21-Day Fast – Week 2
Why Fasting With Prayer is Important
So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer. Ezra 8:23
Fasting is intimately connected with prayer in the Bible. This is because fasting isn’t about what we give up, or about what we can or can’t do; it’s not about losing weight or becoming a better person. Fasting is about drawing near to God as you seek direction either for yourself personally, or for the corporate body of Christ.
God promises that when we draw near to him, he will draw near to us. (James 4:8) To draw near to him we must be in prayer seeking his wisdom and guidance.
We fast to seek specific direction from God about something; to overcome a difficult time, to confirm a calling, to get wisdom for a big decision, or to seek direction for our lives. Fasting is also used to prepare oneself for service and ministry. None of these questions can be answered without specific prayer during the fast.
As a church, we are seeking God’s direction and blessing on our mission to reach 5,000 people. Personally, you might be seeking wisdom and direction for how you can be a personal part of that mission.
So as you fast this week, think about these tips for praying during your fast:
Use the time you would have spent doing the thing you are fasting from to read the Bible and spend time in prayer.
Keep a journal or notes on the things you are thinking, and on what you believe God is saying to you.
Be specific in your prayers during these times; don’t get overwhelmed by praying for everyone on your prayer list. This is special time between you and God so you can seek his heart about the specific needs of the church and your role in the journey.
Pray scripture out loud; speaking God’s words–especially aloud–can give you new insight on what God is saying.
Don’t be discouraged for any reason…you may not have heard from God yet, or you may not have been as disciplined as you thought you should be. None of that matters. God knows your heart.
The devil might be working hard to take your focus off of God. For example, it might be easy to let other things besides prayer take the place of what you are fasting. You might think to yourself, “I read the Bible and prayed during my breakfast and lunch time.Tonight I would just like to sit and watch television with my family during mealtime.” This is the distractions of the world trying to turn your focus away from God.
Refocus and stay strong in your commitment.
Fasting requires discipline, and the more time you spend with God in prayer, the more disciplined you become. Not only that, God rewards your commitment. The more you seek him, the more you want of him. The more you realize your need for him, the more you realize how much you need him.