GOOD & EVIL FASTS IN BIBLE

In Bible fasting is decided by purpose Luke 4:2-4 fast Jesus prayed 2 forty days and nights. But is tempted by devil as He ate nothing those days was hungry. 3 The devil said, “If you are the Son of God turn stones into bread.” 4 Jesus said, “It is written man shall not live bread alone.’ Jesus told disciples in Matthew 17:21; Mark 9:29 cast out evil spirit after prayer and fasting. Fasting is intense time of prayer with God to focus to seek the face of God.  Empowers after received God’s direction to take action in prayer answer reveals  miracles from God. Angels fight spiritual wicked in high places. Fasting is part of Christian life in obedience of Jesus to God to hear and answer prayer. People fast for various reasons based on circumstances. Prayers for breakthroughs in life by power of God’s Holy Spirit. A warfare strategy to defeat demons of rebellion, pride, witchcraft, poverty, lack is fasting a spiritual attack stopped by God’s POWER in the Mighty Name of Jesus. The curses and spells are broken and removed in the Name of Jesus to get a solution to live in peace. God heals in Jesus Name. If fasting your health or medical problems is checked by doctor if on medication. A young child fasts half a day drinking water or fruit juice prays from 6am-12 noon more than enough God answers prayer. If no health problems fast a day with water or fruit juice helps body to cope without food. If praying or fasting three days drink water or fruit juice to ensure body is hydrated. Jesus the Son of God fasted 40 days but ordinary human’s body must be careful. Two days in a week without liquid is an individual physical activity level to determine how long to last without water. The body can do without food but water depends on your health. Water regulates the body temperature, digestion, waste disposal, hydration 7 days maximum limit each body can cope. If prayer or fasting doesn’t work in three days something is wrong join in a prayer of agreement with mature mentor prayer warrior to deal with root of persistent problem. If one defeats thousand two defeats ten thousand in corporate prayer in Jesus Name. Stop fasting seek deliverance by God’s direction to overcome challenges. Never start a dry fast without water and food more than three days unless a trained veteran. First to know and understand reasons for fasting. Don’t fast for 7 days without water or fruit unless under authority guided by seasoned believers for help and support. Don’t copy others to brag  to fast 10, 14, 21, 40, 70 days. God will answer your prayer if special reason long fasting is required in group fast. Children or sick people must never be forced to fast you fast on behalf of a family. The Bible allows intercession prayer on behalf of everyone not partakers God HEARS. For personal prayers Jesus says, go into private closet to pray God hears openly rewards you.  

Matthew 6:16-18 Fast in Secret Closets

16 “When you fast don’t look sad like hypocrite’s faces to show others you are fasting. I tell you, you will not receive reward from God. 17  When you fast put oil on your head, wash your face 18 Father God sees secret prayers will reward you.

Luke 18:1-12 Be Persistent In Prayer

1 Jesus said pray don’t give up. 2 A judge didn’t fear God or care. 3 A widow kept going to him to pleads Grant me justice against enemy 4 but the refused finally said, ‘though I don’t fear God or care 5 because this widow keeps bothering me I will see to it she gets justice not to bother me 6  Jesus said, “if unjust judge said so, 7 God brings justice for HIS chosen ones who cry to HIM day and night. 8 HE will see they get justice quickly. When the Son of man comes will He find faith on the earth? 9 Don’t be confident in your own righteousness. Jesus said 10 “Two men went in Temple to pray a Pharisee and tax collector. 11  The Pharisee prayed: ‘God, I thank you I am not like others, robbers, evildoers, adulterers or like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give tenth of all that I get but attitude of repentance and humility required so God intervenes in fast.

1. To prepare for ministry. Jesus spent 40 days and nights in wilderness fasting, praying before doing God’s work on earth. He spent time alone in Matthew 4:1-17; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-14.

2. To seek God’s wisdom. Paul and Barnabas prayed and fasted for elders of Churches before the LORD for service in Acts 14:23.

3. To show grief. Nehemiah mourned, fasted, and prayed when Jerusalem’s walls broke down,  and Israelites left vulnerable in Nehemiah 1:1-4.
4. To seek deliverance or protection from God Ezra’s fast led in corporate fast prayed for safe journey for Israel’s travel 900 miles to Jerusalem from Babylon in Ezra 8:21-23.

5. To repent. After Jonah’s judgements against Nineveh, king covered in sackcloth and ashes sat in the dust with people fasted and prayed 40 days in Jonah 3:10. God saw they turned from evil ways forgave them.

