Must I Fast Forty Days or Four Days by W. v. Grant, Sr

8/2/2019 Must I Fast Forty Days or Four Days by W. v. Grant, Sr

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Brother H. C. Hezzie said, "1 can fast pretty wellas Icng as Ihave plenty of good, thick buttermilk todrink."He looked like it too; for he had it fixed so he could

watch his weight. You know, he had his stomach outfar enough.His appetite was scon out of his control. He ate five

times as much as he should have eaten.This led to something else; his appetite for other

things was not controlled. One night his wife foundhim in a beer-joint with another woman, drinking beer.I:e backalid and went to the devil. For years he hasnot gone to church. How can a man who was full of1 h2 Holy Spirit get into such a condition'! Like Esau,he gave wav to natural desires.This brother was under the impression that he could

drink milk while fasting.The fast that the Bible speaks of is not that kindof fast. The church leaders may c ha ng= the meaning

of fasting. They may make a declarut inn that a day'sfast is from sun up until sun down. They mav saythat .'IOU may drink milk, juice and Coca-Colas whileon a fast. But the Biblical fasts are total abstinencefrom food.True Biblical fasting comes from the Greek word

"neste:a,' and means abstinence from f'ood. I havesearched in vain and have never found that any amountof nourishment can be taken with a fast.Fasting is not, like some folk think.Doing PenanceMarlin Luther was crawling up a stairway on glass

when the Lorn spoke to him and said. "The just shalllive by fa ith."Some people sleep on wood, rocks, or the ground

for many years. Some remain unmarried, thinking that

CHAPTER IFALSE FASTS


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'Ihe people in Samaria received the Holy Ghost im-mediately after conversion. (Acts 8).The people at the Household of Cornelius receivedthe Holy Ghost- immediately after becoming Christians.(Acts 10).The people at Ephesus received the Holy Ghost assoon as they were baptized. (Acts 19 :1-6).You cannot prove that the disciples fasted ten daysin the upper room.They may have. Since the Bible does not say theydid, then you must not say so.The upper room is where J esus carried the disciplesto eat.Of course, the Bible says they were "continuallypraising and blessing God," but that does not provethat they did not eat for ten days.The Word of God tells us to "pray without ceas-ing ," "rejoice evermore," "rejoice always, "in every-thing give thanks." but that does not prove that weshould never eat.I am no t saying that fasting will not help you toreceive the Holy Ghost. As long as you believe it isnot Scriptural to receive the Holy Ghost without fast-ing ten days, then you do not believe you will receivethe Holy Ghost today. You cannot believe two oppositethings at once.A lady told us that she was onA Nineteen Day Fast.She went from one person to another saying, "Thisis the nineteenth day of my fast." She did not seemto get anywhere with the Lord. She did not receiveher healing.Later we found out. that she felt free to drink allthe juice she wanted, at anytime she wanted it. Shecould drink one kind of juice for awhile and then drinkanother kind the next day. She could "fast" for monthslike that.No one in the Bible days fasted like that.A good friend of mine, who was a preacher fastedfor forty days. That is, he said he was fasting. I won-dered how he could work all the time. Later I found

without something they like really well for a fewweeks each year, as whiskey, beer, road houses, cigars,wild women, or filthy jokes. But they need a revolutioninstead of a resolution.Recently while we were in the Philippine Islandsthere were people who crucified themselves andwhipped themselves in order to gain favor with theLord.There


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he called it fasting. He would get along better to notdo without any food at all, than to put people underfalse imnressions. Twenty-one Dav Fast.It has been said bv some good, sincere people that

Daniel fasted twenty-one clays. But the Bible does notsay so. It is recorded that "no pleasant bread" enteredinto his mouth.Let's get things straight : Daniel may have fastedtwentv-cne clays. He may have fasted forty days,

thirty davs, or twenty days. He could have fasted manytimes that the Bible does not sav anything about it. Itis possible.But if we CHn take the phrase that "no pleasantbread" entered into his mouth and count that fast-ing, then we can prove that he fasted twenty-one days.We can say that thousands of people who are burdeneddown in prayer, not anjov ing their food, have fastedfor six months, We can sa~' that millions of people inthe hospitals, some of whom are not Christians at all,.HP f'ast.ing' for months at a time,One 1 ime, the Bible declares, that Daniel only atepulse. which is vegetables, refusing to eat the king'smeat; No pleasant bread entered into his mouth then,that we know of. At least "no pleasant meat" enteredinto his mouth. Rut he ate all the pulse he wanted, Infact he became fatter than any of the rest of them.Some folk would :,;a,\' he fasted. Yet he became fatterIf that i" true then you CHn fill your stomach full ofbeans each day and still go Oil a forty clay fast. If thatis true ESC-HI was fasting when he traded his birth-right for a mess of pottage (beans),Some suggest that Daniel went on a "partial fast."

If that is true then some people have been on a "partialfast" for a year at a time, For they are temperate intheir eating for ~'ears at H. time. They eat to live; anndon't live to eat,That is well and good; but should they say that they

fa:,;ted forty da,Ys, when the~' filled themsel\'es full ofbuttermilk, beans, lea, coffee, and milkshakes, leavingofr the "pleasant bread," or the desserts that they likedso well '! Denying ,yourself of some enjoyment is not

necessarilv fasting, vV e are to deny ourselves of somethings everv dav in the year, even after we receiveH great anointing for service.There is no such thing as a partial sin.There is no such thing as partial holiness.There is llO such thing as partial rig hteousness.There is no such thing as a partial Christian,There is no such thing as a partial lie.There is no such thing as a part ial truth.A \ '(~s:,;el is not. part iallv clean, It is clean or dirty,A line is either straight 01' crooked.You are either a Christian or a sinner.Y()U Hrp in or out: for Christ Of' against Him.Yo u do no t heal' two kinds of fruit at one lime,

good and evil.No one is a pnrtial adulterer, murderer, 01' thief.Daniel either fa:,;led or he did nol fast. We cannot

sa.\ that he pcsitivelv fasted twenty one days, Sincewe cannot list him as a r~ible character who fastedt wentv-onc day:,;, then we cannot put him on t he list.lie will he left of f the list.\\'e will be Forced 10 sa~' that we cannot lind anyHible record of a nvone who fasted twenty-one days.

W e w ill b e forced to sav that it is no t Ilib hca l fora nvone to abstain from what t hev l i k r - , and just betemperate, and yet sa.\ that they are fasl ing, Temper-ance is good: but temperance is not I::ihlical fasting-.

Dieting Is Not Fasting.I am not sav ing that nne should not diet; IluL if diet-

ing is fasting then a teaming thousan.ls \ ) 1 ' ungodlywomen and men are fasting, Thev are as mean asthe devil.If doing without food is fasting, then the hospitalsare full of people who ' grains of rice each da~' are fast-ing. In both nations we found there vvere hardly anywho ha\'e e\'er learned about Jesus Christ.Some sa.\' ue('ause the Biule :,;a,\'s thal when Daniel

was burdened clown, pra~'ing, when there was no morestrength in him. that meant that he went on a longfast. ,JesLis was uurcJened do\\'n. His strf'ngth left him.


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(Luke 22 :43). Although he had just eaten a meal withhis disciples. (Luke 22 :15). The power of God sapsyour natural strength.Why should we say that Daniel fasted twenty-onedays? He may have fasted longer than that, but theBible does not say so.Many sincere people cannot help being taught wrong.They have not been told the difference. They do notrealize when you go into a covenant with God to fast,that any amount of food, even drinking milk, or chew-ing gum and swallowing the juice, may break that fast.We were in one part of the country where they hadbeen through a fasting school. The pastor had beentaught that if he felt sick while he was fasting thathe could take a little nourishment to settle his stomach.So he felt free to slip into the kitchen between mealsand take on a nice size piece of pie.He had also been taught that he did not need to beled by the Spirit. He proved it in the night services.My six year old boy could have conducted the servicebetter.

