Fasting Releases Special Power

There is a story in the book of Judges that I find intriguing. One village in Benjamin had committed grievous sin. The rest of the Benjamites refused to hand over those who were guilty. The rest of Israel gathered together to wipe out this grievous sin from Israel. I'll let the Scriptures tell the rest of the story.

      (Judges 20:18 -35) Then the children of Israel arose and went up to the house of God to inquire of God. They said, “Which of us shall go up first to battle against the children of Benjamin?” The Lord said, “Judah first!”
      So the children of Israel rose in the morning and encamped against Gibeah. And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel put themselves in battle array to fight against them at Gibeah. Then the children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and on that day cut down to the ground twenty-two thousand men of the Israelites.
      And the people, that is, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves and again formed the battle line at the place where they had put themselves in array on the first day. Then the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until evening, and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, “Shall I again draw near for battle against the children of my brother Benjamin?” And the Lord said, “Go up against him.”
      So the children of Israel approached the children of Benjamin on the second day.
And Benjamin went out against them from Gibeah on the second day, and cut down to the ground eighteen thousand more of the children of Israel; all these drew the sword.
      Then all the children of Israel, that is, all the people, went up and came to the house of God and wept. They sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. So the children of Israel inquired of the Lord (the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, “Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of my brother Benjamin, or shall I cease?” And the Lord said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.”
      Then Israel set men in ambush all around Gibeah. And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in battle array against Gibeah as at the other times. So the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city. They began to strike down and kill some of the people, as at the other times, in the highways (one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah) and in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
     And the children of Benjamin said, “They are defeated before us, as at first.” But the children of Israel said, “Let us flee and draw them away from the city to the highways.”
So all the men of Israel rose from their place and put themselves in battle array at Baal Tamar. Then Israel’s men in ambush burst forth from their position in the plain of Geba. And ten thousand select men from all Israel came against Gibeah, and the battle was fierce. But the Benjamites did not know that disaster was upon them. The Lord defeated Benjamin before Israel. And the children of Israel destroyed that day twenty-five thousand one hundred Benjamites; all these drew the sword.

Why do I find this story intriguing? Because the Israelites inquired of God for direction in a battle. In today's terminology they prayed about it. God gave them direction, and they still lost the battle! They again asked God's direction and the same thing happened! They obeyed God's direction and they again lost. These losses translated to 40,000 Israelites being killed on the battlefield!

But they were following God's direction!

The next day the Isrealites fasted and offered sacrifices. This time when they asked for God's counsel, the Lord said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.” And that is what God did. The Israelites won the battle.

This passage reveals a truth that many people in the church today are completely unaware of. They sought God's direction, and followed it – yet victory eluded them until they fasted and sacrificed before the Lord. I believe this is the same type of situation that Jesus described when the disciples could not cast out a demon. “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Mt 17:21 NKJ)

There is a power released in the spiritual ream when we fast. This power goes beyond prayer and even beyond obedience. I don't claim to understand it. However, the Scriptures and Jesus' own words declare this truth.

Father, thank you so much for Your precious Word. Thank you for the privilege of being able to read it. Many people have not been blessed with even the most basic education Others who know how to read do not have a translation of Your Word in their native tongue Others cannot read Your Word because it is banned where they live. Father thank you for absolute truth. Post modernism proclaims that there is no absolute truth -- but there is no truth in that! Jesus tells us that Your Word is truth. We may not always understand it, but we do not have to understand it for it to be true. The Scriptures in this post describe a power available to us only when we fast. There are other Scriptures that describe a proper fast before You. Those must also be considered, but the truth remains that there are strongholds and demons that our prayers and obedience alone cannot defeat. Help me to be willing to fast as a way of presenting my body “as a living sacrifice,” that Your kingdom may advance. In the powerful and precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen.