Fasting And Prayer Open Up A New Desire For God
There is no end to the spiritual journey and walk with God, and there is no time or point where we say we have come to a place or a position of satisfaction when it comes to the knowledge and intimacy with God.
The more we get closer the God, the more we desire to know God. We cant get to the point of complete satisfaction, we can get to the end of total growth, and its an eternal journey till we bow out of this life.
So when we engage in fasting and prayer, there is this little sense of satisfaction it gives us because we have spent time communing with God. But at every point, we get a sense of pride.
It breaks open to a fresh new desire and hunger for God because we can never be delighted. Hence fasting and prayer open up a fresh new passion for God, which makes this one of the benefits of fasting and prayer.
Get Alone With God In Intercessory Prayers:
In the next stage of your waiting, spend some time in intercessory prayers.
This could be for your neighbors, community, and the nationâs leaders, for people unreached with the Gospel of Christ, and so on.
Job 42:10 : After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.
Beneficial Results Of Spiritual Fasting
Lets look at some Bible verses that reveal some of the benefits of fasting and prayer:
- Protection: Esther 4:16 Ezra 8:21-23 2 Chronicles 20:1-25
- Health: Isaiah 58:8
Fasting not only gives spiritual benefits but physical ones as well:
Fasting cleanses the body from built-up chemicals, metals, and other toxins. When you fast, your cells, tissues, and organs dump out the accumulated waste products of cellular metabolism as well as chemicals, heavy metals, pesticides, and solvents. Fasting revitalizes you in every way: mentally, physically, and spiritually. It also allows the overburdened liver to catch up on its detoxification work. Don Colbert, MD
Remember, when you fast spiritually, the time you would usually spend eating is spent with the Lord instead. Write down your questions, any struggles you may be facing during the fast, and what God is showing you in your journal. Go back later in the fast and read what you wrote. Often you will gain more revelation or see the answers to your questions as God completes the work He is doing. I have a product below that can help you with all of this.
Whatever the purpose of your fast, it will strengthen your walk with God. Fasting will cause you to thrive spiritually.
What is your experience with fasting?
Also Check: Fasting Blood Sugar Of 108
Amazing Benefits Of Fasting And Prayer
There are several benefits of fasting and prayer, but today well explore the spiritual and biblical importance, the types and concepts of fasting and prayers. Basically, it is not only Christian that do fast, other religions are also fast. Now, it is important that you understand the scriptural guideline in order to enjoy the benefits of fasting and prayer.
In Christendom, fasting and prayers go beyond starvation of food, drinks, and pleasure. A fasting period is usually a solemn time to seek Gods face, in truth and honor, for renewal of spiritual strength, power, miracles, or anything.
The book of Ezra 8:21There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.
This means, during fasting and prayer, you are to humble yourself before your maker and ask him for whatever you want. Before Jesus Christ began His ministry, He fasted forty days and nights in the wilderness. The Bible also recorded that Moses fasted for 40 days.
Personally, I do fasting and prayer, though not 40 days, the longest I have done was 9 days. And anytime I fast and pray, I always experience God in a new dimension. In this article, well extensively discuss the benefit of fasting and prayers from the bible and my personal experience.
Page Contents
Prayer And Fasting Breaks Satanic Strongholds
When Jesuss disciples were unable to deliver a young boy of an evil spirit, Jesus told them, This kind cannot come out, except by prayer, . Praying while fasting positions us victoriously.
Through deep prayer, we can combat spiritual opposition and satanic strongholds.
When difficulties arise, Christ-Followers have the ability to harness the potential of the Holy Spirit through fasting and prayer.
Our barren hearts are refreshed and revived when we fast and pray. We are better equipped to deal with the momentary trials well face on earth because were aligned with God, his angels, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickednessto let the oppressed go free and to break every yoke? .
We are equipped with dunamis might or strength to combat the enemys opposition.
Read Also: Esther Fasting In The Bible
Get In The Zone Through Prayer And Fasting
In the case of this basketball player, my husband explained to my son how he practiced and warmed up. This player continually trains so that the basketball became like an extension of his arm until the movements became fluid and natural.
Can you apply the same practice to your spiritual life? How can you practice and focus so that youre in the zone in your spiritual life, living a life more connected with God?
Importance Of Fasting And Prayers
Fasting and prayer are a necessity for Christians, to enable them to seek the face of God wholly.1. GREATER INTIMACY WITH GODWe deny our carnal nature in order to fulfill the desires of God. What He wills for our lives can be found through fasting and prayers. Our spirit and soul experience joy because of fasting.Its a decision to momentarily die to our flesh to fulfill the greater things of a mighty God who seeks us. Mark 2:20
2. SURRENDER OF ONES COMFORT TO GAIN SPIRITUAL CLARITY.Our 21st-century culture can lead you to become numb to what matters to God. Yet praying through fast challenges sharpens our spiritual discernment.When we fast from things such as social media, television, food, and even negative mindset, we readily get answers as we tend to pray the way the spirit wants. Romans 12:2.
3. OUR HEARTS OPENS TO SPIRITUAL REVIVAL.We kindle the Holy Spirit fire during the course of fasting and prayer, we become change agents and intercessors for the broken and hurting during the period of fasting and prayer as we become sensitive in the realm of the spirit, hence we connect to the needs of others. Our hearts are revived and refreshed spiritually because of the act of fasting and prayer as recorded in Acts 1:8.
Also Check: Fasting Schedule For Fat Loss
You May Like: Fastest Way To Lose Weight Intermittent Fasting
Benefits Of Prayer And Fasting: 75 Powerful
And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Acts 14:23
Prayer and fasting are spiritual practices that are supported spiritually. Jesus Himself prayed and fasted, and as His followers, we are to do likewise. But it is important to note that engaging in prayer and fasting is a matter of the heart.
The most result-oriented thing about prayer and fasting is the one prompted by the Spirit of God- this is when you are led by the Holy Spirit to wait on Him.
Often when He prompts you, you can be sure that there is indeed a need to fast and pray.
In this article: 75 benefits of prayer and fasting, I will walk you through what prayer is, what fasting is, how to pray and fast, as well as the overwhelming benefits of fasting and prayer.
Fasting And Prayer For Breakthrough Faith
The disciples later asked Jesus why theyd been unable to drive out this demon. What was the difference in this one versus others theyd been able to cast out?
Jesus explained in , This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting.
The interesting part here is that Jesus didnt first stop to pray and fast before he healed the boy. He didnt send everyone home to pray and fast for several days.
Jesus was able to cast out this demon because hed already been engaged in prayer and fasting. He was already in the zone and fully ready after praying and fasting on the mountain.
As we seek to become closer to God and stay in the zone with him, we need to keep our eyes fixed on him. We do this by studying Gods Word in the Bible, praying continually, and even fasting regularly.
Also Check: Fasting Techniques To Lose Weight
Spiritual Fasting Helps Us Be Filled With The Fruits Of The Spirit
When we fast, we can become irritable and negative because our flesh is not happy. However, God calls us to bear the Fruits of the Spirit.
Fasting forces us to bypass the emotions of our flesh and reach for divine emotions given to us through Jesus Christ.
When we feel irritable, we can grow our capacity under stress and choose to show goodness, gentleness, and self-control instead.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law .
Related: What Are The Fruits of the Holy Spirit?
Answers To Earnest Prayer
The first and most immediate answer is the reward of what our fast is for. What was the specific stated purpose as we rehearsed above? Fasting functions as a kind of assistant to prayer. It comes alongside some specific request were making of God, through the access we have in Christ , and expresses an unusual earnestness. Fasting, as a handmaid of prayer, makes some special plea to God, with an added intensity from normal, everyday prayer.
Fasting is a kind of special measure in the life of faith. Normal life is not fasting. Normal life is steady-state prayer and enjoying the Giver through his gifts of food and drink. Fasting is a special mode, for unusual prayer and for showing the Giver we enjoy him more than his gifts.
You May Like: Fasting With Meal Replacement Shakes
Deeper Intimacy With God
It is said that fasting and prayer will definitely deepen our understanding of God. If both fasting and prayer are done together the benefits are doubled. We are, in a way willingly giving up on our food in order to spend some more time with Him. It is natural that this process will bring us closer to Him.
It is also worth mentioning that fasting and prayer is not a modern concept. This is mentioned in all religious texts of very cultures. Praying on an empty stomach is considered the highest penance.
Many people believe that God listens to people who forego what they hold important and focus on Him instead. Of course God listens to all manner of prayers with or without fasting. But if there is a possibility of attaining a more focused devotion towards the lord then why not.
Take A Short Break To Relax At Noon:
If your fasting will extend towards evening, take a short break at noon to relax. You can take a prayer walk instead.
Study Godâs word more, journal your thoughts and everything you think the Holy Spirit is saying to you.
Then you can also pray more at this time. Mark 6:31: Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, âCome with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.
Recommended Reading: What Foods To Avoid When Intermittent Fasting
Hearing Clearly What The Will Of God Is About Any Matter
God can speak to us at any time regardless of whether we are fasting or not. However, we must remember that we are engaged in spiritual warfare and sometimes the battle is so fierce reinforcements are needed. Daniel fasted for 21 days and found out after from a visiting angel that a demon prince had resisted him for 21 days. The angel had pertinent information for Daniel. We still read those inspiring prophetic words today.
What Are The Benefits Of Fasting And Prayer To Be Still
I have shared about fasting and prayer before and the links are below. Think of this first half as a quick reference for Spiritual fasting
The Bible speaks so often about the benefits of fasting and prayer that it would be foolish for us to ignore this powerful Spiritual discipline!
Okay, just to recap some of those things in case you are short on time.
You May Like: How To Start Fasting For Health
We Surrender Our Comfort To Gain Spiritual Clarity
Our 21st-century culture can lead us to become numb to what matters to God, yet praying through a fast challenge sharpens our spiritual discernment.
- We can fast from things: social media, television, food, even a negative mindset.
- We can fast for things: those yet surrendered to Christ, our local church, and our neighborhoods.
We gain wisdom and guidance through fasting. We are able to discern the will of God through fasting and deep prayer.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, .
Cause Our Light To Break Forth From Obscurity:
Isaiah 58 teaches that fasting as the Lord has appointed will cause your light to break forth from obscurity. Your light will shine and luminance will increase. As you arise, your fasting and prayers will cause your light to shine greatly. Fasting and prayer will remove all the dross and clutters and you shall shine brighter and brighter.
Recommended Reading: Fasting Drinks To Lose Weight
What Are The Spiritual Benefits Of Fasting And Prayer
Is there something you have been praying over for a long time? Something urgent that you need God to answer now?
Fasting slows you down long enough to hear Gods voice. We saw that when we looked at the benefits of fasting and prayer in the Bible verses above. When you fast in obedience to Jesus Words you find:
Fasting can cure Spiritual dryness. It feels like wave after wave of Gods grace raining down on you when it finally breaks.
Why Do People Fast And Pray
“Fasting and prayer? Didn’t those go out of style decades ago?” The woman who said this to me was a godly woman, a woman who had been in the church all her life, and a woman intent on obeying the Lord. She knew her Bible. She was very serious in her questions.
Yet for some reason, she had concluded — at least subconsciously — that fasting and prayer were no longer intended for believers in today’s world.
The truth is, fasting and prayer are for today! In fact, now more than ever!
The combination of fasting and praying is not a fad or a novelty approach to spiritual discipline. Fasting and praying are not part of a human-engineered method or plan. They are not the means to manipulate a situation or to create a circumstance. Fasting and praying are Bible-based disciplines that are appropriate for all believers of all ages throughout all centuries in all parts of the world.
Through the years, I have learned that many people in the church have never been taught about fasting and prayer, and many have therefore never fasted and prayed. As a result, they don’t know why fasting and praying are important, what the Bible teaches about fasting, or how to fast. To many, fasting sounds like drudgery — or a form of religious works. To others, fasting sounds extremely difficult. People tend to stand in awe at reports of those who have fasted for several weeks. When I hear about such fasts, I no doubt think what they think: If I fasted that long, I’d die! I couldn’t possibly do that!
Recommended Reading: Intermittent Fasting In The Morning
Importance Of Fasting For Your Spiritual Life
Lets take a look at the spiritual benefits of fasting and prayer, and how they can help you stay in the zone with God.
In , Jesus explains that we need to be continually in prayer and fasting in order to be in the zone with him and be able to push back the demons from our lives and stay firm in our faith.
In this passage, Jesus has just returned from the mountaintop where he met with Elijah and Moses and was transfigured. He finds the other disciples in an argument with local religious leaders.
The disciples had tried, unsuccessfully, to drive out the demon who possessed a young boy. They had done such acts before, but were unable to drive this one out. The disciples seemed stymied by their lack of power and the people seemed to be questioning.
Jesus rebukes the group for their lack of faith. The boys father exclaims one of my favorite statements, I do believe help me overcome my unbelief! Then, Jesus drives out the demon and heals the boy.
Prayer For Fasting And Petition
Lord, please forgive us for craving food more than you. Forgive us for craving anything more than you. Lord redirect our hunger. Be our God. Open our eyes to the benefits of fasting. Open our hearts to you like never before. Give us the desire to turn to you with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our strength. May we no longer live by bread alone but by every word that comes from your mouth Oh LORD. Teach us to fast so that we might hold fast to you. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Read Also: When To Start Fasting Timer
