The Benefits of Fasting & Prayer
Selected Scriptures
If you are serious enough to take up the discipline of fasting, you can expect resistence, interference and opposition. Plan for it, insofar as you are able. Do not be caught unawares. Remember you are attempting to advance in your spiritual journey and to gain ground for the Kingdom. That necessitates taking ground away from the enemy - and no great movement of the Holy Spirit goes unchallenged by the enemy.
---Elmer Towns, Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough
1st Fasting humbles our soul
Ezra 8:21–23 (NIV)
There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him." So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.
(v.22, transporting: $160 million in gold//$15.7 million in silver)
Psalm 35:13b (NIV)
...I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting
2nd Fasting secures favor in situations
Nehemiah 1:4 (ESV)
As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
Nehemiah 1:11 (NIV)
O LORD, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man." I was cupbearer to the king.
3rd Fasting helps us discern God’s will
Acts 13:2 (ESV)
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
Daniel 10:2–4, 10–12 (NIV)
At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice (desirable) food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris... A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said, "Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you... Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.
Daniel 10:3 (NIV)
I ate no choice (desirable/precious) food;
Daniel 10:11 (NIV)
He said, "Daniel, you who are highly esteemed (desirable/precious)
V.3, I ate no choice (desirable/precious) food;
v.11, I became the man viewed as very precious
Daniel 10:12 (NIV)
Then he [angel] continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.
4th Fasting gives us power to break demonic strongholds
Matthew 17:20–21 (NIV)
He replied, "Because you have so little faith... But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."
I believe the power of fasting as it relates to prayer is the spiritual atomic bomb that our Lord has given us to destroy the strongholds of evil and usher in a great revival and spiritual harvest around the world.
---Bill Bright, Founder of Campus Crusade for Christ
5th Fasting prepares us for new seasons of life
Acts 13:2–3 (ESV)
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
6th Fasting can bring healing
Isaiah 58:8a (NIV)
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear;
7th Fasting gets God’s attention
Acts 10:1–2, 30–31, 4b (NKJV)
There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed (fasting) to God always... So Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God... Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God."
Cornelius saw an angel
Peter had a vision
Cornelius, his family & his friends heard the Gospel
All of them were filled with the Spirit
It was the beginning of Gentiles hearing the Gospel
8th Fasting gives us a greater awareness of God’s presence
Isaiah 58:8–9 (NIV)
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you; the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, 'Here I am.'
