FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS IS FOUND IN THE BIBLE

THE TERM "FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS" IS FOUND IN THE BIBLE 11 TIMES. WHY AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN OR REFER TO? SOME OF THE VERSES REFER TO THE FLOOD AND OTHERS TO FASTING BEFORE GOD.  

I HAVE FASTED FOR A DAY OR SO, BUT NOT FOR THAT LONG.  I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD AS I LOVE FOOD, BUT I LOVE GOD MORE.  AND I KNOW THAT NO MATTER WHAT, HE WILL PROVIDE FOR ME, IF I BELIEVE AND WORSHIP AND REPENT FOR MY SINS.  

ARE WE ALL SUPPOSED TO FAST FOR FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS?  DO WE DO IT GRADUALLY?  HOW OFTEN ARE WE SUPPOSED TO FAST?  I KNOW WE DO FOR CERTAIN FEASTS DAYS.  

(Gen 7:4)  For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.

(Gen 7:12)  And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

(Exo 24:18)  And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

(Exo 34:28)  And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

(Deu 9:9)  When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:

(Deu 9:11)  And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the LORD gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.

(Deu 9:18)  And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

(Deu 9:25)  Thus I fell down before the LORD forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the LORD had said he would destroy you.

(Deu 10:10)  And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also, and the LORD would not destroy thee.

(1Ki 19:8)  And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

(Mat 4:2)  And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

Act 1:3  To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: