PRAYER AND FASTING – TYPES OF FASTING – How to fast and pray for any spiritual warfare

ANNOUNCEMENT

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO THE EVENT BELOW:- 

EVENT: PRAYER CONFERENCE 2022 (by Pastor JCWINS from HIS WAY MINISTRY)

PLATFORM: IMVU

DATES: June 1 to 5

TIME: 1) 9PM EDT USA

             2) 9AM MALAYSIA / SINGAPORE (the next day due to 12 hours ahead of EDT USA time)

             3) 2AM LONDON (the next day due to 5 hours ahead of USA time)

             4) 3PM HAWAII

DAYS: Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat & Sun

VENUE: CONFERENCE ROOM (by 1AVA from EXPLORATIONS UNITED)

PRAYER: Abba Father, may hearts be touched and lives be changed from this event. We commit this event into Your hands. Amen.

NOTE: To download IMVU Client: https://www.imvu.com/download.php (choose Windows Installer for computers / laptops)

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A) OPENING

First of all, let us acknowledge our ONE AND ONLY TRUE LIVING GOD who is Omnipotent (all-powerful) , Omniscient (all-knowing) and Omnipresent (all-present).

Let us give Him all the glory.

Abba Father, Lord Yeshua and Holy Spirit, we welcome you here. Thank you for being here with us.

A1) NOTE OF THANKS TO PASTOR JONATHAN CLAY LADD:-

Thank you Pastor Jonathan for organizing this Prayer Conference. We truly appreciate you for being a faithful bondservant of Christ for many years. You have saved many souls and changed lives yet have always remained humble. I am one of those whom you have saved. Your Bible Study was my turning point when you taught Romans 12:2.

It was about not being conformed to this world, but being transformed by the renewal of our mind, that by testing we may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

I can’t thank you enough for guiding me back to the right path without embarrassing or judging me when I was sinning on IMVU for so many years.

My ways of thinking, my outfits, my choice of songs that I sing and listen had all been transformed because of your Bible Study. May Abba Father bless you, your family and your ministry abundantly.

A2) PRAYER

Let us pray.

~bows head in prayer~

Abba Father, we come humbly to You as Your children united in Christ.

Thank you for the peace, everlasting love, joy, Your GRACE, MERCY, everlasting love, all answered prayers, unending list of blessings, powerful miracles and so much more.

We can’t thank you enough for all that You do for us.

We commit this event and conference into Your Almighty hands.

May hearts be touched.

May lives be changed.

We open our hearts and mind to what You have in store for us in this Prayer Conference for there is much to learn from You through our beloved brothers and sisters in Christ.

It’s all about You, not about us.

Grant us understanding, wisdom and discernment for Your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path:-

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:11

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Open our spiritual eyes so we can see what our earthly eyes cannot see for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

We want to be fully equipped and spiritual awake at all times with Your Full Armor so that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil:-

1. Belt of Truth
2. Breastplate of Righteousness
3. Feet with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace
4. Shield of Faith
5. Helmet of Salvation
6. Sword of the Spirit (Word of God)
7. Praying without ceasing, pray for believers. An authorized messenger / representative

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all.

We want to bear the The Fruit the Spirit at all times:-

1. love (unselfish concern for others)
2. joy (inner)
3. peace
4. longsuffering (patience – not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting)
5. gentleness
6. goodness
7. faith (to have faith in God; to trust God)
8. meekness (humbleness)
9. temperance (self-control)

We want to remind ourselves to always practice humbleness and humility so others can see Christ in us.

Search our hearts and discipline us if we have any faults. Holy Spirit, convict us if we have any wrongdoings. We want to be transformed by the renewal of our minds and not be conformed by the ways of the world that by testing we may discern what is Your will, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We want to take Your Word seriously because we want to be able to withstand all the difficulties and trials in life. We want to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling for time is getting short and perilous times are coming. We realize that the only way to be able to stop sinning is by fearing You, reading Your Word and being in close relationship with you daily and at all times.

Use us as Your humble bondservants to save other souls and help others to grow spiritually as well. We want to guard our words and actions. We want to be good examples to others so the enemy will not be able to find any loopholes to accuse us or any sin. We want to examine ourselves so we do not become a stumbling block to others.

In all these we give thanks and pray in the most powerful name of all, Lord of Lords, King of Kings

that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Yeshua Hamasiach is Lord.

Amen.

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B) CONTENTS

B1) I was asked to cover the subject of Prayer and Fasting in conjunction with Pentecost Sunday which is on Sunday, June 5th.

Pentecost comes from the Greek word Πεντηκοστή (Pentēkostē). It means “fiftieth”. Sometimes it is called ‘Feast of Weeks’ or ‘Feast of 50 days’ which is celebrated the fiftieth day after Passover according to the Jewish festival.

