Fasting is one of two unbelief killers in certain situations
Moving on to Matthew 17, we pick up at verse 14. This encounter is largely misinterpreted in the world, and by God’s Spirit and some simple reading, we can see what is really being said here. Jesus is approached by a man who complains to him about the disciples not being able to cast out a demon. Jesus’ reply if you focus on the words is regarding a lack of faith or unbelief. The disciples ask why they could not cast him out and obviously something I haven’t picked up previously is that they must not have taken much attention to Jesus’ reply prior. Jesus again refers to there unbelief and proceeds to comment on this theme. He goes on to describe how this kind can only be removed by fasting and prayer. Nowhere did he mention the demon. Some chapters earlier in chapter 9, it would be foolish for Jesus to say the time to fast is not now, and then to now be angry for the disciples not fasting to cast out a demon. If that was needed he would have said earlier you must fast to cast out this kind of demon. What he is alluding to here is the unbelief, he never ever mentions the demon after the man has told him what happened.
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