Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, m®, ! "#$%,"#$&,"#&' by the International Bible Society( Used by permission of )onderan( *ll ri+hts resered( Scripture quotations marked -.V/ are taken from the -in+ .ames Version of the Holy Bible( Note0 *ll words set in bold italics within Scripture quotations are the emphasis of the author( Note0 1his book is not intended to proide medical adice or to take the place of medical adice and treatment from your personal physician( Neither the publisher nor the author nor the author2s ministry takes any responsibility for any possible consequences from any action taken by any person readin+ or followin+ the information in this book( If readers are takin+ prescription medications, they should consult with their physicians and not take themseles off prescribed medicines without the proper superision of a qualified health care professional( *lways consult your physician or other qualified health care professional before undertakin+ any chan+e in your physical re+imen, whether fastin+, diet, medications, or e3ercise( 4rayer and 5astin+ trade paperback edition -in+sley 5letcher 6inistries 4(7( Bo3 "89"$ :esearch 1rian+le 4ark, N; 8$$9#<89"$ 4hone0 #"#(%&8("#'' www(kfmlife(or+ ISBN0 #$&<9<&&%=&<>'%<% 4rinted in the United States of *merica ! "##8 by ?r( -in+sley 5letcher @hitaker House "9%9 Hunt Valley ;ircle New -ensin+ton, 4* ">9=& www(whitakerhouse(com No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanicalAincludin+ photocopyin+, recordin+, or by any information stora+e and retrieal systemA without permission in writin+ from the publisher( 4lease direct your inquiries to permissionseditorwhitakerhouse(com(
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;ontents Introduction
PART I: Why I Still Believe In Prayer And Fasting
"( 6y 4ersonal C3perience @ith 4rayer *nd 5astin+ 8( 1he Biblical Basis 5or 4rayer *nd 5astin+
PART II: Why Most Christians No Longer Practice Prayer and Fasting
%( 1he Dack 7f :esults In 1he 4ast '( 1he :ecent Cmphasis 7n 5aith *s * ;ure<*ll >( 1he 4realence 7f 1he Spirit 7f Eluttony =( 1he Selfish Spirit 7f 1he *+e $( 1he Dack 7f 1eachin+ 7n 1he SubFect 7f 4rayer *nd 5astin+
PART III: Why We Should Pray And Fast Pur!ose"
&( 1he Need 1o ;rucify 1he 5lesh #( 1he Need 1o Hear 1he Voice 7f Eod "9( 1he Need 5or 4ower ""( 1he Need 5or 6ore 5aith "8( 1he Need 5or 4reparation "%( 1he Need 5or * Healthy Difestyle
PART I#: $o% &ou Can Pray And Fast More '((ectively Pre!aration"
"'( 6ake * ;ommitment 1o 4rayer *nd 5astin+ ">( 4repare Gourself 5or 4rayer *nd 5astin+ "=( Stop 6akin+ C3cuses *nd .ust ?o It
Part #: What To ')!ect Fro* Prayer And Fasting Action And Results"
"$( 4ractical 1hin+s I Hae Dearned *bout 4rayer *nd 5astin+ *ction/ "&( 1he 5ruits 4roduced By 4rayer *nd 5astin+ :esults/ 6y 4rayer 5or Gou
*nd when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneelin+ down to him, and sayin+, Dord, hae mercy on my son0 for he is a lunatic, and sore e3ed0 for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water( *nd I brou+ht him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him( 1hen .esus answered and said, 7 faithless and pererse +eneration, how lon+ shall I be with you how lon+ shall I suffer you brin+ him hither to me( *nd .esus rebuked the deilJ and he departed out of him0 and the child was cured from that ery hour( 1hen came the disciples to .esus apart, and said, @hy could not we cast him out *nd .esus said unto them, Because of your unbelief0 for erily I say unto you, If ye hae faith as a +rain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, :emoe hence to yonder placeJ and it shall remoeJ and nothin+ shall be impossible unto you( Howbeit this kind +oeth not out but by prayer and fastin+( A 6atthew "$0"'<8" -.V
Introduction
1he question which the disciples asked .esus that day was ery lo+ical0 @hy couldn2t we do that @hy couldn2t we heal that boy @hat is Gour secret .esus2 answer was ery clear( *nd what He tau+ht His disciples that day is for all belieers of all a+es0 1his kind +oeth not out but by prayer and fastin+( 6atthew "$08" -.V/
1he type of miracle needed by this man and his sonAthis kind of healin+, this kind of delierance
*s you read the pa+es of 4rayer and 5astin+, don2t be in a hurry( 1ake time to carefully assimilate eery chapter( Det the messa+e of the book settle down into your spirit( It is simple, but it is powerful( 6any of your problems can be resoled by a return to the biblical practice of prayer and fastin+( 1ake time to learn this lesson well( 6ay our Eod use the pa+es of this bookAwhich He has so powerfully laid upon my heart to writeAto stir your soul to do whateer is necessary to seek the face of the heaenly 5ather while He may be found( A-in+sley *( 5letcher, 4h(?(, 1h(?( ;hapel Hill, North ;arolina
Part I Why I Still Believe In Prayer And Fasting
;hapter " 6y 4ersonal C3perience @ith 4rayer *nd 5astin+
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. - ohn !"#!$-!" @hat powerful words Erowin+ up in *frica, we belieed these precious promises of Eod and e3perienced them in our daily lies( Now, after many years hae passed, I am coninced that Eod worked so powerfully in our lies because of our dedication to a life of prayer and fastin+( Some of my earliest memories are of my father takin+ a bottle of water and leain+ the house so that he could find a solitary place to seek the face of Eod in e3tended prayer and fastin+( He didn2t +o to a hotel( He preferred an unused stretch of beach where he could spend seeral days in Eod2s presence( @hen he returned, I could see the anointin+ of Eod on his life( 6y nephew Deonard had a serious health problem when he was youn+( He had somethin+ like epilepsy( I was there the day ?addy took Deonard aside and laid hands on him( He said, LIn the name of .esus ;hrist be healed(L 5rom that day on, Deonard neer suffered another attack, and today he is a preacher of the Eospel( Eod also +ae me a prayin+ mother( She has prayed for hours
eery day since I can remember( 4rayer is her bread( Since she has lied with us, I hae neer known her to spend a complete ni+ht in sleep( Cery ni+ht I hear her prayin+( *t three o2clock she is prayin+( *t four o2clock she is prayin+( *t fie o2clock she is prayin+( She is always prayin+( 1he dedication of my parents to a life of prayer and fastin+ kept me from +oin+ the way of the world, saed my life on many occasions, and put me on a strai+ht course toward the ministry( @hen I was only si3, I was hospitaliKed with a serious eye inFury( It was so seere that I was in a state of unconsciousness for three months and had to be fed intraenously( 1hree specialistsAone from Eermany, one from Cn+land, and one from *fricaAall +ae up hope for my recoery( 7ne of them told my mother0 LI am ery sorry( 1here is no hope for your son(L @hen my mother heard that dreaded erdict, she be+an walkin+ all oer the hospital, talkin+ to Eod and intercedin+ on my behalf( Eod told her that if she would enter into a period of serious prayer and fastin+, He would spare my life( She obeyed Eod, and I miraculously recoered( @hen I was only ten, I made a determination to follow Eod and to lie an e3emplary life, as my parents had lied before me( *t the a+e of fifteen, I was one of seen teena+ers who formed what we called 1he 4ower House Can+elistic 6inistries( 7ur +oal was to +o from illa+e to illa+e, city to city, and school to school, leadin+ people to ;hrist( Soon after we formed that +roup, I was led to enter into a three< day period of prayer and fastin+ for the first time( If Eod could use my parents, He could use me( I would seek His face until I heard from heaen and until His touch was upon my life( ?urin+ those days, I attended a meetin+ in the bush about three miles from my home( 1here I lay on my face before Eod and
