Matthew 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

OLD TESTAMENT
*Fasting; H2908 (1x); ‫ ְטוָת‬tvath (tev-awth'); hunger (as twisting). --- King Darius the Median denied himself
music, and sleep left him, while he fasted for Daniel; --- Daniel 6:18.
*Fast(-ing); H6685 (22x); ‫ צֹום‬tsowm (tsome), ‫ צֹם‬tsom (tsome); a fast. --- David fasted for his sick child whom
he conceived through Uriah's wife {1}; Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab's name proclaiming a fast to bare false
witness against Naboth the Jezreelite {2}; Jehoshaphat sought the LORD and proclaimed a fast in all Judah for
fear of the multitude army against him {3}; A fast was proclaimed to seek the LORD to guide them the right way
{4}; The children of Israel assembled with fasting and sackcloth's and earth upon them {5}; The king commanded
the Jews to fast {6}; Humbled with fasting {7}; God has chosen this fast, which is to loose the bands of wickedness,
to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? {8}; The king
proclaimed a fast by order of God through Jeremiah {9}; Daniel would seek the LORD by prayer and supplication
{10}; A call to a solemn assembly {11}; --- 2 Samuel 12:16 {1}; 1 Kings 21:9,12 {2}; 2 Chronicles 20:3 {3}; Ezra 8:21
{4}; Nehemiah 9:1 {5}; Esther 4:3 {6}; 9:31 {6}; Psalms 35:13 {7}; 69:10 {7}; 109:24 {7}; Isaiah 58:3-6 {8}; Jeremiah
36:6,9 {9}; Daniel 9:3 {10}; Joel 1:14 {11}; 2:12,15 {11}; Jonah 3:5 {7}; Zechariah 8:19 {8}.
NEW TESTAMENT

*Fast(ing); G3521 (8x); νηστεία nesteia (nee-stei'-a); 1. abstinence (from lack of food, or voluntary and
religious). 2. (specially) the fast of the Day of Atonement. --- Cast out devils by prayer and fasting {1}; Anna an
84-year-old prophetess served God with prayer and fasting {2}; The church came together for prayer with fasting
{3}; Ministers approve themselves to God with fasting {4}; --- Matthew 17:21 {1}; Mark 9:29 {1}; Luke 2:37 {2};
Acts 14:23 {3}; 27:9; 1 Corinthians 7:5 {3}; 2 Corinthians 6:5 {4}; 11:27 {4}.
*Fast; G3522 (16x); νηστεύω nesteuo (nee-stev'-ō); to abstain from food. --- Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights
{1}; Command given by Jesus, when ye fast {2}; The disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees prayed and
fasted often {3}; Cornelius fasted for 4 days {4}; The church at Antioch prayed and fasted {5}; --- Matthew 4:2
{1}; 6:16-18 {2}; 9:14-15 {3}; Mark 2:18-20 {3}; Luke 5:33-35 {3}; 18:12 {3}; Acts 10:30 {4}; 13:1-3 {5}.
*Fasting; G3523 (2x); νήστις nestis (nee'-stis); not eating, i.e. abstinent from food (religiously). --- The multitude
of people fasted with Jesus for 3 days; --- Matthew 15:32; Mark 8:1-3.
*Fasting; G777 (1x); ἄσιτος asitos (a'-siy-tos); without (taking) food. --- Paul and the shipmen fasted 14 days; --
- Acts 27:33.

Daniel Fasted 21 Full Days

Daniel 10:2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.
Daniel 10:3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at
all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
Daniel 10:12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to
understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
Daniel 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one
of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
 Moses Fasted 40 Days and 40 Nights
Exodus 24:18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in
the mount forty days and forty nights.

Exodus 34:28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink
water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
Deuteronomy 9:9 When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, [even] the tables of the
covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did
eat bread nor drink water:
Deuteronomy 9:11 And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, [that] the LORD gave me the
two tables of stone, [even] the tables of the covenant.
Deuteronomy 9:18 And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat
bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to
provoke him to anger.
Deuteronomy 9:25 Thus I fell down before the LORD forty days and forty nights, as I fell down [at the first];
because the LORD had said he would destroy you.
Deuteronomy 10:10 And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the
LORD hearkened unto me at that time also, [and] the LORD would not destroy thee.

Elijah Fasted 40 Days and 40 Nights

1 Kings 19:7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, arise [and] eat;
because the journey [is] too great for thee.
1 Kings 19:8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty
nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

JESUS CHRIST Fasted 40 Days and 40 Nights

Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Matthew 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Matthew 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these
stones be made bread.
Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Mark 1:13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and
the angels ministered unto him.

