“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces
that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their
reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
~Matthew 6:16-18 (ESV)
Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast
throughout all Judah. 4 And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities
of Judah they came to seek the Lord. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15 And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's.
~2 Chronicles 20:3-4, 14-15
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before
our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.
22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us
against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for
good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” 23 So
we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.
~Ezra 8:21-23
Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but
your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as
long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken
away from them, and then they will fast.
~Matthew 9:14-15
Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who
was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and
Saul. 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.” 3 Then after fasting and
praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
~Acts 13:1-3