waited e3pectantly to know Eod2s oice and to +et clear directions( I desperately needed to know His perfect will for my life( I was afraid to moe to the left or to the ri+ht without knowin+ His desire( I told Eod that I would rather die than lie without His blessin+ on my life( Some people may think that such words, uttered by a fifteen< year
answer, LGes, sir Ges, ma2amL He could not resist them and had to submit to their authority( No wonder Satan tries to keep us from fastin+ No wonder he offers eery conceiable e3cuse to the flesh No wonder he lulls Eod2s people to sleep He hates prayer and fastin+( @hen ;hristianity first came to our part of *frica, we didn2t hae any fancy meetin+ places or any buildin+s that would accommodate us( @e met in the bush to sin+ the praises of Eod( Sometimes we +athered and prayed all ni+ht( ?urin+ the ni+ht it mi+ht rainAe3cept in the spot where we were +athered( Eod protected us( 6any of our outdoor crusades were likewise threatened by rain( @hen it happened, we commanded the rain to wait until the meetin+ had ended, and it did( @e had such simple faith in Eod, and He honored our faith( Some years a+o, when a +roup of other *mericans went with me to *frica for meetin+s, they saw a demonstration of this faith in action( Heay rains came durin+ our stay and threatened to disrupt our outdoor actiities( 1he archbishop in char+e, Benson Idahosa of Ni+eria, boldly declared on national radio and teleision that the crusade would not be suspended and that rain would not interfere with what Eod wanted to do( ?urin+ the meetin+, cripples +ot up and walked, blind people were able to see for the ery first time, and other outstandin+ miracles were performed in the name of the Dord( It was already rainin+ in other parts of the city but we were spared so that Eod could work in the lies of the +reat crowd of people who had +athered( @hen we had said the final LamenL of the crusade, it be+an pourin+ rain, and eeryone had to scurry for coer( 1his is typical of the simple miracles that Eod does on the *frican continent in answer to the simple faith of the *frican belieers( 1he miracles that we saw in *frica were not the result of a well<
deeloped theolo+y( @e had few te3tbooks( @hat Eod did was a result of our dedication to a life of seekin+ the face of Eod and His will for our lies( @hen we read His @ord, we belieed it, and He performed it( .ohn "'0"8<"' was one of our faorite passa+es from the Bible( Verily, erily, I say unto you, He that belieeth on me, the works that I do shall he do alsoJ and +reater works than these shall he doJ because I +o unto my 5ather( *nd whatsoeer ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the 5ather may be +lorified in the Son( If ye shall ask any thin+ in my name, I will do it( .ohn "'0"8<"' -.V/
1he fourteenth chapter of .ohn is ery commonly used in funeral serices( 6ost pastors, howeer, read only the first part( 1hey dwell on the future promises( L@e mi+ht not understand it all now,L they say, Lbut in the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that +lorious shore( 7h, Dord Eod, prepare us a cabin in +lory land(L .esus did say0 ?o not let your hearts be troubled( 1rust in EodJ trust also in me( In my 5ather2s house are many roomsJ if it were not so, I would hae told you( I am +oin+ there to prepare a place for you( *nd if I +o and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am( .ohn "'0"<%/
*nd those words are Fust as alid today as when He spoke them to His disciples( 5urthermore, He also said0 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I hae been doin+( He will do een +reater thin+s than these, because I am +oin+ to the 5ather( .ohn "'0"8/
*nd those words are also alid today( If we beliee in .esus, we should e3pect to see the same miracles that He had in His ministry( @e are to continue His ministry in the earth( .esus established the church based on His miracle
L*nythin+L 4raise Eod L*nythin+L 1hat is what our Eod has promised( He said, LI will do it(L @hat is this LitL 1his LitL refers to Lanythin+L we ask our heaenly 5ather in prayer( In some churches, the pastors are afraid to talk about the supernatural( It upsets some people( 1hey don2t like to hear about delierance and healin+( *s a pastor, I cannot stop preachin+ these thin+sAno matter whom I offend( Sick people still need healin+( Bound people still need delierance( *nd Eod is still in the healin+ and delierin+ business( If that offends someone, I am sorry( I can2t chan+e it( .esus repeated this promise0
In that day you will no lon+er ask me anythin+( I tell you the truth, my 5ather will +ie you whateer you ask in my name( Until now you hae not asked for anythin+ in my name( *sk and you will receie, and your Foy will be complete( .ohn "=08%<8'/
L@hateerL @hat a powerful word 1hat is what Eod has promised to those of us who beliee Him( He tells us to ask, Lthat your Foy will be complete(L He is concerned about our true needs( He doesn2t want us to be without the fullness of Foy( He commands us, L*skL so that our Foy Lmay be complete(L *nd when we ask, we should e3pect to receie what we ask for( His promise is0 LGou will receie(L @hat will we receie L@hateerL we ask in His name( 1his is Eod2s promise( @e should neer be surprised when Eod works a miracle for us( @e should e3pect to see the si+ns and wonders of Eod in our midst and in our lies( Erowin+ up in the simplicity of *frican life, it seemed to us the most lo+ical thin+ to beliee and receie what Eod had promised( Dater in life, I witnessed the tra+edies of those who had for+otten to pray and fast and seek the face of Eod( @e once had a ery simple woman of prayer in *frica for whom Eod did outstandin+ miracles( She had neer attended seminary and had no colle+e de+ree( But she was powerful in Eod( *fter she had spent time in a certain place in prayer, sick people who came to that place would be healed( 4eople who came there with serious problems were deliered( @hen forei+n missionaries came and saw what was happenin+ in the life of this woman, they coninced her to trael with them to Curope and the United States( 1hey made merchandise of her +ift, usin+ her to raise money( Soon, her special anointin+ departed(
She weeps for those days, but they do not return( She for+ot how to wait upon Eod in prayer and fastin+( *nother *frican whom we know came to the United States from -enya, where he had been mi+htily used of Eod( @hen he came to *merica, howeer, it wasn2t lon+ before the miracles ceased in his life and ministry( 1he lure of riches caused him to compromise his anointin+( Dater, he found it difficult to een remember the mi+hty thin+s that Eod had done for him( 1hey seemed like a faraway dream( @hen he came to isit us, I felt led to ask him if he would Foin me in fastin+ for three days( He did( *t the end of that time, he told me what had happened to him( @hen he arried in *merica, eeryone offered him food( He was told, L1his is our custom(L @hen he wanted to fast, his hosts obFected, sayin+ that it would be offensie to fast( L1his is *merica,L they said( LCnFoy our *merican hospitality( Gou can fast some other time(L It was the same eerywhere he went( Before lon+, he had +ien up his habit of re+ular fastin+, and his anointin+ be+an to fade( Dookin+ back now, I realiKe that we can maintain a simple faith in Eod and e3perience His miracles on a re+ular basis only if we are dedicated to a life of prayer and fastin+( 1his is the reason, despite the fact that so many ;hristians hae abandoned the custom, that I still beliee in prayer and fastin+(
;hapter 8 1he Biblical Basis 5or 4rayer *nd 5astin+
esus, full of the Holy S%irit, returned from the ordan and was led by the S%irit in the desert, where for forty days he was tem%ted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the -&uke end of"#!-$ them he was hungry.
It is difficult to understand why so many ;hristians hae abandoned the practice of prayer and fastin+( Nothin+ could be more clearly tau+ht in the Bible( + Moses (asted,
6oses was there with the Dord forty days and forty ni+hts without eatin+ bread or drinkin+ water( *nd he wrote on the tablets the words of the coenantA the 1en ;ommandments( C3odus %'08&/
+ 'li-ah (asted,
So he +ot up and ate and drank( Stren+thened by that food, he traeled forty days and forty ni+hts until he reached Horeb, the mountain of Eod( " -in+s "#0&/
+ '.ra (asted,
1hen CKra withdrew from before the house of Eod and went to the room of .ehohanan son of Cliashib( @hile he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn oer the unfaithfulness of the e3iles( CKra "90=/
+ /aniel (asted,
I ate no choice foodJ no meat or wine touched my lipsJ and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were oer( ?aniel "90%/
I know that all of these men lied in 7ld 1estament timesJ but fastin+ continued in the New 1estament(
+ Anna (asted,
*nd then was a widow until she was ei+hty
+ Cornelius (asted,
*nd ;ornelius said, 5our days a+o I was fastin+ until this hourJ and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bri+ht clothin+, *cts "90%9 -.V/
+ 'arly church leaders (asted,
@hile they were worshipin+ the Dord and fastin+, the Holy Spirit said, LSet apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I hae called them(L *cts "%08/
4aul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fastin+, committed them to the Dord, in whom they had put their trust( *cts "'08%/
+ Paul (asted,
5or three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anythin+( *cts #0#/
*fter he was conerted on the road to ?amascus, Eod led 4aul to fast for three daysAwithout food and without drink( *t the end of that time, Eod reealed to a disciple named *nanias that he should +o and minister to LSaul of 1arsusLJ and Saul, now 4aul, receied his healin+ and the be+innin+s of a miracle ministry that would take him all oer the then
Bein+ forty days tempted of the deil( *nd in those days he did eat nothin+0 and when they were ended, he afterward hun+ered( Duke '0"<8 -.V/
.esus was wise enou+h to know that without the 5ather He could do nothin+( He sou+ht the 5ather in prayer and fastin+( He waited in the 5ather2s presence until He was endued with power( How can we do less 6any people beliee that it is impossible to fast for forty days, as .esus did on this occasion( 1hey think that anyone who tries to fast that lon+ will die( But .esus wasn2t the only person in the Bible to fast forty days( 6oses and CliFah did it, too( 6any people hae done it in modern times and hae not died( I hae fasted forty days, and I didn2t die( *nd you won2t die either if Eod tells you to +o on an e3tended fast(
1esus %as %ise enough to 2no% that %ithout the Father $e could do nothing, $e sought the Father in !rayer and (asting,
1he secret of all these men and women in the Bible is that they were inoled in the business of Eod2s kin+dom( @hen you +et inoled with kin+dom business, you for+et to eat sometimes( Gou hae more important thin+s to think about( Gour own wants become much less important to you( *ll the +reat reformers of the church carried on this biblical tradition( 1hey were people of prayer and fastin+( 1hey learned the secret of seekin+ Eod( If you want Eod2s blessin+ for yourself and for your family, you, too, will make prayer and fastin+ a re+ular part of your life(
Now that we hae laid the biblical foundation for prayer and fastin+, let2s discoer why most ;hristians hae abandoned the practice and why we should continue this blessed tradition(
Part II Why Most Christians No Longer Practice Prayer And Fasting
Introduction 1o 4art II
1he teachin+ of prayer and fastin+ seems oddly out .D of place in our modern
;hapter % 1he Dack :esults In 1he 4ast
Shout it aloud, do not hold hack( :aise your oice like a trumpet( ?eclare to my people their rebellion and to the house of .acob their sins( 5or day after day they seek me outJ they seem ea+er to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is ri+ht and has not forsaken the commands of its Eod( 1hey ask me for Fust decisions and seem ea+er for Eod to come near them( L@hy hae we fasted,L they say, Land you hae not seen it @hy hae we humbled ourseles, and you hae not noticedL Get on the day of your fastin+, you do as you please and e3ploit all your workers( Gour fastin+ ends in quarrelin+ and strife, and in strikin+ each other with wicked fists( Gou cannot fast as you do today and e3pect your oice to be heard on hi+h( Is this the kind of fast I hae chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself Is it only for bowin+ one2s head like a reed and for lyin+ on sackcloth and ashes Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Dord Is not this the kind of fastin+ I hae chosen0 to loose the chains of inFustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break eery yoke Is it not to share your food with the hun+ry and to proide the poor wanderer with shelter
quickly appearJ then your ri+hteousness will +o before you, and the +lory of the Dord will be your rear +uard( 1hen you will call, and the Dord will answerJ you will cry for help, and he will say0 LHere am I(L If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointin+ fin+er and malicious talk, and if you spend yourseles in behalf of the hun+ry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your li+ht will rise in the darkness, and your ni+ht will become like the noonday( 1he Dord will +uide you alwaysJ he will satisfy your needs in a sun
&0"<"8
Some people hae abandoned prayer and fastin+ because they didn2t seem to be +ettin+ the desired results( But can the problem lie with Eod Is it not our own attitude that is at fault @hen you pray and fast and do not e3perience a breakthrou+h, there is somethin+ in your life that needs to be dealt with( 6aybe your moties for fastin+ were wron+ in the first place( 1he people of Isaiah2s time also fasted without result( 1hey were offended and asked Eod for an e3planation( @hy was He not answerin+ His people and honorin+ their sacrifices In many ways, they can be compared to the people around us today( 5or day after day they seek me outJ they seem ea+er to know my ways((( ( 8/
*s a people, we do want to know the will of Eod for our lies(
*s if they were a nation that does what is ri+ht((((8/
6any countries, like the United States, were founded upon +odly principles( * nation that(((has not forsaken the commands of its Eod( ( 8/
?espite the infiltration of immorality and debauchery into the ery heart of our modern culture, a maFority of people are still ery reli+ious( 1hey ask me for Fust decisions( ( 8/
@e are ery concerned with social Fustice( @e are a+ainst abortion, porno+raphy, euthanasia, and the spread of ille+al dru+s( @e readily respond to pleas to demonstrate our feelin+s on these important subFects( @e want to see positie chan+es in our society( 1hey(( (seem ea+er for Eod to come near them( ( 8/
1he people of Isaiah2s day een took Ldeli+ht in approachin+ EodL -.V/( 1hey had a lot +oin+ for them, a lot to commend( But, if all this is true, why was Eod not hearin+ their prayers @hy was their fastin+ producin+ no isible results 1hey asked Eod the same question( L@hy hae we fasted,L they say, Land you hae not seen it @hy hae we humbled ourseles, and you hae not noticedL ( %/
1his sounds like a +ood question to me( 1hese people thou+ht they were serin+ Eod( 1hey thou+ht they were beliein+ His @ord( 1hey were continuin+ their reli+ious traditions and workin+ for social Fustice in their day( Get, when they quoted the promises and e3ercised their faith, nothin+ happened(
When you !ray and (ast and do not e)!erience a 3rea2through0 there is so*ething in your li(e that needs to 3e dealt %ith,
1he answer Eod +ae them may surprise some ;hristians0 Get on the day of your fastin+, you do as you please and e3ploit all your workers( Gour fastin+ ends in quarrelin+ and strife, and in strikin+ each other with wicked fists( Gou cannot fast as you do today and e3pect your oice to be heard on hi+h( Is this the kind of fast I hae chosen
( %<>/
If the people of Isaiah2s day were +ettin+ nowhere spiritually because they were pleasure seekers, we are really in trouble in the be+innin+ years of the twenty
hae for not fastin+( @e hae many Lmore importantL thin+s to do( 5astin+ is simply not in the schedule( 1here is no time for it( *nd this attitude is preentin+ many from seein+ an answer to their prayers( If Eod is not answerin+ our prayers, somethin+ is wron+( 7ur attitude is wron+( 7ur concept of Eod is wron+( If we really put Eod first, He will neer fail to put us first( But if we put Him third, He is not obli+ated to answer our eery whim and fancy( If hain+ fun is more important to us than hain+ Eod2s faor on our lies, there is not much hope for our spiritual futures( If our Fobs are more important to us than doin+ the will of Eod, we are in serious trouble( 1here are more serious reasons for unanswered prayer, as there were in Isaiah2s time0 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness0 ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your oice to be heard on hi+h( Is it such a fast that I hae chosen ( '<> -.V/
1hose who fasted actually had an eil purpose in doin+ so( Eod declared that this was not the fast He had chosen( Is it only for bowin+ one2s head like a reed and for lyin+ on sackcloth and ashes Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Dord ( >/
1he 4harisees made much of their fastin+ by puttin+ on sackcloth and ashes, ostensibly as an act of contrition, but actually to make a show of their piety( 4rayer and fastin+ is not for the purpose of showin+ off( It is a ery personal act performed unto Eod, not unto men( 1he fast that Eod has chosen is ery different(
Is not this the kind of fastin+ I hae chosen0 to loose the chains of inFustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break eery yoke Is it not to share your food with the hun+ry and to proide the poor wanderer with shelterA when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood ( =<$/
7ur purpose for fastin+ is to Lloose the chains of inFustice,L to Luntie the cords of the yoke,L to Lset the oppressed free,L and to Lbreak eery yoke(L 1his is the heart of Eod( @hen we be+in prayin+ the heart of Eod and fastin+ for the desires of the heart of Eod, we will see results( If we can only fast for a new car or for a house, our moties are wron+ and we will be disappointed with the result of our sacrifice( If you hae been fastin+ and prayin+ and hae not receied answers, carefully check your attitude( If your heart is open, Eod will show you where you hae erred( If you been discoura+ed to pray and fast by a lack of results in the past, Eod is +iin+ you a chance to return to biblical prayer and fastin+, which always brin+s the desired result(
;hapter ' 1he :ecent Cmphasis 7n 5aith *s * ;ure<*ll
And without faith it is im%ossible to %lease 'od, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He e(ists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. )Hebrews !!#* 1raditionally, prayer and fastin+ has been one of the stron+ points of ean+elical, 4entecostal, and charismatic practice( Get today, een those +roups hae stopped fastin+( @hy do so few of our modern
Some hae turned to prophecy as a substitute for miracles( 4rophecy was not meant to be a substitute for miracles( 4rophecy is wonderful, and the Bible tells us not to despise prophecy " 1hessalonians >089/( But prophecy without the supernatural is not biblical prophecy at all( @e need the demonstration of the power of Eod in our midst( 1o maintain the crowds in their churches or ministries when the miracles are +one, most people turn to +immicks( Slowly, they trust more and more in the world for +uidance( 6any don2t een realiKe what is happenin+ to themAuntil it is too late( Cmphasis on faith and the need to e3ercise it is not a bad thin+( 1he Bible is clear0 L@ithout faith it is impossible to please Eod(L 5aith pleases Eod, but faith cannot brin+ you eerythin+ that you need( 1he key phrase here is Lthose who earnestly seek Him(L 5aith depends upon a stron+ relationship to Eod( * stron+ relationship to Eod can be built by Learnestly seekMin+ Him(L *nd prayer and fastin+ is the best way to seek Him( 1hose who emphasiKe super
Lhow lon+ shall I stay with you How lon+ shall I put up with you Brin+ the boy here to me(L 6atthew "$0"$/
@hen the disciples of .esus brou+ht a child to Him whom they were unable to help, He called them an Lunbeliein+ and pererse +enerationL and asked them, LHow lon+ shall I stay with you How lon+ shall I put up with youL How could .esus do that to His disciples 1hese men had left eerythin+ to follow Him( 1hey had made +reat sacrifices to be at His side( @hat He did ne3t helps to e3plain His words( He called for the child( 1hen He Lrebuked the demonL ( "&/( 1he result was that Lit came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment(L ( "&/( It was so easy for .esus( .ust a word from Him was sufficient( He had power and authority( No demon could stand a+ainst Him( @hen He spoke, demons obeyed( He e3pected His disciples to hae this same power( @hen they didn2t, He chastened them( Is it easy for us to delier epileptics today It can beAif we are prepared( But most of us are not( @e stru++le with the situations of life0 the problems in the workplace, the tensions in the home, the difficulties in the church and, most of all, the battles we face with our own character( @e quote promises and e3ercise faith, but nothin+ seems to chan+e( .esus wanted to show us that it can all be so easyAif we are prepared, as He was prepared( No wonder the church is weak No wonder the church is not e3pectin+ miracles 1he church has stopped seekin+ Eod in prayer and fastin+( .esus said that if you hae faith like a mustard seed, you can speak to mountains to moe, and they will obey you( 5aith makes the impossible possible( It brin+s into the realm of reality what can otherwise only be dreamed of( 5aith +oes beyond what the natural eye sees( *ccordin+ to Hebrews0 L5aith is the substance of
thin+s hoped for, the eidence of thin+s not seenL Hebrews ""0" -.V/( 1hose who hae no faith cannot please Eod( 1hat is a principle( Eod can only be perceied by faith( His creation of the world and eerythin+ that is in it can be understood only by faith( His @ord can be accepted only by faith( So .esus said that if we hae Fust a little faith we can moe mountains( 5aith chan+es eerythin+( 5aith makes eerythin+ possible( 5aith unlocks eery door and opens to the belieer eery opportunity( @ithout prayer and fastin+, howeer, our faith cannot function( Some miracles will neer happen without prayer and fastin+( Some circumstances will neer chan+e without prayer and fastin+( Some situations will neer be reersed without prayer and fastin+( 4rayer and fastin+ sharpen your e3pectancy so that when you ask you e3pect to receie( 4rayer and fastin+ sharpen your e3pectancy so that when you ask you e3pect to receie( 1he promises of Eod are conditional upon our liin+ the life He has outlined for us( 5or instance, Eod deli+hts to feed His children( ?aid said0 I was youn+ and now I am old, yet I hae neer seen the ri+hteous forsaken or their children be++in+ bread( 4salm %$08>/
1his doesn2t mean that we do nothin+ and receie eerythin+ as we hae heard many teach oer the past ten or fifteen years( L.ust speak the word in faith,L we hae heard oer and oer( 1hat is not a wron+ teachin+, but it is also not a complete teachin+( 6any people hae e3ercised their faith for bi+ cars, for bi+ houses, and for fancy restaurants, and their souls are leaner today than they were ten years a+o( 1hey +et fewer answers to prayer now than
before( 1hey may be liin+ like 1e3ans, but they don2t hae the power of Eod in their lies( If you are one of those who are ea+er to oercome error and to know truth and hae been concerned about the deceptie teachin+ of faith as a cure
;hapter > 1he 4realence 7f 1he Spirit 7f Eluttony
+rethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensam%le. For many walk , of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even wee%ing, that they are whose the enemies the belly, cross and of hrist# end destruction, god isoftheir whosewhose glory is in is their shame, who mind earthly things. )/hili%%ians 0#!1-!2 34
1here is a new +od in the land( His name is 5ood( He was already at work in 4aul2s day( He is also known as the belly +od( 5ood is one of the most powerful +ods at work in our society today( In many places, it rules supreme( 1he sad thin+ is that food rules many ;hristians( 6any of us work, not to the +lory of Eod or for the +ood of His kin+dom, but for daily bread( If .esus Himself appeared to us in the flesh and called us to forsake all and follow Him, most of us would consider it to be a trick of the ?eil and would aoid obeyin+ at any cost( Nothin+ is more important than the Fob, because it produces food( 1he best attended ;hristian actiities these days are banquets, breakfasts, picnics, and barbecues( @hen we call for those who will traail for the purpose of Eod to be reealed and for reial for a city or a nation, we can count on our fin+ers those who
show up( In order to assure people2s attendance at church actiities, we hae to promise a 6e3ican feast, special Italian lasa+na, a sausa+e and pancake breakfast, or some similar food( 6ost of the well
Food is one o( the *ost !o%er(ul gods at %or2 in our society, In *any !laces0 it rules su!re*e,
1his is a far more serious matter than we mi+ht think( I am not tryin+ to be funny( 1he apostle 4aul called such people Lenemies of the cross of ;hrist(L 5ood is so important to us today( @hen men consider marria+e, they look for a woman who is a +ood cook, not a woman who loes Eod( 1o these men, an ideal woman is one who will faithfully hae a delicious meal ready for them when they +et home from work( 4aul knew that there were more important thin+s( He was determined to Lpress toward the mark for the priKe of the hi+h callin+ of Eod in ;hrist .esusL 4hilippians %0"' -.V/( ;oncernin+ those whose +od was the belly, 4aul predicted that their end would be Ldestruction(L 1hey were more concerned with Learthly thin+sL than with the will of Eod for their lies( *nytime the church ceases to embrace the +odly practice of prayer and fastin+, it be+ins an ine3orable slide toward Ldestruction(L *nytime the church +ies in to the food +od, its +lory becomes Lshame(L *nytime the church is more concerned about Learthly thin+sL than she is about spiritual thin+s, she is headed for ruin( She cannot preail under such circumstances( 1his is not my word( 1his is the eternal @ord of Eod( Eiin+ in to our appetites or self
cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and +arlic( Numbers ""0>/
@hile some were rememberin+ the amaKin+ way in which Eod sent the pla+ues upon C+ypt and the way He destroyed the C+yptian army in the :ed Sea, others were thinkin+ of what they had +rown accustomed to eatin+ around the fires in Eoshen( 1hey were not reFoicin+ about manna from heaen( 1hey were lon+in+ for leeks and cucumbers( 1hat may surprise some people, but it doesn2t surprise me( I know ;hristians who can remember e3actly what they had to eat at homecomin+ twenty years a+o( 1hey cannot remember who was saed in the last reial or when they last had a burden to pray for people in need( But they can remember who brou+ht what to the church picnic( 6any people actually lie by their stomachs, which hae become their internal clocks( @hen they +et hun+ry in the mornin+, they know it is time to +et up( @hen they feel hun+ry later in the day, they know it is lunchtime( @hen they +et hun+ry a+ain, they +et e3cited because they know it is quittin+ time( 1hese people een dream about food( *re these people really ;hristians @ell, they still call themseles ;hristians( But they are unaware of the fact that a stran+e idol has taken control of their lies( Eod has not ordained that we be ruled by our appetites( 1he ;hristian life means freedom from our appetites( @hen we are slaes to our appetites, we are carnally minded( *nd the carnal sinful/ mind is Eod2s enemy( 1he sinful mind is hostile to Eod( It does not submit to Eod2s law, nor can it do so(
:omans &0$/
Bein+ a ;hristian and bein+ dominated by appetite are two
incompatible thin+s( 1he two are so contrary to each other that they cannot coe3ist( 1hey do not +o to+ether( 6any hae fallen into this deceit because of the popular belief that we simply must +ie special attention to food in order to e3ist( I am +lad that .esus answered that for all eternity when He said, 6an shall not lie by bread alone, but by eery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of Eod( 6atthew '0' -.V/
.esus tau+ht us to labor for lastin+ alues, for that which does not perish( ?o not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of 6an will +ie you( 7n him Eod the 5ather has placed his seal of approal( .ohn =08$/ 5ood is not a ery +ood +od( It perishes( @hen we eat it, we feel satisfied for a ery short time( How much better it is to put our efforts into lastin+ thin+s *nd how sad it is to lose the blessin+ of Eod for somethin+ so insi+nificant and temporal as food 5ood has become so important to some of us that we are liin+ for the initation to isit the home of other people to eat with them( @hen a week passes without such an initation, we +et concerned and make it a matter of prayer( @e ask Eod to touch their hearts so they will inite us( 1hat2s how important food is to some people( If you are consumed by such desires, hear the @ord of the Dord0 @hen you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are +ien to +luttony( ?o not crae his delicacies, for that food is deceptie( ?o not wear yourself out to +et richJ hae the wisdom to show restraint( 4roerbs 8%0"<'/
Eluttony leads to other sins( If you don2t +et control oer it, it will control you( L4ut a knife to your throatL doesn2t mean commit suicide( It means to suppress your appetites( LHae the wisdom to show restraint(L Gou think you know how to handle life, but Eod knows so much better than youJ He is tellin+ you to +et control oer your natural appetites before they +et control oer you( Eluttony leads men to poerty( 5or drunkards and +luttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in ra+s( 4roerbs 8%08"/
