Things that the church nowadays, would consider to be extreme, were par for the course so to speak, in the early church. The early church experience visions and visitations. They had a culture of the miraculous that propelled the gospel fourth. Was all about the Lord. When the Lord gave instructions to the disciples to teach others the same things that they had been taught, he wasn’t just talking about doctrine. These guys are both realms, lived in both realms, moved in that power, and were expected to teach others to do the same.
Prayer is reaching out after the unseen; fasting is letting go of all that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepen and confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves, to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.
Andrew Murray
The miracle workers and mystics of the past 2000 years were also people were given to a life that was centered on God. They were all in with no plan B. When you read the accounts of those who saw the Lord, spoke and worked with the Angels, perform miracles and signs and wonders, it’s hard to even imagine that were supposed to be part of the same family.
In our modern age, there are also those who live in both realms. They see the unseen as surely as they see the scene. For every story they tell you of angelic visitations, there are 1000 more that they didn’t tell. During meetings, they don’t point out that they can see everything going on in the spirit because they don’t want us to be distracted. But they do teach us to be like them. They openly share the sure way to see in the spirit, and to move in the spirit. I have presented those ways in this book. Now I’m going to explain to you why they see so completely and clearly. What it is that allows them continuous access to the spirit realm.
Fasting
With the exception of Pastor jentezen Franklin, I don’t hear many messages on fasting these days. It is difficult to crucify the flesh, so it’s not a real popular subject. If it were easy, we would do it. Fasting breaks the rule of our flesh over our spirit. Fasting is a powerful way for our spirit man to take his rightful place in his rightful authority over our beings. It brings our soul and body under subjection. When this happens, the spirit is free to engage spiritual things more fully and more easily. We forget sometimes that Jesus did not tell us, if you fast…, He told us when you fast.
Moreover when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance; for they disfigure their faces, that they unto men do fast.Verily I said to you, they have their reward – Matthew 6:16.
The things that hold us back are the fleshly things, the things of the soul. When we denied a flesh, the reward is exponential.
In my opinion, and fasting is a lifestyle for every disciple. Fasting transformed my thoughts and has become my doorway into the spirit realm.
The physical changes in your body will reflect the spiritual transition that is begun. Moreover, if you establish fasting as a lifestyle, the heavens will remain open in your life and mind.
How long should I fast?
Even fasting one meal makes a great impact. More than you might think. There are people make a promise to fast a meal every Friday or every Wednesday. Others fast a meal strictly to give up that time to pray or read the word. – That’s a good thing. I usually fast from one meal to 3 days, depending on wind fasting. 5 fast longer, it’s because I’m led to do it, and I asked the Lord for grace to do it.
13 day fast
Last year I was led to go on a 2 week fast for someone who is dying of the disease. I didn’t really feel anything or see anything as I fasted. I just continued by faith. On the thirteenth day, late in the afternoon, I felt I heard the Lord say, you can eat something now. I asked the Lord if he was sure.(I know he was sure, I just wasn’t sure if it was him speaking(he said yes. So I did. Later that evening, my spiritual eyes open. I was taken to a region of captivity, ( like I talked about earlier) where I encountered the soul of the one who was sick and dying.
In the spirit, could see the condition of the person’s soul, and a cause that was making the mill. The Lord led me to ask the Spirit’s name, and he told me his name. Then the Lord had me rebuke the spirit and commanded to leave. When I did this, the spirit immediately came out. He was very angry, but obeyed anyway. Then the Lord brought me back home. 2 weeks later, I found out that the person who had been previously given only a couple of months to live, had just been given a clean bill of health! Fasting had not only open my eyes, but also gave me the opportunity to be used in the Lord. You can put a price on that.
I mentioned that sometimes I’m led by the Lord before I fast. You cannot live a fasted life that way though. Fast even without being led, even if it’s only a meal, or a day.
If you say – I will fast when God lays it on my heart, never will. You are too cold and indifferent to take the yoke upon you – DL Moody
And you fast with the righteous cause in mind, you make strides in the spirit realm more than you could ever know. Kevinbasconi, evangelist and author, sees the Angels that Minister with him on an ongoing basis. They hang out at his house and seem to be quite comfortable being there. They engage with him and he with them. But the Lord gave him an important key early on about entering into this reality of the spirit realm. The Lord told Kevin, read in fast, fast and pray. Kevin spent a season, so to speak, reading the word, resting for a while, and fasting and praying. Kevin made sure to share this in his series of books dancing with angels, so we could benefit from the Lord’s instruction as well.
Modern-day examples
David Hogan
Missionary/evangelist David Hogan in his ministry team fast every other day as a rule. When he inquires of the Lord he fast longer, often mentioning 40 day fast. Once, when under demonic attack, his son lost his sight and hearing. David says he fasted 5 days with no food or water. He told the Lord, this is not happening to my family. On the fifth day God spoke and told him what to do, and his son was restored.
