Fasting prayers in the Bible were never about hunger alone they were moments when ordinary people surrendered everything to encounter an extraordinary God. From repentance in ashes to bold cries for divine direction, biblical fasting has always been a sacred doorway to God’s presence. In this carefully prayerful guide, you will discover 30 fasting prayers in the Bible, each rooted in Scripture and written to help you fast with purpose, humility, and faith. Whether you are seeking forgiveness, breakthrough, healing, or revival, these prayers will walk with you scripture by scripture into deeper intimacy with God.
What Does the Bible Say About Fasting and Prayer?
The Bible presents fasting as a spiritual discipline that humbles the soul and aligns the heart with God’s will. Jesus taught that fasting should be done quietly and sincerely (Matthew 6:16–18). Isaiah revealed that true fasting loosens burdens and breaks yokes (Isaiah 58:6). Joel called God’s people to return to Him with fasting and repentance (Joel 2:12). Biblical fasting is not about earning God’s favor, but about making space for His voice, His correction, and His power to work within us.
Why Fasting Prayers Are Powerful in the Bible
- They express deep repentance and humility
- They invite divine direction and clarity
- They strengthen spiritual warfare
- They release healing and restoration
- They awaken revival and spiritual hunger
How to Pray While Fasting (Biblical Pattern)
Pray with a surrendered heart, anchor every prayer in Scripture, listen more than you speak, and trust God’s timing rather than demanding outcomes. Biblical fasting always flows from relationship, not ritual.
30 POWERFUL FASTING PRAYERS IN THE BIBLE
FASTING PRAYERS FOR REPENTANCE & FORGIVENESS
1. Fasting Prayer of Repentance – Joel 2:12
“Return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
Heavenly Father, I come before You with a humbled heart. As I fast, I turn away from pride, sin, and self-reliance, and I return fully to You. Search my heart and expose anything that separates me from Your presence. Let this fast be a true act of repentance, not words alone but a changed life. Wash me clean, renew my spirit, and restore my joy in You. I surrender my ways and choose obedience, trusting in Your mercy and unfailing love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
2. Fasting Prayer of Confession – 1 Samuel 7:6
“We have sinned against the Lord.”
Merciful God, like Israel at Mizpah, I pour out my heart before You. I confess my sins without excuse or defense. As I fast, I acknowledge my need for Your grace. Remove every hardness from my heart and teach me to walk again in humility and obedience. Let this fast lead me back to holiness and restore my fellowship with You. I depend fully on Your forgiveness and cleansing power. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
3. Fasting Prayer for a Broken Heart – Psalm 69:10
“When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting, it became my food and my reproach all at once.”
Lord God, You see the pain I carry within my soul. As I humble myself through fasting, I bring my broken heart before You. Where sorrow, regret, and disappointment have taken root, pour Your healing presence. Let my fasting become an offering of surrender, trusting that You are close to the brokenhearted. Heal what has been wounded, restore what has been lost, and strengthen my inner being. Teach me to rely on You alone, not my own strength. I believe You are working even in this silence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
4. Fasting Prayer for God’s Mercy – Daniel 9:3
“So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.”
Righteous Father, I set my face toward You with fasting, prayer, and humility. I acknowledge my weakness and my deep need for Your mercy. I do not come demanding answers but seeking Your compassion. Let this fast draw me closer to Your heart and align my life with Your truth. Forgive my shortcomings, cleanse my motives, and restore my walk with You. May Your mercy triumph over judgment in my life, and may Your grace lead me into obedience. I trust You completely, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
5. Fasting Prayer of Humility – Zechariah 7:5
“Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted?’”
Lord, as I fast, I ask You to examine my heart and purify my motives. Remove pride, routine, and empty religion from my life. Teach me true humility that flows from a sincere desire to please You. Let this fast not be about appearance, but about genuine surrender. Shape my character, soften my spirit, and align my heart with Your will. I want my obedience to be real and my devotion pure. Draw me into deeper reverence and holy fear before You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
6. Fasting Prayer for Spiritual Renewal – Nehemiah 9:1
“On the twenty‑fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and with dust on their heads.”
