Mark 9:27-29 (NKJV) 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.”
Fasting is something that many believers have little knowledge or understanding of.
And yet it was so important that Jesus told His disciples that there are certain things that can only be accomplished by prayer and fasting.
Notice that he didn’t just mention prayer? He specifically included fasting in His answer as to why they were not able to cast out a specific demon.
Jesus prayed and fasted regularly. He was always sharp because He didn’t allow a love for food and comfort to dull His senses.
Comfort is something that we all seek and enjoy to varying degrees. Nobody likes to be uncomfortable.
And nobody likes to be hungry, right?
A dislike for being hungry and a lack of understanding push many believers away from fasting. And fasting isn’t something that’s wildly popular.
Why? Because fasting can be a bit uncomfortable, especially for those who aren’t familiar with it and are contemplating trying it for the first time.
Outside of the misunderstandings and the discomfort associated with fasting, it’s truly important that we learn to understand it, and then be willing to fast if it’s necessary to do so.
Jesus fasted often. One of the first acts we read about Him doing was Him heading off into the desert where He fasted for forty days.
Many of us make the mistake of thinking that this is what is required of us; forty days with absolutely no food.
But that’s rarely the case. Fasting is something that’s dynamic, not set in stone.
Suffice it to say, though, that fasting is a part of spiritual warfare, and it should be a part of the life of every believer in one form or another.
So, we encourage you to seriously consider it, and to learn more about it so you have a better understanding of what fasting really is.
If you’d like to read a more in-depth piece that we wrote a while back, please click here. This was written in response to questions we had received about fasting back in 2016.
And remember, some things can only be accomplished by nothing but prayer and fasting.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443
401-439-3780
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