CHAPTER IIForced Fast

-_THE TWOWITNESSES

Iran away from home when Iwas about fourteenyears old. Ihitch-hiked my way for several hundredmiles. Islept in freight trains; gathered peas from anear-by farm after nights and cooked them on top ofa rusty, wood stove in an old bucket. The only thingIhad to eat with the peas sometimes was more peas.Iate pea sausage for breakfast, and took some withme for my lunch. Sometimes when Iwould hide thelunch in top of a tree, the ants would beat me to it.For several meals at a time Idid not have anythingto eat. I fasted; but it was net a Spiritual fast; forIwas not saved. That was what we shall call a forcedfast. Idid without food, but it was not God that putme on the fast.I was with the most wicked crowd of boys, whoslept on concrete floors, in the city hall, on the trainsand under the trains. Some of them were bums whocursed, lied, cheated and stole. If doing without foodis fasting then the eight million people who were with-out jobs during the depression all fasted. We reallyshould have had a great revival. Itlooks like about onetenth of the people should have had power to cast outdevils, But most of them were full of the devil them-selves. Satan does not cast out Satan. Many of thesepeople had so much of the devil in them that they wouldsteal all they could get their hands on and then curse

President Hoover, blaming him for their condition.I Did Without A MealThe other night when I was holding a meeting inthe Philadelphia Evangelistic Center it so happenedthat cur services held so late that all the restaurantswere closed. I was hungry. I did not have but one mealthat day. I wanted to eat. The other ministers who hadbeen taking me down to the main part of town to eatwere off on other duties just then. I had no way togo. So I went to bed without eating.~

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which God would be pleased. God would instruct thosedear people to come to Him for help.Elijah was sent to a widow woman and her son, whowere on starvation. They were so nearly starved todeath, it seems, that they had one cake between themand death. They started to eat that cake and die.Did Elijah tell them to go on a long fast? No he didnot. God had sent Elijah to save their lives. He told

them to eat! As they obeyed God's man God suppliedthe food. The meal barrel never was empty.If they had been fasting it was a forced fast becauseof the famine. They had had no rain for about eighteenmonths. The Lord said that we would eat in plentyand be satisfied. (Joel 2 :26). He satisfies our mouthwith good things. (Ps. 103 :5).Those people they dug out of the mines recently,who had been trapped in there for weeks, were neardeath. Some of them were already dead. That wasforced fasting. I was recently in the Philippine Islands,

near the prison camps where many people did withoutfood. Then there was the road where our boys were onthe death march. A boy who weighed one hundredand sixty pounds soon weighed only sixty-five pounds.Hundreds of them fell beside the road and died. Thatwas not pleasing to the Lord for those boys to beforced to fast. It did no good, but plenty of harm.Elisha Broke A Forced Fast.

The famine was so severe in Samaria that the kingwore sackcloth on his loins. The Syrians had themclesed in. The people went to the man of God forhelp. He did not tell them to fast for deliverance.They were starving to death. Elisha told them therewould be plenty of food the next day.The fear of God so came on the Syrians that theyran aid fled. God fought the battle. Four lepers whowere starving to death said, "Why sit we here untilwe die 7" (2 Kings 7 :3).These lepers arose and went into the camp of theSv rians, finding that they had tied, leaving plenty offood.

That was a forced fast.We were talking to a man and woman who wereverv gOOfI ministers. They were newly married. Fool-ishly t hev plunged into debt. Soon they were com-pletely out of food or money; still thev refused to tellanyone about their circumstances.Some of' the neighbors discovered that they did with-cut food for about a week. God did not put that faston them. They may have prayed more since they didnot have anything to eat. I rather think they worriedmore than they prayed. A t least it was a forced fastand not a Scriptural, divinely directed fast.During the war Eddie Rickenbacker and some menwere caught out 011 the ocean in a raft, where theyfloated on the water for many days. I don't know howmany of them died from exposure and starvation.Eddie's wife was at home praying for him. It lookslike a miracle that his life was saved as a bird flew

by, furnishing him food to keep him alive until hewas rescued.Again we see that a fast was forced against thewill of the one who did without food. That is not thekind of fast God puts on us. God does not make usfast against our will.People may do without food because of their health,because they are forced into it. The doctors may putthem 011 a fast to save their lives. Yet they may beas mean as the devil.Others may do without food because of religious

rituals. Theil' church leaders, or their folks, may forcethem to abstain from food certain days, or certainseasons. Yet that is forced by man and will do littlegood; sometimes more harm than good.NIan_\, p eople are so full of fear, worry, and griefthat they can't relax long enough to eat. Their rela-ti ves may die. Thev may be grieved and worried sothey can't eat.One man became so mad that he would not eat. An-other became drunk on whiskey. A lady became men-


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THE FOURTEEN DAY FASTWhile the sailors were on a shipwreck on their wayto Rome they did not eat for fourteen days, but wasthis a God calico fast?God's fast was already past, which was the Day ofAtonement, about the middle of September. Evidently,these men, who were heathens .did not observe God'sfast day. So they ran into much trouble. (Acts 27 :9).The centurion was an unbeliever and did not believethe warning that the man of God gave them (11).The sailors did not eat while they were on watch,and they were on watch continuously clay and nightfor two weeks.They were "continually in suspense" is the way theAmplified New Testament puts it.They were constantly working, striving to save theirlife. No one had time to cook. It took all hands andthe cook to prevent drowning.They were determined to face death fighting fortheir lives. No one could eat in such a fright. Theywere under orders to work since they were facing deaththe next moment.They were heathen and did not know the leading ofGod's Spirit. Paul told them it was against theirhealth to do without food that long. He told them toeat to protect their health. It is against your healthto fast fourteen days in vour own strength. You shouldhave God to lead you in order to go 011 a long fast.We have no record that Paul instructed them tofast.Like many people today they ignored God's fastand planned one of their own, which did no good.They ungirded the ship. They were afraid of thequicksands and rocks. They were driven by waves andexceedingly tossed by a great tempest. They unloadedthe ship, evidently by hand with no heavy machinery.They threw all freight overboard. They threw out thefurniture, the tackle, and the ship equipment.They tried to brace the ship with cables, fearing thatthey would drift into the banks.They tried with great difficulty, with the tempestagainst them, to get a boat off the ship and pull it

Had the lepers stayed there and fasted a forced fastGod's people would have been destroyed, starved todeath, and missed the mind of the Lord."Give Ye Them To Eat"

The people were in a desert place. Jesus had com-passion on them and said, "Give ye them to eat." Hedid not tell them that they should keep going withoutfood. So he multiplied the five loaves and two fishesand fed the five thousand men and their families.(Luke 9:13).Jesus raised up a girl who had died and commandedthem to give her something to eat. We pray for a sicklady and command that the people give her somethingto eat. We don't say, "Go home and fast forty days soGod will heal you." We don't say, "Depart in peace beye warmed and filled." We give them those thingswhich are needful for the body. (James 2 :16).The devil tempts some nervous people, telling themthat they are not doing God's service unless thev goon a long fast. I have seen them so confused that theythought it was a sin to eat or sleep. I mention thesethings to show that confusion may force them to fast,but God wants them to relax in Him. It is God's goodpleasure to give you sleep. (Ps, 127:2). He furnishesus food sufficient for us. (Prov. 30:8). If He feeds thesparrows he will also feed us. We are of more valuethan many sparrows. He will supply all our needs.He loves lIS more than a mother loves her suckingchild. A mother wants her child to eat. God wantsHis children to eat. If your child wants bread youwill not give him a stone. How much more will ourFather give good gifts to us. (Luke 11 :11).The fast that the king did while Daniel was in thelion's den cernes from the word "tevawth" which meansto twist, or the word "tavah," which means to spin. Iunderstand that the king was so worried and so afraidthat he began to twist and to spin. He must have donewithout food because his conscience was botheringhim; because he was anxious that Daniel survive thelion's den; and because he was fasting unto God.


