The City Of Nineveh Spared
So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them and he did it not.
What a wonderful example for us of not only the power of fasting and prayer, but also the power of humble repentance! God rewards such fasting and prayer with His mercy! That kind of prayer changes things with God! To the point that God changes His predetermined course of action in answer to their prayers!
Verses To Read When Fasting For A Relationship
Psalms 68:6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
Isaiah 34:16 Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.
1 Corinthians 7:9But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Psalm 27:14Wait for the Lord be strong, and let your heart take courage wait for the Lord!
Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone I will make him an help meet for him.
Proverbs 18:22He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.
Genesis 2:24Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
2 Corinthians 6:14Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Hebrews 13:4Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.
Bible Verses On Fasting
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9 Bible Verses on Fasting Scripture to show us the value of fasting, praying, seeking, and longing for closeness with God through biblical
Every Lent, I dive a little bit deeper into the idea of fasting.
- Is fasting still relevant today?
- How does fasting bring me closer to God?
- What should I be fasting for anyways?
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Can You Drink Water While Fasting Bible
40), we read, A proper fast day observance consists of abstaining from food and drink for two consecutive meals, attending the fast and testimony meeting, and making a generous offering to the bishop for the care of those in need. Thus, the use of water is excluded in this kind of a fast.
Fasting For Holy Spirit Guidance
Father, I pray that You would remind me of Your still small voice. That You would quiet all distractions. I ask for Your call and purpose in my life to be made clear. Remove any and all confusion. I pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to speak to me and guide me as I journey on. Remind me Lord, that You have called your church the set apart ones and I am part of that. All for Your glory, Lord. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.
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What Does Fasting Do For Prayer
Biblical fasting means saying no to yourself and saying yes to God. Biblical fasting means to deny the flesh in order to find a more powerful connection with the Holy Spirit.
And in the same way that a regular fast is supposed to boost your metabolism, fasting is a way to super-charge the power of your prayer life!
Why are Fasting and Prayer So Important
Prayer is a way to let go and give everything over to God.
I dont know about you, but when I look at the world around me I feel scared. Life is hard and getting harder every year. The lost world keeps getting crazier and more sure they are right.
The Christians around me are more intolerant. Very rarely do I see a glimpse of the power or abundant life Jesus said His disciples would have.
That scares me. Does it scare you?
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
Jesus, when talking to the disciples talks about the life of a believer being powerful and abundant. How do you get to that place of living a powerful, abundant life? I dont see much evidence of it around me and I desperately want it, dont you?
After many years in the faith, I realized there are parts of the scripture that we the Church ignore. Fasting is a spiritual discipline that the original believers would have practiced and seen great value in.
Jesus said we will fast when we need Him and a fast will be necessary.
To Know God’s Purpose
Lord, I surrender my life to you. I want to do something, to make something happen, all on my own strength, but I know without you I can do nothing. I know my life is not my own, it is yours to work through me. Lord, I am grateful for this life youve given me. Youve blessed me with different gifts and talents. Help me understand how to cultivate those things to bring glory to your great name. Amen.
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The Jews Protected Returning From Captivity
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.
As Ezra prepared to lead the Jews from captivity back to Jerusalem, he and the people fasted and prayed, seeking the Lord for protection from enemies as they traveled. And God heard and answered!
For Wisdom And Guidance
Dear Lord, Please give me Your wisdom and Your guidance as I lay my request before You. Show me the direction that I need to go in and the courage to take the steps in faith. Help me not to be led by selfish desires but only by your Holy Spirit in me. Help me to discern Your will so that I may pray with all boldness. In Jesus name Amen
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Examples Of Fasting In The Bible
Moses in the Book of Exodus
So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. ~ Exodus 34:28
Daniel in the Book of Daniel
I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks. ~ Daniel 10:3 ESV
David in the Book of 2 Samuel
And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. ~ 2 Samuel 1:12 ESV
John the Baptist in the Book of Matthew
Now John wore a garment of camels hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.Matthew 3:4 ESV
Jesus Christ in the Book of Luke
And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread. And Jesus answered him, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone. ~ Luke 4:1-4 ESV
The Early Church in the Book of Acts
Fasting To Hear The Voice Of The Lord
Acts 14:23
So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Acts 13:2-3
One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them. So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.
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A 40 Day Complete Biblical Fast
Our examples of a 40 day complete fast are Jesus and Moses who took things to the extreme by having no food or water for 40 days.
- So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights he did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.
- And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.
