Taken from Derek Prince’s, Fasting
* What is the purpose of fasting? Primarily the purpose for fasting is self-humbling. It is a scriptural means ordained by God for us to humble ourselves before Him (as we shall see).
* What does the Bible teach on humbling? Throughout the bible God requires His people to humble themselves before Him. See Matthew 18:4; 23:12; James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6. Notice that the responsibility to humble ourselves is placed on us. To pray, “God, make me humble,” is always answered in Scripture: “Humble yourself.”
* Are their examples in the Old Testament of self-humbling through fasting? In the Bible, God reveals a specific and practical way to humble ourselves. David says: “I humbled my soul with fasting…” (Psalm 35:13)
In Ezra 8:21-23 we see that Ezra is leading a band of Jewish exiles on a dangerous trip back to Jerusalem. They have 2 options for safety: 1. appeal to the emperor of Persia for soldiers and horsemen, or 2. he could trust in God. In v. 21 it says: “…I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey…” They chose to trust God’s protection over that of the king. V. 22 says: “I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen…because we had told the king, ‘The good hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” And then v. 23 shows the conclusion: “So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.” They chose to look to God by invoking God’s supernatural help and protection. They fasted and humbled their souls before God. They petitioned God, and God heard them and granted them the safe journey for which they asked.
2 Chronicles 20:2-4 shows another example of humbling through fasting to seek God’s help. The passage reads that an army was coming against Jehoshaphat, and so “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.” (v. 3). Notice the very last verse of Jehoshaphat’s prayer: “O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” (2 Chron. 20:12). Here are the key phrases: “…we have no power…we do not know what to do…” So they had to turn to God for supernatural help and they knew the way to turn. THEY RENOUNCED THE NATURAL TO INVOKE THE SUPERNATURAL.
Another example of fasting in the Old Testament can be seen in the ordinances for the Day of Atonement, what the Jewish people call Yom Kippur. Leviticus 16:29 shows that a command for this Day of Atonement was to “humble your souls” or another translation says “deny yourselves,” and, alternatively, “you must fast.” Historically, for 3,500 years the Jewish people have observed Yom Kippur as a day of fasting. Paul shows this in Acts 27:9 when he says: “Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast.” This Day of Atonement was referred to as “the Fast”.
* What is the nature of fasting? Through studying the scriptures, it seems that the essential nature of fasting is renouncing the natural to invoke the supernatural. The most natural thing for us to do is to eat. When we give up eating, we are deliberately turning away from the natural by turning to God and to the supernatural.
* Did Jesus fast? Luke 4:1-2 shows that the first thing Jesus did after being baptized in water and being filled with the Holy Spirit was fasting. Before He ever started his ministry He fasted for forty days! He abstained from food and focused on the spiritual. Apparently, during that time, He had a direct, person-to-person conflict with Satan. Through His fasting, He emerged victorious from that first conflict with Satan. This illustration would seem to indicate that fasting is essential in our lives if we are to be victorious in resisting Satan. James 4:7 says: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” IF JESUS PRACTICED FASTING TO RESIST SATAN, I DO NOT SEE HOW ANY OF US CAN CLAIM TO ACHIEVE VICTORY WITHOUT THE SAME PRACTICE. Notice the result of fasting in the life of Jesus. Luke 4:14 states: “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.” Notice that Luke 4:1 shows when Jesus went into the desert, He was “full of the Holy Spirit.” But when He returned from the desert after forty days of fasting Luke 4:14 says He went “in the power of the Spirit.”
* What did Jesus teach on fasting? In John 14:12 Jesus says: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father.” It should be pointed out that the works Jesus did BEGAN WITH FASTING. If we want to follow in the other works He did, it seems logical to me that we must begin where Jesus began – with fasting.
Matthew 6:17-18 shows Jesus’ direct teaching on fasting, He says: “But when you fast…” Jesus said, “WHEN you fast,” He did not say, “IF you fast.” Had He said “IF,” He would have left open the possibility that they might not practice fasting. But when He said, “WHEN you fast,” He obviously assumed that they would practice fasting. Also notice that the theme of this chapter (Matt. 6) is three main Christian duties: giving to the poor, praying, and fasting. In connection with all three of them, Jesus uses the same word “WHEN,” He never says “if.” He never left open the option that they would not do these three things. He put giving, praying, and fasting on precisely the same level. Most Christians would accept without much question that it is our obligation to give and to pray. But on that same basis, it is equally our obligation to fast.