It is to remember the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Yeshua while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–31).

Acts 2:4

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Some Protestants fast and pray the nine days between Ascension Day and Pentecost Day in honour of the disciples’ time of prayer and unity awaiting the Holy Spirit.

B2) Yesterday, sis keshastone taught all of us very well on prayer. We had been truly blessed by this powerful sister in Christ. May Abba Father bless her abundantly.

B3) Before I go into the types of fasting, I would like to share an experience I had about 2 years ago.

It was somewhere in January 2020 just before the Covid-19 pandemic world lockdown started in March 2020, I went to a church in South Africa. I had the opportunity to visit a few churches, prisons and managed to mentor school children when I was in South Africa.

I came back to my country in late August 2020 after God saved my life from my abusive husband. Some of you may have already heard of my testimony. I fasted, prayed and cried out to God to help me and He did. But today we are talking about Prayer and Fasting. So let me move on and get back to the experience I had in that church.

There were only about less than 7 people and all of them were white South Africans that Sunday. However, his teaching left me in great shock because he said that there is no need to fast!

All of us know that even Yeshua Himself fasted!:-

Luke 4:2-4

Let us read

2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus (Yeshua) answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”

You may ask “Why do I need to fast?. Can’t I just pray without fasting?” Yes you can pray without fasting. It is not wrong to pray without fasting but we must understand that some spiritual battle requires prayers and fasting. Let me explain why it is very important to fast and pray. 

The Word of God clearly stated that we are not battling against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places:-

Ephesians 6:12

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Take heed that only the Word of God can keep us safe from satan / demon / devil / evil spirits. If we do not read the Word of God daily and pray fervently at all times, we can actually be attacked by the enemy. To make matters worse, they can dwell in those who do not abide in His word.

We cannot expect God to dwell in us if we read the Word of God only once a week or only when the pastor say “Let us open the book of …. chapter … verse …”. Please make sure that you read the Word of God (The Holy Bible) daily and pray fervently at all times.

I am going to tell you today as I have always told everyone that all of us must be extremely careful and make sure that God, Lord Yeshua and the Holy Spirit is our teacher. 

Always do your counter checking with Scriptures from the Bible!

Do not take anyone for a shortcut Bible answer. Read your Bible daily and pray fervently (passionately, powerfully, wholeheartedly, forcefully) always.

My dad always says “Anyone who does not read the Bible daily and the entire Bible at least once should not call themselves a Christian”.

We say that we love Him but do we read His Word and pray daily?

We say that our God is the only true living God but how often do we talk to Him?

Let us not forget that the Muslims pray five times a day and once a year they fast for one month.

When it comes to the Word of God, there is no shortcut but to read and study it ourselves.

This is to ensure that we do not lack knowledge.

What happens to those who are lacking in knowledge (spiritually)?

This the Bible has a very good answer:-

Hosea 4:6

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

So please always check with the Word of God (The Holy Bible).

B4) QUESTION: So why is Prayer and Fasting important?

      ANSWER: Because prayer and fasting help us to:-

4.1) ACHIEVE BREAKTHROUGHS

Mark 9:29

29 So He (Jesus) said to them, “This kind (of evil spirit) can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”

Esther 4:16

16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”

4.2) FOCUS ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD

Matthew 4:4

But He (Yeshua) answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

4.3) SEEK GOD

Exodus 34:28

28 So he (Moses) was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

Ezra 8:21

21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.

Ezra 8:23

23 So we fasted and implored our God for this, and He listened to our entreaty.

2 Chronicles 20:1-4

1 After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. 2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi). 3 Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

4.4) PREPARE OURSELVES TO SERVE

Acts 13:2

2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

4.5) OBEY GOD’S COMMANDMENTS AND STATUES (as taught by Yeshua after The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13)

Matthew 6:16-18

16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

4.6) THE DAY OF ATONEMENT (reparation for an offense)

Leviticus 23:26-27

The tenth day of the seventh month is the day when the annual ritual is to be performed to take away the sins of the people. On that day do not eat anything at all; come together for worship, and present a food offering to the Lord.

4.7) SEEK GUIDANCE FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT

Acts 13:3

3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

4.8) SHOW TRUE REPENTANCE

Jonah 3:1-5

1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

B5) Prayer and Fasting is a powerful combination when prayer alone is not enough.

Let us see what happened when Yeshua healed a boy with an unclean spirit:-

Mark 9:17-29 (NKJV – New King James Version)

17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.

18 And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”

19 He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.”

20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.

21 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.

22 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

23 Jesus (Yeshua) said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus (Yeshua) saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!”

26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.”

27 But Jesus (Yeshua) took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”

29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”

Therefore, prayer and fasting combined is very much needed to be able to cast out certain types of spirits. This is why I want to make it very clear that spiritual battle requires prayers and fasting as this is written in the Word of God (Mark 9:29)!

