Introduction

Fasting is a part of the Christians life that is often neglected. Why? Because it is hard. At least the initial onset. Most people are not willing to go on a fast and allow the flesh to be crucified. The lust of food gets in the way of the believer really getting down to business with God.

Fasting is a sure-fire way of getting God’s attention and proving your faith. Why do I say this? Because incident after incident and situation after situation you will read in the Bible that when someone was about to come under severe persecution, confront the unknown, or needed an answer from God, they entered a fast. Do you want proof? O.K. I’ll give you proof.

Queen Esther when she heard that the Jews were about to be executed declared a fast. She declared a fast to last three days without food or water. Some will refer to this as an Esther fast. The result was that the Jews were saved then Haman and his brothers ended up being on the receiving end of the execution.

Jesus fasted forty days and nights just before entering His earthly ministry. Why so long? Perhaps because He was going to die for mankind to save them from an eternity in hell. Pretty good reason wouldn’t you think! Jesus knew the importance of preparation! We must let Jesus be our example. Now I’m not saying that everyone needs to go on a forty day fast. However, Jesus sets the example that if there is work for the kingdom to be done, there is no better way to start it than with a prayer and fasting.

You may want to start with fasting a meal or two and work your way to a whole day of fasting. Then you will be preparing yourself for more time dedicated to the Lord in a time of prayer and fasting.

We will be exploring many avenues in this lesson that I hope will bring you to a point that will cause you to see fasting from a whole new perspective.

We will come to realize during this lesson how important a fast is to the body of Christ and how that a fast will help unite believers to our call of duty to tear down strongholds in the mighty name of Jesus.

Fasting will build up your prayer life just as prayer builds up your faith. Couple faith, prayer, and fasting and what you have is a “DYNAMIC TRIO“.

I. Basics of Fasting

There are different lengths of fasts recorded in Gods word. There are also many fasts recorded that do not specify how long they were. We will discuss a few of these, however our focus will be on as much completed documentation on fasts as possible.

Fasting to the fullest extent is abstaining totally from food. Water can be abstained from for up to three days. Longer than this is discouraged for health reasons. Perry Stone Sr. told me that my body was like a radiator and it needed needed coolant to operate properly. I highly respect this man of God and I consider his opinion to be accurate. He recommended that I not abstain from water at all unless I was absolutely sure that it was God’s direction. I know that from listening to Dr. T.L. Lowery teach, that he will fast up to three days without water. This is what I was referring to earlier about the Esther fast. But he recommends not going any longer than three days without water. After this you start to consume water to flush the body out and to keep you from dehydrating.

Water represents the Holy Spirit, so when you start taking on water this represents the purification and cleansing that is taking place as you dedicate your time to God in prayer and fasting. Believe me when you fast, the Spirit of God can really strip the flesh away. As I stated earlier, a fast lets God know you really mean business and that you trust, and have faith in Him to answer your need.

Okay lets look at the different lengths of fasts recorded in God’s Word.

There are twenty two fasts that record the actual time spent fasting and they are:

One Day.

(1) David, after the death of Abner. No result is recorded. II Samuel 3:35.

(2) Judah, confessing sins. Result: Restored, blessed. Nehemiah 9:1-4.

(3) Judah. Jeremiah wanted the word that God gave him to be read to them on this fast day. Perhaps because their heart would be tender during this time, therefore more receptive to God‘s word to them, therefore repenting. No result recorded. Jeremiah 36:6.

(4) Daniel, praying for the sins of the people. Result: God let Daniel know that He loved him greatly, and Daniel received the revelation of the seventy weeks. Daniel 9:3, 20-27.

(5) Pharisee (The parable of the Pharisee and the publican). Result: Not heard because of sin. Luke 18:9-14.

(6) Israel in battle against the tribe of Benjamin in Gibeah. Result: Gained the victory. Judges 20:26-35.

