A Principle of Power

Last night I was reading one of Gerald Lund's books and the wife was wondering how she could soften the heart of her husband toward the church she had joined.  She read in Matthew 17 where a man brought his son to the Savior and asked him to heal the boy and commented that the disciples were unable to heal him.  Jesus heals the boy.  Later the disciples are talking with Jesus, sad and disheartened that they were unable to heal the boy yet the Savior could.  They ask him about it in the following verses:

19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

20 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.

21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

So there is a power available when adding fasting to prayer that is unavailable through our prayers alone. 

Elder Shayne M. Bowen said “Fasting is a principle of power. It changes lives. I testify that God is mindful of the fasting and prayers of all of His children, young and old. He loves us. He wants us to return to His presence. He is our father, Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, and His Atonement is real. They have provided “every needful thing” (D&C 88:119) to allow us to “break every yoke” (Isaiah 58:6) and return home.  Fasting with Power, Apr, 2009

I love this idea and know that more sincere and heartfelt fasting will aide myself in my spiritual journey as well as my husband.