Fasting is a spiritual practice that has been a part of worship for the people of God for many centuries. Biblical characters like Esther, Elijah, Daniel, Moses, and Hannah fasted in the Old Testament. Paul, Anna, Cornelius, Barnabas, and Jesus all fasted in the New Testament. With scores of references to fasting throughout the entire canon, it is an important part of the Christian life. But why exactly do Christians fast? In this article, we will explore seven reasons that Christians choose to practice fasting.
1. Jesus Commanded It
John the Baptist’s disciples once asked Jesus why they and the Pharisees participated in fasting and Jesus’ disciples did not. He answered them, “The days will come when the Bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15b, emphasis added). Further, in Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus says, “When you fast…” Jesus didn’t say “if.” He said “will” and “when,” implying that fasting is not optional for Christians. The first reason Christians fast is because they are acting in obedience to the mandate from Jesus.
2. Seeking God’s Will
Christians sometimes fast in order to seek the will of God about specific circumstances or decisions that need to be made. It allows God’s people to lay their own personal desires aside and focus themselves on pursuing the Lord in the direction that He would have them go.
The entire army of Israel participated in a prayerful fast after having lost 18,000 men in a battle against the people of Benjamin. After fasting, weeping, and offering sacrifices and offerings, they inquired of the Lord for wisdom and direction. And the Lord responded to them as a result (Judges 20:24-28). A second reason Christians choose to participate in fasting is to discern God’s will for their lives.
3. Aid in prayer
Fasting done correctly allows Christians to focus themselves on the Lord and on prayer. As they feel hunger pains, they use them as a reminder to pray. In this way, fasting focuses the mind on the things of the Lord and serves to aid Christians in their efforts to pray more frequently and more fervently. 
Joel 1:14 mentions gathering everyone in the land together to cry out to the Lord together. And Esther 4:16 describes Esther’s petitioning all of her fellow Jews to join her and her servants in a corporate fast for the purpose of praying for her and the nation as a whole. The third reason Christians fast is to aid them in prayer.
4. Repentance and Reconciliation
Some Christians fast in order to express repentance and remorse for their sinful actions. In their sinfulness, they placed their selfish desires above other people and above God’s perfect standard. But in fasting, they lay aside their own desires as they submit to God’s ways above their own. Fasting demonstrates sacrifice, repentance, and an acknowledgement of both wrongdoing and a desire for reconciliation.
In 1 Samuel 7:6, Israel came together at Mizpah and recognized their sinfulness before the Lord through a fast. Ezra fasted as he mourned the faithlessness of the exiles (Ezra 9-10), and David fasted as he grieved his sin with Bathsheba and the consequences that it had for his son (2 Samuel 12:16-23). A fourth reason Christians fast is to demonstrate repentance from their sins and to seek reconciliation.
5. Sign of Sorrow
Fasting is also a sign of sorrow. It communicates heartbreak and allows people to recognize their weakness and dependence on the Lord. Refraining from eating demonstrates that there are certain challenges in life that reach the depths of the soul and that they desperately need their Creator to give them the strength to make it through.
In 1 Samuel 1:7-8, Hannah went up to the house of the Lord year after year, only to be mistreated and provoked by her another woman due to her inability to have children. This caused great sorrow to Hannah and led her to weep and fast before the Lord. Job also experienced great anguish and fasted as a sign of sorrow. His sighing took the place of bread and his groanings took the place of water during his time of mourning (Job 3:24). The fifth reason Christians fast is to communicate the depths of their sorrow.
6. Spiritual Renewal
Christians sometimes fast with the intention of experiencing spiritual renewal. Through their time of fasting, they spend time intentionally refocusing themselves on spiritual priorities with the goal of experiencing God’s presence.
When Jesus was still on this earth, His disciples didn’t fast. And this was because they were physically in His presence. But now that He has been taken away, His followers fast in order to experience closeness to Him once again (Luke 5:33-35). A sixth reason Christians fast is to renew their spiritual fervor.
7. Humble Oneself Before God
Fasting is also a sign of humbling oneself before God. Christians recognize that God alone is able to give them what they need. He is the Sustainer and Provider. Fasting is a way for Christians to communicate that they are not living in their own strength but according to God’s strength and in submission to His plan.
Psalm 35:13 is a picture of fasting with sackcloth and prayer. The author bowed his head to his chest in humility and sought the Lord’s helping hand. Ezra 8:21 also mentions the use of fasting for the purpose of humbling themselves before God. Ezra and his fellow travelers knew that it was God alone who could give them a safe journey, and they fasted and prayed for exactly that. The seventh reason Christians fast is as a sign of humility.
Ultimately, Christians fast for the purpose of growing closer to God, seeking His will, and experiencing spiritual growth. It is an act of worship and a spiritual discipline that reflects a desire to cultivate a deeper and more intimate relationship with God. Refraining from food or other activities allows believers to carve out and dedicate time to pray, reflect, and seek God’s direction in their lives.