Please note that these are extreme examples of fasting and prayer and you should never consider this until after consulting a doctor.
New Wine Into New Wineskins
Then Johns disciples came and asked him, How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?Jesus answered, How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them then they will fast.No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.
Matthew 9:14-17
The entire purpose of the disciples and the Pharisees fasting was to show a longing for the day God would show up and show favor to Israel again.
But Jesus was right there with them! There was no need for fasting at that moment.
But immediately afterward, Jesus said, the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them then they will fast.
He wasnt putting an end to all fasting.
He specifically said the time to fast would be coming again!
But now, our fasting isnt filled with mourning as it was for the Pharisees. Instead, its filled with longing because we know Jesus came and will come again!
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Prayer For Breaking A Fast
God, the time of my fast is coming to an end.
Thank you for giving me the strength to carry this out. I have grown in strength and in my relationship with You. I know I could never have done this by my own power.
As this time of restraint finishes, lead me in my next steps. Help me move slowly and gently back into a regular pattern of behavior. Help me not to go crazy with pent-up desire but instead, move with grace and intention.
I trust Your guidance, Lord.
In Jesus name I ask this, Amen.
Seeking The Holy Spirits Guidance
So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Acts 13:3
It would seem that the church here fasted for guidance from the Holy Spirit. They didnt know what to do next, but they ached for Gods direction.
And this particular instance of fasting happened after Christs coming.
This fasting was not about legalism.
This was a deep hunger in these people searching for guidance of the churchs next steps.
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How Should We Fast
The first imperative in deciding to fast is that we do so out of a sincere desire to seek Gods guidance and direction. Fasting for the sake of making a show in front of others, or fasting to ask God for things that are clearly outside of his will, is an exercise in futility. More on that in a minute.
First, lets look at the physical aspects of fasting. Fasting comes in different forms and is done in different ways. The most important factors to consider in starting a fasting regimen include the following:
What Does The New Testament Say About Fasting
New Testament fasting is an integral part of our faith. When we fast, we open ourselves up to God’s work in our lives. As a result, we become more sensitive to His voice and expect Him to do amazing things in and through us.
It’s a way for us to consecrate ourselves to the Lord, prepare for ministry, and hear His voice for clarity and direction. New Testament fasting scriptures also remind us of the heart of Christian fasting. It’s not for show, and it’s not about perfect performance. When we fast, we humble ourselves before God, open our hearts to Him, and receive His grace and mercy.
Fasting is a powerful way to connect with God. These New Testament fasting scriptures offer encouragement and insight into this spiritual discipline.
These are just a few of the New Testament fasting scriptures. As you can see, New Testament fasting is about much more than just denying ourselves food. It’s about giving ourselves entirely to God and serving Him with our whole hearts. As we fast and pray together, we can come to understand this even better!
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Jesus Heals A Boy With A Demon
Matthew 17:14-21
14 And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15 Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me. 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, Why could we not cast it out? 20 So Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.
A Fasting Prayer For Resisting Temptation:
All of us face temptation in life. Even Jesus was tempted in the wilderness and is our example of how to face it.
Matthew 4:1,2 describes, Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.
Like Satan tempted Eve in the garden with food , he first tempted Jesus with food, too. The tempter came to Him and said, If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. Jesus answered, It is written Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God .
Although Eve could eat from every tree in the garden except one in order to obey God, , she gave into temptation and ate from it .
Unlike Eve who had plenty to eat, Jesus was without food in the wilderness. Yet, through fasting and obeying Gods word, He resisted temptation and defeated the scheme of the evil one.
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Surrender In Fasting And Prayer
Heavenly Father, You deserve more than the few crumbs that fall from my too-full calendar. You deserve my best. A heart of worship, night and day. A willingness to add fasting and more prayer time to my life. Please teach me to be still, to wait, to listen and always to give thanks.
I surrender my thought life to You. Please reveal the fantasies Im using for false comfort. I want to choose Your loving presence in my life instead of worthless mental images. I trust that You will provide for all my needs and help me resist the devil. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Some Powerful Fasting As A Disciplined Form Of Prayer
Luke 2:37
And this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
1 Corinthians 7:5
Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
Acts 14:23
So when they had appointed elders in every church and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Acts 13:2-3
One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them. So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.
Rounding Up
Do you know that there are 3 days of fasting prayer points, Be rest assured that there are things to avoid when fasting and praying. Well, do you have any questions regarding this post? do well to let us know via the comment session. Stay with us as we do all we can to keep you updated.
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