luke 18:12	By the boastful Pharisee, twice a week they fasted
Acts 9:9	Sha'ul of Tarsus after his encounter with Messiah
Acts 10:30	By Cornelius when an angel appeared to him
Acts 13:2-3	By prophets and teachers in Antioch
Acts 14:23	At the appointment of elders in the Churches
Acts 23:12-21	By Jews under an oath to kill Rabbi Sha'ul (Paul)
Acts 27:9	A remez (hinting) to the annual Day of Atonement ("the fast")
Acts 27:21,33	By those with Rabbi Sha'ul (Paul) before the shipwreck
I Cor. 7:5	In the marriage relationship one can fast, but not for to long