What Christians Need to Know About Prayer and Fasting?
Could you live as a Christian without prayer and fasting? What is the importance, if any, of fasting and praying to Christians living around the world today?
Join me as I explore these and other questions relating to prayer and fasting.
I will examine when and why the members of the First Century Church dealt with it, and how contemporary Christians could emulate them to lead triumphant Christian lives.
What Does The Bible Say About Prayer and Fasting?
Prayer coupled with fasting is an effective spiritual tool which ensures that Christians remain humble.
- Note, that, according to the Scripture below, fasting and praying do not humble us; instead, they keep us humble.
“But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom”.
(Psalm 35:13)
- It is the means by which we serve God. We could never serve God effectively and not fast and pray to Him! Because we must encounter problems that need His help to solve.
“And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day”.
(Luke 2:37)
- The Bible tells us that even if we are not a Christian, our prayers and fastings to the Lord God, could move Him on our behalf.
“Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing” .
(Acts 10:30)
- His prayers and his fastings together summoned the Lord God to respond to his cry for help!
So, He sent His messenger, Gabriel to Cornelius to instruct him
- Prayer is the promise but fasting with praying guarantees that promise.
“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive”.
(Matthew 21:22; Jeremiah 14:12)
- Jesus fasted and prayed before he started his ministry. Similarly, before we commence very important things we should pray and fast about them first.
- Jesus fasted and prayed for forty days before he started his ministry.
- The faith necessary to speak to whatever you encounter in this life (even demons) and see them respond accordingly comes only with much prayer and fasting.
“[Jesus says to] them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting”.
(Matthew 17:21; Mark 9:29)
- Coordinated prayer and fasting wards off temptation by ensuring consistency.
“Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency” .
(1 Corinthians 7:5)
Is There a Connection Between Fasting and Praying?
The first-century disciples of Jesus Christ didn’t practice fasting with praying until after the ascension of Jesus Christ.
As a result, the Bible has very little information on this spiritual tool before Christ’s ascension.
Nevertheless, there is a distinct connection between fasting and praying.
If you could perceive it, it will change your life for good.
What is the Connection Between Prayer and Fasting?
Let’s say prayer is like us cruising at 80 mph on the highway of life.
Ahead of us is a tractor-trailer blocking our vision, polluting the air around us with its exhaust, and breaking up ever too often.
Additionally, it’s driving too slowly so, you desire to pass it.
The connection between prayer and fasting is that extra power you need and get when you press the accelerator further down to the floor.
This burst of power won’t happen by praying alone but when we couple fasting with praying it solves our problems.
Now, we could pass the tractor-trailer and have passed it. No more blocking our vision, pollution in our face, and constantly breaking up all that is behind us.
That’s the connection between prayer and fasting!
Conclusion
Do you have a bad habit that you desire to break? If you have been praying about it and nothing seems to work, then couple praying with fasting and watch God demolish that flaw.
The importance of prayer and fasting cannot be overstated. By it we have humbled our souls; through fasting with praying, we serve God; it moves God on our behalf resulting in salvation; it guarantees that our prayer bears fruit; prayer and fasting should proceed our major decisions; it also breeds powerful faith in God, and finally it aids to ward of temptations that we could potentially face.
What Next?
What addictions are holding you hostage that you desire to eliminate from your life?
Is it smoking; lying; drug, alcohol, or sex addiction?
Then, the most effective method to dispense with it permanently is through prayer and fasting.
So, what are you waiting for decide what you want to fast and pray about and attack it accordingly know that God is assisting you every step of the way?
