In his book “Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting” Derek Prince addresses the subject of “why fasting works.”  This is important for us to understand so we don’t get the wrong end of the stick.  Fasting does not change God but it changes us!  Let me share more of what Derek teaches on this subject.

In the Old Testament God asked Israel, on one day of the year, to afflict their souls.  (Lev. 16:29 – 34)  This is called the Day of Atonement or Yom Kipper.  In 2011 this falls on Saturday 11 October.  On this day the High Priest would make atonement for all the people of Israel.  This of course Jesus fulfilled as the perfect High Priest.  But there are some keys here that help answer our question about how and why fasting works.

In Lev. 16:31 it says that the children of Israel were to afflict their souls through fasting.  In Psalm 35:13 David says “I humbled myself with fasting.”  Fasting is a manner of humbling ourselves before the Lord.

Fasting is also a way to bring our bodies into subjection (1 Cor. 9:27)  As Derek says “our bodies make wonderful servants but terrible masters.”  (Don’t we all know that?)  In Gal. 5:17 Paul says ““For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” NKJV.

Fasting deals with the two great barriers to the Holy Spirit that are erected by man’s carnal nature.  These are the stubborn self-will of the soul and the insistent self-gratifying appetites of the body.  Rightly practiced fasting brings the soul and body into subjection to the Holy Spirit.  By removing the carnal barriers we are better able to hear the Lord, empower the Holy Spirit to move in our lives, and to pray in perfect accordance with God’ will.

In church on Sunday mornings we have been looking at Ephesians 3:20:  “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,”  The power that works in us is the Holy Spirit of course.  Thus fasting makes a way for the Holy Spirit’s omnipotence to work the Spirit’s “exceedingly abundantly” of God’s promises.

Fasting is part of our arsenal in the things of the Kingdom of God to win our battles, to grow in Christ, to shape history and to draw near to God.  2 Cor. 10:4 says “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds …”