“This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer [and fasting].” —Mark 9:29
A passage of Scripture the Lord has used in my life is in Mark 9, where there’s a heart-sick daddy and a demon-possessed boy. The disciples try to cast out the demons, but “were not able” (v. 18). Jesus did, however, and the boy stood up cleansed and healed.
When the disciples asked, “Why could we not cast it out?” (v. 28), Jesus replied, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer [and fasting]” (v. 29).
If that was true for a child afflicted by demons, is it true for something in my life? What about the things that seem to throw me to the ground or toss me up against the ropes? The things I’ve tried to fix and cannot? Is fasting the key?
Whatever “this kind” means in our lives, it should make us run to the Lord. He truly is the only hope for our anxious thoughts. Fasting doesn’t work like a wonder drug to set everything right, but it does help us focus our minds and bodies on our Savior.
Make it Personal
What has your experience with fasting been? What truths has God shown you in His Word about it?