Holy God, I come before You in humility, seeking renewal through fasting and prayer. Where my spiritual fire has grown weak, breathe new life into me. Cleanse my heart from distraction and restore my passion for Your Word and presence. Let this fast awaken fresh hunger within my soul. Revive my faith, renew my commitment, and realign my life with Your purpose. I long for a deeper walk with You, not just outward change but inward transformation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
FASTING PRAYERS FOR DIRECTION & WISDOM
7. Fasting Prayer for Guidance – Ezra 8:23
“So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”
Faithful God, as I fast and pray, I seek Your divine guidance. I do not want to rely on my own understanding or human wisdom. Lead me on the right path and protect me from wrong decisions. Open my spiritual ears to hear Your voice clearly and give me discernment to recognize Your direction. Let this fast sharpen my sensitivity to Your will. I trust that You will answer and guide my steps according to Your perfect plan. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
8. Fasting Prayer to Hear God’s Voice – Acts 13:2
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.’”
Holy Spirit, as I dedicate this time of fasting and prayer, quiet every distraction around me. Silence the noise of fear, doubt, and confusion. Speak clearly and guide me into Your will. Separate me for the work You have prepared for my life. Let this fast deepen my intimacy with You and sharpen my spiritual understanding. I desire obedience more than clarity and surrender more than control. Lead me step by step, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
9. Fasting Prayer for Wise Decisions – Acts 14:23
“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.”
Lord of all wisdom, as I fast before You, I place every decision in Your hands. Teach me to seek Your counsel before acting and to trust Your direction over my emotions. Let this fast bring clarity, patience, and spiritual maturity. Guard me from impulsive choices and guide me by Your truth. Establish Your will in my life and help me walk confidently in obedience. I believe You will direct my steps faithfully. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
10. Fasting Prayer for Clarity – Psalm 35:13
“Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered,”
Father God, I humble my soul through fasting and prayer, asking for clarity in my life. Where confusion clouds my thoughts, bring divine understanding. Where fear distorts my vision, bring peace. Align my heart with Your will and help me see situations through Your truth. Let this fast remove spiritual blindness and renew my focus on You. I trust You to guide me with wisdom and love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
11. Fasting Prayer for Ministry Direction – Luke 2:37
Lord, like Anna who served You with fasting and prayer, I commit my life and calling into Your hands. Guide my purpose, refine my motives, and strengthen my devotion. Let my service flow from intimacy with You, not human effort. Keep my heart faithful and my spirit sensitive to Your leading. Use my life for Your glory and prepare me for every assignment You have planned. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
12. Fasting Prayer for Strength While Waiting – Isaiah 40:31
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Heavenly Father, as I wait upon You through fasting, renew my strength. When impatience rises within me, teach me to trust Your timing. Replace weariness with endurance and doubt with faith. Let this fast deepen my dependence on You and renew my hope. I believe You are working even when I cannot see results. Help me to wait with confidence and obedience. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
FASTING PRAYERS FOR BREAKTHROUGH & DELIVERANCE
13. Fasting Prayer for Breakthrough – Esther 4:16
Mighty God, as Esther fasted and trusted You for deliverance, I place my situation before You. Break every barrier standing in the way of Your purpose. Release divine favor, open impossible doors, and turn fear into faith. Let this fast activate spiritual breakthrough and divine intervention. I trust You to fight battles I cannot fight on my own. You are my deliverer and my strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
14. Fasting Prayer Against Fear – 2 Chronicles 20:3
Lord God, instead of fearing the challenges before me, I choose to seek You through fasting and prayer. Strengthen my faith and remind me that the battle belongs to You. Remove fear from my heart and replace it with trust in Your power. As I fast, help me stand firm in Your promises and walk boldly in obedience. I believe You will bring victory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
15. Fasting Prayer for Spiritual Power – Isaiah 58:6
“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?”
Father, let this fast be the kind that pleases You. Break every yoke of bondage and release freedom in my life. Tear down spiritual strongholds and restore what has been broken. Let Your power flow through my weakness and bring transformation. I desire righteousness, justice, and obedience, not empty sacrifice. Work deeply within me, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
16. Fasting Prayer for Deliverance – Matthew 17:21
Jesus, as I fast and pray, strengthen my faith and dependence on You. Deliver me from every spiritual bondage and hidden struggle. Let Your authority break every chain and bring freedom to my soul. Increase my trust in Your power and help me walk in victory. I surrender every burden at Your feet, believing in complete deliverance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
17. Fasting Prayer for Victory – Psalm 18:39
Lord, You are my strength in battle. As I fast, empower me to overcome every obstacle before me. Equip me with courage, wisdom, and perseverance. Let Your hand bring victory where I feel weak. Teach me to rely fully on You and not on my own abilities. I declare that You are my defender and my refuge. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
18. Fasting Prayer for God’s Intervention – Jonah 3:5
“The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.”
