It is written in Matt 17:14-21: And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, why could not we cast him out? 20 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. 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
In the scriptures above, a lunatic boy supposed to be struck by epilepsy was brought to the Lord Jesus Christ for healing after his father had pleaded with the Lord to help heal his son. Prior to this time, the boy had been taken to the disciples of the Lord but could not be healed. This boy was possessed by a demon who sought to kill him by this means, so that the boy's life was in continual danger causing the parents much concern. The Lord then healed the boy by rebuking the devil. Thereafter, the disciples asked the Lord why they could not heal the lunatic boy. And the Lord said to them: “Because of your unbelief… Howbeit this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting” (Matt 17:14 -21). This response of the Lord suggests that there are different kinds of demons and different degrees of power to cast them out. This is one of the areas where fasting and prayer could be the answer.
Faith needs the Word of God and prayer for its development and full growth, and prayer needs fasting for the same reason. Fasting has done wonders when used in combination with prayer and faith. This is a biblical doctrine. To truly fast simply means to abstain from every form of food and drink i.e. that which caused the fall of man in the very beginning. The Lord Jesus Christ is our perfect example in that when he fasted, he did eat nothing. According to the Word of God, fasting does not mean:
Abstaining from meats except fish
Drinking only orange juice or other juices for a period
Abstaining from some foods while eating others
Abstaining from certain pleasures but allowing others
Abstaining from all pleasure or entertainment and eating lightly
Fasting humbles the soul before God (Ps 35:13). It chastens the soul (Ps 69:10) and crucifies the appetites, and denies them so as to give entire time to prayer (2 Sam 12:16 -23, Matt 4:1-11). It manifests earnestness before God to the exclusion of all else (1 Corinth 7:5). It shows obedience and reverence for God and gives the digestive system a rest (Matt 6:16 -18; 9:15 , Luke 5:33 ). It also demonstrates the mastery of man over his appetites. It aids in temptation and helps to attain power over demons. It develops faith, crucifies unbelief, and aids in prayer (Matt 4:1-11; 17:14 -21).
All Christians who are truly abiding in Christ are supposed to fast but no regulations or set rule are given as to how long or how often. That is determined by individual desire and needs (Matt 9:14 -15, 1 Corinth 7:5, Acts 13:1-5). Men should fast when under chastening (2 Sam 12:16 -23), under judgment (1 Kings 21:27 ), in need (Ezra 8:21 ), in danger (Esther 4), when troubled (Dan 6:18 , Acts 27:9, 33), in spiritual conflict (Matt 4:1-11), and when desperate in prayer (Acts 9). Nevertheless, no fasting should go beyond impairing health. One can fast for as long as he chooses if he is a healthy person. But with people who are not as healthy, fasting should be done with care and under proper supervision. Listed below are examples of men who fasted as written in the scriptures and the duration of their fasts if known.
Who fasted Length Reference
Ahab unknown (1 Kings 21:27 -29)
Judah unknown (2 Chr 20:1-25)
Judah unknown (Ezra 8:21 -23)
Ezra unknown (Ezra 10:6-17)
Nineveh unknown (Jonah 3)
Nehemiah unknown (Neh 1:4-2:10)
Jews unknown (Esther 4:1-3; 9:1-3)
David unknown (Ps 35:13; 69:10; 109:24)
John's disciples unknown (Matt 9:14 -15)
Anna unknown (Luke 2:35 )
Church at Antioch unknown (Acts 13:1-5)
Paul unknown (Acts 27:9-11)
Cornelius unknown (Acts 10)
Many churches unknown (Acts 14:23 )
Paul unknown (2 Corinth 6:5; 11:27 )
David 1 day (2 Sam 3:35 )
Judah 1 day (Neh 9:1-4)
Judah 1 day (Jer 36:6)
Daniel 1 day (Dan 9:3, 20-27)
Pharisee 1 day (Luke 18:9-14)
Israel 1 day (Judges 20:26 -35)
Israel 1 day (1 Sam 7:6-14)
King David 1 day (2 Sam 1:12 )
Darius 1 night (Dan 6:18 -24)
Esther, Mordecai 3 days (Esther 4:13 -16; 5:1-9:3)
Many people 3 days (Matt 15:32 -39)
Paul 3 days (Acts 9:9, 17)
David 7 days (2 Sam 12:16 -23)
Israel 7 days (1 Sam 31:13)
Paul and 276 men 14 days (Acts 27:33-34)
Daniel 21 days (Dan 10:3-13)
Moses 40 days (Deut 9:9, 18, 25-29)
Joshua 40 days (Ex 24:13-18; 32:15-17)
Elijah 40 days (1 Kings 19:7-18)
Jesus 40 days (Matt 4:1-11)
Having listed all these things as above, we now know that fasting and prayer are very prominent in the Bible. Therefore, we exhort all believers to do more of this until they receive power with God over sin and all the powers of the devil. Many things about fasting and its benefits are not known to many Christians today but those through the ages who have been men of great prayer have also fasted much, even the Lord Jesus Christ who redeemed us with His own blood. Therefore strive to fast and pray as the Lord gives you grace. Peace be to you all. Maranatha.
