However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.-Matthew 17:1–21

 I feel we need to understand the meaning of when Jesus commands us to fast and pray,  Perilous times would come and we will need  supernatural strength. Jesus returns from His transfiguration, having been aside in the mountains with Peter, James and John. Upon His return down, they are met by the other disciples and the crowd of people who were following Jesus to see the miracles He might perform. 

Haven’t we all been in those places where we have tried with all that we have to find an answer in our lives, or in the life of some other poor friend needing help? We’ve tried everything; we’ve exhausted all our spiritual resources, and still the need is left seemingly unmet. The sickness remains; the situation is unchanged; the person is unaffected/unsaved/unchallenged. The need is unmet! What are we to do? That is were the other disciple were at, when Jesus returns from His transfiguration, having been aside in the mountains with Peter, James and John. 

And previous to this, Jesus had already given His disciples the authority to heal the sick and cast out demons in His Name. And they went about preaching Jesus’ message of the Kingdom of God, and they healed and delivered just as Jesus said that they would.

Ever been in a powerful church meeting where you experienced such a touch of God that you felt you could turn the world upside-down, only to go out and bump into someone down the street that you’ve been praying for and there’s no discernible change in them - in fact they seem worse than ever?! You feel the wind leave your sails very quickly. You are confronted by the dilemma - the failure - the tragedy. That was Jesus, coming down the mountains with Peter, James and John. If you look at the same story recounted in Mark’s gospel chapter 9, verse 29 confirms what Jesus said: “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” This time the NIV does include the verse, but drops the words “and fasting”. 

There are needs that are especially great - obstacles that have a whole different dimension of difficulty about them. Some things require a specific breakthrough in the heavenlies - they are spiritual problems, spiritually discerned, and they require spiritual power to break them. Fasting with Praying has away of humbling ourselves to cry out for JESUS and his supernatural power...It’s always good to be reminded of our humanity when we come to God. To come to God feeling a sense of helplessness is not a handicap but a head start. It casts us upon God. It makes us dependent - and, oh, how most of us hate to feel dependent!