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to an island. Then they finally let it be thrown over-board, as they cut the ropes.They lowered the sails and ropes.They lost all hope of being saved.Paul rebuked them for doing without food; he askedthem to cheer up.They cast out the anchors. They were almost scaredto death. Many of them started to jump off the shipand escape.They cut all the ropes.Orders were given to kill many of them.In all this suspense they did not have time to eat."Asitos" is the Greek word used in speaking of thekind of fasting in Acts 27 :33. It means "without tak-ing food." That word is taken from other words, whichmeans "working all around," "busy." Thus we seethat they were so busy that they did not have timeto eat. It is not doing without food from a religiousstandpoint, as the word used in Acts 27 :9.Since we cannot definitely say that God told them

to fast we can hardly put it on the list to be divinelydirected.

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CHAPTER IIIFoolish Fasts

A minister said to a sick woman, "Go home and fastseveral davs and the Lord will heal you." She wentheme truly confused. She tried to fast, but she wasnervous and weak. She was so full of fear and doubtsthat she could not fast as long as the minister toldher to fast.All people cannot receive this saying. Some are toonervous. Doing without a few meals may help certainpeople to pray more and finally receive their healing.I am not saying that a fast will not help some folkhave faith for healing for certain diseases; but it isfoolish to make a blanket rule for all. We can't havethe same method for everyone.I failed to find anywhere in the Bible the accountwhere anyone was commanded to fast in order toreceive healing. You cannot pay for your healing. Jesushas already paid for it. It is finished. We accept a fin-ished work. We do not depend on what we do. but whatHe did.

If you are nervous, tired, sick and exhausted, thenit is good for you to be prayed for; then go home, eatsome good, hot soup and some milk. Go to bed andcover up your head. Wake up the next morning com-pletely well!

Many sick people have not had any appetite formonths. They can't hold anything on their stomach.When Jesus touches them He also gives them an appe-tite. The hunger is a sign that God has touched them.He wants them to eat and regain their strength.A False IdeaYou ask certain people to believe for their healing.They frown and show they are full of doubt. They say,"My preacher prayed for me and I did not get healing;so he said this is the kind that only comes out byprayer and fasting.As long as you think you must go on a long fast to

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Paul. They thought that he had some kind of strangepower of witchcraft and was of the devil. The old lawcommanded for them to kill the witches and wizzards.(Exodus 22 :18).They were bound by tradition. They took this atti-

tude: "You don't need to be led by the Spirit of Godwhen to go on a long fast. Just decide that you wantsomething; then fast until you receive it."That proves that it is not always wise to be anointedby your own spirit to go on a long fast. God knows

the time and purpose, and the length of a divinelyinspired fast.The Holy Spirit will lead you when to fast if He isdwelling in you. (John 14:13). His sheep k now Hisvoice. God has a specific purpose in each individual'slife.There are many people who

Fast O ut of God's W i ll .To do so is to do foolishly. God condemns such fasts.It is self righteous and sac-religious. Our righteousnessis as tilt hv rags. God despises and detests such self'-will worahip. That is to be compared with the fast ofthe Buddhists, Mohammedans, Greeks, and Romans.True fasting is a form of worship. They that worship

God must worship Him in Spirit and Truth.Someone said, "We must fast forty days if the Mo-

hammedans do. They put us to shame." They gainnothing by their fast. It is vain glory. Jesus said, for usto be not as the hypocrites which appear unto men tofast. (Matt. 6:16).We are not supposed to imitate the people who deny

the virgin birth. Be not like unto them. Cain thoughtthat he would also bring a sacrifice unto God. But hehad the wrong Spirit, which denoted self righteousness.You are to be directed by the Spirit to go on a long

fast. You say, "Well, what if Idon't have the Baptismof the Holy Ghost'?" Then the next step is to receivethe Holy Ghost. Then you will be led what to do andwhen to do it. A Seven Day FastKing Saul committed suicide and died after God de-

parted from Him.

receive your healing you do not believe you will behealed tcdav. According to your faith be it unto you.You cannot believe two opposite things at one time.You cannot believe that God will heal ycu tonight atthe same time you believe that He is going to waituntil you go on a long fast.What kind comes out only by prayer and f'ast inc ?It was a deaf and dumb spirit. Are vou deaf and dumb'!Are vou devil possessed? Does the devil throw you intothe water and fire. D o you chew your tongue. foam atthe mouth, and wallow on the ground like a mad per-so n ? (Mark 9:14-29).Remember that little boy received deliverance. Hedid net fast. Hi!' dad was not asked to fast ten days.He was healed because a man was there who had fastenand overcome the devil. He received power to deliverother people. (Luke 4 :18). In our meetings a man isusuallv there who has already fasted and receivedpower to deliver the dcv il possessed people. The devilpossessed person is not asked to go fast two weeks inorder to be healed.If anvone was supposed to fast for that kind ofpower it was Peter, or some of the disciples. It was nolthe bey who was bound. Fasting is usualiy to givepower to loose the captives, and not for the devil pos-sessed to cast the devil out of themselves,Remember the disciples a lreadv had power to heal

all manner of sickness and disease. (Luke 9:1). Itseems that [hey could deliver evervone except one caseout of it thousn nd : a nd that was devil possession.

Forty Jews FastedMore t han f'urtv Jews deterrn ined t ha t t hev wou lrleat nothing until [hey had killed Paul. They did not

kill him. He escaped their hands. Some of them rnavhave starved themselves to death. Some prohablv triedto imitate ;\Toses and Elijah and not eat for forty days.This proves that all fasts are not inspired. Manvare out of GO(rS will.No doubt thev thought thev were doing God's serv-ice. They were HS sincere as Paul ,,"


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do all your work at the same time," Then they wonderwhy God does not hear them,"Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thouseeth not?"But God answers, "Behold in the day of your fastye find pleasure, and exact ALL YOUR LABOURS,"(Isa. 58:3),Some fast because they feel sorry for themselves,

The children of Israel fasted, but not unto the Lord.(Zech. 7:5). They did this regularly for seventy years.Many do the same today. It does harm instead of good.God condemns it.Some people think of God as a convenience. Theydon't repent or live right, but they think when theyneed help all they need to do is to sacrifice a few mealsand receive help.God said unto Jeremiah, "Pray not for this peoplefor their good. When they fast I will not hear theircry! and when they offer burnt offerings and an obla-tion, I will not accept them." (Jer. 14 :11-12).I knew a leader and a teacher in a large Bible in-stitute one time who gave to hundreds of ministersA Definition to Fasting.He told those ministers that the way a man must

f'ast is when he was so busy with his work that he didnot take time to eat. He said that when a preacherbecame so busy visiting his members or reading theBible, or books, or so taken up with his work that hedid not take time to eat, that was the true way to fast.In spite of the fact that those preachers said,

"Amen," I believed that fasting was more than that.In fact it is very, very foolish for anyone, even apreacher, to get tied up with his work so that he willnot take time to eat at meal time. To get in too big ahurry and omit food is not good for a man's system.He may have stomach trouble or ulcers. If you are toobusy to eat or rest you are too busy. God did not in-tend for you to be that busy.The Lord may understand and look over you some-times for not taking time to rest. relax or eat. But tosay the least this is not the genuine fast.Don't neglect your body. Eat all your body needs,

The Philistines found him and cut off his head. Theytook his armor. They fastened his body to the wall ofBethshan. The Jabesh-gileadites burnt his body andburied his bones. Then they fasted seven days.They were out. of God's will; yet they fasted. (I Sam.31:13) .These men stole Saul's body. (2 Sam. 21 :12).This was contrary to God's way. David had to re-cover his bones later and bury them in the right place

before God would give the victory and end the famine.(2 Sam. 21 :14).The Jabesh-g ileadites, rebelled against God's leader,

David, and selected their king. They fasted for Saulafter he rebelled against God and died, which did nogood. It was a foolish fast. The\' were finallv defeatedand proven to be out of God's ;ill. .These people thought thev could fast and build their

own kingdom, although the." were out of God's will.The fast was not divinely directed.There are many fasts which God is not in, because

the people are rebelling against God, trying to put overtheir own plans, to establish a name for themselves.Many Hypocrites Fast

