Greetings,
We have been in a series
on the threefold cord of prayer, giving, and fasting because according to the
Bible a threefold cord is not quickly broken. If we want to be numbered among
those that are not quickly broken, it is important we incorporate these three
essentials into our walk with Jesus.
“And if one
prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is
not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12)
Fasting is the
third element of the threefold cord. It is unfortunate that many people are
unfamiliar with the idea that fasting is an essential part of the faith. Part
of the reason for this is that the importance and relevance of fasting is rarely
taught. As a matter of fact, there are some churches that never teach on
the power and purpose of fasting. This is truly unfortunate.
I’m going to spend
this letter introducing you to some of the clear object lessons and promises in
Scripture regarding fasting. As you will see, even though fasting is not fun,
it is well worth it.
“But as for me,
when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my
soul with fasting;
and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.” (Psalm 35:13)
In this passage
the psalmist explains that he humbled his soul with fasting. Fasting is a
humbling experience. It makes us aware of just how weak our flesh really is. It
increases our awareness of God and His activity in and around us. Humility is a
very important quality that all Christians should embrace. In God’s kingdom, it
is the humble that are exalted in due time—not the prideful and arrogant.
“Humble yourselves therefore under the
mighty hand of God, that he may
exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6)
Another important
characteristic of fasting is its role in breakthrough. As we walk out our faith
there are times when we hit walls even though we are praying regularly. In
these moments, it is often fasting that activates the breakthrough. In the book
of Esther we read about a breakthrough fast.
The story goes
that there was a plot to commit genocide against the Jews. This took place
during the Medo-Persian Empire. Esther had been chosen as queen by Ahasuerus (the
king) due to her beauty. What the king didn’t know was that she was Jewish.
When she learned of the plot to destroy her people, she knew that something drastic would have to
be done. She would have to appeal to the king, knowing that it could cost her
life. She needed a breakthrough and so she called for a fast.
“[Esther said] Go,
gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night
or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise;
and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I
perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16
In
order to activate a breakthrough, Esther called for a corporate fast. This
particular fast she called for is known as a total fast (since neither food nor
water is consumed). The results were magnificent. At the end of the fast she
barged into the king’s royal court which was against the law for her (Esther
5:1). Instead of ordering her death, the king extended his scepter to her and
gave her favor (Esther 5:2). After treating the king and a man named Haman to
several banquets she revealed the plot against her people (Esther 7:4-6). The
king left the meal in anger, returning after a brief moment of consideration to
put the plot to an end (Esther 7:7). He began by having Haman, the instigator
of the plot, committed to death (Esther 7:8-10). This was true breakthrough not
only for Esther but also for the entire nation of Israel.
Another
illustration of the importance of fasting comes from the book of Daniel. The
prophet went on a three week fast eating “no pleasant bread, neither flesh nor
wine (Daniel 10:3).” While this isn’t a total fast, it is clearly a biblical
way of fasting. For those of you that are interested in more information about
this particular fast I recommend that you visit this blog.
This
fast caused the answer to Daniel’s prayers to be answered in the form of a
heavenly visitation. The heavenly being explained
to Daniel that he had come for “the prophets words” but that he was withheld 21
days by the prince (or ruling fallen angel) of the kingdom of Persia. As a
result of Daniel’s fast, a breakthrough occurred when Michael (an archangel)
showed up to help. This allowed the heavenly messenger to arrive with answers
to Daniel’s intensive seeking.
“Then
said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set
thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words
were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days:
but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained
there with the kings of Persia. Now I am come to make thee understand what
shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many
days.” (Daniel 10:12-14)
There
are many other fasts in the Old Testament but due to time and space I cannot
possibly go through all of them here. Instead we are going to transition into the
New Testament. Our object lesson comes from a situation during which the
disciples could not cast out a particular spirit. In this case we learn from
Jesus that fasting is important in spiritual warfare.
“And I brought him
[my son] to thy disciples, and they could not cure him…And Jesus rebuked the
devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could
not we cast him out? And 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.”
(Matthew 17:16, 18-21)
Jesus clearly says
that driving out certain kinds of spirits will require prayer and fasting.
This means that fasting is important when it comes to spiritual warfare in the
new covenant. What we must realize is that fasting and prayer is the solution
to a lack of faith—or as the King James Version puts it: unbelief. The disciples
weren’t able to cast the devil out because of unbelief. Therefore, we learn
that fasting and prayer is an effective way to increase our
faith. Living a fasted lifestyle will leave us empowered to deal
with powerful spirits upon encountering them. Jesus is not saying that every
time we encounter a powerful spirit we will need to go on a three day
fast—notice that Jesus (who had formerly gone on a forty day fast) drove the
spirit out on the spot with no problem. He is saying that when we incorporate
fasting and prayer into our lifestyle we will be able to handle powerful
spirits when we encounter them.
This is one of the
reasons why the apostle Paul clearly modeled a fasted lifestyle. In his own
words:
“But in all things
approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions,
in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in
labours, in watchings, in fastings” (2 Corinthians 6:4-5)
“Are they
ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant,
in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft… In weariness
and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in
cold and nakedness.” (2 Corinthians 11:23, 27)
Fasting was an
essential part of Paul’s lifestyle. He understood that Jesus expected that His
followers would fast, and he also understood that he was tapping into spiritual
benefits by fasting. If Paul found it necessary to live a fasted lifestyle, we
should too. As Jesus puts it:
“And Jesus said
unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them,
and then shall they fast.” (Matthew 9:15)
