February 18 - April 2, 2026
Pray and confess your sins
Before fasting is to humble yourself before God (see Psalm35:13), confess your sins (1Samuel 7:6). Prayer should be our sustenance throughout the fast,
begin the fast with a contrite heart.
Turn to Scripture
Spend additional time meditating on God’s Word, before
and during the fast.
Don’t Show off
It is unbiblical and even spiritually harmful when we do
it to show off our spirituality (Matthew6:16 – 18) or when we focus more on our own fasting and ignore the
needs of others (Isaiah58:1 – 11). Don’t boast about your fast. Do not fast with false
motives (1Samuel 14:24-30).
Fasting is an appropriate bodily reaction to the
grievous state of our soul. If it is done correctly you can expect many
results, growing closer to God, feeling more solidarity with those who suffer,
and increasing self-control.
Prepare your body
There is no scriptural warrant for harming yourself to
undergo a fast. Be sure to consult a doctor before starting any fasting regimen
to make sure you can fast in a healthy manner.
10 Biblical Benefits of fasting
1. To strengthen prayer (Ezra8:23)
2. To seek God’s guidance (Judges20:26)
3. To express grief (1Samuel 31:13)
4. To seek deliverance or protection (2Chronicles 20:3 – 4)
5. To express repentance and a return to God (1Samuel 7:6)
6. To humble oneself before God (1Kings 21:27 – 29)
7. To express concern for the work of God (Nehemiah1:3 – 4)
8. To minister to the needs of others (Isaiah58:3 – 7)
9. To overcome temptation and dedicate yourself to God (Matthew4:1 – 11)
10. To express love and worship for God (Luke2:37)