*ccordin+ to the Bible, L+luttonsL are in the same class with Ldrunkards(L *nd both of them will Lbecome poor(L Get, een in the church, the most popular occasions are 1hanks+iin+, ;hristmas, Caster, the 5ourth of .uly picnic, and New Gear2s Ce Aall occasions for special feastin+( @hat does 1hanks+iin+ mean to the aera+e citiKen today It means food Because of that, many people in *merica hae stopped callin+ the day L1hanks+iin+L and started callin+ it L1urkey ?ay(L 1hat probably e3presses better what most *mericans do on that day( @hat does New Gear2s mean to the aera+e person today It means special food @hat does Sunday mean to a lot of people today It means special food No wonder we hae lost the power of Eod No wonder poerty has oertaken the church No wonder the kin+dom of darkness is adancin+ on eery front 7ur churches are in crisis, our families are in crisis, our nation is in crisis, and we are cryin+ out, L7 Eod, raise up men and women
who can touch Gou in prayer and brin+ reial to the nation(L But we finish the prayer quickly because eeryone is hun+ry and wants to eat before the food +ets cold( Is it any wonder that our prayers are not preailin+ .ames said of CliFah0 CliFah was a man Fust like us( He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years( *+ain he prayed, and the heaens +ae rain, and the earth produced its crops( .ames >0"$<"&/
.ames was careful not to +ie us the impression that CliFah was some superhuman bein+( He was La man Fust like us(L He was Fust as human as any one of us( Get his prayer preailed( @hen he asked Eod to close the heaens, the heaens were closed( @hen he asked Eod for rain, it rained( ?id Eod Fust choose CliFah and soerei+nly decide to faor him aboe others I don2t beliee so( I beliee that CliFah had power with Eod because he fasted and prayed, +ot control of his appetites, and deeloped a stron+ relationship with his heaenly 5ather( It is true that Eod wants to feed His childrenJ but He neer intended for food to dominate our lies( Eod +ae us se3J but He intended for se3 to be within the confines of the marria+e( Eod +ae us plantsJ but He neer intended for us to smoke them and inFect their in+redients into our eins for false Lhi+hs(L Cerythin+ has its purpose( @e were not destined to be controlled by food( 1o many people, the most important thin+ to do on payday is +o to the +rocery store( 1hey wouldn2t miss it for anythin+( Some sere the +od Sausa+e( Some people are slaes to 4asta( Some are bound by ;hocolate( @hen these people hear the word Lfast,L
they are fri+htened( 1hey think they mi+ht die if they fasted( 5ood, for many, is like a security blanket( It comforts them and causes them not to be afraid( 1hey deelop a dependency on it( 1hose who +o throu+h periods of depression +o to the refri+erator often, eery ten minutes or so, lookin+ for somethin+ to soothe their frayed neres( 4eople who can2t sleep at ni+ht sneak down to the refri+erator, hopin+ to find somethin+ there that will help them to rest( 5or some, their dependency on food is Fust as serious as an alcohol or dru+ dependency is for others( 1hey hae been tricked by the Cnemy of their souls into makin+ food an idol( *nd Satan is deli+hted 1o these people, doin+ without food for een one day seems like a most horrible prospect( 1hey cannot conceie of life without their idol( 1akin+ away food, for them, means takin+ away the Foy of life( 1hey look forward to mealtimes( @hat else is there to lie for 6any people know that they should fast and want to fast, but they can2t( 1hey don2t know how to break the food habit( 1hey don2t know how to +et their thou+hts and their emotions under control lon+ enou+h to seek Eod seriously( Satan is hain+ a field day, diertin+ the attention of Eod2s people away from Him( I am shocked to see the millions of dollars that are spent to adertise ;alifornia raisins( But the ads work( 1hey make you hun+ry for raisins( :ay ;harles became ery effectie as the 4epsi spokesman( He persuaded you to drink one( Some rock stars are paid millions of dollars for a sin+le ad for food( 1hose ads are an attack on your desire to seek Eod in prayer and fastin+( 1hey make food look so real and so delicious that you want to reach out and touch itAFust like the *1O1 slo+an(
@hen you turn on the teleision today, you see what broadcasters hae determined iewers want to see0 scandals, se3, iolence, and food( * cookin+ se+ment has recently become a re+ular eenin+ news feature of a maFor @ashin+ton, ?(;( station because that is what people want to hear(/ 6any people are actually drunk on food( 1hey are under the influence of what they eat, and they need delierance( *s belieers, we take pride in the fact that we are no lon+er addicted to dru+s or alcohol( Get many of us are een more addicted to food and lie for our stomachs( @hen I first came to *merica many years a+o, I was shocked by what I witnessed( Cerywhere I went, people were offerin+ me food( In our country, it is impolite to refuse an offer of hospitality( So I ate what was set before me and drank enou+h -ool<*id® to sink a battleship( I thou+ht of the words of .esus0 5or in the days before the flood, people were eatin+ and drinkin+, marryin+ and +iin+ in marria+e, up to the day Noah entered the arkJ and they knew nothin+ about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away( 1hat is how it will he at the comin+ of the Son of 6an( 6atthew 8'0%&<%#/
@e show one another loe by serin+ somethin+ +ood to eat( @e share our faorite recipes with our faorite people( 6ost ;hristians are more familiar with the latest dessert fads than they are with the books of the Bible( *nd pastors are not without blame in all of this( Sometimes pastors are the worst offenders( 6any pastors hae bellies that are seeral times the siKe they should be( It seems that some of them rush throu+h their sermons so they can +o on picnics( If pastors are +luttons, how can they care for the spiritual needs of the flock oer which Eod has placed them How can they help their
members to be deliered from their bad habits How can they +ie spiritual direction to others @hat +ood is a pastor who is unconcerned with the health and welfare of his con+re+ation Eod says0 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themseles and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaen and will for+ie their sin and will heal their land( 8 ;hronicles $0"'/
4astors, if banquets are more important to us than prayer and fastin+, we are in trouble( Some preachers are tempted by eery smell of food( 1hey know what is bein+ sered in :ed Dobster as they drie by, and they want to +o in and enFoy some of it( 1hey know what the special of the day is in the local restaurant Fust by the smell( Gou neer hear them say anymore, LI sense that Eod is in that place( Det2s +o in there and see what2s happenin+(L If the shepherds hae strayed, is it any wonder that the sheep seem to be lost 4astors, let us arise and declare that the principle reason many ;hristians do not +et answers to prayer is that they neer fast( Det us declare that because food has become a +od in our society, abstainin+ from food is one of the surest ways to find Eod2s perfect will for our lies( Det us be bold to make known that in these days of difficult family and personal relationships, %e si*!ly %ill not *a2e it %ithout a dedication to a li(e o( !rayer and (asting,
;hapter = 1he Selfish Spirit 7f 1he *+e
He that laboureth laboureth for himself5 for his mouth craveth it of him. )/roverbs !*#$* 34
Cerythin+ about our present orientation in modern society is selfish( 5rom the time they are old enou+h to learn, our children are tau+ht to look out only for themseles( 7ur economic system teaches us to focus strictly on our own interests( Instead of concern for our nei+hbors, as .esus tau+ht, the predominant worldiew today is total self
