I encourage you to read Mt. 17:14-21. Verse 19-21 says, “Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? Jesus said unto them, “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.”
Are there certain demons that don’t bow the knee to the Name of Jesus? Certain demons that only respond to prayer and fasting? No. It is unbelief that goes when we fast and pray. The disciples had both faith and unbelief working at the same time, like the father did (Mk 9:24). The Bible calls this being “double minded” (Jam 1:6-8). A double minded man cannot receive from God, though God is more than willing to give.
When unbelief counters faith, it negates it. Unbelief cancels out faith and renders it ineffective. They way to get rid of this nagging unbelief is fasting and prayer. Fasting is going without food in the general Biblical sense, though you could fast other things (tv, Facebook, etc.). Disciples of Jesus are to deny themselves (Mk 8:34). The most effective way to do this is fasting. Our Lord Jesus fasted (Mt. 4:1-2), and He said His disciples would fast (Mk 2:18-20, Mt. 6:16). Are you a disciple of Jesus? Then you fast.
The apostle Paul fasted (2Co 6:4-5, 2Cor 11:27). Husbands and Wives can periodically abstain from the physical union in order to pray and fast, as long as they both consent to it (1Co 7:5). Christians should fast and pray for their pastor and church (Act 14:23); and pastors should do the same for their congregations. When we are busy praying and fasting for each other, we don’t have time for petty and foolish strife and envy.
How to fast and pray: Three kinds of fasting are 1. regular - no food, liquid only. 2. partial - only bread and water, only fruit, only one meal a day, etc. 3. absolute - no food or water. Number one is the most common and is very effective. Start with one day, then move to three or more. A three day fast mixed with heart felt prayer in seeking God will yield amazing results in your life. Don’t tell people you are fasting. Do it as unto the Lord, and He will reward you (Mat 6:16-18).
What can fasting and prayer do for you (Isa 58:6-8)? 1. loose the bands of wickedness - get freedom from besetting sin. 2. undo heavy burdens - solve problems. 3. let the oppressed go free - revival, soul winning. 4. break every yoke - get free from mental & emotional bondages. 5. to help the poor, needy, hungry and afflicted - give a heart of compassion. 6. light break forth - receive revelation knowledge. 7. Health spring forth - physical healing. 8. righteousness to go before us - enables to live a holy, separated life. 9. God’s glory shall be our rear guard - divine protection.
As we can see, there are many advantages and blessings to fasting and prayer. Remember, it’s fasting AND prayer. It’s not a diet. Fast with purpose. Write down your reason. Expect answers. Also remember, fasting is to change you, not God. God doesn’t need to change! All His promises are yes and amen in Christ. He has given us all things (Eph 1:3, Rom 8:32).
Fasting puts your flesh under, so that you can be more in tune with the supernatural. It quiets you down. It gets you still. It helps you to hear God’s voice. It makes you sensitive to God, and hardens you to the lies of the world. It drives out unbelief. By fasting and prayer, unbelief goes, as Jesus said. Fasting helps you hear the voice of the Holy Spirit (Act 13:2-3).
Fasting does wonders for your faith. As disciples of Christ, we should make fasting a regular part of our life. I believe it is a missing element in many Christian’s lives. Fasting is not just for monks or “super saints”. It is for every disciple of Christ. Though the flesh resists it vehemently, the spirit rejoices in it! It won’t kill you. In fact, you will be amazed at how good you feel after fasting a few days! This ancient discipline needs to be brought back to a prominent place in our Christianity, for it’s benefits are enormous. Selah.
More from Focus on Faith.