"Now therefore, says the Lord, 'Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping and with mourning.' So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him - A grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?"
Joel 2:12-14 NKJV
Prayer and Fasting: What is it and Why?
Throughout Scripture, spiritual leaders called God's people to times of fasting and prayer when the need for transformation was recognized. Fasting demonstrates the desperation and sincerity of our hearts in approaching the Lord our God. Denying oneself of food, pleasurable activities; (i.e. TV, etc.) allows the spirit man to become more keenly aware of the Spirit of God. It is a tangible expression of humility, acknowledging our utter dependence upon the Lord. We are also following the example of Christ, remembering when He was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit to fast and pray before beginning His ministry (Luke 4).
Types of Prayer Fasts
The motives and purposes for effective fasting are many and varied:
* To honor God (Mt. 6:16-18; Zech. 7:5; Lk 2:37; Acts 13:2)
* To humble ourselves before God (Ezra 8:21; Ps 69:10; Isa 58:3)
* To experience more of God's grace in our lives (I Peter 5:5)
* To dwell in the intimate presence of God (Isa 57:15; 58:6-9)
* To mourn over our own personal sins and the sins of our church, our
nation and our world (I Sam 7:6; Neh 9:1-2)
* To seek God's grace for new ministries and directions in our lives and our
church and to reaffirm our dedication to His calling (Mt 4:2)
* To draw near to God so that we may defeat the powers of darkness
(Judges 20:26; Ezra 8:21, 23, 31; Jer 29:12-14; Joel 2:12; Lk 18:3;
Acts 9:10-19)
* To save people from the bondage of evil (Isa 58:5-6, 11; Mt 17:14-21;
Lk 4:18)
* To gain revelation and wisdom concerning God's will (Isa 58:5-6, 11;
Dan 9:3, 21-22; Acts 13:2-3)
* To open the way for the outpouring of the Spirit and prepare for the
return of Christ (Acts 1:4; Mt 9:14-15)
The results of a chosen fast are listed in Isaiah 58:8-14:
* God's light will shine in us and through us
* The joy of salvation and healing will dwell within us
* God's protection and presence will be manifested in our lives
* God's help in our trouble will come to us through answered prayer
* Darkness and oppression will be lifted from us and the situation
* God's guidance, strength, and fruitfulness will abound
* True restoration will occur
* There will be a revival of God's standards and ideals.
Agreement in Prayer and Fasting
Too many times, Christians try to "force" God to answer prayers through fasting but they themselves are not true to the fast. They become like Judah in Isaiah 58:2-4, seeking God as though they desired His ways while all the time refusing to give of themselves and sacrifice their comfort for the sake of submitting to the direction of the Lord. Because they continued to live in sin, refused to follow His commands, neglected the study of His Word and continued to conform to the ways of the world, the Lord refused to hear their "prayers" or their "worship", stating that it was an insult and an abomination to Him.
As we seek to find God's will and direction for our church, as we seek to break the oppression and darkness that is trying to prevail over our people, our leaders, and our community, as we seek to flow in the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit, and as we seek to live in unity as God's chosen people, we must not forget the requirements God has for our fast. We must be dedicated and committed to the fast for it to be effective. We must be humble before God, seeking only His approval and not the attention and approval of man. If we are to walk in the victory we have over the enemy then we must be diligent.
Remember, prayer and fasting go hand in hand. Without communion with God we will accomplish nothing more than becoming hungry and depriving ourselves of physical pleasures. In other words, merely a religious act. Fasting and prayer are attitudes of the heart. Our heart motives must be pure and right for the fasting and prayer to be effective. Remember that we are agreeing together as a body of Christ while we fast and pray. May God prepare us and our church to reach the harvest.
May God bless you with immeasurably more than you could ever ask or think as you commit to this time of prayer and fasting!
Adapted from the Full Life Study Bible, New International Version.
Zondervan Publishing House Ó 1992 by Life Publishers International.
