At times it can seem like the heavens are brass, and our prayers are not touching the heart of God. It can seem like we are stuck and not making any progress in areas of our life and facing some invisible force that is opposing our faith, health, or growth and maturity in the Lord.
Or possibly our faith has dwindled, and doubt and unbelief has crept in to discourage us from trusting God for the breakthrough we need or His promise to be fulfilled. Hopelessness and despair begin to creep in and our outlook on life becomes dismal and bleak.
This is a time to seek the Lord with prayer and fasting. This is a time to shut down all distractions and turn our hearts and focus solely upon the Lord until we have a fresh revelation from His word and our faith is rekindled and strong again.
As we shared in our previous post:
1. Fasting changes us not God
2. Fasting was practiced in the Old Testament
3. Jesus fasted and expected His disciples to fast.
4. The early apostles and disciples fasted.
5. Fasting helps to cure unbelief.
6. Fasting helps to pull down strongholds.
7. Fasting helps us to regain our focus on the things of the Spirit.
In addition to this—
8. Fasting will facilitate the renewing of our faith.
9. Fasting brings our bodies under submission.
10. Fasting reduces earthly distractions.
11. Fasting brings us back into alignment with the Father’s purpose.
12. Fasting helps us to hear the voice of the Spirit.
13. Fasting helps us to see spiritual realities more clearly.
14. Fasting helps us to regain our spiritual senses.
15. Fasting and prayer draws us closer to God.
When the disciples of Jesus could not cast the demon out of the demonized boy Jesus told them it was because of their unbelief. They were more sensitive to the realm of natural sight, than spiritual sight and faith. He told them the solution for this was prayer and fasting.
Here is the occurrence as described in the Gospel of Mark.
14) And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15) Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.
16) And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" 17) Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.
8) And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."
19) He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me." 20) Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.
21) So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. 22) And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
23) Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." 24) Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
25) When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"
26) Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead." 27) But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28) And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"
29) So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting." Mark 9:14-29
Have you experienced difficulties in life that have seemed unrelenting, insurmountable, and obstinate? Is it something you believe should be turned around, but it remains unchanged? If so, it may be time to seek the Lord with prayer and fasting until your breakthrough comes.
Jesus was able to cast the demon out of the young boy because He had already prayed and fasted. His faith was pure and unmoved by the demon’s manifestations and antics.
Although it is a good thing to fast at the beginning of the year for breakthrough, rededication, and consecration. I believe the Lord would be more pleased if we were consistent in fasting throughout the year.
Doing so would keep our spiritual senses sharpened, our ears open to His voice, our hearts more sensitive to His direction, our prayers more effective. The result would be less spiritual fluctuations and gaps in our faith.
So instead of doing one 21 day fast at the beginning of the year, you may want to seek the Father about fasting two or three days a month twelve times a year.
When Jesus taught His disciples about giving, prayer, and fasting, He obviously indicated they would give, pray, and fast consistently and not just haphazardly or sporadically (See Matthew 6:1-18). He shared these three principles or keys with them as a way of life.
None of the things we do should be done out of a religious mindset. We are not earning anything from God but cooperating with His eternal plan and ways to accomplish His will on earth. He gave us His Son; what can we give Him that tops that? All we can do is say yes to Him and surrender our lives completely in reverence and godliness (Romans 12:1-2).
There is, however, a reward for those that seek Him and do His will. It is something He ordained and wants to do for those that love Him and follow Him with all of their hearts (See Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 6:4,6,18;2 Chronicles 16:9).
Until next time, may our God and Father draw you and keep you, in the center of His will by Jesus Christ.
James Brown
CST 01/01/2025