It does no good, but harm. Thev seek honor frommen. (Matt. 6: 16-18). .They only gratify their human ambition. They may

as well eat, drink, and be merry, for they are con-demned before God. The Pharisees boasted about theirfasts. (Luke 18:12-14).A genuine, God called fast is a sacred thing. A true

man of God is careful not to mention his fast, unlesshe feels led to do so.The religious leaders fasted for strife for mysticalbenefits, competitive advantages over others, public

opinion. personal powers, health purposes, and manymore selfish reasons. They bring God's plan down tothe carnal and natural.Manv people advise the laboring man to go on a

long fast. They sav, "It does not matter whether ornot vou are led of the Spirit. Go on a long Fast evenwhile you are working. You can fast forty days and


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Peter and .lohn were sent with another ministry. Theylaid hands 011 Philip's converts, who were filled withthe Holv Ghost. ['ctcr discerned that one of the menwhich Philip baptized was still full of Lhe devil andthat his heart was not right. Philip did not seem tohave t hat certain gift of discerning of spirits whichPeter demonstrated. (Acts 8).God led Philip to another field to be used in a specialministrv ill the conversion of a high official, who prob-ably took t.his message back to his own country andcaused a whole nation to he influenced.Suppose Philip had said, "I refuse to leave Samaria;I refuse to eat unt.il 1 receive a ministry just like Peterhas."lIe would not have been in God's will. lie would havebeen put on t.he :-;h('11".He would have been confusedand lost God's leading, Mavbe he would have appliedfor a church to pastor.Iwrite this for the hcnefit of my friends who havetaught that you may go on a long fast, without theleading of the Lord and get anything you take a notion

.VOLI want.The Lord is either leading you on a long fast or Heis not leading you to go on a long fast. If you arc ledby the Spirit you will either be led to fast or do some-thing else. I f you an' led by your own Spirit vou arenot in God's will.The accuser of the brethren is at work. He will tellyou that vou are not doing what you should do if youare not on a forty day fast. I f you believe that and

don't go on the long fast you will admit that you aresinning, for he that knoweth to do good and doeth itnot to him it is sin. Satan will get you to confess thatyou are sinning. Then he will tell you that you cau'tget the answer to your prayer because you are sinning.He will SRY, "You might as well do any sin as to sina little."[f God wants YOLI to go all a protracted fast He willlead you to do so. He can run His own business. If theLord wants you to go on a long fast He has His owntime, place, and purpose.

unless God directs you to fast. Postponing your mealsis not Biblical fasting. If you are anointed to prayand miss your meals, that is different than just get-ting busy working and not eating. You can backslidedoing church work, becoming so busy that you nevertake time to pray, or get alone with God in your secretcloset. One of My Friendshad been taught that you do not need to wait for theleading of the Lord to go on a long fast. He was a verygood minister and a fine Christian man. He wanted arevival above everything else.One day he decided that he would go on a long fastand not eat until the Lord gave him exactly whatBrother Branham had. He did not eat anything fortwo months. He did not receive what Brothel' Branhamhad. He is in glory now. In a way I admire him forhaving a wonderful zeal for the Lord. I don't blamehim as much as J blame some sincere people thattaught him wrong. He had confidence in them.I don't suppose Brother Branham went on a fortyday fast seeking his ministry. God seemed to havechosen him Fo r a certain purpose.The Lord gave Ananais the word of knowledge. Hemay have fasted. He may not have fasted. Anyway wesee in Acts nine that the Lord gave him the name andaddress of people. Through the Spirit he was made toknow the name of the town, the name of a certain man,the name of the man who owned the house, and thename of the street.Suppose Stephen had said, "I will not eat any more

until the Lord shows me the name and address of peo-ple." He could have fasted fifty days without thatresults.God bestowed the gifts of signs and wonders onStephen. Wonderful things took place in his ministry,but he may have never had a ministry like Ananias.We must be willing to accept the ministry the Lordwants us to have.God performed signs and wonders through Evange-list Philip. When he preached Jesus people were de-livered from sin and devils. A fter they were saved


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I would like to tell you aboutA Very Good Manwhere I have just been in a revival. He was underthe impression that he could fast several weeks andreceive what Peter had.Satan told him that he was sinning if he did not

go on a long fast like Jesus did. He became all con-fused and nervous. His system was very weak. Hisfaith was very low. So he proceeded to fast a long timeand hold down his strenuous job also. Satan fought him.Since he was fasting in his own strength he did nothave the faith to resist. So his mind became confuseduntil he went around thinking that he was someoneelse. That fast may have done more harm than good,because he did it under the anointing of his ownspirit. because Satan told him that he must fast manydays and work at the same time.One man said that Peter was fasting while he wason top of the house. because the Bible says that hebecame very hungry and would have eaten. If he hadeaten it would have satisfied his hunger. But that wasin a vision. The animals were only seen in a vision.When he awoke out of the vision he may not have beenhungry.He may have fasted that day. I suppose he did. Butif the Bible does not say that he did, then we cannotsay so either. A doctrine should not be built on sup-position.One lady taught that you must not stop working onyour job when you go on a thirty day fast. but keepright on working.When you fast you should get alone with God andget your mind on Spiritual things. You may fast twoor three days and work at the same time. Some folkhave strength and faith to go longer than others whilethey are working.If God has called you into a full time ministry ofhealing the sick and casting out devils he usually givesyou time to give yourselves to fasting and prayer andlet others serve tables. (Acts 6). But if He wants youto continue to plow corn and dig ditches then He maynot tell you to fast for weeks at a time.

Fasting is Sacred.You will be indifferent as to whether or not peopleknow about it.Of course, there are two kinds of fasting, public andprivate, as we will see in the next chapter.But far too many people are like the man in thePhilippines. He held meetings from place to place. Buthe put up large advertisements like this: "COMEHEAR A MAN WHO HAS' FASTED SIX WEEKS."

It seems that the poor man had no signs following.He cast out no devils. The sick were not healed thatwe know of. Ifhe fasted for publicity and self glory;that explains why he had no results.A bootlegger or a whoremonger can do without foodforty days. at different intervals. The Lord is againstsuch fasts."Behold ye fast for strife and debate. and to smitewith the fist of wickedness." (Is. 58:4).A lady in the church called me lo help her. She wasin a very bad condition. She was nervous and tense.She thought that it was a sin to sleep or eat. I explainedto her that the Lord wanted us to sleep and eat. Aperson like that should be encouraged to eat, and shouldnot be encouraged to go on a long fast.Seven Day Fast.In the face of the fact that the man of God toldDavid that his child. which was born out of wedlock,would surely die, David went on a fast and tried topray for the child to get well. For seven days the childwas sick. For seven days David refused to eat anything.Evidently David was not directed by the Lord to fastseven days.He was fasting for something which was againstGod's will. Even if you go on a forty day fast, forsemething which is plainly against the revealed willof the Lord, for something which you are bringing uponyourself by sin, you are wasting your time. You areacting foolish. Itwill do no good unless you are in thedivine will of the Lord to do your fasting. It will endin confusion.David was zrieved, vexed, and worried.David did without sleep as well as food.