(7) Israel in battle against the Philistines (They repented and put away the gods of Ashtaroth and Baalim) . Result: Gained the victory. I Samuel 7:6-14.

(8) David (Grieving over the death of Saul and Jonathan). No result recorded. II Samuel 1:12. However, David did become King after this incident (II Samuel 2:1). .

One night.

(1) King Darius. Result: Daniel delivered. Daniel 6:18-24.

Note: Even though King Darius fasted, I believe that Daniel’s faith in God is what actually delivered him from the den of lions. This incident still stresses the importance and significance of fasting.

Three days:

(1) Esther, Mordecai. Result: prayers answered, Esther obtained favor in the Kings eyes, and the Jewish people were delivered from the hands of Haman. Esther 4:13-16; 5:1-9:3.

(2) The multitude. Result: Fed by a miracle of multiplying loaves and fishes. Matthew 15:32-39.

(3) Paul (After his conversion on the Damascus road). Result: Healed and baptized in the Spirit. Acts 9:9, 17.

Seven days:

(1) David fasted to prevent the death of the child conceived in the sin of adultery with Bath-Sheba, Uriah the Hittite‘s wife. Result: Not heard because of sin. II Samuel 12:16-23.

(2) Israel fasted once they found out that Saul and his sons had been killed in battle. No result recorded. I Samuel 31:13.

Fourteen days:

(1) Paul and 276 men on their journey by sea to Italy in a storm. Result: Delivered from death. Acts 27:33-34.

Twenty-one days:

(1) Daniel fasted when great grief came over him for Israel. Result: God gave him a revelation of Israel’s future during the tribulation. This information was so important that the principality over Persia (the prince of Persia) fought desperately for twenty-one days, trying to prevent the vision coming to Daniel. But with the help of Michael the message got through.

Forty days (Prophets fast):

(1) Moses at the first issue of the Ten Commandments. Result: God gave Moses the commandments on stone tables, receives instructions on the tabernacle (Exodus 24:18– 31:18), and Moses receives the favor of God. Deuteronomy 9:9, 18.

(2) Moses after being angry and breaking the tables of stone returned back to Mount Sinai. Result: God gave Moses another set of commandments on stone. Deuteronomy 9:25-29.

(3) Moses goes back in the presence of God. Result: God gives Moses the charge to possess the land that He promised to their forefathers. Deuteronomy 10:10, 11.

(4) Joshua when he went up onto Mount Sinai while Moses received instructions about the tabernacle and the law (Ten commandments). In Exodus 24:13-18 at the ascent and it is recorded that Joshua was with Moses on the descent in Exodus 32:15-17, thus proving that Joshua was with Moses the entire time. Result: Definitely received the favor of God. Joshua was the one to lead Israel over the Jordan into the promised land (Joshua 3).

(5) Elijah being strengthened with food sent by God entered a forty day fast (Still small voice scripture). Elijah hears the voice of God, wraps his face up with his mantle and goes to the mouth of the cave to listen to God. Result: He received a revelation that he was to anoint Hazael to be king over Syria, Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha to be prophet in his place. I Kings 19:7-18.

(6) Jesus while in the wilderness. Result: He received power. Matthew 4:1-11 “Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights.”

Fasting Lengths could be put in three categories:

1. Short fast. 1-3 days.

2. Medium length fast. 3-21 days.

3. Long fast. 21-40 days.

**Note: You may not always know how long you are going to be on a fast when you start your fast. So don’t feel pressured into setting a time before you start your fast.

Other fasts that no time is recorded are:

(1) Ahab. Result: Spared from judgment. I Kings 21:27-29.

(2) Judah. Result: Delivered from enemies. II Chronicles 20:1-25.

(3) Judah. Result: Delivered from enemies. Ezra 8:21-23.

(4) Ezra. Result: Sin put down in Israel. Ezra 10:6-17.

(5) Ninevah. Result: Spared from judgment. Jonah 3.

(6) Nehemiah. Result: Had success in his desire. Nehemiah 1:4-2:10.

