Notes on Shaping History by Prayer and Fasting (Derek Prince book)

CHAPTER 6: Fasting Intensifies Prayer

I. Christ’s Teaching and Example

a. Emphasizes motive and warns against religious ostentation for the sake of

impressing people. (Matt. 6:1-18)

b. Fasting is endorsed by Christ’s own example – Luke 4:1-2.

i. When Jesus went into the wilderness, He was already

ii. After fasting, He returned in the

iii. Fasting was the final phase of preparation through which He had to pass,

before entering into His public ministry.

II. The Practice of the Early Church

a. Fasting was a vital part in Paul’s ministry – Acts 9:9; 2 Cor. 6:3-10; 2 Cor.

11:23-27;

b. Early Church fasted individually and COLLECTIVELY – Acts 13:1-3; Acts

14:21-23

i. As a result, they received direction and power from the H.S. for

decisions or tasks of special importance.

III. How Fasting Works

a. Fasting helps a Christian to receive direction and power from the H.S.

b. It’s a form of mourning, in one sense.

i. Mourning is not self-centered remorse or hopeless grief.

ii. It’s a response to H.S.’s prompting to share in God’s grief over sin and

folly of humanity – 2 Cor. 7:10.

c. It’s a means to humble and chasten oneself.

i. Rightly practiced, fasting brings both soul and body into subjection to the

H.S. – 1 Cor. 9:27

ii. Fasting deals with barriers to the H.S. – self-will and insistent, selfgratifying

appetites of the body. (Gal. 5:17).

1. Fasting changes people, not God.

2. Breaks down barriers in man’s carnal nature that stand in way of

H.S.’s omnipotence.

3. With barriers removed, H.S. can work unhindered in His fullness

through our prayers.

d. Four Requirements in 2 Chron. 7:14:

humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear

from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

full of the H.S.power of the H.S.if my people, who are called by my name, will