Matthew 9
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¹⁴ Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

¹⁵ And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.


Throughout His earthly ministry with His disciples, Jesus never permitted or asked them to fast.

This was because His spiritual power (derived through the Holy Spirit, the Word of God and fasting) was surplus and sustaining them. The power of the Holy Spirit in Him empowered them, hence they needn't not fast:

Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
— Luke 9:1

However, when Jesus was departing this earth, He gave them a very powerful mandate:

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
— Acts 1:8

Jesus told them it was time for them to act independently as His powerful representatives. For the past 3 and a half years, His power had been energizing them.

It was now due time for them to act as He did, by the power of the Holy Spirit in world evangelism.

Like seen in Luke 4, it was Jesus's 40 days fasting (with feeding on God's Word) that freely activated the power of the Holy Spirit in His ministry.

Any disciple of Jesus who desires to walk in the supernatural like Jesus walked on earth and to perform the same miracles He did, must also fast like He did.

Fasting alongside God's Word, releases the power of the Holy Spirit through us as seen in the ministry of Jesus. If we don't fast, we simply cannot operate powerfully in the supernatural like Jesus did.

For the true disciples of Jesus, fasting is an opportunity to operate like Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. That's why we are expected to fast, not religiously like other people who don't know Jesus.

Take it or leave it, fasting is one of the most misunderstood subjects in Christianity. A lot of Christians hardly fast. They keep eating and eating until they become chubby and fat.

No wonder the church lacks power.

No wonder many pastors feed themselves fat on the spiritual ignorance of their sheep.

No wonder many Christians struggle with poverty, stagnation, failures, backsliding, demonic witchcraft oppression, etc.

Are you limiting the power of the Holy Spirit in your life like millions of Christians who runaway from fasting?


Besides, Jesus said:

Howbeit this kind (of problems, curses, demons) goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
— Matthew 17:21