• ESPAÑOL: La Guerra Espiritual: El Propósito del Ayuno

Though there are different types of fasts, the most common definition is abstaining from eating food. This can be for one meal, a full day, or perhaps even three days.

But what does it accomplish? What is the reason for our fasting?

I am convinced that one major reason we should fast is for spiritual warfare.

When the Holy Spirit led Jesus into a confrontation with Satan in the wilderness, Jesus prepared Himself by fasting for 40 days (Matthew 4:1-2). This was not a battle with a lower-level demon or even a fallen angel, it was with the god or ruler of this world.

It was a spiritual battle with the master of lies and deception, which Jesus defeated, and not coincidentally Jesus fasted before this spiritual battle of the ages.

I believe fasting is one of the unmentioned ‘weapons of our warfare’ which Paul says is ‘divinely powerful’ to destroy ‘fortresses’ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

Paul then goes on to describe these fortresses as being in our minds, thoughts, arguments, and beliefs that oppose the knowledge of God.

I have always been curious about what role fasting plays in spiritual warfare. I have bounced between two opinions and now think maybe it does a bit of both.

First, fasting weakens the satanic realm.

The prophet Isaiah writes, “Is this not the fast that I choose: To release the bonds of wickedness, To undo the ropes of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free, And break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6).

It is kind of funny, because a lack of food over an extended time physically weakens us, but when we do it as a spiritual exercise, it has the same impact on the demonic realm.

It releases the satanic hold on people. It weakens the power of the demonic grip used to keep people trapped. It breaks the yokes and undoes the ropes that hold people captive.

Secondly, fasting increases your authority.

But along with weakening the satanic realm, I also believe that fasting increases our authority.

When Jesus was up on the mountain of transfiguration along with Peter, James, and John, a man brought his demon-possessed son to the disciples, who were left behind (Matthew 17:14-16).

Now they had seen Jesus handle the demonic realm in the past.

The disciples knew what to do. They had the instruction manual right there in front of them, and they checked everything on the list. They knew what to say and undoubtedly used all the right words.

But they failed.

When Jesus finally came down the mountain, the desperate man turned to Christ pleading for help.

Remember when Paul talked about pulling down the strongholds of minds, the evil spirit inside this boy had built a moat of protection around itself filled with unbelief.

It wasn’t something we could physically see, but it was emanating from the spiritual realm, infecting the boy’s father and I suspect even the disciples (Mark 9:23-25).

When the father brought his son to Jesus, the evil spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions (Mark 9:20). Undoubtedly, the same thing happened to the disciples, and the spirit of unbelief threw thoughts into the disciple’s minds that they were making things worse, not better.

But Jesus was prepared and dealt with this evil spirit by casting it out.

When the disciples asked Jesus a bit later why they had failed, Jesus said, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21).

This verse tells us four important things.

First, there are different ‘kinds’ of demons. Some are more powerful than others. There are higher-level evil spirits.

Secondly, though the disciples were saying all the right words, they lacked the power and authority to drive it out. Fasting increases our authority.

Thirdly, Jesus combined two spiritual exercises together, fasting and prayer. I think it’s essential to pray during the time when we normally would have eaten. Fasting supercharges our prayers.

Fourthly, fasting and prayer is a lifestyle, not an emergency procedure. Notice, that when Jesus came down the mountain, He didn’t immediately gather the disciples together and say, we must fast and pray before we deliver this boy.

Jesus had been practicing fasting and praying as a lifestyle, and when the problem showed up, the Lord who was functioning fully as man was prepared. So rather than longer extended fasts, I wonder if incorporating fasting regularly, perhaps one or two meals a week, is a better way of doing this.