Fasting More or Feasting More?
- Steve Backlund
- May 10
- 4 min read
Fasting More or Feasting More?
By Steve Backlund
Fasting is biblical and important. Jesus fasted, and the early church fasted. Fasting helps us detach from unhealthy appetites and increase focus on the Lord. However, I believe many people lack victory not because they fast too little, but because they are not feasting enough.
Too often we are:
underfed on hope,
underfed on testimonies,
underfed on identity,
underfed on the goodness of God,
underfed on worship,
underfed on Scripture,
and underfed on hearing good news.
Meanwhile, there is a tendency to be overfed on:
fear,
outrage,
criticism,
negativity,
and discouragement.
The same way we get into the kingdom is the same way we advance in it: hearing good news and believing it. Paul rebuked the Galatians because they had drifted away from this reality.
“Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” — Galatians 3:2-3
Paul defines “flesh” here as becoming more focused on what we are doing than on what we are believing. Our beliefs are dramatically impacted by what we consistently feast on.
For many believers, the bigger breakthrough question is not: “What should I stop consuming?” but rather: “What should I start consuming in much greater quantities?”
Most believers do not have a fasting problem. They have a feasting problem. We become what we consistently feed on.
What would happen if a person intentionally increased their intake of hope, truth, worship, testimonies, declarations, and the Word of God for an extended period of time? What would happen if they feasted spiritually instead of merely trying to survive spiritually?
The Jews in the Old Testament feasted on the Law and the goodness of God. David continually feasted on God’s testimonies, promises, and nature. Joshua 1:8 instructed Joshua to meditate on the Word day and night—which is really a call to continually feed on truth. Jesus said in John 8:31 to “abide” in His Word. Abiding is not an occasional snack. It is living there. It is feasting.
Years ago, I read this statement: “I have never seen a discouraged pastor who was reading books.” That statement hit me hard. It inspired me to become intentional about growing, learning, and feeding myself spiritually and mentally. Looking back, I now realize it launched me into a lifestyle of feasting.
Since then, I have found it difficult to stay discouraged for very long because I have consistently fed myself on truth, hope, learning, testimonies, promises, and growth. Discouragement loses power when someone continually feasts on life-giving input.
Modern neuroscience confirms that repeated thoughts and repeated focus strengthen neural pathways in the brain through neuroplasticity. The brain literally rewires itself based on repeated input and attention. Scripture revealed this principle long before science discovered it.
Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17). Hopelessness also comes by hearing.
One of the core values in my book Help! I’m a Pastor says: “When people are struggling in life, I first seek to increase their connection to the Lord.” This is not only true for ministry to others—it is true for ourselves as well.
When people are discouraged, fearful, exhausted, confused, or stuck, the primary answer is usually not “try harder.” Often they need increased connection to truth, hope, worship, testimonies, faith-filled people, and the presence of God. Increasing connection to the Lord will ultimately solve more problems than merely focusing on the problems themselves.
Here is an experiment you can try. For thirty days, dramatically increase your spiritual intake and connection with the Lord.
You could:
make at least 100 faith declarations a day,
listen to mega-doses of the Bible,
keep worship music on throughout the day,
listen daily to hope-filled podcasts and messages,
meditate on promises as you are falling asleep,
read, listen to, and share testimonies,
and intentionally surround yourself with growing people.
I believe the results will be life changing.
If you want to take this to the next level, the Backlund Leadership Academy is essentially a nine-month feast of good news. In it, people feast on the goodness of God, their true identity in Christ, prophetic words, declarations, testimonies, hope-filled messages, and relationships with growing people.
People change when they consistently hear and reinforce truth.
Many believers are trying to starve fear while continuing to feed on negativity. The kingdom way is different. We overcome darkness by turning on light. We overcome lies by feeding on truth. We overcome hopelessness by feasting on hope.
So do we need to fast more or feast more? The answer is probably both, but I believe many of us do not primarily need less food—we need better food. We need mega-doses of hope, truth, worship, testimonies, Scripture, and the goodness of God.
Try the experiment. For the next thirty days, intentionally feast on life-giving truth and watch what happens to your joy, faith, peace, expectation, influence, and connection with God.
Declarations
I feast daily on truth, hope, and the goodness of God.
Faith is rising in me because I continually hear good news.
My mind is being renewed as I feed on God’s promises.
I am becoming fully convinced of who God is and who I am in Him.
I overcome fear and discouragement by feasting on truth and connection with the Lord.