We should read verse 23 carefully again.

Jesus (Yeshua) was telling the father of the child that he needs to have faith in God >  23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

So now we know that prayer, fasting and faith works hand in hand as seen here.

Prayer + Fasting + Faith = MIRACLE!

B6) FAQS (Frequently asked questions) about fasting.

QUESTION #1: How many types of fasting are there?:-

ANSWER #1: There are at least 7 types of fasting.

QUESTION #2: How many days should I fast?

ANSWER #2: Pray and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit.

For beginners maybe can start with PARTIAL FASTING with a shorter amount of days / hours and then gradually increase in the amount of days or and hours.

QUESTION #3: Can I combine different types of fasting and do a 10-day or a 30-day fasting plan?

ANSWER #3: Yes you can.

It is entirely up to your own creativity but please do pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit first.

C. TYPES OF FASTING:-

1) PARTIAL FASTING = partial abstains from certain foods or drinks for a certain time.

Example #1: Abstaining breakfast from 6am to 12noon.

Example #2: Abstaining lunch. Allowed to drink water.

Example #3: Abstaining all meals from 6am to 6pm. Allowed to drink water.

2) THE DANIEL’S FASTING = refrain from eating meat and dairy products.

Allowed to eat fruits, beans, nuts & vegetables. Allowed to drink water or fruit juice.

Daniel 10:2-3

2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. 3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.

3) COMPLETE FASTING = Drinking water only.

4) ABSOLUTE FASTING = No food, no water.

Exodus 34:28

28 So he (Moses) was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

Matthew 4:2

2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, He (Yeshua) was hungry.

5) SEXUAL FASTING = refrain from sex.

Exodus 19:15

15 And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman.”

1 Corinthians 7:5

5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6) CORPORATE FASTING = group fasting for a certain reason.

7) Here are more types of fasting in the Bible based on the amount of days:-

7.1) ONE DAY FAST

2 Samuel 1:12

12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

7.2) THREE DAY FAST

Esther 4:16

16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”

7.3) SEVEN DAY FAST

1 Samuel 31:13

13 And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days.

7.4) TEN DAY FAST

Daniel 1:12

12 “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.

7.5) FOURTEEN DAY FAST

Acts 27:33-34

33 As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.”

7.6) TWENTY ONE DAY FAST

Daniel 10:2-3

2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. 3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.

7.7) FORTY DAY FAST

7.7.1) Moses’s 40 Day Fast

Exodus 34:28

28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

7.7.2) Elijah’s 40 Day Fast

1 Kings 19:7-8

7 And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” 8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

7.7.3) Yeshua’s 40 Day Fast

Matthew 4:1-2

4 Then Jesus (Yeshua) was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

(IMPORTANT NOTE: Please consult a doctor before doing the FORTY DAY FAST)

8) Sample 7-DAY Prayer and Fasting plan:-

     DAY 1 to DAY 3 – PARTIAL FASTING – 6AM TO 12NOON

     DAY 4 to DAY 7 – THE DANIEL’S FASTING

9) Take note of TRUE and FALSE fasting:-

     Please read Isaiah 58 as homework.

Key verses: –

Isaiah 58:3-5

3 ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not?
    Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,
    and oppress all your workers.
4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
    and to hit with a wicked fist.
Fasting like yours this day
    will not make your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is such the fast that I choose,
    a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
    and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
Will you call this a fast,
    and a day acceptable to the Lord?

10) Understand what we can do as believers in Christ and our position in Him:-

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Luke 10:19
“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.”

(NOTE: serpents and scorpions = the enemy, satan, satan’s disciples, devil, his principalities and powers)

In the Word of God, Satan’s original name is Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12) is also known as the Beast, dragon, the deceiver and many more names was given to him. Please read the Word of God daily and find out of all the important lessons from God.

We as believers and followers of Christ are given then authority to cast out demons:-

Mark 3:13-15

13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons.

What is our position in Christ? We are seated with Christ:-

Ephesians 2:4-6
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Yeshua Hamashiach)

   

CLOSING

We pray that this sharing will be of help to those seeking understanding in PRAYER AND FASTING. We pray that all will strive hard to be rooted in Jesus (Yeshua) at all times.

Also it is very important to know that faster without the Word of God and prayer only means that we are starving ourselves, not fasting and paying. Fasting and praying is time alone with Yahuah, our heavenly Father. Do make sure that you fast and pray the correct manner and attitude. Make sure there is no cheating in the total days of the fasting and praying or it will be voided.

So this is our encouragement to everyone for the topic on PRAYER AND FASTING. 

All glory to God!

Feel free to contact us. Click on the WhatsApp icon at the bottom left and text us if you have any questions.

Blessings.

In Christ we serve

EXPLORATIONS UNITED

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