* Was fasting practiced in the early church? Not only was fasting practiced by Jesus, it was practiced by the New Testament church. In Acts 13:1-4, we read about the church at Antioch. V. 1 lists off 5 prophets and teachers found in the church at Antioch. V. 2 says: “while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said…” V. 3 says: “Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” And notice verse 4: “So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit…”. In the course of this church’s fasting, they received a revelation from the Holy Spirit that two of their number were to be sent out for a special apostolic ministry. Receiving this revelation, they did not send them out immediately, but they again “fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them…” Then it says of those two men that they were sent out “by the Holy Spirit.” Again we see that fasting transfers us from the natural to the supernatural.
After Paul and Barnabas had gone out on this ministry, we read what they did when the established their new converts in various cities into proper churches: “And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” (Acts 14:23). The two main events in the spread of the Gospel in the early church were, first, the sending out of apostles and, second, the establishing of new converts through the appointment of elders. It is tremendously significant that THE EARLY CHURCH DID NOT DO EITHER OF THESE THINGS WITHOUT FIRST FASTING AND SEEKING GOD’S SUPERNATURAL DIRECTION AND HELP.
Finally, read the testimony of Paul about his life and ministry (remember Paul was one of the two sent out in that incident). In 2 Cor. 6:4-6, Paul says: “…in everything commending ourselves as servants of God…in sleeplessness [watching], in hunger [fasting], in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love…” Paul here describes various aspects of his character and conduct which marked himself and his fellow-workers as true servants of God. Among these were watching (staying awake when you could be asleep) and fasting (abstaining from food when you could be eating). Watching and fasting are in very good company. They are put side by side with purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit and genuine love. In other words, they are presented as part of the total equipment of a true servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
* What is the power that makes the Christian life possible? THE POWER THAT MAKES THE CHRISTIAN LIFE POSSIBLE IS THE HOLY SPIRIT. No other power can enable us to live the kind of life that God requires of us as Christians. It cannot be done in our own will or in our own strength. It can only be done in dependence on the Holy Spirit. Therefore, THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL CHRISTIAN LIVING IS KNOWING HOW TO RELEASE THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES SO THAT WE CAN DO THE THINGS WE COULD NOT DO IN OUR OWN STRENGTH. Jesus makes this clear, in Acts 1:8, He said: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” He said, in effect, “In order to do what I’ve charged you to do, you’re going to need power greater than your own. That power will come from the Holy Spirit. Don’t go and begin to minister until that power of the Holy Spirit has come to you.” Compare this with the words of Paul in Ephesians where he is speaking primarily about power in prayer: “Now to him [God] who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…” (Ephesians 3:20). The extent of what God can do through us does not depend on our thinking or imagining. It depends on His supernatural power being released in us and through us, whether it is in prayer, in preaching or in any form of service. The key is knowing HOW to release the power of the Holy Spirit and become channels or instruments through which He can work without hindrance.
* What is the relationship between our flesh and the Holy Spirit? THE OLD, CARNAL NATURE (THE FLESH) OPPOSES THE HOLY SPIRIT. The very essence and character of the old nature is such that it does not yield to the Holy Spirit. It is in opposition to the Holy Spirit. In Galatians 5:16-17, Paul says about that carnal nature: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” If we yield to the flesh, we are opposing the Spirit of God. If we are going to yield to the Holy Spirit, we must deal with the carnal nature, because as long as the carnal nature controls and operates through us, what we do will be in opposition to the Holy Spirit.
In a powerful verse, Paul states a truth about the carnal mind. Romans 8:7 says: “…the carnal mind is enmity [or hostile] against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” These are such strong words. He says the flesh opposes the Holy Spirit. He says the fleshly mind is enmity against God. IT IS NOT NEUTRALITY. There is no suggestion that somehow the carnal nature and the carnal mind can be persuaded to do the will of God. It is impossible. The carnal mind, by its very nature, is enmity against God.
* What is the carnal mind (or flesh)? It seems to be the old, unregenerate soul in its main functions. The functions of the soul are usually defined as will, intelligence and emotions. The will says, “I WANT”; the intelligence says, “I THINK”; the emotions say, “I FEEL.” Natural, unregenerate man is dominated and controlled by those three expressions of the ego: “I WANT,” “I THINK,” and “I FEEL.” This is the way the carnal nature operates. If we are to come into submission to the Holy Spirit, and if the Holy Spirit is to operate through us with freedom, then the carnal nature must be brought into subjection to the Holy Spirit. We must subject the “I want,” the “I think,” and the “I feel” to the Spirit of God.