Luke 4:2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were
ended, he afterward hungered.
 The Danger of Rejecting Light
God intends that, even in this life, truth shall be ever unfolding to His people. There is only one way in which
this knowledge can be obtained. We can attain to an understanding of God’s word only through the
illumination of that Spirit by which the Word was given. “The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit
of God;” “for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” [1 Corinthians 2:11, 10.] And the
Saviour’s promise to His followers was, “When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all
truth.... For He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you.” [John 16:13, 14.]... {GW 297.1}

Peter exhorts his brethren to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” [2
Peter 3:18.] Whenever the people of God are growing in grace, they will be constantly obtaining a clearer
understanding of His word. They will discern new light and beauty in its sacred truths. This has been true in
the history of the church in all ages, and thus it will continue to the end. But as real spiritual life declines, it
has ever been the tendency to cease to advance in the knowledge of the truth. Men rest satisfied with the
light already received from God’s word, and discourage any further investigation of the Scriptures. They
become conservative, and seek to avoid discussion. {GW 297.2}
The fact that there is no controversy or agitation among God’s people, should not be regarded as conclusive
evidence that they are holding fast to sound doctrine. There is reason to fear that they may not be clearly
discriminating between truth and error. When no new questions are started by investigation of the Scriptures,
when no difference of opinion arises which will set men to searching the Bible for themselves, to make sure
that they have the truth, there will be many now, as in ancient times, who will hold to tradition, and worship
they know not what. {GW 298.1}

I have been shown that many who profess to have a knowledge of present truth, know not what they believe.
They do not understand the evidences of their faith. They have no just appreciation of the work for the
present time. When the time of trial shall come, there are men now preaching to others, who will find, upon
examining the positions they hold, that there are many things for which they can give no satisfactory reason.
Until thus tested, they knew not their great ignorance. {GW 298.2}
And there are many in the church who take it for granted that they understand what they believe, but, until
controversy arises, they do not know their own weakness. When separated from those of like faith, and
compelled to stand singly and alone to explain their belief, they will be surprised to see how confused are
their ideas of what they had accepted as truth. Certain it is that there has been among us a departure from
the living God, and a turning to men, putting human wisdom in place of divine. {GW 298.3}
God will arouse His people; if other means fail, heresies will come in among them, which will sift them,
separating the chaff from the wheat. The Lord calls upon all who believe His word to awake out of sleep.
Precious light has come, appropriate for this time. It is Bible truth, showing the perils that are right upon us.
This light should lead us to a diligent study of the Scriptures, and a most critical examination of the positions
which we hold. {GW 299.1}
God would have all the bearings and positions of truth thoroughly and perseveringly searched, with prayer
and fasting. Believers are not to rest in suppositions and ill-defined ideas of what constitutes truth. Their faith
must be firmly founded upon the word of God, so that when the testing time shall come, and they are brought
before councils to answer for their faith, they may be able to give a reason for the hope that is in them, with
meekness and fear. {GW 299.2}
Agitate, agitate, agitate! The subjects which we present to the world must be to us a living reality. It is
important that in defending the doctrines which we consider fundamental articles of faith, we should never
allow ourselves to employ arguments that are not wholly sound. These may avail to silence an opposer, but
they do not honor the truth. We should present sound arguments, that will not only silence our opponents,
but will bear the closest and most searching scrutiny. {GW 299.3}
With those who have educated themselves as debaters, there is great danger that they will not handle the
word of God with fairness. In meeting an opponent, it should be our earnest effort to present subjects in such
a manner as to awaken conviction in his mind, instead of seeking merely to give confidence to the believer.
{GW 299.4}
Whatever may be man’s intellectual advancement, let him not for a moment think that there is no need of
thorough and continuous searching of the Scriptures for greater light. As a people, we are called individually
to be students of prophecy. We must watch with earnestness that we may discern any ray of light which God
shall present to us. We are to catch the first gleamings of truth; and through prayerful study, clearer light may
be obtained, which can be brought before others. {GW 300.1}
When God’s people are at ease, and satisfied with their present enlightenment, we may be sure that He will
not favor them. It is His will that they should be ever moving forward, to receive the increased and ever-
increasing light which is shining for them. {GW 300.2}
The present attitude of the church is not pleasing to God. There has come in a self-confidence that has led
them to feel no necessity for more truth and greater light. We are living at a time when Satan is at work on
the right hand and on the left, before and behind us; and yet as a people we are asleep. God wills that a voice
shall be heard arousing His people to action.—Testimonies for the Church 5:703-709. {GW 300.3}

Satan’s Power; Spiritualism

When poor souls have been fascinated with the eloquent words of the teachers of Spiritualism, and they have
yielded to its influence, and afterward found out its deadly character, and would renounce and flee from it,
some cannot. Satan holds them by his power, and he is not willing to let them go free. He knows that they
are surely his while he has them under his special control. But if they once free themselves from his power,
he can never bring them again to believe in Spiritualism, and so directly under his control. The only way for
such poor souls to overcome Satan, is to discern between pure Bible truth and fables. As they acknowledge
the claims of truth, they place themselves where they can be helped. They should entreat those who are
experienced, and have faith, to plead with the mighty Deliverer in their behalf. It will be a close conflict. Satan
will reinforce his evil angels who have controlled the individuals; but if the saints of God with deep humility
fast and pray, their prayers will prevail. Jesus will commission holy angels to resist Satan, and he will be driven
back, and his power broken from off the afflicted ones. Mark 9:29. “And he said unto them, this kind can
come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” {4bSG 103.2}
The popular ministry cannot successfully resist Spiritualism. They have nothing to shield their flocks from its
baleful influence. Much of the sad result of Spiritualism will rest upon ministers of this age; for they have
trampled under their feet the truth, and in its stead have preferred fables. {4bSG 103.3}