Other Scriptures Concerning Fasting 512 - 12 - 8

 In my answer to another discussion question. I mentioned the six-day fast proposed by our pastor and one of the examples that he cited, Esther 4:16. In addition he suggested we read passages from both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Daniel 9:3, "And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:"

Daniel knew from the prophet Jeremiah that the 70 years of the captivity in Babylon was coming to an end. Daniel prayed and fasted and waited on the Lord. It took 21 days before the angel Gabriel, likely with the help of the angel Michael, was finally able to break through and appear to Daniel. Through his prayer and supplication, Daniel was given what is perhaps the most astounding prophecy in the Text. Daniel 9:25, "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times."

Jeremiah 36:6, "Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the Lord in the ears of the people in the Lord's house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities."

In Jeremiah 36:2 God told Jeremiah to "Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day." God’s word was ignored with very disastrous results.

Matthew 17:19-21, "Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. 

The lesson here appears to be that the disciples could not cast out the demon because they had not done the proper prayer and fasting.

Pastor also cited Isaiah 58:3-7, far too long to include within the 500 word limit. What I gather from these verses here the fast was done both in the wrong manner and for the wrong reasons. Isaiah 58:3-4, “Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.”