What is the power of fasting?

  BY Argie Simonis

When we understand what the real power of fasting is we will know:

- how to fast according to the will of God, 

- what happens spiritually when we fast 

and 

- what to expect from the fasting we do.

After Jesus, when he was on the mountain, was transfigured in front of His 3 disciples, Peter, James and John, a man brought his demon-possessed son and begged Jesus to heal him, because His disciples could not.

Jesus had already given him authority to do this:

"And when He had called to Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease." Μatt. 10:1

In fact, they had also seen results:

"And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject to us through your name." Luke 10:17

However, they could not cast out this particular demon and asked the Lord in private:

"Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?" Μatt. 17:19

"And Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief: for truly I say to you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you." Μatt. 17:20

"However, this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting." Μatt. 17:21

Their unbelief was what prevented them from casting out this demon. The Lord did not speak of a little faith or a lack of faith, but of unbelief.

You may have the faith necessary for God's power to be released, but if you have unbelief at the same time, it works against your faith and prevents it from bearing fruit.

~~ A mustard seed's faith is enough to cast a mountain into the sea, but unbelief is capable of stopping it. ~~

"However, this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting." Μatt. 17:21

Here the Lord did not mean that there is a "special" rank of demons that come out only by fasting and prayer.

Neither do demons come out based on how much you prayed, nor is the devil intimidated by your fasting performance.

~~ The devil and ALL his demons respond to the authority of the name of Jesus when it is spoken in faith! ~~

If the name of Jesus was not enough to cast out every evil spirit, we would be in real trouble:

"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;" Phil. 2:10

"And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Phil. 2:11

What the Lord means in Matt. 17:21 is that this kind of UNBELIEF comes out only with prayer and fasting.

~~ This is the greatest power of fasting and prayer: It tears down those strongholds of unbelief that we have in our lives. ~~

And when unbelief is gone, a mustard seed of faith is enough to move mountains, raise the dead, and supply us with everything we need.

Amen!