6. To gain victory. After losing 40,000 men in the battle for two days Israel cried to God for help in Judges 20:26. People went to Bethel, “sat, wept before the LORD fasted until evening so next day the LORD gave them victory over Benjamites.

7. To worship God in Luke 2:37 the 84 year old prophetess Anna in the Temple worshiped God night and day, fasted and prayed devoted to God expressing her love for God blessed Yahweh.

1 Corinthians 7:5 Spouse Must Agree

Don’t deprive each other seek a mutual consent for time devoted in prayer. Come together again so satan won’t tempt you for lack of self-control.

1 Samuel 7:7 Fast If Fighting In Battle

Philistines heard Israel assembled at Mizpah so came to attack them. Israel afraid of Philistines fasted. God gave Israel a great victory that day.

2 Samuel 1:12 Fasts During & Grieving

They mourned, wept and fasted till evening for Saul and son Jonathan for the army of the LORD and the nation of Israel fallen by the sword.

Acts 13:2 Fasting to Choose Leaders

After worshiping the LORD they fasted and Holy Spirit said, “Set apart Barnabas and Saul to work for God.”

Acts 14:23 Fasting To Appoint Elders

Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in Church after prayer and fasting to do the LORD’S work.

Daniel 10:3 Fast For God’s Intervention

I ate no choice food; meat no wine, no lotions at until three weeks fasting and praying over.

Esther 4:16 Fast To Seek God’s Favour

“Gather together all Jews in Susa and fast. Don’t eat or drink three days or nights I and attendants will fast too. Then I will go to the king, though its against the law if I perish, I perish, saved Jews.

Exodus 34:28 Fast To Seek God’s Face

Moses was with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water for covenant tablet words of Ten Commandments.

Joel 2:12 Fasting During Repentance

The LORD, “said return with all your heart with fasting, weeping, mourning.”

Luke 18:12 Fasting To do a Godly Duty

Fast twice a week to God and give a tenth asset.

Nehemiah 1:4 Fast For Intercessions

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept for days, mourned, fasted, prayed before God of heaven.

Psalm 69:10 Fasting in Personal Prayer

10 I weep and fast to endure scorn of mockers.

Psalm 35:13-14 Fast For God’s Healing

13 They were ill so I put on sackcloth, humbled, myself with fasting but my prayers return to me unanswered. 14 I mourn for friend like a brother, bow my head in grief wept as if for my mother.

Joel 2:12-13 Fast For God’s Forgiveness

12 “The LORD says, “return to me with all your heart with fasting, weeping and mourning.” 13 Rend your heart not your garments return to the LORD your God, HE is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, abounds in LOVE relent calamity.

Acts 13:3-4 Fast To Go On A Mission

3 After fasting and praying place hands on them and sent them off. 4 The two went on their way with Holy Spirit to Seleucia and sailed to Cyprus.

Daniel 9:3-5 Fasting To Return to God

3 I turn to the LORD God and plead with HIM in prayer, petition, fasting in sackcloth and ashes. 4 I pray to LORD God confessing LORD the great and awesome God who keeps covenant of LOVE with all who love HIM keep HIS commandments, 5 we sinned, did wrong, been wicked, rebelled so we turned away from your commands and laws. Forgive us by your Mercy and Grace.

2 Samuel 12:15-17 Fast To Save Lives

15 Nathan went home, the LORD struck the child Uriah’s wife had with David became ill. 16 David pleaded with God for child, fasted, spent nights in sackcloth on the ground. 17 All his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, refused, did not eat any food with them.

1 Kings 21:25-27 Fast For God’s Humility

Ahab did evil in eyes of the LORD with Jezebel his wife. 26 Going after idols like the Amorites the LORD drove before Israel. 27 After Ahab told God’s words by prophet Elijah, tore his clothes, put on sackcloth fasted in humbly in sackcloth.

Ezra 8:21-23 Fast For Travelling Mercy

21 By Ahava river, I proclaimed a fast to humble ourselves before God ask HIM for a safe journey for us and our children with all our possessions. 22  I did not ask the king for soldiers, horsemen to protect us from enemies on the way because told the king, “God will protect us but his anger is against all who forsake HIM.” 23 So we fasted and petitioned God and HE answered our prayer.

