Praying And Fasting

-April 11, 2023-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting, and having torn my garment and my robe. I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God.”

(Ezra 9:5).

David, like Ezra, was in great agony when the child Bathsheba bore to him was very ill. 2 Samuel 12:16 says, “And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill. David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went and lay on the ground.” This went on for seven days before the child died. Jesus fasted forty days before being tempted by the devil. Moses also fasted for forty days while on Mt. Sinai. Ezra and Nehemiah each fasted and poured out their hearts to the Lord.

In the Bible, prayer and fasting always go together. When we deny ourselves food for a particular time, our minds and hearts are cleared and cleansed and it helps us to focus on prayer and the Lord more clearly. One can pray without fasting but should not fast without praying. When we fast, we are showing how serious we are and how great our need is. Our flesh may be weak but our spirits are strong.

Yesterday we considered the subject of feasting with gladness before the Lord. Today, we have the opposite side of the spectrum in prayer and fasting. There are many examples of fasting in both the OT and NT. Nowhere in Scripture are we commanded to fast or told exactly how to fast, but those who fasted and prayed showed their seriousness and utter dependence on God in prayer; they fasted in confession of sins, and especially in times of great need, sorrow, or trouble.

Prayer connected with fasting is a personal choice we make. When there is a great decision to be made or desperate life or death situation, or we tremendously burdened, prayers with fastings are extremely valuable. It says in Acts 14:23, “So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord.”

May we all pray earnestly and fervently, and when the situation calls for it, let us fast. Not everyone can fast due to physical limitations or conditions, but we can all pray with great urgency in times of emergency. God hears and answers prayer. Fasting is not easy and requires commitment, discipline, and sacrifice.

Noted Pastor, preacher, teacher, and author Tony Evans uses a great apology on prayer and fasting. He describes how there are two types of jumpers in track and field: high jumpers and pole vaulters. The former leap off the ground and propel themselves and leap just over seven feet. They depend fully on themselves. The latter have a pole in hands and sprint down the runway and put the pole in the ground and let the pole propel them over nineteen feet. He said, “maybe what you need is a pole vault. You need something to get your problem so that you can go higher than you could ever lift yourself. Maybe you need a pole that will help you jump over the mountain. The pole vault for the bars in your life are fasting and prayer.”

Have a blessed day pouring out your hearts in prayer and when in great need, fast and pray together. Stay safe and healthy.

Extreme need leads to extreme measures,

Dean