Written by
Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha
King Hezekiah also fasted when Sennecherib
threatened the destruction of Jerusalem (Isaiah Chapters 36 verses 21 to 22, 37
verses 1 to 21). God responded to the cries of His people for deliverance and
dealt hard blows to Sennecherib and his army (Isaiah Chapter 37 verses 35 to
38).
King Jehoshaphat also proclaimed a national fast to
ask help from God when Moab, Ammon and the inhabitants of Mount Seir allied themselves
against Judah. As usual and this is quite instructive, God always responds to
the cries of His people to Him. God responded and instructed the Judeans to
march to the battle front but not with spears and swords or bows but with instruments
of praise to offer quality praise to God. As they praised God, the three enemy
nations turned against each other; first Moab and Ammon against Mount Seir and
thereafter Moab and Ammon against each other. The Bible records that not one of
them escaped and when they were done slaughtering each other, the Judeans took
three days in carting off the loot the enemy nations left behind (2nd
Chronicles Chapter 20).
Ezra the teaching priest proclaimed two different
fasts and prayers. The first was to seek divine direction, favor and protection
as they journeyed from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and Jerusalem
(Ezra Chapter 8 verses 21 to 23). God answered their prayers. The second fast
and prayer was in repentance for violation of the commandments of God concerning
marriage to the people God instructed Israel not to intermarry with.
Particularly dreadful was the fact that the leadership, especially some of the
Levites were the worst offenders. Immediately Ezra commenced fasting and
praying for repentance (Ezra Chapters 9 and 10). The men guilty of this
trespass repented and the nation was forgiven, healed and restored.
As terrible as Ahab’s leadership of Israel was
coupled with his decision to serve Baals in disobedience to God, the Bible
records that God spared him when he fasted and prayed and repented of the evil
he and Jezebel did to Naboth after judgment was pronounced on him by Elijah (1st
Kings Chapter 21 verses 1 to 29).
The Apostle Paul fasted a lot and this is not a
surprise considering the numerous spiritual battles he fought in his missionary
work (2nd Corinthians Chapter 11 verse 27, 1st
Corinthians Chapters 16 verses 8 to 10 and 15 verse 32). The Apostles fasted
routinely as they preached and taught the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,
reconciling people to God and healing the nations (Acts Chapter 13 verses 1 to
3).
Jesus Christ taught on fasting and how it should
done (Matthew Chapter 6 verses 16 to 18. See also Isaiah Chapter 58 which
provides excellent teaching on fasting.
However, there are unholy fast which do not serve
the purposes of god and do not bring about healing for the nations. Please,
avoid such fasts. For instance, the men who swore to kill the Apostle Paul (Acts
Chapter 23 verses 12 to 15), the unholy fast Jezebel proclaimed which led to
the death of Naboth (1st Kings Chapter 21 verses 8 to 14). Please,
do not be part of such fasts. They are demonic and evil.
Fasting coupled with prayers and genuine repentance
brings about liberation from satanic captivity and oppression. But when a fast
is targeted at opposing and killing righteous people who fear God, are working
for the expansion of the kingdom of God, then it is an evil from the kingdom of
darkness. Flee such fasts.
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