Jonah 3:5-9 Fast To Stop God’s Anger

5 Nineveh seek God fasted from greatest to the least put on sackcloth. 6 When Jonah’s warning reached king of Nineveh he rose from the throne took off royal robes, covered in sackcloth sat in the dust. 7 He said, “By decree of the king and nobles Don’t let people, animals, herds or flocks, eat or drink. 8 All covered in sackcloth fasted so called on God. Give up evil ways and violence. 9 God will relent in compassion turn from fierce anger so we will not perish.”

Isaiah 58:3-7 Fast To Be Kind to People

3 ‘We fast, didn’t see result, humbled ourselves“ On days of fasting don’t exploit workers. 4 Don’t fighting, hate, strike others with wicked fists but fast so your voice is heard by God. 5 The kind of fast God chose is people to humble themselves and in sackcloth and ashes is acceptable to the LORD. 6 “This kind of fasting chosen will loose chains of injustice to untie cords of yokes to set oppressed free and break all yokes 7 And share your food with the hungry provide poor wanderer with shelter, clothe your own flesh and blood. If wicked people fast use fear in rebellion compel others to do evil. Jezebel’s witchcraft influenced people cast mind bending spells manipulated to join her attack for Naboth’s vineyard. So wicked  her baal idol worshippers fasted three days and attacked Naboth kill him for his family land. Evil wicked Jezebel and Ahab coveted after murder. Unbelievers fast to gods to dedicate themselves to celebrate their feasts. Spiritualists and a new age meditation fast to clean the body. Medical treatment require people abstain from food long hours for access to organs checked in detail for damaged tissue. Fasts help some medications work better in body. The motive and purpose of fasting is important before starting the fast. It’s good to build up body to prepare be well fed in advance if fasting a long time. Combine prayer and fasting with deliverance to achieve results. Its not length of days of fasting a condition for receiving answer but an attitude of repentance, in humility ask for God’s Mercy, Grace, lament be kind. Favour from God’s heart hearg forgives you but God decides in HIS Own time and ways. The fast isn’t starving to force God’s answer or many hungry people in the world most blessed. A  fast is accompanied by realistic practical solution to problem not torturing flesh that brings miracles. Get closer to God through the Name and BLOOD of Jesus Christian believer. Deliverance through deeper matured deliverance minister in extreme cases frees from the demonic family problems. Use Godly wisdom for support from friends and family and right organisations. In western world resources available help without fast. Fasting is spiritual growth devotion for God’s intervention. Help sought spiritually, physically, emotionally for well-being if fasting. The devil comes to steal to kill to destroy check your heart’s motives and purpose of fasting. Fasting and praying to covet another person’s spouse and break marriage to marry them; take another’s property in Naboth’s case is witchcraft in 1 Kings 21:12. Fasting took Naboth’s land by greed, envy, jealousy Jezebel’s plot got a land but God ALMIGHTY judged them immediately. In Acts 23:12-35 people plot to kill Paul next morning some Jews vow by oath not to eat or drink until they kill Paul. Fanatics want to kill Paul for believing in resurrection, angels, Holy Spirit didn’t like his teachings from Bible. A group of forty Jews vowed to kill Paul managed to escape on tip off from his sister’s son. They lied Paul is troublemaker, stirred up riots among Jews Nazarene sect try to seize him. As Agrippa learnt truth of false charges against him, Jews lies were untrue. Governor let Paul speak did not find him arguing with anyone in Temple or stir crowd in synagogues in city didn’t prove charges made. Admits he worshipped God of ancestors, follows of way of laws in prophets hopes in God and resurrection of righteous and wicked so his conscience clear before God and man. Paul sent to Rome after two years lived and preached until his death during Nero’s rule. Evil fasting makes people hungry, angry, aggressive violent attacks but God judges bloodlust damage to others. You may not like what you fasted and prayed for. Let God guide you in Spirit and Truth in Jesus Name, to supply all your needs from heaven. Despite all fasts God uses human beings to answer prayers and needs in Jesus Name. God won’t personally physically give you miracles. Speak to people as God may reveal your needs in advance to others to provide your needs through them. A practical wisdom won’t let shame, embarrassment cause you to hide, in isolation, overwhelmed by fear or frustration against God. Fasting is good if used for the right reasons as Bible requires but not to ‘crucify’ the flesh recklessly in the Name of God. Fasting is not enough in satanic cult deliverance needs God to rebuke satan to cast demon out in the Mighty Name of Jesus. If the problems need Spiritual help in the LORD to guide and support you don’t be silent seek God’s help in Jesus Name. Give thanks and GLORY to God.