Pastor/evangelist Mahesh chavda was working in a state home for the mentally handicapped and listing care of a boy who continually beat himself in the face. Am asked the Lord, what’s the answer for this little Stevie? The Lord told him – this kind does not go out but by prayer and fasting. So am began his fast, and he fasted 14 days with no food, and the first 3 of those days with no water, and the Lord told him now he could go pray . M prayed, the boy was supernaturally flung 15 feet through the air, and completely set free from his affliction. There is extreme power in extreme actions when they are born of God.
Many in the prophetic camp begin their urine fasting and prayer because it causes them to see more clearly.
If you have long to interact with angels, fasting will remove the veil and expose you to their participation in your life – Emerson Farrell
Fasting is what prepares you for a new anointing… There is a prophetic release that occurs in a church or an individual who fast continually for 40 days – jentezen Franklin
Extreme prayer
I touched on this in pricing through in prayer earlier. This would be kind of like that but with exponential increase. If you’re willing to pray until you see the breakthrough, you will see the breakthrough. The power of prayer is something that is hard to comprehend without divine understanding. We don’t realize the power and authority that we have been given and what it can accomplish.
Pray until you see
Kevin basconi was told by the Lord to pray in tongues all the way to the conference he was going to attend in Canada. Kevin tells of this account in volume 1, of dancing with angels. He says that he prayed all the way, 18 hours of praying in tongues nonstop. Kevin tells of being in the meeting when his eyes open fully and completely to the spirit realm. He watched as a portal opened up in the atmosphere above him and angels came through to minister to the attendees. Not long after, the Lord Jesus himself came and ministered to another young man and to Kevin as well! This testimony alone was enough to inspire me to pray extreme! Does anybody else want to see Jesus?
I have heard many testimonies of the church in the FAR – East, of how they pray and worship. Some churches are meeting every morning at 4 AM worship for 2 hours before they start the day! That’s normal to them. Extreme is normal to them.
In his book baptized by blazing fire – pastor Young do Kim tells of ongoing all-night prayer warfare vigils where the ordinary members of the church have their eyes opened and see who and what they are warned against. Awesome.
The order of monks in the early church, who were devoted to prayer, used to lash themselves to support beams and posts so as to keep themselves upright in the standing position so they can pray all night without falling asleep. William Branam who moved in tremendous spiritual power and gifts, would go to a place of seclusion, such as a cave, to pray and seek God for days until the angel of the Lord showed up!
John G Lake, who had one of the most astounding healing ministries of the past century, would pray for hours or days to see the sick healed! Whatever it took! His healing rooms in Spokane, Washington witnessed over 100,000 documented healings in the early nineteenth hundreds. Here is an account he gives of praying for a man who was dying in the hospital.
I prayed for him unceasingly for 16 hours without result. One of my ministers also came to pray for him and the power of God. The man’s daughters beg me to let them give him morphine and let them die.
Presently, as I stood there, and I watched the awful convulsions, particularly in his old, bare feet that were sticking out of the bottom of the bed, this – verse – came to mind – he himself took our infirmities – Matthew 8:17. And I reached out and got hold of them – his feet – and held them as if in a grip of iron, and that thing that is too deep for any form of expression we know, broke forth in my soul, and in a single moment I saw him lay still, healed of God – John G Lake
If you pray like these men do, you will see with open eyes
Combining the 2
The power of prayer and fasting together cannot be overemphasized. Giving up the desire of your body to eat and then also giving up the desires of your soul – your agenda – so that you can pray, overcome any and every obstacle.
By fasting and prayer together, we can overcome every hindrance, obstruction, and mountain that blocks the way between us and our corporate destiny and calling in Christ! Victories only found in the realm of the spirit, and that is why the devil takes every opportunity to divert us from the mode of prayer and fasting into the natural mode – M C
Men and women like Mahesh and bonnie chavda, Dave Hogan, John G Lake, Catherine Coleman, and Kevin Bass Connie, Jeff Janssen, Heidi Baker, Gary and Kathy Oates, and others who have, or do see in the spirit, live lifestyles of prayer and fasting. They walk with angels. They see the Lord and hear his voice. If we take a lesson from them, we will also!
Engaging the kingdom
Fasting – make a commitment to fast the least one meal, twice a week. Also, pick a day when you won’t be expected to eat, and fast the day. That seems daunting at all, then fast from desserts or breads for a day. God will honor that. He is training us. He is our helper. As your experiences with fasting deepens, then you can fast a full day, then 3 days, then 7. If you have medical issues, be smart and don’t make yourself ill. As your eyes are open to the supernatural, your fasting will be motivated by the incredible experiences the Lord gives you.
Extreme prayer – pick something or someone you are passionate about, and go double the distance you have prayed before. If you prayed for an hour, go to, if 2, go for. Get up and pray during the watch of the night. Supernatural realm seems to be more accessible during the night watch. If you have a day or you can take a day and focus on prayer, try praying in tongues for 8 hours. Don’t strain forward. Pray all day but don’t let it be work. Work it’s tedious to fast. Keep yourself in prayer front and center. At the end of your prayer, always try to sit in stillness for at least 10 minutes to really feel God’s presence and let him speak to you.
Make sure you keep journal entries for your times of prayer and fasting, it will be a great benefit as you look and see what works for you and what doesn’t.