Prayers to Help You Stay Focused While Fasting

Kasie Padilla • 5 minutes

Biblical fasting is one of many spiritual practices (or spiritual disciplines) that followers of Christ are invited to engage in.

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Fasting means intentionally not doing something you would normally do (like eating), for a set period of time, to achieve a particular purpose. A fast can take many different forms. It can be practiced individually or in community with others. It could last one day or extend for several weeks.

The purpose of a biblical fast is to draw closer to God in prayer, to remember how much we need Him, and often to seek Him for help or guidance about something specific.

And while Scripture most often describes fasting as abstaining from food and sometimes drink, many believers today also choose to abstain from other comforts that compete for their attention, such as social media, movies, gaming, or other entertainment.

When we willingly give up something we’ve come to rely on, we become more aware of our need for God.

Regardless of its form, a true spiritual fast is set and entered into with purpose, intention, and sincerity. When we willingly give up something we’ve come to rely on, we become more aware of our need for God. And when we take opportunities to connect with Him and depend on Him, what begins as a physical hunger or desire to reach for the familiar can become a deeper awareness of His presence, His sufficiency, and His sustaining grace.

That’s why prayer before and during your fast is so important!

Fasting and Prayer Are Spiritual Practices

A spiritual practice is any activity that brings our thoughts, feelings, and actions into alignment with Jesus’ way of living. Fasting is one example of this kind of practice. Other spiritual practices include serving, Sabbath rest, worship, prayer, fellowship, and silence and solitude. As the name would suggest, these practices require more than our participation. They require our discipline and the continual choice to deny what feels comfortable in order to be shaped by something eternal.

Examples of Biblical Fasts

Scripture gives us good examples of seeking God through a fast, and it also shows us how fasting can go wrong. For example, the Old Testament describes occasions when the Israelites fasted but also continued in their sin, believing God would honor religious ritual regardless of rebellion.

When they fasted in a moment of crisis yet still remained disobedient to God’s commands, the Lord turned away from their cries.

In Jesus’ day, Pharisees even fasted to be seen, to gain attention from others, and to boast of their self-righteousness.

So it’s important to define the purpose of your fast and to engage in it sincerely. Below are some examples of reasons people fasted with pure intent in Scripture. Which of these reasons resonates with your hope for your fast?

Interceding on behalf of others: Deuteronomy 9:18
Seeking direction and favor: Judges 20:26
Repenting from sin: 1 Samuel 7:6
A period of grief and mourning: 1 Samuel 31:13, 2 Samuel 1:12
Seeking deliverance: 2 Chronicles 20:2-3
Seeking protection: Ezra 8:21-23
Preparation for what’s ahead: Matthew 4:1-11
Worshiping the Lord: Luke 2:37

Whether you’re considering fasting, preparing to fast, or discouraged during your fast, the example prayers below are for you.

Prayers for Before Your Fast Begins

1. A Prayer for Purity in Heart and Intention Before Fasting

Lord, thank You for the examples You’ve set before me for fasting with a pure heart. Now that You’ve guided me to the purpose of my fast, help me cling to it. In hard moments, fix my heart back on this purpose and keep my spirit pure. Help me remember that others have gone before me, showing me what’s possible through this discipline, and that there’s always reward when we seek You intentionally. In Jesus’ name, amen.

2. A Prayer for Discernment About Your Approach to Fasting

God, give me clarity about which form of fast is right for me. You know me best, so You know what I need to give up in order to create more space for You. Guide me to sacrifice what is necessary, and show me how long you want this sacrifice to last.

Lord, I surrender my own ideas of how this should look and I submit myself to You, knowing that You care for my well-being better than I ever could. I trust You with my body, mind, and spirit. Thank You for leading me to the fast that will bring me intimacy with You and result in what You have planned for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayers for During Your Fast

3. A Prayer for Intimacy With God

Father, as I give up these comforts, please bring me more intimacy with You. In the moments when I would normally reach for the familiar, help me instead to reach out to You and find Your love and comfort. As I draw near to You, draw near to me (James 4:8). I trust that when I seek You, I will find You (Jeremiah 29:13). In Jesus’ name, amen.

4. A Prayer for Alignment With God as You Fast

God, as I seek You , please reveal more of who You are to me. Show me Your heart, Your character, and Your will for my life. Where my thoughts have been conformed by the things of this world, reshape them to align with Your truth. Align my spirit with Yours in what will bring You glory, making Your name known and leading me toward more righteous living. In Jesus’ name, amen.

5. A Prayer for a Disciplined Fast

Lord, I draw on Your strength day by day and moment by moment as I continue this fast. When I am weak, You are strong. Teach me to not rely on willpower alone, but to be sustained by the power of the Holy Spirit in me.

You are the bread of life and the living water; anchor me in Your Word to resist temptation, just as You did in the wilderness, and let Your truth sustain me. Though discipline is not pleasant in the moment, Your Word promises that it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace. I proclaim this in Jesus’ name, amen.

6. A Prayer of Worship and Gratitude

God, as I continue in this fast, turn my focus from what I lack to who You are. You are mighty and awesome; all power and glory and honor are Yours. You spoke the entire universe into creation. The wind and waves obey You; You’ve named every star in the sky, and yet Your care for me is so deep that You count every hair on my head.

Thank You, Father, for Your goodness for and Your grace that saves and sustains me. Today I will seek Your face and delight in Your presence, because Your steadfast love is better than life. Remind me that my deepest satisfaction is found in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Encouragement as You Fast

Fasting is a powerful spiritual practice that has stood the test of time, connecting followers of Christ with His will and aligning their hearts with His.

Remember that God’s nearness is not earned through disciplines, but comes by grace. God responds to your pursuit of Him with His presence. However long your fast lasts and however it unfolds, may it bear fruit—He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus!