The Role Of Fasting And Intercession In Family Deliverance: The Curse Ends Here: How To Break Free From Family Iniquity Journey
Introduction: A Call to Deep Devotion
Fasting and intercession are powerful tools for those seeking deliverance from family iniquity. These practices demonstrate humility, dependence on God, and a willingness to stand in the gap for one’s family. Through fasting, we deny ourselves to focus fully on God, while intercession allows us to bring our family's burdens before Him in prayer. Both are deeply rooted in the Scriptures and have been used by the righteous to break chains, turn away curses, and bring restoration.
1. What Is Fasting?
Fasting is the voluntary abstinence from food (or other comforts) for a period of time to seek God’s presence and intervention. The Tanakh often portrays fasting as an act of repentance, humility, and spiritual warfare.
Biblical Examples of Fasting
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Moses: Moses fasted 40 days on Mount Sinai when receiving the commandments. His fasting was not just personal but for the nation of Israel.
“So I fell down before the Lord the forty days and forty nights because the Lord had said He would destroy you” (Deuteronomy 9:25). -
Esther: When Esther called for a fast, it was a collective act of intercession for the Jewish people.
“Go, gather all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do” (Esther 4:16). -
Yeshua: Before beginning His ministry, Yeshua fasted in the wilderness for 40 days.
“After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry” (Matthew 4:2).
These examples highlight how fasting aligns us with God’s purposes, breaks spiritual barriers, and invites divine intervention.
2. What Is Intercession?
Intercession is the act of standing in the gap for others through prayer. It involves pleading with God on behalf of individuals, families, or nations. Intercessors carry the burdens of others before the Lord, seeking His mercy, intervention, and restoration.
Intercessors in Scripture
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Abraham: Abraham interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah, appealing to God’s justice and mercy.
“Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike” (Genesis 18:25). -
Hannah: Hannah’s fervent prayers and intercession broke her personal barrenness and set the stage for Samuel’s prophetic ministry.
“Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard” (1 Samuel 1:13). -
Yeshua: Yeshua interceded for His disciples and even His enemies, demonstrating the ultimate example of love and forgiveness.
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
Intercession is often the precursor to deliverance, as it invites God’s power into situations bound by sin and iniquity.
3. The Power of Fasting and Intercession in Family Deliverance
Breaking Strongholds
Fasting and intercession are particularly effective in breaking generational strongholds. These practices demonstrate spiritual discipline and invite God’s power to confront deeply entrenched patterns of sin.
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6).
When combined, fasting and intercession create a spiritual environment where curses are dismantled, and blessings are released.
Repentance and Restoration
Fasting often accompanies repentance, a necessary step in breaking generational curses. By repenting on behalf of one’s family, we acknowledge sin, seek God’s forgiveness, and turn away from iniquity.
“If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Fasting and intercession align our hearts with God’s desire for restoration, paving the way for His healing and deliverance.
4. Practical Steps for Fasting and Intercession
1. Prepare Spiritually and Physically
Before beginning a fast, seek God’s guidance on the type and duration. Confess any personal sins and enter the fast with a heart of humility and expectation.
2. Focus on Specific Areas
Identify the specific family iniquities or strongholds you are addressing, such as patterns of anger, addiction, or idolatry. Pray for revelation and wisdom to confront these areas effectively.
3. Combine Fasting with Prayer
Dedicate time to prayer during your fast. Use Scripture to guide your prayers, declaring God’s promises and renouncing the power of sin over your family.
4. Engage in Corporate Fasting and Intercession
Consider inviting trusted family members or spiritual leaders to join you in fasting and prayer. There is great power in agreement and collective intercession.
“For where two or three gather in My name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20).
5. Persist Until Breakthrough
Some strongholds require persistent fasting and intercession. Do not grow weary, but continue seeking God’s intervention until deliverance is achieved.
“Then He said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread”’... because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs” (Luke 11:5-8).
5. Blessings of Fasting and Intercession
When we fast and intercede, we position ourselves as vessels for God’s power and blessing. The results include:
- Freedom from Generational Curses: Strongholds are broken, and the cycle of iniquity is stopped.
- Healing and Restoration: Families experience reconciliation and spiritual renewal.
- Generational Blessings: Future generations inherit the blessings of obedience and faithfulness.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).
Conclusion: Standing in the Gap
Fasting and intercession are acts of love and obedience that demonstrate our trust in God’s ability to deliver and restore. By humbling ourselves before Him and standing in the gap for our families, we declare that the curse ends here and blessings begin now.
“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it” (Ezekiel 22:30).
Commit today to fasting and interceding for your family. Through these acts of devotion, you will see the power of God bring freedom, healing, and restoration for generations to come.