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lIe did not accomplish his purpose.Since the Bible does not sav that David was directed

of the Lord to fast, we cannot say that he was in God'swill by f'ast ing , Thcrefru-c we can't put him on our lista : - ; being directed of the Lord to fast seven days. Godhad already told him the baby must die. (II Sam.12: 14).There are many other times that David fasted in his

life. Maybe some were more than seven day". But wehave no record in the Bible t.hat God directed him tofast as much as seven davs at one time.Why do you call Ilim Lord, Lord, and do not the

things lIe says 7 Fasting and praying will not take theplace of forsaking your sins. Unless .YOU are divinelydirected to fast. t hen fasting is foolish. It will accorn-plish very little.You sa.,', "How will I know when God wants me to

f'ast ?" He.savs, "lVI~' sheep know my voice." If you arelIi sheep you know how to be led by the Spirit; ifyou do not know the leading of the Spirit you aredoing a foolish and unwise thing by going on a longfast; you may seek the Lord for something that Hewants to give to another. You would be wasting yourprecious time.You say, "Well, maybe God told David to fast." Well,

maybe He did. I only say that. we cannot sav He didwhen the Hible does not say so. .The wicked queen, Jezcbel, called a fast and planned

Nahnth's death. (J Kings 21 :9). A good man was killedwhich proved the fast contrary to Gild's will. Thisproves that all faxts do not have the right motive. Allfast" are not a God d irected fast. She thought thatthere was 110 need to be led by the Spirit. It was be-cause she was not in connection with the Spirit of God.

CHAPTER IVFaithful Fast.

I have one good friend that ea ts like a horse allthe time, about rive times as much as he really needs.Then, to atone for that, he goes on a seven day fast.But temperance all along between the fasts j" justas important as the fast.Paul compared himself to an athlete who is temper-

ate in all things, keeping his bodv under subjection tokeep it fit.I know a good minister who told me that he was

going cut West and work hard, night and day, andmake a lot of money. Then he said that he was cominghome and pray hard and grow spiritual. It does notwork that way. This i" a continual warfare.Some folk are the same way when it comes to fast-

ing. They let their appetite go unrestrained for months.Then they try to make up for it by fasting.If you have the Spirit you have temperance; for

temperance is the fruit of the Spirit. A good tree bringsforth good fruit,The flesh lustcth against the Spirit and the Spirit

against the flesh. lIe that is in the flesh cannot pleaseGod. If you follow after the flesh you shall die. Asmany as are led by the Spirit of God are the Son" ofGod,One appetite going uncontrolled may lead to other

appetites getting loose.Adam and Eve

disobeyed the Lord's command and took the forbiddenfruit, which led to disaster for the whole human race.Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pott.aze. He

continued to let this appetite get out of control andsoon became a fornicator. (Heb. 12:16).Uncontrolled appetites lead to hig-h blood pressure

and heart trouble, which can be the beginning of manyother physical troubles. Some folk eat themselves todeath. They dig their grave with their teeth.


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Many times after you eat too much of what you likea false appetite begins. Many Americans eat five timesas much as they need.The children of Israel gave way to their appetite inthe wilderness. God granted their request by givingthem meat; but they received leanness in their souls.(Ps, 106:14-15). They wasted forty years.Just before the flood the people were more concernedwith eating and drinking than they were with Spiritualthings. People are doing the same way today. (Matt.24 :37-38).

If you are prayed up and are being led by the Spiritin other things you will feel the Spirit check you whenyeu have enough to eat. Then you will know how torefuse the second helping, the third helping, the extrapiece of pie, the fourth meal in a day, or the mid-night snack.It is not the number of meals that hurts so much;it is how much you eat during that one meal.He Must Guide You ContinuallyIf you are not led by the Spirit in the little thingsyou will not be led by the Spirit in the larger things.(Luke 16: 10). If you don't know God's leadings, howwculd you know how to be led by the Spirit in fastingand praying to receive a ministry? Even if you receiveda ministry you would not know how to be led, where tobe led, and when you should say, "Arise and walk."Can you imagine Jesus letting His appetite get outof control and eating twice as much as He needed,until He would groan with the stomach ache? Yet Heset UR an example that we should follow His steps.Instead of going on a fast it is good sometimes toonly eat a sandwich or a bowl of soup, in order to keepdown your appetite so you can pray more.In this way you are keeping your body under sub-jection. (I Cor. 9:27). You must control your appetiteor it will control you.If your body is the tabernacle of God and the templeof the Holy Ghost then it must be under control of theSpirit. Your body must be a living sacrifice. In this wayyou will fight to the finish everything that sticks upits head that is contrary to God's will in your life. In

this way you will be in connection with the Spirit, soyou will have love, pity, mercy, and compassion forsick and suffering humanity. In this way you are deny-ing yourself, taking up your cross and following theMaster. You may receive power to deliver people fromhabits. But how can you deliver others from habits ifyou are not delivered?'1 hrough the guidance of the Spirit you may be tem-perate, so you will be drawn from the natural desiresinto the Spiritual. You may decrease, so Christ can in-crease in your life.After I Was SavedIbelieved very much in the Scripture that said theHoly Ghost wculd lead us into ALL truth and guide uscontinually. I tried to be guided in every little thing. Iwas surprised at myself how little rood it would taketo do me. But I found if 1 would be led by the Spiritwhen to stop eating, then the Spirit of prayer wouldrest upon me and the Holy Ghost would pray throughme, sometimes six hours without stopping. I wouldreally see results after Iwent to church.Fasting Part of a DayMany hundreds of times I would omit my breakfastin order to pray. After I began to preach I had a habitof staying in the bed until I prayed through, regard-less if it was eight o'clock or twelve o'clock. My wifewould understand and cooperate with me. I appreciatethat. She knew that was important.For twenty-five years I have had a habit of nevereating my evening meal, if I went to church. I havegone for eight weeks at a time doing without my

breakfast and my evening meal. We would see peoplefilled with the Holy Ghost every night for seventy-fivenights in succession; and most every day. The reasonI did that, there was a burden of prayer on me; I didnot feel led to eat. Others may not feel led that way.Even when we were not going to church I would lieflat on my face in the bedroom and pray until aboutfour o'clock. I had a habit of never leaving the roomuntil I prayed the burden off and received the assurancethat God had answered my prayer. Sometimes I wouldpray an hour; sometimes four or five hours.


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My wife understood. She would not wait the eveningmeal on me. If I wanted something to eat I would eatlater.Idid not call that fasting when Iomitted my break-fast for fifteen years, or when I went to church withoutmy evening meal; but Ibelieve it was, since Ihavethought about. it. T believe it was fasting "Oft" as Pauland David did. (II Cor. 11:26).I would not advise others to do that if they are notled of the Lord to do so. God may have other purposesin your life.Joshua and the elders lay on their face from morn-ing until evening without eating. (Josh. 7 :6). Theeleven tribes did the same. (Judges 20:26). The Israel-ites fasted part of a day. (lSam. 7 :6). David and hismen fasted until evening. (II Sam. 1:12).Doing without food is counted a fast in the Bible.Of course temperance in eating is not fasting.God put his approval on a fast which Saul called. It

was a part of a day. (1 Sam. 14 :24). God counted it asin because Jonathan die! not observe it.One Day FastItwas often that I fasted a day at a time. I wouldsee great results, when 1 went to the services. 1 wouldsee my best friends saved. Some of the roughest boot-leggers in the country were saved. I believe it was be-cause I fasted a day, and prayed. I would dance in theSpirit and feel as light as a feather. You may not dothat but I did. I went tochurch one hundred and fortynights out of one hundred and fifty and danced in the

Spirit every night.I tcld one man that I would not eat anything for myevening meal, and pray for him every night until hewas delivered from tobacco. We went ten nights, buthe was delivered and received the Holy Ghost. 1 toldanother man the same thing and we wenl eighty-fournights without an evening meal. He abo received theHoly Ghost.There was a certain day in the Bible times which wascalled the fasting day."Therefore go thou, and read in the roll upon the

This was on the day of atonement and was observedfor many hundreds of years by God's people. (Lev.16 :29) (Lev. 23 :27).God's people had a certain day to fast. The fast wasalreadv past when Paul and the men were ship-wrecked. (Acts 27 :9).Fasts ProclaimedWhen Jehoshaphat was outnumbered many timesami it looked as he was going to lose the battle heproclaimed a fast. The Lord heard his prayer and gavehim the victory that day. The battle was won super-naturally. (II ChI'. 20 :23).Samuel gathered all Israel and fasted a day. Theyhad a great revival and won the victory over the enemy."And they gathered together to Mizpeh . . . andfasted ON TIIAT DAY ... " (I Sam. 7:6).When Ahab heard that judgment hac! been past onhim he fasted and prayed. God prolonged the judgmentuntil later. (lKings 21:27)."The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of theti fth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of thetenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness.... " (Zech. 8 :19). We see that the Lord put His ap-proval on one clay fasts. He recommends fasting often.The Pharisees fasted twice each week. Jesus did notcondemn them for it. He only condemned their motive.He said, "This ve ought to have done." (Matt. 23 :23).The Pharisees fasted "oft." (Matt. 9: 14). That wasthe usual way they did for many centuries. Jesus saidthat people would continue to do so after He left. (Matt.