(7) Jews. Result: delivered from enemies. Esther 4:1-3; 9:1-3.

(8) David (Until weak). Result: Delivered from enemies. Psalm 35:13; 69:10; 109:24.

(9) John’s disciples. No result recorded. Matthew 9:14-15.

(10) Anna. No result recorded. Luke 2:37.

(11) Church at Antioch. Result: Spirit worked. Acts 13:1-5.

(12) Paul. Result: Received a revelation. Acts 27:9-11.

(13) Cornelius. Result: Received a revelation. Acts 10.

(14) Many churches. No result recorded. Acts 14:23.

(15) Paul. No result recorded. II Corinthians 6:5; 11:27.

Reasons for fasting:

1. For setting forth in ministry. Acts 13:1-5,

2. You should fast when being chastened. II Samuel 12:16-23. David was being chastened because of the sin of adultery and murder.

3. When under judgment. I Kings 21:26-27. Ahab sought to protect himself from the judgment of God.

4. When in need. Ezra 8:21. Ezra was seeking God’s protection from the enemies as they journeyed to go and rebuild the temple.

5. When in danger. Esther 4. Haman’s attempt to slaughter the Jews.

6. When worried. Daniel 6:18. King Darius’ concern over Daniel in the lions den.

7. When in trouble. Acts 27:9, 33. Paul’s journey to Italy in the storm. 

8. When in spiritual conflict. Matthew 4:1-11. Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness.

9. When desperate in prayer. Acts 9. Paul’s conversion.

As we wrap this section up, the major question will probably be:

How long do I fast? The answer is simply.

(1) Until you receive an answer.

(2) Until you have a release in your spirit to conclude.

(3) Until you complete the time that you proclaimed unto God to fast.

**Note: Remember that Jesus said in His Word in Matthew 17:14-21 “And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 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. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 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. 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.” Sometimes you have no choice but to fast!

Types of Fasts:

1. No food or water for up to three days. Esther 4:16.

2. Nothing that is pleasing to the appetite. Daniel 10:3

3. No food. Totally abstaining from all food stuffs. The word fast is derived from the Greek word “Nesteuo” which means to totally abstain from food. Matthew 6:16; Matthew 9:14; Mark 2:19, 20.

I have seen people fast a variety of things such as secular television (which there is not much worth watching anyway), things they like to eat, or activities they enjoy. I personally feel that this is fine. However, I believe that the more you surrender to God in a fast lets Him know how serious you are about the need. That’s why I believe that a total fast will give you the full impact of the results desired.

Remember that it was food that resulted in the fall of man!

Why fast?

1. To humble the soul before God. Psalm 35:13 “... I humbled my soul with fasting.”

2. Fasting chastens your soul. Psalm 69:10 “When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting.”

3. Fasting crucifies the appetite. II Samuel 12:16-23, David repents over his sin with Bath-Sheba and the murder of Uriah. Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus being tempted in the wilderness.

4. Deny the flesh and show your commitment to God. I Corinthians 7:5 “Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.”

5. Fasting shows obedience and character. Matthew 6:16-18 “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 9:15 “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.”

6. Also a logical benefit is that it gives your digestive system a rest. I can remember when I used work-out on a strict regular basis I would fast every now and then to give my system a break. And I was always stronger afterwards. This same principle can be applied to your spirit man. Every time I come off a fast, I feel much stronger in my spirit.

7. Fasting develops your faith. It takes faith and trust in God to give you the strength during a fast, especially a long one.

What is not a true fast?

Let’s take a look at Isaiah 58:1-5 “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labors. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?”

1. Complaining about being on a fast. (verse 3)

2. Afflicting your soul for the sole purpose of getting God’s attention. (verse 3-5)

3. Doing pleasurable things during a fast. (verse 3)

4. Exacting all your labors. Being a slave-master, or tyrant. (verse 3)

5. Strife and debate. (verse 4)

6. To smite with the fist of wickedness. To see wrong done. (verse 4)

7. To make your opinion or voice heard. (verse 4)

8. Looking pitiful, have sad countenance, or having a mournful spirit so others will know that we are on a fast. (verse 5)

What is a true fast?