1he maFor concerns of churches today are for e3cellence in attendance, in pro+rams, and in reputation0 P @hich church has the lar+est buildin+ P @hich church has the most attendance on Sunday mornin+ P @hich church has the broadest pro+ram P @hich church can raise the most money No wonder the ?eil is not disturbed by what he sees ;hurches with such limited isions will neer endan+er his kin+dom( He is not afraid of numbers or pro+rams or money( It is still the power of Eod that puts him to fli+ht( Satan fears the power that is realiKed throu+h prayer and fastin+( Cen those who receie the anointin+ of the Spirit today want to use that anointin+ for themseles and their own needs and desires( 1he ne3t time they pray, they keep wonderin+, L@hy can2t I +et anythin+ from Eod @hy can2t I +et anythin+ from EodL *t the same time, Eod is whisperin+, L@hy can2t I +et anythin+ from you @hy can2t I +et anythin+ from youL Eod wants us to Lundo the heay burdens(L He wants us to Lset the capties free(L If we could Fust for+et ourseles for a few minutes and seek the mind of the Dord, we would see the +reatness He has prepared for us( If we could +et to know what is in the heart of the 5ather, prayer and fastin+ would take on a whole new meanin+ for us(
No %onder the /evil is not distur3ed 3y %hat he sees, Churches %ith such li*ited visions %ill never endanger his 2ingdo*,
@e are een selfish in our worship( 6ost people don2t +o to church to worship Eod( 1hey +o to church to present their wish list( *nd most ;hristians will not attend prayer meetin+s, where they would hae the opportunity to seek Eod more( 1hey hae no time for that( It seems that the two most dreaded thin+s in the @estern church today are systematic Bible study and prayer and fastin+( Instead of benefits, we treat them as our enemies( 6inisters who isit third
able to use the ar+ument0 Gou worked hard( Now enFoy it( 1he problem is that when you are selfishly oriented, there neer seems to be enou+h( .esus told of a youn+ man who was prosperin+( He was so blessed that he had a maFor decision to make concernin+ the e3pansion of his business( *nd he told them this parable0 L1he +round of a certain rich man produced a +ood crop( He thou+ht to himself 2@hat shall I do I hae no place to store my crops(2 1hen he said, 21his is what I2ll do( I will tear down my barns and build bi++er ones, and there I will store all my +rain and my +oods( *nd I2ll say to myself, LGou hae plenty of +ood thin+s laid up for many years( 1ake life easyJ eat, drink and be merry(2L But Eod said to him, 2Gou fool 1his ery ni+ht your life will be demanded from you( 1hen who will +et what you hae prepared for yourself2 1his is how it will be with anyone who stores up thin+s for himself but is not rich toward Eod(L Duke "80"=<8"/
1his man fell for Satan2s line( He had worked hard( He desered eerythin+ that he had receied( He was already LrichL when the parable started( Now he was rich beyond his wildest dreams( @hat would he do with his new
*ll man2s efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is neer satisfied( Ccclesiastes =0$/
1he second lesson we must learn from this parable is that when Eod prospers us, it is not for us to turn away from Him and +ie ourseles to thin+s( @hen He prospers us, it is not so that we can spend more time with our possessions and ne+lect Him( @hen He prospers us, it is not so that we can afford to eat better and deelop uncontrollable appetites that preent us from seekin+ the Eod that formed us( Eod prospers us so that the ision for His kin+dom can be established and so that we can be a blessin+ to others, not so that we can be oercome with the cares of life( 7ne of the sins of Noah2s day was Lthey were eatin+ and drinkin+L 6atthew 8'0%& -.V/( In spite of that, Leatin+ and drinkin+L to some people is what prosperity is all about( 1he prosperity that Eod +ies is much deeper and richer( 1hat presumptuous rich farmer in Duke "8 had a lot to learn( *nd I2ll say to myself, LGou hae plenty of +ood thin+s laid up for many years( 1ake life easyJ eat, drink and be merry(L Duke "80"#/
How smu+ He thou+ht he had life all fi+ured out( He thou+ht he knew it all( @hat a +reat surprise he had comin+ Selfish people neer pray and fast( 4rayer and fastin+ take time, time which you cannot spend on somethin+ else( 4rayer and fastin+ take effort, effort that you won2t be able to spend on some other pursuit( 1hat2s what turns most ;hristians off to prayer and fastin+( 1ime is so short anyway( 4rayer and fastin+ simply don2t rate hi+h on their list of priorities(
@hen there are problems and critical decisions that face an entire con+re+ation and we need eeryone to Foin to+ether in a period of prayer and fastin+, you can count on many people bein+ Ltoo busyL to do their part( 1hey hae other, Lmore importantL thin+s to do( @hen they hae a need that touches them personally, they want eeryone to Foin with them in prayer( Hae our prayers all become selfish in nature Is it all Lme,L Lmy,L Lmine,L and LmyselfL No wonder Eod doesn2t answer @e are way off base when we pray this way( 7ur attitudes are all wron+( 7ur motiations are all wron+( 7ur timin+ is all wron+( 7ur priorities are all wron+( Some people still fast, but only for a selfish purpose( 1hey want to lose wei+ht( Howeer, that is not the purpose of fastin+, and fastin+ Fust to lose wei+ht will not brin+ you the spiritual benefits the Bible promises to those who learn this secret and e3ercise it faithfully( 1eleision adertisin+ makes you selfish( It makes you want many thin+s that will not help you at all and many other thin+s that will be detrimental to your physical and spiritual well
Eod has blessed my wife and me with two beautiful +irls, *nna< -issel and ?amaris .oy, and I thank Eod for them( I try to teach them to honor the presence of Eod and to respect the house of Eod( ?aid, a man after Eod2s own heart see *cts "%088/, said0 I reFoiced with those who said to me, LDet us +o to the house of the Dord(L 4salm "880"/
I want my dau+hters to +row up with the blessin+ of Eod upon their lies( If you are totally selfish and are liin+ a life of selfishness, it is impossible to teach your children somethin+ different( If your Fob, your car, and your house take precedence oer Eod and His house, your children will imitate you( Eod is interested in your Fob, your car, and the house in which you lie( But He is interested in far more than those three thin+s( @hy is it that most eery belieer spends so much time beliein+ Eod for these three thin+s when there is so much more Eet your priorities sorted out( ?on2t take your cue from this selfish world system but from the eternal @ord of Eod( @hen you do, you %ill (ind !rayer and (asting and see2ing the (ace o( 4od very high on your list o( !riorities,
;hapter $ 1he Dack 7f 1eachin+ 7n 1he SubFect 7f 4rayer *nd 5astin+
6y %eo%le are destroyed from lack of knowledge. )Hosea "#*
* side from these obious reasons that many ;hristians hae abandoned the custom of prayer and fastin+, many simply hae neer been tau+ht, especially amon+ new conerts( 7lder ;hristians know about prayer and fastin+ because it was more commonly tau+ht and practiced years a+o( 1oday, it is an often ne+lected practice of the church( 6any churches actually denounce fastin+( Some teach that it was a pa+an practice that has no place in ;hristianity( *s such, it is considered to be heresy( 7thers teach that fastin+ was only for a former time( 1he leaders of these churches neer fast and they also neer e3perience miracles(
I( (asting %ere not i*!ortant and 3i3lical0 1esus %ould never have (asted,
