There are many examples in the scriptures of people fasting and how God performed extraordinary things in response to fasting!
There is a story about fasting in 2 Chronicles chapter 20 that teaches us a lot about how God acts when we fast.
In that chapter, we have the account of a king whose country was being invaded by an alliance of three countries and their armies. Instead of checking if his army was strong enough or trying to come up with a war plan, the king did the most important thing: he sought out God, called the people to fast, and God did something supernatural.
The truth is, sometimes we are too smart for our own good. Sometimes we are too strong to see the Lord’s strength, or too wise to seek His wisdom.
Fasting introduces supernatural solutions and power into our lives.
“After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. 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). Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.”
2 Chronicles 20:1-3
Verse 3 says the king was afraid! It’s a normal response. It was an overwhelming situation indeed: three kings against one.
Perhaps you too find yourself in an overwhelming situation. It could be physical (an illness you are facing), financial, relational, marital, or at work where it feels like things are going terribly wrong.
It doesn’t seem like it could get better. But I’m here to say: seek the Lord, humble yourself in fasting, and you will see God moving and performing a miracle.
“Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.”
2 Chronicles 20:3-4
From all the cities of Judah, they came to seek the Lord. They were seeking, not just going without food—going without food without seeking God is just a diet! They were fasting and seeking the Lord.
“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13
One of the challenges of fasting is not getting distracted – it’s very easy to get distracted. That’s why I’m advising everyone: get off the internet, TV, social media, because fasting is a time to really focus your heart on seeking the Lord.
The enemy is terrified that you will actually do this. The last thing he wants is for you to seek God, and he is afraid.
“O our God, will You not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” 2 Chronicles 20:12
This is a great prayer: “I do not know what to do, and I need You to do something for me, and my eyes are on You!”
When we fast and pray, we put ourselves in a situation for supernatural help and power, and so things that wouldn’t happen any other way start to take place.
“Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the Lord.”
II Chronicles 20:13 NKJV
All of Judah stood before the Lord! Are all of you standing together during these 21 days of fasting?
You will see the word “Lord” appears 30 times in this chapter. This is a chapter about God. When you and I are fasting, it’s about God! It’s about what He can do, what only He can do, it’s about you and I having a relationship with Him and seeking Him, about you and I hearing from Him, believing in Him.
They stood before God with their little ones, their wives, and neighbours!
They told God what they needed, and then they waited for an answer. Just being before God will bring you peace; being in His presence and seeking Him will destroy all anxiety, fear, guilt, and sadness.
“And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
II Chronicles 20:15 NKJV
They were afraid! Sometimes we are afraid, but the Lord is saying “do not be afraid”! It’s interesting how you will find this phrase 365 times in the Bible (or “fear not” in the King James Version).
There is a “fear not” for every single day of your life!
God has enough grace and power so that you shouldn’t fear any circumstance.
“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” Verse 15
Do not be afraid, for this battle is not yours, but God’s. This is what fasting does! It turns my problem into His problem. Isn’t that amazing? Don’t you love when you can simply give your problem to someone, and they solve it for you?
Fasting does that! When we fast, we are saying: God, I’m giving You my problems because I can’t solve them. And God says: Great! I will fight these battles for you!
When you and I fast, our battle becomes His battle, our problem becomes His problem.
“You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.””
II Chronicles 20:17 NKJV
You will not need to fight in this battle!
God doesn’t tell them why they won’t fight; He just says: You will not need to fight. Many times, God’s people lack confidence and faith because they don’t understand God’s word.
Many times, we don’t have all the information on how God will do things, but we don’t need it. The only information you and I need to put our faith in God is His promise and His presence. That’s all we need.
You don’t need to fight! But God didn’t say how He is going to do it! We now know there is going to be an ambush, but nothing was said in this promise about an ambush.
There are three armies coming, and they are 10 miles away, and the only thing God said is: I will fight the battle for you, you don’t need to worry about it.
It’s very interesting that He says: You will not need to fight; just stand firm, don’t be afraid, tomorrow go out, and the Lord will be with you.
God speaks, and it can be through His word, through your leader, or through a still, small voice. He will not give all the details, but He will tell you: You can trust Me, I will fight this battle for you.
He will tell you to stand firm in your faith. Sometimes, or most times you won’t hear what you would like to hear.
You have to fast, pray, and believe! You have to trust in God’s promises.
When you are fasting, praying, and humbling yourself, you are inviting God into the situation, and He is faithful to all His promises.
I think one of the tests that you really trust Him is when you can walk out of that moment and say: God, I just thank You, God, I worship You, You are a God who hears me, and you have that confidence to worship Him and not be afraid.
Worship is the truest way to understand where our heart is at moments like this.
“And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high.”
II Chronicles 20:18-19 NKJV
The king and all of Jerusalem bowed down before Him, and they worshiped Him. They worshiped when nothing had changed in their situation. Sometimes we say we will worship and give glory when we receive a miracle. Well, how about worshiping Him before the miracle? How about giving Him praise before the walls of Jericho come down? How about worshiping before the battle is won?
Verse 19: “They stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.”
They did as we do here, with a very loud sound! 🙂
They fasted, prayed, and even though their problem hadn’t disappeared, they kept on praising and believing in God.
“So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”
II Chronicles 20:20
Believe, believe! That’s all God wants from your fasting. So, believe in Him! When you have done everything you could to believe, then believe some more! I believe in God, I believe He is faithful, I believe He is going before me, I believe He is going to help me.
I want you to notice something else in this verse: “Have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.”
One of the dangers, I think, in Western Christianity is that we have become very individualistic!
I can hear from God myself, I can seek God from home, I don’t need to hear advice from others, I’m seeking God and don’t need anyone to hear from Him. I can have a relationship with Him by myself!
You are not an island; you are part of the body, and if you are not connected with the body, the church, you will suffer a lot! You will not be successful! We need each other. We need to hear from others when they have a word from the Lord for us. We should not alienate ourselves from each other.
God said: Believe in God and also believe in His prophets, and you will succeed. Not only believe in the Word of God, but also believe in the prophet that God sends to encourage and help us.
“And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.” Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.”
II Chronicles 20:21-22 NKJV
They fasted, prayed, and worshiped the Lord, and the Lord set an ambush against the enemies!
I believe that this ambush was made by angels sent to fight! They were just worshiping the Lord, and God was literally fighting their battle.
If you truly understood the power of worshiping the Lord together, you wouldn’t be late for the service! Some people arrive late and miss the worship portion, which is such an important part of the service!
Praising is not just preparation for the word!
When we praise with all our heart, the Lord is battling our battles!
While we are worshiping, angels are at work. Our worship and our praise have everything to do with releasing God’s power in this place.
“When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewellery, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much.”
II Chronicles 20:25 NKJV
They fasted, surrendered, praised God, and God blessed them financially! They found an abundance of valuable things, precious jewels. There was so much that they couldn’t even carry it!
Reading the scriptures, you will notice that fasting opens doors in all areas of our lives.
If you need a financial miracle, a house, a spouse, a document, a new job, a better salary, a prosperous ministry, a family that loves and serves God, a healing , then join this fast!
God is powerful to do infinitely more than we ask!
When we fast and pray, God fights the battle, and God wins the battle, and you and I give Him praise and glory because He is worthy of praise.
May God bless you as you continue steadfast in the purpose of this fast, because it will be worth it!