Now let’s take a look at the remainder of Isaiah 58, the chosen fast. “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”

1. Loose the bands of wickedness.

2. Undo heavy burdens.

3. Let the oppressed go free.

4. Break every yoke.

5. Deal bread to the hungry.

6. Shelter the outcast.

7. Cover the naked.

8. Be honest and open not covering up your own faults.

9. To call upon and cry out to God.

10. Cease to accuse others.

11. Stop speaking vain words.

12. Having compassion on the hungry.

13. To satisfy the afflicted soul.

14. Keep from desecrating the Sabbath.

15. Abstain from doing your own pleasures on the Sabbath.

16. Love and delight in the Sabbath.

. Call the Sabbath Holy to the Lord.

18. Call the Sabbath Honorable.

19. Honor God in all things.

20. Live an unselfish life.

21. Live for God and not your own pleasures.

22. Speak God’s Word and not your own.

23. Abstain from food.

Twenty blessings of a true fast. Isaiah 58:6-14.

1. After doing the eight things in verses 6 & 7 your light shall break forth as the morning! (verse 8)

2. Your health will spring forth speedily!

3. Your righteousness will go before you!

4. God’s glory will be your rear Guard!

5. You will ask and receive answers to your prayers!

6. You will cry out to God and he will hear you!

7. In obeying verses 9 & 10 your light will rise in obscurity!

8. Your darkness will be as noon day!

9. You will be guided by the Lord continually!

10. You will have no more dry seasons!

11. He will make your bones fat!

12. You will be like a watered garden!

13. You will be like an unfailing spring of water!

14. Your waste places will be built up!

15. You will raise up the foundation of many generations!

16. You will be referred to as the repairer of the breach!

17. You will be referred to as the restorer of paths to dwell in!

18. After obeying verse 13 you will delight yourself in the Lord! (verse 14)

19. You will ride upon the high places of the earth!

20. You will be fed with the heritage of Jacob your father because the Lord has spoken it from His mouth!

II Extra Truths and Facts About Fasting

1. What is a Jewish fast? From Luke 18:12 we find that Jews according to the Bible fast twice a week, on Monday and Thursday. However the law commanded only 1 fast a year (Leviticus 23:27-32). About 1,200 years later in Zechariah’s time, they had 4 fasts (Zechariah 8:19). By the time of Christ they had 104 fasts per year according to Luke 18:12 (twice a week x 52). They were growing in law and not grace. It’s easy to see why Christ was so upset at them. They had become a group of grouchy, self-righteous, religious bigots. Sounds like a lot of so-called Christians! All of that work and no justification (Luke 18:14).

2. Abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, not overeating, or anything that is a sin and harmful to the spirit man, mental capabilities, or health is not fasting. Things of this nature are sinful or harmful to begin with and need to be avoided.

3. Fasting will strengthen your faith. Faith needs prayer for full development and prayer needs fasting for the same reason (Matthew 17:14-21). Some things will only come to pass with prayer and fasting.

4. We should do more fasting now than ever. Matthew 9:14-15 states that once the bridegroom was gone then the children would fast. Now that Jesus has risen we ought to fast more than ever.

5. Forty days of fasting is possible. Once you fast a while hunger pains will leave. They will come periodically, but will cease. Finis Dake states that a persons breath will be a sweet as a babies after a forty day fast.

III Simple Advice on Fasting

1. Fasting should not go to the point of impairing health.

2. You should gradually break a fast, especially when fasting for longer periods of time. As an example you might want to take in small portions of bread or light crackers with water several times before consuming heavy food stuffs.

3. One should not go past forty days. There is no biblical precedence for this.

4. Fasting should be done with care and under proper supervision