Fasting for Jesus

Mark 9:28-29

And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

The focus of fasting is to glorify God. Note that the demon the disciples failed to cast out was removed for God's glory. He said "this kind can only come out by prayer and fasting" because he knew the disciples' hearts. Their question remained one whose object was themselves. They were supposed to cast it out but could not. The power of God should have been displayed and glorified through their faith. See, the meaning of fasting, to afflict the soul, must be done with the right motives. The Gaderene man of Luke 8:26-39 was demon possessed, wandering among the graves, naked, and cutting himself with rocks. This man also practiced fasting. The demon possessed practiced fasting to the end of self destruction and eternal damnation. This sort of fasting is demonically inspired. Its' purpose is for the torment of man. When couples fast it can only be done consensual to avoid demonic influence according to 1 Corinthians 7:5. To prevent this, the believers are encouraged in Matthew 6:6 to go "into your closet" to pray and fast so that your "Father who sees in secret" may "reward you openly."