Merciful God, as the people of Nineveh humbled themselves through fasting, I come seeking Your compassion. Intervene in my situation and bring transformation. Turn hearts, restore relationships, and release Your mercy. Let this fast produce repentance, renewal, and obedience. I trust in Your kindness and saving power. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
FASTING PRAYERS FOR HEALING & MOURNING
19. Fasting Prayer in Grief – 1 Samuel 31:13
God of comfort, I come before You in mourning and fasting. You see my sorrow and understand my pain. Wrap me in Your peace and heal my broken heart. Let Your presence sustain me in this season of grief. Restore hope where despair has settled and remind me that You are near. I trust You to carry me through. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
20. Fasting Prayer for Healing – 2 Samuel 12:22
“He said, ‘While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. For I said, “Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?”’”
Lord God, as I fast in faith, I bring my need for healing before You. Whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, I trust in Your healing power. Strengthen my body, renew my mind, and restore my soul. Even as I wait, help me remain faithful and hopeful. I place my life completely in Your hands. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
21. Fasting Prayer for Restoration – Zechariah 8:19
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.’”
Father God, turn my mourning into joy and restore what has been lost. As I fast, I trust You to rebuild what was broken and renew my hope. Heal past wounds and bring fresh beginnings. Let this fast lead me into peace, faith, and thanksgiving. I believe You are a God of restoration. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
22. Fasting Prayer for Compassion – 2 Samuel 1:12
Lord, awaken compassion within my heart as I fast. Help me mourn with those who mourn and love as You love. Remove hardness and replace it with mercy. Shape my heart to reflect Your kindness and grace. Use my life to comfort others and bring healing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
23. Fasting Prayer for Comfort – Psalm 34:18
God, You are close to the brokenhearted. As I fast, draw near to me and comfort my soul. Heal my wounds, calm my fears, and restore my strength. Let Your peace guard my heart and mind. I trust You to walk with me through every trial. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
24. Fasting Prayer for Inner Peace – Isaiah 26:3
Heavenly Father, as I fix my mind on You during this fast, fill me with perfect peace. Remove anxiety, worry, and unrest from my heart. Help me trust You completely and rest in Your promises. Let Your peace rule my thoughts and guide my actions. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
FASTING PRAYERS FOR REVIVAL & SPIRITUAL HUNGER
25. Fasting Prayer for Revival – Joel 1:14
“Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.”
Lord, I consecrate this fast before You and cry out for true revival. Awaken spiritual hunger within my heart and within Your people. Rekindle our love for holiness, obedience, and prayer. Let Your Spirit move with power and restore what has grown dry and weary. Begin revival in me and let it spread through Your Church. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
26. Fasting Prayer for Spiritual Hunger – Matthew 5:6
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Father God, as I fast, increase my hunger for righteousness more than for earthly things. Let my soul desire Your presence deeply and sincerely. Fill every empty place within me with Your Spirit and truth. Transform my heart and align my desires with Your will. Satisfy my soul with what only You can give. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
27. Fasting Prayer for God’s Presence – Matthew 9:15
“Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.’”
Jesus, as I fast, my heart longs for deeper intimacy with You. Draw me closer to Your presence and quiet every distraction around me. Help me remain sensitive to Your voice and leading. Let this fast renew my love for You and strengthen my devotion. May my life reflect Your nearness daily. In Your holy name, Amen.
28. Fasting Prayer for Pure Motives – Matthew 6:18
“So that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Lord, help me to fast with a pure and sincere heart. Remove every desire for recognition or approval from others. Teach me to seek You alone in secret with humility and faith. Purify my motives and deepen my devotion to You. I desire Your reward and Your presence above all else. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
29. Fasting Prayer for Preparation – Matthew 11:18
“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’”
Father, prepare my heart and life through this fast. Strengthen my discipline, obedience, and faith as I seek You. Remove fear, compromise, and spiritual weakness from within me. Shape my character and prepare me for Your calling and purpose. Let this fast equip me to walk boldly in Your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
30. Fasting Prayer of Total Surrender – Romans 12:1
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Heavenly Father, I present my body and life to You through fasting. I surrender my plans, desires, and future into Your hands. Shape me according to Your will and use my life for Your glory. Let this fast be a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to You. I trust You completely. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
CONCLUSION
Fasting prayers in the Bible remind us that spiritual hunger always leads to divine encounter. From repentance to revival, Scripture reveals that God responds when His people humble themselves and seek Him wholeheartedly. As you reflect on these 30 fasting prayers in the Bible, may your fasting draw you closer to God’s presence, align your heart with His will, and awaken fresh spiritual power in your life. May every prayer whispered in surrender produce lasting fruit, and may your hunger for God never fade.