21-Day Fast: A Beginner's Guide With Daily Prayers

A 21 day fast is three weeks of giving up some food, or something else you rely on, so you can give that time and attention to prayer. Most Christians who do one choose a partial fast, such as skipping one meal a day or following a simple Daniel-style menu, and few attempt three weeks without food. The idea comes from Daniel, who spent "three whole weeks" mourning and praying with a plain diet. Many churches hold a 21-day fast every January to start the year with God. This guide covers what the Bible says, how to choose a fast you can keep, where Catholic and Protestant practice differ and a prayer focus for each of the 21 days.

Pastor Rick Warren explains why people fast in "Praying & Fasting For A Breakthrough," part of his Daily Hope series Seeking God for a Breakthrough, which you can play above. Describing King Jehoshaphat's call to fast, he says that "a fast says God we're serious about this." All Scripture below is from the World English Bible (WEB).

What the Bible says about fasting

Fasting shows up all through Scripture, usually when people faced a crisis or a big decision. Daniel's three weeks are the model for the 21-day length.

"In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three whole weeks. I ate no pleasant food. No meat or wine came into my mouth. I didn't anoint myself at all, until three whole weeks were fulfilled."Daniel 10:2-3, WEB

Jesus fasted for forty days in the wilderness before his ministry began (Matthew 4:2, WEB), and he expected his followers to fast after he returned to the Father. In the Sermon on the Mount he says "when you fast," which assumes they would, and he tells them to keep it between themselves and God.

"But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you."Matthew 6:17-18, WEB

The early church fasted before sending out missionaries (Acts 13:2-3). Isaiah adds a warning that a fast without justice and mercy misses the point, because the fast God wants includes sharing "your bread to the hungry" (Isaiah 58:7, WEB).

Why fast for 21 days?

Fasting doesn't earn God's favor or force his hand. It is a way of telling God, and reminding yourself, that you want him more than your routine. Warren puts it in everyday terms, calling a day without food "a sign to God that you're serious." Each hunger pang becomes a cue to pray, the way a phone reminder prompts you to do something you'd otherwise forget.

Three weeks is long enough for that cue to become a habit. Many people find the first few days hardest, and by the second week the rhythm of prayer feels more natural.

Types of fasts for beginners

Pick one, and start smaller than you think you need to. Here are common choices:

• A Daniel-style fast, eating vegetables, fruit, grains and water and skipping meat, sweets and rich food.
• A one-meal fast, skipping the same meal each day, such as lunch, and using that time to pray.
• A sunrise-to-sunset fast on certain days, with a normal evening meal.
• A non-food fast from social media, streaming or another habit, which is a good fit for anyone who should not change their diet.

Long water-only fasts are not for beginners. If you are pregnant or nursing, have diabetes or another medical condition, take regular medication, are under 18 or have any history of disordered eating, talk with your doctor before a fast that changes what you eat, and choose a non-food fast if you are advised to.

How Catholic and Protestant practice differ

Christians across traditions fast, but the rules and customs are different.

In the Catholic Church, fasting is required on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday for adults ages 18 to 59, and it means one full meal plus two smaller meals that together are less than a full one. Catholics 14 and older also abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent, and Catholics fast for one hour before receiving Communion. A 21-day fast would be a personal devotion beyond these, and many Catholics talk it over with a priest or spiritual director first.

Most Protestant churches have no required fast days, so fasting is voluntary and personal. Some traditions, such as Anglicans and Lutherans, keep Lenten customs. Many evangelical and Pentecostal churches hold a church-wide 21-day fast in January, often with a shared reading plan. If your church has one, joining in is a simple way to begin with support.

How to start a 21-day fast

Begin with a clear reason. Write down one or two things you are asking God about, such as a decision, a relationship or simply wanting to know him better. Warren's advice from the story of King David fits here: "Never fight a battle without asking God first."

Then plan the practical details. Set your start and end dates, tell one trusted friend or your spouse, and decide what you will do with the time you save. Ease into a food fast by cutting back on caffeine and sugar a few days ahead, drink plenty of water, and break the fast gently with light meals.

Finally, keep it quiet. Jesus' instruction in Matthew 6 means you don't need to announce it on social media, though you can certainly ask a few people to pray with you.

21 days of prayer focus

Use one line each day. Read the verse, pray it back to God in your own words and write down anything that stands out.

First week: Turning back to God

1. Ask God to search your heart and show you what needs to change (Psalm 139:23-24).
2. Return to the Lord with your whole heart, as Joel urged the people to do (Joel 2:12).
3. Ask for a clean heart and a renewed spirit, using David's own prayer (Psalm 51:10).
4. Remember that we live by every word from God's mouth (Matthew 4:4).
5. Pray for the humility to fast in secret before your Father (Matthew 6:16-18).
6. Ask how your fast can turn into generosity toward someone in need (Isaiah 58:6-7).
7. Thank God that his mercies are new every single morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Second week: Seeking God's direction

1. Trust God with a decision you can't figure out on your own (Proverbs 3:5-6).
2. Ask God for wisdom, knowing he gives it generously (James 1:5).
3. Pray for protection and guidance for the road ahead, as Ezra did (Ezra 8:23).
4. Bring God a problem that feels bigger than you, as Jehoshaphat did (2 Chronicles 20:12).
5. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where he is calling you to serve (Acts 13:2-3).
6. Trade one specific worry for prayer and thanksgiving today (Philippians 4:6-7).
7. Ask for one thing above all else, to be near the Lord (Psalm 27:4).

Final week: Trust, thanks and the people around you

1. Pray for courage to do the right thing even when it costs you (Esther 4:16).
2. Practice giving thanks in every situation for one whole day (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
3. Pray the Lord's Prayer slowly, one line at a time (Matthew 6:9-13).
4. Ask God to renew your strength as you wait on him (Isaiah 40:31).
5. Name the people you are praying for, and pray for one another as James teaches (James 5:16).
6. Ask God to help you stay connected to him after the fast ends (John 15:5).
7. Thank God for what he did in these three weeks, including the answers still to come (Psalm 103:2).

When the fast feels hard

You will probably have a day when you break your fast early or forget to pray. That is normal. Start again at the next meal. Warren reminds listeners that "if you prayed as much as you worry you'd have a whole lot less to worry about," and a fast is simply a structured way to move some of that worry into prayer. He also says that "gratitude is the breakthrough attitude," so a short list of thanks at the end of each day is a good habit to keep after day 21.

For more on fasting, read Pray.com's Jesus Fasted for 40 Days and Faith Hacks: 7 Spiritual Disciplines That Draw You Closer to God.

A prayer to begin your fast

Father, I am setting aside these 21 days to seek you. When I feel hungry, turn my attention to you. Show me what you want to change in me, and give me wisdom for the decisions in front of me. Keep my fast humble and honest, and let it make me more generous to the people around me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

More to read and hear on Pray.com

• Praying & Fasting For A Breakthrough, Part 1 | Pastor Rick's Daily Hope
• Seeking God for a Breakthrough with Rick Warren
• Start the Year With the Best Prayers
• The Lord's Prayer

AI-assisted from Pray.com episode transcripts, then reviewed and approved by Ryan Beck.