Fasting And Prayer For Protection
Ezra 8:21-23
21 And there by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen 1 to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king, Our Gods hand of protection is on all who worship him, but his fierce anger rages against those who abandon him. 23 So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.
Let Him Know Youre Here With Your Heart Wide Open
This is one powerful prayer to say, especially when starting your fasting. You need to let him know how remorseful you are, how youre here at his feet with all your heart wide open for him, and how you are waiting and hoping for his powerful hands upon your life. You could say
Oh, Lord! I enter into this sanctuary or fasting with a broken heart. Here I am, at the foot of your cross.
I know you love me, as I could feel the love of your heartbeat. Thank you for the grace to breathe. Thank you for my life. Here are my hands, Lord guide, and lead me. Im waiting, hoping, watching, and listening for your powerful hands in my life, Oh Lord! Im here with all my heart wide open.
More Bible Verses About Fasting And Prayer
Matthew 6:16-18 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
Joel 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
Joel 1:14 Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders all the inhabitants of the land the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,
Acts 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent away.
Esther 4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise and so will I go in unto the king, which not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Isaiah 58:1-14 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Ezra 8:21-23 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.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
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Fast For Intimacy With God Not Praise From Man
When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 1so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
-Matthew 6:16-18
As Christians, our intentions matter. Our faith takes life to a level unseen. It is possible to do everything right on the outside, but without the proper heart, it doesnt serve its purpose.
Fasting is one of those things.
If you are fasting to be seen by others as a good Christian,youre doing it wrong.
If youre fasting with a heart that can only focus on the things you lack and not a hunger that drives you into the arms of your Savior to satisfy your needs, youre doing it wrong.
Dont fast for attention, recognition, or the sake of not-so-silent suffering through the 40 days of Lent.
Fast to draw nearer to God and rely on Him on deeper levels than you have before.
Bible Verses To Take During Fasting And Prayers
Bible Verses During Fasting And Prayers
Fasting and prayer is an important spiritual exercise that is commanded by God. It helps us to grow our relationship with God and walk with our spirit. However, fasting is the total abstinence from food and water for a period of time.
An absolute fast or dry fasting is to deviate from food and water. Fruit fasting is an exercise that a person abstain totally from food and drinks except water. While marathon fasting is a type of dry fasting that a person would stay away from food for a day or number of days.
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Kindly Watch Evangelist Joshua On Youtube
Fasting should have a clear purpose and it must be clearly defined. However, people in the Bible fasted and prayed because they wanted something specific to happen. Fasting is taking your mind off of the things of this world in order to focus more on the things of God.
Fasting is the connection between you and God. With various types of fasting, it is therefore important to fast not because there is no money to feed or you wanted the world to know that you are fasting. Bible should be the standard or backing for your fasting and prayers. For example, if you embark on serious fast without prayers, then its just a spiritual exercise done in vanity.
Bible Verses To Take During Fasting And Prayers
1. 1 Thess 5:17 & 19, Pray without ceasing. Vs 19, Quench not the Spirit.
2. Isaiah 58:6,Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness,to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
3. Nehemiah 1:4, And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
4. Acts 13:2-3, While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
13.And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
WARFARE SCRIPTURES
Top Bible Verses About Prayer And Fasting
The time we spend with the Lord in prayer can release the most potent force that can change history. The Bible describes many different activities of prayer, and in this article, we will treat prayer not only as a personal matter of every human but also prayer as a weapon of every believer. So we bring to you Bible verses about prayer and fasting.
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Why Should You Fast
According to Dr. Bill Bright, who produced a guide to fasting for cru.org, there are a number of reasons why the practice of fasting can be spiritually beneficial.
- Fasting is biblical. We see examples of biblical fasting in the lives of figures like Moses, Jesus, and King David.
- Fasting and prayer can restore or strengthen your intimacy with God. Many longtime Christians find that fasting helps them rediscover their first love for God again.
- Fasting is a way to humble yourself in the sight of God . King David said, I humbled my soul with fasting . You may find yourself relying on God more fully for strength when you fast.
- Fasting and prayer can help us hear God more clearly. To listen to God as you fast, consider combining a time of fasting with a practice of listening prayer. Together, fasting and prayer can transform your prayer life into a richer and more personal experience of God.
- Fasting enables the Holy Spirit to reveal your true spiritual condition. When you see your own brokenness more clearly, youre able to move toward repentance.
- When you experience revival in your own life through fasting, the grace and love of God can shine through you into the lives of others.
Avoid Television And Radio
Disconnecting from TV, radio, newspapers and the Internet can help you stay focused on your purpose for fasting. You will be less tempted by the constant bombardment of advertising as you become physically and emotionally challenged. Avoiding media will give you more time to focus on the Lord and His word.
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Pray During Your Fast
When you are supposed to be eating a meal, meditate on scripture and prayer. Food and drink will be a temptation, but persevere through this hard time and distract yourself with the Holy Word and your communication with the Lord. Your connection to Christ will feed you at a deeper level than youve ever imagined. Youll find yourself more dependent upon and more connected to Him.
True And False Fasting
Isaiah 58:1-12
1 Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast.Shout aloud! Dont be timid.Tell my people Israel of their sins! 2 Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me.3 We have fasted before you! they say.Why arent you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you dont even notice it!I will tell you why! I respond.Its because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers.4 What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me.5 You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting?Do you really think this will please the Lord ?
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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.
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.
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Fasting Scriptures In The Bible Kjv
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Bible Verse About Fasting :
Matthew 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Nehemiah 1:4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
Nehemiah 9:1 Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloths, and earth on them.
Ezra 8:21 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.
Ezra 8:23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.
1 Samuel 7:6 And they gathered together to , and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
1 Kings 21:9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:
1 Kings 21:12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
1 Kings 21:27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
2 Chronicles 20:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
Psalms 109:24 My knees are weak through fasting and my flesh fails of fatness.
Inspiring Bible Verses For Fasting
by Brooke Obie
There are many spiritual benefits to fasting and many ways to do so. In the Bible, the prophet Daniel fasted for 21 days, eating only fruits and vegetables and drinking only water. Jesus fasted for 40 days in a period we call Lent. If you’re considering a fast, check with your doctor before beginning to make sure it’s medically safe for you to do so. Perhaps you are considering a different kind of fast. Some people choose to give up technology or a social media platform for a period of time. Whether you’re fasting as a personal spiritual exercise or as a community, and whether you’re limiting your food or your time on Facebook, the Bible offers many words of wisdom on fasting. Here are ten of our favorite Bible verses to motivate and inspire you to keep the faith during fasting.
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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.
Prayer For Breaking Fast
Thank you for pouring new refreshment, peace and passion into my heart as I have fasted. Please help me to keep hold of this new treasure in my heart, as I return to my normal patterns of eating and drinking. Please remind me each day to take real breaks from the normality of life and the comfort of food, so that I might feast on your love and truth again. Thank you for the food and drink that I will enjoy now. This day I celebrate your eternal goodness to me. Amen.
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Blessing Not Cursing Prayers
The Apostle Paul was badly persecuted throughout his gospel ministry. He had people who would follow him around to try to stir up dissension, harm him, and try to shut him down from preaching about Jesus.
So it might shock you that it was Paul who told us, Bless those who persecute you bless and do not curse.
This can super-charge your prayer life: forgive those whove sinned against you, and pray Gods blessings and mercy on those whove persecuted you! Not only will Gods presence cover you as you do this, but these kinds of prayers honor God greatly.
Even your greatest enemy, or someone who has hurt you deeply forgive as often as needed, and pray Gods blessing and mercy. Im sure Paul didnt try to spend time with those who wanted to harm him, but he still, with Gods strength, forgave and prayed blessings on them. Do this, and God will move on your behalf.
Our ability to let things go, and bless others will keep unforgiveness from hindering our prayer life. Even how we treat our spouse and family affects our prayers.
Bible Verses About Prayer
But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you .
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward .
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Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? .
- Real trust to the Lord
As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. God, who is enthroned from of old, who does not change he will hear them and humble them, because they have no fear of God .
Jesus answered them, Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me .
When we express our feelings and problems in a conversation with the Lord, it can take place in the form of:
- Worship
But I enter Your house by the abundance of Your faithful love I bow down toward Your holy temple in reverential awe of You .
- Confession
- Plea
- thanksgiving
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