Why fast?

Jesus taught His disciples the principles of the kingdom of God which are in direct conflict with those of this world. Jesus said, "When you give" and "When you pray" and "When you fast." He made it clear that fasting, like giving and praying, is a normal part of a Christian life. Even Jesus fasted! He's our example in all things, so why do we think we don't need to fast? We may be missing our biggest breakthroughs because we fail to fast.

Matthew gives us the story of a father who had a demon-possessed son. He took his son to Jesus and cried, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severly, for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him." (Matt. 17:15,16)

Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and "the child was cured from that very hour." (v. 18). What made the difference? Matthew 10:1 says that Jesus had already given the disciples power to cast out evil spirits to heal every disease. So why couldn't the disciples cast out the demon and cure the boy?

Jesus told them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there" and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." (Matt. 17:20-21)

If Jesus could have accomplished all He came to do without fasting, then why did He fast? The Son of God knew there were supernatural things that could only be released through fasting. How much more should fasting be a common practice in our lives!