Fasting and Fast Offerings

Purposes of Fasting

On one occasion, the Savior cast a devil out from a child and used this experience to teach His disciples about the power of prayer and fasting. His disciples asked Him, "Why could not we cast him out?" Jesus answered: "Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." (See Matthew 17:14–21.)

This account teaches that prayer and fasting can give added strength to those giving and receiving priesthood blessings. The account can also be applied to our personal efforts to live the gospel. If we have a weakness or sin that we have struggled to overcome, we may need to fast and pray in order to receive the help or forgiveness we desire. Like the demon that Christ cast out, our difficulty may be the kind that will go out only through prayer and fasting.

We can fast for many purposes. Fasting is one way of worshiping God and expressing gratitude to Him (see Luke 2:37; Alma 45:1). We can fast as we ask Heavenly Father to bless the sick or afflicted (see Matthew 17:14–21). Fasting may help us and those we love receive personal revelation and become converted to the truth (see Alma 5:46; 6:6). Through fasting we can gain strength to resist temptation (see Isaiah 58:6). We can fast as we strive to humble ourselves before God and exercise faith in Jesus Christ (see Omni 1:26; Helaman 3:35). We may fast to receive guidance in sharing the gospel and magnifying Church callings (see Acts 13:2–3; Alma 17:3, 9; 3 Nephi 27:1–2). Fasting may accompany righteous sorrow or mourning (see Alma 28:4–6; 30:1–2).

Fast Sunday

The Church designates one Sunday each month, usually the first Sunday, as a day of fasting. Proper observance of fast Sunday includes going without food and drink for two consecutive meals, attending fast and testimony meeting, and giving a fast offering to help care for those in need.

A fast offering should be at least the value of the two meals not eaten. When possible, we should be generous and give much more than this amount.

In addition to observing the fast days set aside by Church leaders, we can fast on any other day, according to our needs and the needs of others. However, we should not fast too frequently or for excessive periods of time.

The True Fast

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught the true form of fasting. He spoke against hypocrites who, when they fast, "disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast." Rather than putting on an outward show of righteousness, we should fast "unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6:16–18).

The prophet Isaiah also taught of the true spirit of the fast: "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?" (Isaiah 58:6–7).

Isaiah also testified of the blessings that come when we obey the law of the fast: "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. . . . If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not" (Isaiah 58:8–11).

See also Prayer

See True to the Faith (2004), 66–69 

• "The Law of the Fast"

  Joseph B. Wirthlin, Liahona, July 2001, 88–91; or Ensign, May 2001, 73–75
  Fasting, coupled with mighty prayer, is powerful. It can fill our minds with the revelations of the Spirit. It can strengthen us against times of temptation.

• "Fast Offerings: Blessings We Give, Blessings We Receive"

  Neil K. Newell, Ensign, Oct. 1998, 16–21
  Through generous fast offerings, we not only help those in need but also open the windows of heaven for blessings to be poured out on us.

• "I Have a Question"

  Glen M. Leonard, Ensign, Mar. 1998, 60–61
  Why do we hold fast and testimony meeting on the first Sunday of the month?

• "Fast Day"

  Howard W. Hunter, Ensign, Nov. 1985, 72–74
  To discipline ourselves through fasting brings us in tune with God, and fast day provides an occasion to set aside the temporal so that we might enjoy the higher qualities of the spiritual.

Search Church magazines for content related to this topic.

• "Fast, Fasting"

  Guide to the Scriptures

• "Fasts"

  Bible Dictionary, 671–72

• "Fasting"

  Gospel Principles, Chapter 25

• "Prayer and Fasting"

  Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood: Part A, Lesson 31

• "Fasting"

  Encyclopedia of Mormonism
  (Please note that the contents of the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, a joint product of Brigham Young University and Macmillan Publishing Company, do not necessarily represent the official position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) 

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