Fasting & Prayer

Fasting is one of the most powerful and least practiced spiritual disciplines available to the believer. Throughout the Bible, God's people turned to fasting in times of great need, great decision, and great seeking after God.

Moses fasted forty days on the mountain with God. David fasted in times of deep distress. Esther called the people to fast before she approached the king. The early church fasted and prayed before sending out missionaries. Jesus Himself fasted forty days in the wilderness before beginning His public ministry.

Fasting is not a way to earn God's favor or to twist His arm. It is a way of expressing to God — and to ourselves — that we are serious about seeking Him. It is a way of saying, "Lord, I want You more than I want food. I want Your presence more than I want comfort."

"The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." (James 5:16) Prayer is not a religious formality. It is a living conversation with the living God. It is the means by which we bring our hearts, our needs, our fears, and our hopes before the One who holds all things in His hands.

Job 1:5 tells us that Job "rose early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all." Job was a man of consistent, faithful intercession. He did not wait for a crisis to pray. He made prayer the regular rhythm of his life.

This is the invitation before us — not merely to pray when we are in trouble, but to make prayer the atmosphere in which we live. To pray without ceasing. To bring every concern, every joy, every decision before God in prayer.

If you have never fasted before, the idea can seem daunting. Here are some practical steps to help you begin.

Start small. You do not need to begin with a multi-day fast. Begin with a single meal. Skip breakfast and spend that time in prayer and the Word instead. As you grow in the practice, you can extend the length of your fast.

Be intentional. A fast without prayer is simply a diet. When you fast, replace the time you would have spent eating with prayer, Bible reading, and seeking God. The purpose of fasting is to draw closer to God, not merely to go without food.

Be honest with God. If you are uncertain, tell Him. If you are struggling, tell Him. He knows your heart already. Come to Him with honesty and humility, and He will meet you there.

Do not be discouraged by imperfection. Your first fast will not be perfect. That is all right. God honors the sincere seeking heart, not the perfect performance. Begin where you are, with what you have, and trust God to meet you.

Perhaps you feel uncertain about fasting and prayer. Perhaps it feels like something for "super-Christians" — not for ordinary people like you. I want to encourage you: God is not looking for the perfect or the powerful. He is looking for the sincere and the seeking.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8) This is His promise. When we take even a small step toward Him — when we fast a meal, when we spend an extra few minutes in prayer, when we open the Word and ask Him to speak — He meets us. He draws near.

You can live close to God. By His grace, it is possible. And fasting and prayer are among the most powerful means He has given us to draw near to Him.

God Bless, Bro. Frank