9:14; Luke 2:18; Luke 5:35).Anna served God with fastings and was made toknow that Jesus was the Christ. The Bible does notsay that she fasted more than the usual time.Cornelius fasted the fourth day before he sent mento bring Peter to preach to them. Peter came down andpreached to them. They all received the Holy Ghostwhile Peter was talking. That one day fast broughtgreat results.This does not prove that people are required to fastto receive the Holy Ghost, although fasting helps one


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that the rest of the household of Cornelius fasted, yetthey also received the Holy Ghost.You need to receive the Holy Ghost. Then you willbe led by the Spirit whether or not to go on a long fast.One should have consent from his companion to goon a fast. This says for "a time". That is to fast andpray. "A time of prayer and fasting" does not meannecessarily a long fast. Itcan mean long or short. (ICor. 7 :5). Daniel Fasted OftenHe read Jeremiah's writings and received a burdenof intercession. He prayed three times a day and wasput into the den of lions. He overcame the lion's den asthe results of prayer and fasting. As a result he under-stood prophecy, God's plan for the ages.Why? He confessed, prayed and fasted. He madesupplications, fasted, and wore sackcloth and ashes.(Dan. 9 :3). We can't say that he fasted any longer

than he wore sack cloth and ashes.Daniel was a very busy man with the affairs of thenation. He may have fasted more than one day at atime. He may have fasted often. Since the Bible doesnot say, we had better not say that he fasted a longtime.Daniel won the victory over the Prince of Persia,which was undoubtedly an evil spirit that directed thehuman ruler of that nation.Casting out devils and fighting demons takes a man'sstrength. Daniel had no strength left in him. Anyonewho has fought with demons under a heavy anointingof the Spirit knows that it takes his strength. Afterthe disciples went on a mission of casting out devilsJesus told them that they must come aside and restawhile. (Mark 6:31). Jesus' strength left Him in theGarden cf Gethsemane as He prayed, although he hadjust eaten with His disciples.Daniel's strength leaving him while he was makinga prayer of intercession does not prove that he fastedthree weeks anymore than it proves that the disciplesand Jesus fasted three weeks. When Paul was weak

but that does not prove that he fasted for weeks at atime. (Ps. 35:3; 60:10; 109:24).Ezra Won By FastingKing Cyrus of Babylon made a proclamation whichpermitted the Jews to go back to their own country.It was a very dangerous trip, because of the thievesthat robbed and killed. Ezra used his God given planof fasting and praying. As far as we know it was theusual time of a one day fast that he called.It does not always take a long time for the Lord tohear our prayer, especially when we are praying inHis will. God answered Ezra's prayer. They had a safejourney although they had a sum of wealth with them."So we fasted and sought our God for this and hewas intreated of us."Nehemiah mourned certain days before he returned.(Neh. 1:4; 9:1). But we do not know whether it wasone day or more.In speaking of the last days, in which we are JivingJoel advised the ministers and people of God to turnto God in fasting and in prayer. (Joel 1 :14; 2 :12-14).He recommends calling a public fast. He knew theworth of a national day of fasting and prayer. That iswhat is needed today.Fasting in the New Testament.The early church was praying for the revealed wiIIof God. Some time before this God had spoken and saidthat he had called Paul into a special work. After awhile they called a day of fasting and prayer. (Theymay have fasted more than one day, but we don'tknow.)"As they ministered unto the Lord, and fasted, theHoly Ghost said, separate me Barnabas and Saul forthe work whereunto I have called them." (Acts 13 : 2).As they went, their opposition was struck blind;many churches were built; demons were cast out; spe-cial miracles were wrought with handkerchiefs; thebook of Acts and fourteen books of the New Testa-ment were written; They even fasted and laid handson elders to ordain them, in new churches most every-where they went. (Acts 14 :23). Yet Paul fasted


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Let Us Supposethat Farmer Brown had decided that he wanted themto lay hands on him and send him as an apostle to t~eGentiles. Suppose they had fasted, prayed and laidhands on him, without the leading of the Spirit. (Yousee God's will had already been made known that Paulwas to go; God was leading that way.)Suppose Farmer Brown had gone on this journey toimitate Paul:No man would have been healed who had neverwalked.The opposition would not have been struck blind.He would not have built those churches or written

fourteen books of the Bible.Handkerchiefs from his body may have been nogood.He might have come back disgusted, puzzled; anddiscouraged!Maybe he would have gone back to his farm to findhis wagon, mules, cattle, house, and land gone! Some-one else would have had his Sunday School class. Hewould have been a big question mark to himself andto his neighbors.I onlv mention this to show that we should have themind of the Lord and be led by the Spirit, and fast forGod's revealed will to be done.God did not send James on this journey. He kept himat home to oversee the church. He could have fastedforty days and had a hundred preachers to lay handson him; still he would not have received Paul's minis-try. Every man has his proper gift of God. The Lorddivides the gifts to us as HE WILL, not as we will.Ilearned the value ofA One Day Fast

just after I was saved. We were in a revival, but didnot see any results. We felt like we should call a dayof fasting and prayer. We all met at the church. Itseemed like the heaven over us was brass for a longtime. Sometime after noon, the Lord told us to go andget some offended parties, and He would give us vic-tory that day. We sent for the parties who had beentreated wrong. After they were reconciled to each other

a mighty wave of glory covered the church. A mightyrevival followed! The town was shaken the next threeweeks! Fasting and prayer does the work, when otherthings fail.

Sinners May FastII is alright for sinners to fast if they are under

conviction and really mean to turn to the Lord; if theyare repenting. When they are sincere it will do somegood.Jonah went down to Ninevah and told the peoplethat the Lord said the city would be destroyed. Theking proclaimed a fast. They all fasted from the kingLa the cattle. About 2,000,000 souls were spared. Itmay have been one meal. It may have been a day offasting. It does not take long for God to hear a sinnerwho is really sincere. (Jonah 3 :5-9).

Three Days FastsIremember about the first time Iever fasted three

days. Itwas just after Iwas saved, at nineteen yearsof age. It was in the last part of August Ibelieve. Mybrother, .i ust cider, and Iwere picking cotton. The sunwas hot. We carried our heavy sacks of cotton abouthalf of a mile on our shoulders each time we would geta sack full. Iwould work real fast all day, about twelvehours.Iwould beat Virgil every time. Ifelt good. Iwas not

the least bit hungry. He was not saved, so he wasamazed at my strength. He asked me one questionafter another. Idid not know how to answer them all,but Iknew Ifelt the power of the Lord strengtheningme to work. The anointing of the Spirit was upon me.Virgil was seized with a heavy conviction. He wentto church and was saved.Several more times I felt like I should fast three

days, which always brought results. I always workedhard all the time. It seemed that I had more to do whenI tried to fast than I did before I fasted. One time Iwas pastoring a church when I went on a three dayfast. We saw many people saved as a result.Esther Called a FastHaman became jealous of Mordecai and influenced

