Episode 6,"The Unplanned Fast: Elijah and Jezebel"Empowered Through Fasting Series - a podcast by Stephanie Wright

Episode 6, “The Unplanned Fast: Elijah and Jezebel 

Hello and welcome to Episode 6, in our “Empowerment Through Fasting Series.” Today’s episode is entitled, “The Unplanned Fast: Elijah and Jezebel.” Today we are going to learn the significance of an unplanned fast and how Elijah’s fast played an integral role in fulfillment of the prophecy concerning King Ahab’s kingdom and Queen Jezebel’s downfall. Let’s talk about Empowerment Through Fasting.

Before we get started, if you have not already listened to Episode 1, in this series entitled, “Nothing is Impossible with God,” please do so. It provides scriptures, some basic foundational principles, contemporary examples of fasting with prayer, and caveats on how to fast. We encourage you to email us with your personal testimonies on fasting. We will give details on how to contact us and how to access past episodes referenced in today’s presentation. My name is Stephanie Wright. Let’s begin today’s episode with an introduction of Elijah and Jezebel.

Elijah was one of the most well?known prophets of the Old Testament. He performed many miracles in the Old Testament (stopped the rain and started it again; provided endless food for a widow; brought a child back to life; called down fire on his enemy). All of these accounts are found in 1 Kings 17 and 18; 2 Kings 1 and 2; and James 5. Also, this prophet was so close to God that he was translated from earth to heaven, meaning, he did not die but was taken directly to heaven – in Elijah’s case, he was taken to heaven in a whirlwind. 2 Kings 2.

Queen Jezebel became the wife of King Ahab of Israel around 874 BC. She brought to the marriage heathen practices and idol worship most notably worship of a heathen god, Baal. As stated in the beginning of this presentation, she was one of the most, if not the most, evil woman in the Bible. She brought 450 of her Baal?worshipping prophets into the kingdom and then ordered the murder of the prophets of the Lord (I Kings 18:4, 13). She engineered the murder of an innocent man named Naboth because he would not sell his vineyard to her husband, King Ahab. I Kings 21. For this heinous act, Elijah prophesied that she would be eaten by dogs by the wall of Jezreel, the city where the king and queen reigned. I Kings 21:23.

Today’s presentation occurred in I Kings 18, and details the conflict between Elijah and Queen Jezebel leading to Elijah’s forced fast. So, what led to the showdown between Elijah and Queen Jezebel is this, basically God got fed up with all the Baal worship so he told Elijah to go to King Ahab and set up the showdown on Mount Carmel.  Long story short, in the interest of time, Elijah defeats Jezebel’s prophets. 

Out of Elijah’s forced fast came a greater fast, the results of which led to the destruction of an evil queen who controlled an evil kingdom.  What is important is that we see the power of fasting, whether small or great, planned or unplanned. We see how God uses fasting to destroy evil and to have his will fulfilled.  

We close here by remembering another person who was driven into the wilderness not by evil, but by the Holy Spirit, to fast 40 days and 40 nights. That person, of course, was Jesus. He emerged from His fast and commenced to destroy the works of devil. But, more important, Jesus empowered us through the Holy Spirit to destroy the evil found in the earth, in principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12. More about Jesus’ Holy Ghost encounter and the works that He did can be heard in the series, “Empowered by the Holy Ghost.”  

Now, let’s listen as Apostle Charles gives details on how to contact us and listen to those past episodes on fear that I referenced. And please send an email to cgmpresents@gmail.com with your accounts of how fasting has helped you.

Further episodes of CGM Presents: In the Word Podcast

Further podcasts by Stephanie Wright

Website of Stephanie Wright