Fasting for your marriage is a powerful way to bring God’s power into your relationship. Have you ever done it?
Have you ever wanted more for your marriage? Perhaps you’ve wanted more blessing. Or more connection with your spouse. Maybe the two of you need a breakthrough and can’t seem to find a way there. It could be that you are aware of a spiritual attack and you want to be as protected as possible from the Enemy of your marriage.
You may be thinking, “I’ve never fasted before, so why should I? What difference will it make in my marriage?”
By fasting for your marriage, you have the opportunity to bring God’s power and favor into your union like never before. We’ll explain what it is and how to do it below.
“In These Days Of Exceptional Evil, Are You Doing Something Exceptional?”
— Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Throughout the pages of the Bible there are examples of fasting for breakthrough. Daniel fasted from choice foods for three weeks. Daniel’s prayer and fasting brought Gabriel, the Archangel of heaven to him (Daniel 10). Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness (and being tempted by the Devil) before entering His season of ministry (Matthew 4). When the disciples were unable to cast out demons Jesus told them that, “This kind can only come out by prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29).
“Physical Obedience Brings Spiritual Release.”
— Pastor Jentezen Franklin
Fasting for your marriage is a voluntary physical humbling of one’s self before God for spiritual purposes. While we can’t explain all that happens in the heavenly realm when we fast, we do know that it’s biblical, powerful, modeled by Jesus, and assumed by Jesus (see Matthew 6:16ff).
When we fast it:
- Reminds us that God is more important to us than food.
- Calls us to pray when we feel hunger
- Increases our expectation, anticipation, and faith that God’s power is at work
Remember, though, that fasting is not a “transactional” act with God. He isn’t obligated to respond just because you fasted (He is sovereign). He has given us unique insights that sometimes things don’t happen in the physical realm unless we do business in the spiritual realm first.
So, how do we fast? Although people may fast from a lot of things (e.g., television, music, etc.), a biblical fast always involves a sacrificial deprivation of food. God knows that we love food and some of us live by the label of “foodie.” 🙂 So to go without food, or foods, that we enjoy brings a humbling before God.
- Some people choose to go without food for 24 hours, perhaps from sundown to sundown.
- Others choose to skip one or two meals for their fast.
- We’ve known people to fast for three days and up to forty days. (If you do this, do your research online for how to do it and clear it with your doctor first.)
- Each year our church does a Daniel Fast for 21 days. It’s going without choice foods (like in Daniel 10) and eating a vegan diet.
- You might choose to go without a favorite food for a period of time, like chocolate or (gasp!) coffee.
And when you fast, fast with a purpose in mind. Some ideas might be:
- Unity in your marriage
- Blessing on your spouse/marriage
- The salvation of your spouse
- Protection on your marriage from the Enemy
- For you to understand your spouse better
- Financial provision for your household
- Spiritual growth and connection for the two of you
- God’s encouragement for your spouse
- Breakthrough on sinful stronghold’s in your marriage
Below are links to a couple of books we recommend for additional insights on fasting. Leave a comment with your questions about fasting or your story of fasting for your marriage below. As you practice fasting for your marriage, you will see God’s hand on the two of you, and you will build your marriage!
Would you like to engage more fully with your spouse and build your marriage in a healthy, biblical way? Through books and articles, Heidi and Brad Mitchell help couples grow in their faith to build a marriage on biblical principles. Through Christian marriage conferences and couples’ retreats, Heidi and Brad share biblical truths of how to build your marriage on the foundation of God’s Word. Their careful application of Scripture, along with personal stories and practical tools, has been used by God to transform marriages and redirect families. If you’d like Heidi and Brad to speak at your next marriage conference or couples retreat, connect with them here.