the king to issue a decree that all the Jews would be


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killed. Queen Esther, who was Jewish herself, calleda three day fast as death was very near for the wholenation.The King issued another decree that on a certainday the Jews could defend themselves and save theirlives, The wicked Haman was hanged on the samegallows that he l1ad prepared for Mordecai.The three day fast saved a whole nation of Jewswhen the King's decree could not be changed. If athree day fast can save a whole nation then why wouldit take a forty day fast to save your son'! As long asyou think you must fast forty days in order for yourson to be saved then you will have no faith for hissalvation unless you do without eating forty days.Don't let Satan worry you with such false ideas.A three day fast will usually cause your loved onesto turn to God. The following is whatBrother Asher Told Me"Years ago my mother, Mrs. Stella Asher, was at-tending an old fashioned holiness meeting. She becamevery heavily burdened for my father, George Asherto be saved. My father was a drinking, smoking, to-bacco chewing, cursing and gambling man. So mymother was impressed to fast and pray for his soul'ssake. So she told God she would not eat nor drink untilHe saved her husband. She only had to fast three daysand nights. The third night my father wouldn't comein under the brush arbor. So when the minister gavethe invitation for the sinners my father came in, wentdown and knelt at the old fashioned altar at 9 :00 p.m.and at 2 :00 a.m. he got up. He never said anythingbut he was white as a sheet."The next morning Mother was cooking breakfast.She sent my father to the barn to get some eggs forbreakfast. Mother cooked the bread, made the coffee,fried the bacon ann Dad kept staying at the barn. SoMether said, "Son, I believe I'll go down to the barnand see what has happened to your Father." As Motherand I got near the barn, here came my dad from behindthe crib with pea vines wrapped all around his body.He had his hands up toward heaven praising God. We

Dad went to the COrn crib and reached into the cornup to his shoulder and brought out pint after pintof whiskey, broke it over the wagon wheel. He wentto the house and threw his poker chips into the fire.He threw away his Prince Albert, chewing tobacco andsnuff. God had heard Mother's prayer and had honoredher fasting. He awarded her by breaking the bands ofthe wicked."A Pharisee FastedThis time it was the right motive and it did somegood.Saul was blinded by a dazzling light from heaven.He saw Jesus.He fell to the earth and saw a vision. He had a con-versation with the Lord.He trembled under God's power, and was instructedto go into Damascus.He was there three days waiting on inatructionsfrom the Lord.He was so busy praying, so in earnest, that he hadno time to eat.I don't believe he had any appetite. He was in dark-ness and could not see.God spoke to Ananias, telling him Paul's name, ad-dress, and the name of the owner of the house; alsothe name of the man who needed prayer. He went andprayed for' Saul, who received his sight. the HolyGhost, and a ministry.

If vcu are one of those people who have a stronghealthy body, a rebellious spirit as Saul had, and havenever received the Holy Ghost, you might fast two orthree days, which will mellow your spirit., if you comein the right attitude before God.If a man like Paul who was stubborn as the devilcan receive the Holy Ghost by fasting three days, youmay do so by fasting only one meal. At least it wouldnot take you more than three days.One man asked me if he should fast even if God didnot tell him to do so. I said, "No, but you might needto postpone a few meals to be filled with the Spirit, in


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of the Holy Ghost you will know whether or not Godwants you to fast forty days. CHAPTER VBooks by Rev. W . V . Gran t

SOc each or all twelve books for $5.00Freedom Fasts

Ord.r from GRANT'S FAitH CLINICBo" 353. Dallas, T."as

.Iesus said that if the people went more than threedays without food that they would faint by the way.I Ie did not tell them that they should fast manv daysand keep going. He had compassion on them.This shows that one should not go on a fast overthree days without the Lord tells him to do so. Some-times God leads otherwise."Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said,I have compassion on the multitude, because they con-tinue with me now three days. am! have nothing toeat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest theyfaint in the way." (Matt. 15 :32).I stood it quiet well on a three days fast, even whileworking; then when T fasted four days I became veryweak, and was sick at my stomach the third day. It

made me so sick that I began to vomit and went to bed .This is the place to say that some people can nat-LI ral 1 . \ ' fast a certain length of time. But other peoplecan stand much longer fasts. That is why I don't wantto take the responsibility of advising them how Tongto fast. There is no set rule. You don't know the otherperson's physical condition, the amount of faith hehas, 01' the condition of his mind or nerves. That is whywe should let the Lord tell him when to go on a verylong fast.

I' . THEliftA N D '

l"'''!I5JRYt;' ~",. '"-~~~~

Seven Days FastI knew just how much I could stand. I knew myphysical makeup and condition and knew that in thenatural I could not stand over a three day fast withoutgetting sick.Then T met several people who fasted seven days ata time. Truthf'ullv I thought that it was foolish. Theytold me that I did not need to feel any lead of theSpirit, but advised me to immediately plunge into aseven day fast. I knew that in the natural it would be

34


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impossible, or maybe injurious to me, knowing thecondition of my system.Those people that I knew did not feel anything espe-cially leading them to go on the week's fast. It did notseem to hurt them or help them. And they did notespecially feel anything leading them after they cameoff the fast. Some of them had no ministry. Some ofthem preached to fifty people, or had fifty in SundaySchool before and after the week's fast. So it seemedthat the fasts were in the natural, and not verymiraculous.Then one night to my surprise the Lord appearedto me and told me to go on a seven day fast, which Iwas willing to do. I took it that the Lord was readyright then. So I did not eat another bite for seven days.As before the third day I became sick. I vomitedand went to bed. My wife waited on me as a nursewould in the hospital.I am not telling you other people's experience. I am

telling you mine.I won't say that it was easy, for it was not. I waspastoring ; so I sent word for another fellow to takecare of the church and preach over the week end.People told me that I would see visions when I wenten a long fast. During the fast all the visions I sawwas beefsteak, gravy, potatoes, and such like. After thefast was over the Lord appeared to me. I heard theangels singing a song I had never heard. I wrote itdown. It was beautiful! It was like heaven. Then anangel just above my head spoke these words, "In my

name shall ye cast out devils, ye shall lay hands on thesick and they shall recover."I definitely knew when the fast was over. I had madeno preparation for juice to drink. When I stood on myfeet I was so weak. My stomach was so empty! Mywife found some pineapple juice and gave it to me.When I drank it I went to the floor with cramps! Butin a few hours I could eat chicken soup, and later ona meal.As I began to eat I felt something like an electric

to the bottom of my feet. The fire of God was allthrough my body!This has been about eleven years ago; I have nottold my audience; I considered it so sacred!God sent us a revival and began to answer prayer!The number of the church people increased. In a fewweeks, when my time was expired, the Lord spoke tome and told me to leave the church and go out into theevangelistic field!I hope you understand that I mean to be honoringthe Lord when I say that after this deaf ears and blindeyes were healed as easily as a headache before. Webegan to see hundreds of people receive the Holy GhostBaptism.Several times after this the Lord led me to go on aseven clay fast. Each time Ibecame hungry. Each timeI became sick. Each time, after the fast, I felt the sup-ernatural fire of God in the temple of the Holy Ghost.It seems too sacred to mention.

Eleven Day FastThe Lord appeared to me three nights before mymeeting was over. He told me to fast eleven days. Istood it quiet well until the last night of the meeting.I became sick in the middle of my sermon. I let thepastor preach until I went on the outside and vomited.He carried on the same subject. I came back in andtook up the same subject and finished it. We saw scoresof people come forward and many delivered.Then I went home, to my mother and dad's house upin the country to finish the fast. My wife waited on me.