Joel 2:12-14 NKJV
Prayer and Fasting: What is it and Why?
Throughout Scripture, spiritual leaders called God's people to times of fasting and prayer when the need for transformation was recognized. Fasting demonstrates the desperation and sincerity of our hearts in approaching the Lord our God. Denying oneself of food, pleasurable activities; (i.e. TV, etc.) allows the spirit man to become more keenly aware of the Spirit of God. It is a tangible expression of humility, acknowledging our utter dependence upon the Lord. We are also following the example of Christ, remembering when He was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit to fast and pray before beginning His ministry (Luke 4).
Types of Prayer Fasts
- Complete Fast - No Food
- Liquid Fast - Water & Juices
- Daniel Fast - No Meats or Sweets
- Partial Fast - Limited Foods or Activities
The motives and purposes for effective fasting are many and varied:
* To honor God (Mt. 6:16-18; Zech. 7:5; Lk 2:37; Acts 13:2)
* To humble ourselves before God (Ezra 8:21; Ps 69:10; Isa 58:3)
* To experience more of God's grace in our lives (I Peter 5:5)
* To dwell in the intimate presence of God (Isa 57:15; 58:6-9)
* To mourn over our own personal sins and the sins of our church, our
nation and our world (I Sam 7:6; Neh 9:1-2)
* To seek God's grace for new ministries and directions in our lives and our
church and to reaffirm our dedication to His calling (Mt 4:2)
* To draw near to God so that we may defeat the powers of darkness
(Judges 20:26; Ezra 8:21, 23, 31; Jer 29:12-14; Joel 2:12; Lk 18:3;
Acts 9:10-19)
* To save people from the bondage of evil (Isa 58:5-6, 11; Mt 17:14-21;
Lk 4:18)
* To gain revelation and wisdom concerning God's will (Isa 58:5-6, 11;
Dan 9:3, 21-22; Acts 13:2-3)
* To open the way for the outpouring of the Spirit and prepare for the
return of Christ (Acts 1:4; Mt 9:14-15)
The results of a chosen fast are listed in Isaiah 58:8-14:
* God's light will shine in us and through us
* The joy of salvation and healing will dwell within us
* God's protection and presence will be manifested in our lives
* God's help in our trouble will come to us through answered prayer
* Darkness and oppression will be lifted from us and the situation
* God's guidance, strength, and fruitfulness will abound
* True restoration will occur
* There will be a revival of God's standards and ideals.
Agreement in Prayer and Fasting
Too many times, Christians try to "force" God to answer prayers through fasting but they themselves are not true to the fast. They become like Judah in Isaiah 58:2-4, seeking God as though they desired His ways while all the time refusing to give of themselves and sacrifice their comfort for the sake of submitting to the direction of the Lord. Because they continued to live in sin, refused to follow His commands, neglected the study of His Word and continued to conform to the ways of the world, the Lord refused to hear their "prayers" or their "worship", stating that it was an insult and an abomination to Him.
As we seek to find God's will and direction for our church, as we seek to break the oppression and darkness that is trying to prevail over our people, our leaders, and our community, as we seek to flow in the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit, and as we seek to live in unity as God's chosen people, we must not forget the requirements God has for our fast. We must be dedicated and committed to the fast for it to be effective. We must be humble before God, seeking only His approval and not the attention and approval of man. If we are to walk in the victory we have over the enemy then we must be diligent.
Remember, prayer and fasting go hand in hand. Without communion with God we will accomplish nothing more than becoming hungry and depriving ourselves of physical pleasures. In other words, merely a religious act. Fasting and prayer are attitudes of the heart. Our heart motives must be pure and right for the fasting and prayer to be effective. Remember that we are agreeing together as a body of Christ while we fast and pray. May God prepare us and our church to reach the harvest.
May God bless you with immeasurably more than you could ever ask or think as you commit to this time of prayer and fasting!
Adapted from the Full Life Study Bible, New International Version.
Zondervan Publishing House Ó 1992 by Life Publishers International.