* How can the flesh be subjected to the Spirit? According to God’s pattern in Scripture, this is done by fasting. That was how Jesus Himself did it, that was how Paul did it, and that is how you and I are expected to do it. Here is Paul’s own account of how he struggled with his carnal nature and how he gained victory over it. In 1 Corinthians 9:25-27, Paul describes this struggle in terms of an athlete going into training for victory in athletics: “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly…No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” Notice the beginning of v. 27, Paul says: “I beat my body and make it my slave”. This leaves every one of us with a question: Which is the master and which is the servant in each of us? Is the body the master and the Spirit just the salve? Or is the spirit the master and the body the servant? The reader should know this: YOUR BODY MAKES A WONDERFUL SERVANT, BUT A TERRIBLE MASTER.
Here is a story to illustrate this…A lawyer in Washington D.C. heard a Derek Prince sermon on fasting, and decided it was the right thing to do. He set aside a day to fast and he had a miserable day. Every time he walked out on the street, he seemed to find himself in front of a restaurant where the aroma of cooking was tantalizing or pastries were displayed in the window. He had a tremendous inner struggle to abstain. So, at the end of the day he gave his stomach a “talking-to”. He said, “Now, stomach. You’ve been very rebellious today. You’ve made a lot of unnecessary trouble for me and for that reason I’m going to punish you. I’m going to fast tomorrow as well as today.” What this story illustrates is that fasting is not about not eating food and instead craving the food the whole time (as if to seem holy by asceticism), but rather, it is letting the Spirit lead you instead of your own flesh and nature. If you are really going to succeed in the Christian life you are going to have to establish the fact in your own experience that your body does not dictate to you or control you, and that you are not controlled by its whims or appetites. Rather, you must be controlled by a sense of God’s divine destiny and purpose for your life. In that regard, you will do everything that is needed to bring your body into subjection so that it does not dictate to you or hinder you in running your race. ONE OF THE BASIC SCRIPTURAL WAYS TO DO THIS IS BY THE PRACTICE OF FASTING.
* Has fasting changed history? Personally, I [Derek Prince] believe there is no way to measure the power released by prayer and fasting when practiced with right motives and in accordance with the principles of Scripture. The power thus released can change not only individuals or families, but cities, nations, or even entire civilizations.
Jonah. Jonah was sent to Nineveh to give a final warning of impending judgment on the city (see Jonah 3:1-4). V. 4 reads: “On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: ‘Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.’” The response of the Ninevites was incredible: “The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust.” (Jonah 3:5-6). The whole city turned to God in repentance, in fasting, and in mourning. The proclamation of the king was even more remarkable: “By decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink.” (Jonah 3:7). That was a very total fast, not only for the human population but for the livestock; not only did they abstain from food, but also from drinking. And the proclamation continues: “But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.” (Jonah 3:8). This total response is important. Fasting is of no benefit if we continue doing the wrong thing. But it is invaluable as a spiritual help in turning from wrong to do right. The proclamation closes like this: “Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” (Jonah 3:9). And here is the divine commentary: “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.” (Jonah 3:10). As a result of this repentance, mourning and fasting, Nineveh was spared for almost 200 years before it was finally destroyed!
Esther. In the book of Esther we read that almost the entire Jewish population was under the power of the Persian Empire. A man named Haman persuaded the king to give a universal decree for the destruction of all the Jewish people within the empire. Queen Esther, however, was Jewish, but the king did not know this, and so she was greatly troubled by the proposed decree. Esther 4:15-17 shows that the queen (without the king’s knowledge) had all the Jews fast for 3 days (no eating or drinking), and she also committed to fasting for 3 days. What was the result? In Esther 5:1-3 we read: “On the third day [of prayer and fasting] Esther…stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne…When he saw Queen Esther standing in he court, he was pleased with her…Then the king asked, ‘What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.” Esther went in with her request and changed the entire course of the history of the Persian Empire. The critical turning point was the three-day period when Esther and all the Jews in Susa fasted and sought God. When Esther went in to the king, he said, “WHAT DO YOU WANT? IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU UP TO HALF THE KINGDOM.” In other words, prayer and fasting opened the way for all that Esther could possibly need on behalf of her people.
* How can God intercede in our history? We need to see again the truth of that familiar verse in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” The kind of intervention God speaks about in 2 Chronicles 7:14 requires His people to meet His conditions. The first condition is, “…IF My people…WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES…” We have seen in the course of our study that this means collective, united fasting and praying.
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