BIBLE VERSES ON FASTING

Fasting is an age long practice with either spiritual or health implications. Biblically, fasting have been used to express spiritual state of a nation or individuals. It has more of spiritual undertones than mere using it for health purposes. Prayer accompanied with fasting have to deep effect on any spiritual matter.
In the Bible, people have fasted and prayed unto God for deliverance from their enemies, for God’s mercy, healing, revelations, grace, Victory,  fellowship,

etc.

What is Fasting?

Voluntary abstinence from food, as a religious mortification or humiliation either total or partial abstinence from customary food, with a view to mortify the appetites, or to express grief and affliction on account of some calamity, or to deprecate an expected evil.
SOME BIBLE VERSES ON FASTING

Neh.9:1, NIV:On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads.

Mat. 4:1-2. NIV:Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2:After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

Act 12:2 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.”

Est.4:3 NIV:In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing.Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

Dan. 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.

Isa .58:6NIV:“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?

PS.69:10 KJV:When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.

Joel 2:10 KJV:Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

PS.35:13 KJV:But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

Mat.17:21 KJV:Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Act 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.

Act 10:30 KJV:And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

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

Fasting must be combined with prayers and the study of God's Word to make it effective. Anything short of that is hunger strike. We must also understand that there is a place for the leading of the Holy Spirit in fasting. The Bible said; Jesus Christ was led by the Holy Spirit to fast...