In the military setting, there are different kinds of weapons used against targets. There are regular weapons used for mild operations such as guns and hand-grenades; also there are special weapons that are only launched against serious threats from enemy forces. For instance, it is foolishness to face an armored tank with a pistol; and that’s exactly what many Christians are doing when faced with serious problems.
Nothing is impossible with God; when we seek Him with fasting and prayer there is no limit as to what He can do. There is so much power stored in fasting and prayer that it shakes off our lives all that the enemy has secretly programmed – no matter for how long it has been. The art of fasting and prayer brings liberation from the oppressions of the dark kingdom and helps us gain victory over [seemingly] impossible situations. I could fill this entire chapter with Bible passages that talk about the power of fasting but I’ll mention just a few.
Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily… – Isaiah 58:6,8 NKJV
Through the prophet Isaiah, God reveals to us that fasting releases the power to loose us from any sort of evil bondage or addictions; it helps us lift heavy burdens off our shoulders; it breaks the yoke of sickness, disease and stagnation off our lives – bringing healing to our bodies in a supernatural way. Both in times of peace and in times of trouble, there is no time that God fails to respond to His people’s fasting, prayer and faith. Ezra understood this very well; he and his followers were divinely protected from danger and destruction when they proclaimed a general fast.
Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer. – Ezra 8:21-23 NKJV
They Fasted
On Sinai’s mount, with radiant face, to intercede
for heaven’s grace upon a stubborn, wayward race, he fasted.
Once lifted from the miry clay, when opposition
came his way, this soldier-king would often pray with fasting.
A seer, possessed of vision keen, who told the troubled
king his dream, had light on God’s prophetic scheme through fasting.
The prophetess in temple court beheld the Babe the two had brought;
for Him she long had prayed and sought, with fasting.
He came to break the yoke of sin, but ere
His mission could begin He met the foe and conquered
him with fasting. “Set these apart,” the Spirit bade.
A spring, that soon vast rivers made, broke open
by men who as they prayed were fasting.
“So shall they fast when I am gone; was this no
word to act upon? Ask countless saints who fought
and won with fasting. When we shall stand on that
great day and give account, what shall we say,
If He should ask us, “Did you pray— with fasting?”
(Author unknown)