On the even days, like six, eight or ten I felt like Icould fast a month. I was not hungry. On the unevendays, as nine and eleven I had to battle. I felt like goingand whipping a school teacher that treated me wrongtwenty-five years before. I felt like whipping a manthat left his wife and children. I was tempted to whipa preacher that lied on me. I did not know those thingswere left in there. They were fought down and over-come by the Spirit of God, before I left that room!My dad had never worried about anything that I


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me to drink some grape juice. He said that he had heardthat people could not do without food over nine days.1 ' 1 . \ ' brother came to the door with some peanutbutterand crackers. The scent went up my nose and temptedme. My brothel' brought food and begged me to eat.I knew definitely when the fast was over. Mammabrought some milk and chicken soup. Soon I was eat-ing meals again. I surely appreciated them. It seemedthat I had a new stomach. I could not stand to eat

much at a time.I had no visions. But the Lord told me one thingafter the fast. That was this, "Be led by the Spirit."After then when I went into a prayer room andprayed for the ones people told me to, I saw nothingdone. But when I went into a prayer room and prayedfor the ones the Lord told me to I would see scoresreceive the Holy Ghost.Now 1 see how Peter and John could say, "Rise andwalk" to the lame 'man; and see him healed. Thevwaited until the Lord told them to say it. Then it wasnot they, but the Lord doing the work. It was the HolvGhost speaking through them. If they had tried it theday before it would not have worked, for it would havebeen them talking. They did not say these word" to thenext man they met. Another time Peter said, "JesusChrist maketh thee whole."Fourteen Day FastThe Lord spoke to me to gO' on another fast, tellingme the number of clays. This time I did not go homeor let my folks know about it. I rented some rooms.M~' wife was faithful to stay by me. The fourth clay 1was sick. I went to bed. On the ninth, eleventh, thir-teenth and all uneven days I was hungry and wentthrough temptations. On the even days I felt heavenon earth, like I could go on for months.I did not need a doctor to help me break the fast.The Lord was so gracious to me. One woman used fivedays getting ready for her fast and ten days breakingher fast and counted them in on her days of fasting. Idid not eat a bite or take any nourishment of any kindduring the fast God told me to go on.

up into heaven. This was after I finished fasting. Upthere God gave me certain things which are too sacredto mention.God showed me the difference in "reminding thedevil" and "commanding the devil."Then 1 began to see greater miracles. In some townswe see much results, in others we don't see so much.Other fasts after then I don't feel free to mentionnow.The Purpose In Fasting.The fast the Lord is pleased with is a f'ast "To loosethe bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burden,and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye breakevery yoke." (Isa. 58:6).

If you feel like the Lord has called you into a specialministry of casting out devils then remember this:There are many more things which are just as neces-sary as fasting. Fasting within itself will not be suf-ficient. First. do the other things and when you areready for the fast the Lord will show you and leaclyou. Some people start pastoring a church withoutbeing called. Some people go on a fast for a certainministry without being called.I firmly believe that if I had not prayed at a certaintime each day for years before hand, and prayed untilI prayed through; that if I had not been faithful inlaying aside certain other things, and denying myselfof certain pleasures which I liked, which were notharmful within themselves-if I had plunged into along fast without these other things-that I wouldhave seen little or no results; and would have beensadly disappointed. But when I was called to fast, itwas just as real as being called to preach. I was con-scious of the fast, that it was the Lord's doing and notmy own.I am well a ware of -the fact that the Lord docs notrun everyone throughThe Same Cookie CutterSome folk have a ministry of casting out devils whotell me that they only fast a day or two at a time, orfast "often" as Paul did. Other people fast for weeks


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because He wants to give them the gifts of prophecyor some other gift. The ear cannot be the eye. The eyecannot be the ear.It takes a longer fast for one man to be brought tothe place where he is yielded to the Lord enough toreceive certain gifts in his life than it does for othermen. We can't say to each other, "I have no need ofyou." Every member of the body is necessary.I was talking to an undertaker in Grants Pass, Ore-gon, about a week ago. He was telling me how theydrew all the blood out of a dead man's body, and thenput the embalming fluid in there. That was a pictureof how the Lord did me. It took a certain amount ofclays for me to fast to become so yielded to the Lord;it seemed that all my strength left my body, and theLord's strength came into its place! Then I felt thevirtue and divine nature, and the fire of the Holy Ghostdwelling in my body, which gave me power to meetdevils and to cast them out.But 1 still have to be led by the Lord when and how

to do it. It is not myself that doeth the works but theFather that dwelleth in me.You say, "I don't know the leading of the Lord. Can

Ijust plunge into a long fast at any time and receivea ministry of deliverance?"Even i[ you did you would then need someone to goalong with you everywhere you went and show youhow to LIse that ministry, what to do and say. It justdoes not work that way. God will not trust you with aministry if you do not know the leading of the Spirit.Forty Day FastJesus was led of the Spirit into the wilderness to Ietempted cf the c1e\'il forty days and nights, in which

He ate nothing.He did not do carpenter work during that time.He conquered the devil' for LIS; He regained whatAdam lost I))' eating.He was a prophet like unto Moses.Hi!:> deity was challenged. He was tempted to rule

the devil's kingdom.Jesus was preparing for the cross, to be crucified

for our sins.

Jesus said the works that He did we could do also,hut these works were siglls and wonders, such as heal-ing the sick and cast ing out de,ils. (John 12: 14).Thai did not ncccss.uilv mean that no one could cast

out dev ils until he fasted f'ortv davs.Gild doe:-: not tell anyone to go without food fortyda.' :-: i n ()I"(il'r I() prav for the sick. The apostles hac! the..;ign:-:following t hem. even while Jesus was with them,bt'causc Jesus had conuuered the devil for them. Wehan' no record that thev fasted forty davs.\\"e do not r('ad thai Stephen. Ananias, or Philipwent on a f'ortv dav f'ast ,\\"e have no record thai Paul ever f:lsled more than

t hrvr davs, a lt houg h he ma, have. We dori't read thatPeter went (In a IUllg fast: but he mav have done !:'O.......l' .'(IU one t hal sa.' s that anvono


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Lord does not call me up there." In the first place theywould have dropped dead. (Ex. 19 : 12).They would have received no ten commandments; noshining face.God could not reward them; they would be trying togain a name for themselves; They could not takeMoses' place or intrude into his ministry.Feast or FastDid Elijah fast forty days? Most people say that hedid. But the Bible says that he was fed a special kindof food which furnished him strength for forty days.If you could find that special kind of food you could eatonce each forty days. Itseems that it would be a feastinstead of a fast. (1 Kings 19 :8).Elijah received a supernatural life of some kind andis yet living.The angel told him twice, "Arise and eat." He didnot try to go forty days in his own power, withoutfood, before the angel offered him the special foodand told him that he was to go the long journey. Butsome folk tread where angels dare not tread.Suppose you go out into the woods and go on yourown strength and you are leading. Go without an angel feeding you; don't eat anythingat all. Don't wait on the leadings of the Lord.You will anoint no king nor prophet.You will not divide Jordan.You will not ride on a fiery chariot.You will return disappointed and discouraged, withnothing!

Summary1. As far as I know I have mentioned every placethat the Bible speaks of fasting.2. There are only three places that the Lord seemedto be in a three day fast.3. Nine-tenths of the time divinely-directed fasts

were about one day.4. I have searched in vain and have never foundin the Bible that the Lord has ever led anyone to go onfasts over three days, with the exception of Moses,Elijah, and Jesus. These were all out of the ordinary.5. We have no record where the apostles ever wenton long fast. God gave them the ministry to heal thesick and cast out devils.6. I have talked personally to several evangelistswhom God has called into a supernatural ministry.None of them went on forty day fasts without anyfood.7. Since God has given other people ministeries ofdeliverance without a long fast you can take courageand believe for a ministry without fasting forty days.8. All people do not have the same ministry. Somepeople could fast forty days; yet God would give thema different ministry than what they are expecting.9. Although we have no record that the apostleswent on long fasts in order to receive their ministeries,I believe that some did. I'm sure that the Bible is silenton some long fasts, lest some people would try to imi-tate some apostle without God's leading.10. If we will keep up with everything else that isnecessary, and be led by the Lord in the little things,the Lord will at the right time, lead us to go on a longfast, if He wants us to have certain gifts of the Spirit.The Holv Ghost comes to lead liS into all truth and isseeking out certain individuals, who have their spiritualears tuned to theLord, and their lives consecrated untoHim, who will be used to fast and pray and to have abig part in this present last day Revival.

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Must I Fast Forty Days or Four Days by W. v. Grant, Sr