If fastin+ were not important and biblical, .esus would neer hae fasted( He is our e3ampleJ and He did it( *mon+ important Bible subFects, fastin+ has to take its place near
the top( 1here is Fust as much teachin+ about prayer and fastin+ in the Bible as there is about many of the more commonly tau+ht doctrines( Hain+ lost si+ht of its importance and what it will do for us, few Bible teachers are takin+ time to lay the biblical foundations necessary for a life of dedication to prayer and fastin+ in eery new belieer( *s a result, some people are still unaware that fastin+ is in the Bible( 1here is a more sinister reason that many pastors no lon+er teach prayer and fastin+( It is not a ery popular subFect( It is not somethin+ the ear deli+hts to hear( See 8 1imothy '0%(/ 1herefore, it is shunned as Ltoo controersial(L Some would rather teach what people want to hear than what they need to hear( ;on+re+ations are increasin+ly better educatedJ and fastin+, to some well
There is -ust as *uch teaching a3out !rayer and (asting in the Bi3le as there is a3out *any o( the *ore co**only taught doctrines,
I hae two doctorates, one in theolo+y and one in philosophy, and a back+round in electronic en+ineerin+( But I still know that prayer and fastin+ works and has been ordained of Eod for a diine purpose( @hether others understand this or not, I personally am determined to do Eod2s will( I a* deter*ined0 (or
the sa2e o( *y soul and that o( *y (a*ily *e*3ers and (or *y *inistry to the %orld0 to live a li(e dedicated to !rayer and (asting and to teach others the 3ene(its o( doing the sa*e,
Part III Why We Should Pray and Fast Pur!ose"
Introduction 1o 4art III
6any of those who still fast re+ard fastin+ as a conenient way of +ettin+ Eod to +ie them thin+s they wantJ and that2s the only reason they eer fast( 1hey neer fast lon+( 1hey neer do much prayin+ with their fastin+( 1hey neer fast Foyfully( 5astin+, for them, is Fust a means of twistin+ Eod2s arm to +et what they want( @hy should we fast @hat is the purpose
;hapter & 1he Need 1o ;rucify 1he 5lesh
7hat causes fights and 8uarrels among you9 :on;t they come from your desires that battle within you9 You want something but don;t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You 8uarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask 'od. 7hen you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may s%end what you get"#!-0 on your %leasures. )ames
5astin+ is not a tool to twist the arm of Eod so that He will +ie you e3actly what you want( 5astin+ has a spiritual purpose, and that purpose is to +et your flesh out of the way so that the Spirit of Eod can moewith in your remoes the barriers to communication Eodlife( and 5astin+ allows the spirit man to commune directly with the heaenly 5ather without distraction( @hen a person makes a determination to fast, the indiidual is makin+ a determination to remoe the obstacles to total submission to the will of Eod( No wonder Satan is determined to eradicate this practice 5astin+ tears down his stron+holds( 5astin+ clears the way for our ictory( He will do anythin+ to preent that( *nd Satan wants you to +ie free rein to your appetitesAuntil they consume you( 1he food industry the ille+al dru+ industry and the entertainment industry hae much in common( 1hey are
all panderin+ to the runaway appetites of our society( 6uch of the poerty of our +hettos and proFects is a direct result of this almost total loss of control( 6ost of us who lie comfortably in the prosperous nations hae problems with prayer and fastin+ because eerythin+ around us is desi+ned to appeal to our flesh and its carnal desires( But when we seek the face of Eod throu+h prayer and fastin+, we push the flesh aside, thus denyin+ our carnal appetites the control they seek oer us and allowin+ our spirit man, who desires Eod, to deelop a stron+ relationship with the heaenly 5ather( 6an is a triune bein+ made up of body, soul, and spirit( It is the spirit that came from Eod and lon+s to be reunited with Eod( Eien the opportunity, the spirit will reach out to Eod and communicate with Him( 1hese three parts of the person, howeer, compete for influence( Gour spirit can influence your soul, and your soul can influence your flesh( If you are in tune spiritually with Eod, your soul has no choice but to deli+ht in the decisions of your spiritual life( Gour flesh submits to the authority of your soul( @hen the an+el Eabriel appeared to 6ary, she responded, 6y soul +lorifies the Dord and my spirit reFoices in Eod my Saior( Duke "0'=<'$/
If your soul is ma+nifyin+ the Dord, your flesh will bow in submission( If your flesh has risen to authority in your life, howeer, it will stru++le with your spirit for dominance, and the soul will obey the lusts of the flesh( 5astin+ sets your spirit free to worship and sere Eod(
Fasting is not a tool to t%ist the ar* o( 4od so that $e %ill give you e)actly %hat you %ant, Fasting has a s!iritual !ur!ose0 and that !ur!ose is to get your (lesh out o( the %ay so that the S!irit o( 4od can *ove in your li(e,
@hen we resist the Spirit of Eod, we open ourseles up to the eil influence of Satan( Cach of us then
.ames +ies two reasons that our prayers +o unanswered( 1he first is that we simply don2t ask( 1he second is that we ask LamissLAwe ask with wron+ moties, we ask with fleshly desires, we ask with carnal intentALto consume it upon your lusts(L 6any of us are +uilty of takin+ Eod2s blessin+s and consumin+ them on our own lusts( Should we wonder why we don2t +et an immediate answer the ne3t time If you constantly lie and work for the flesh, you will produce the works of the flesh and death( If, howeer, you lie and work in
a+reement with the Spirit of Eod, you produce life( 1his is why your flesh resists walkin+ in the Spirit( Gour flesh resists anythin+ that will brin+ it into subFection( Gour flesh doesn2t want to fast( Gou must insist or be doomed to be foreer controlled by the flesh and the ?eil( Because this is so, the flesh will use eery ima+inable e3cuse to keep you from fastin+( * few of the more common ones are0 P Gou are not ready to fast( P Now is not the best time( P Gou don2t hae time to really seek the face of Eod, so you mi+ht as well wait for another opportunity( P Gou mi+ht offend other members of your family( @hen you want to fast and draw near to Eod, e3pect the Cnemy of your soul to fi+ht in eery way possible to preent it( He doesn2t want you to fast( *t the ery moment you decide to fast, he will present you with some irresistible initation to eat out( He will present you with a well
proper prayers( .ames knew belieers who were askin+ Lamiss(L 1heir moties were not +ood( 1hey were askin+ for selfish reasons( 1he 5ather, in loe and mercy had to refuse their requests( He knows what is +ood for us( He knows what we can handle, and He wants all the +lory( @hen the flesh intends to indul+e itself in Eod2s +oodness, Eod is forced to withhold His blessin+( He cannot +ie the flesh any reason to +lory( 5or e3ample, Eod cannot further bless many people on their Fobs because if He did, they would take all the credit for the thin+s He does( He wants all the +lory( ?aniel said, L@isdom and mi+ht are HisL ?aniel 8089 -.V/( Eod wants all the +lory( 1he flesh must be crucified( Eet your flesh crucified so that Eod can +et the +lory in your life( If you can +et your flesh out of the way, your steps can be Lordered by the DordL 4salm %$08% -.V/( If you can +et your flesh out of the way, the Spirit can hae full liberty to do what He desires in and throu+h you( If you can +et your flesh out of the way you will hae more clarity and a +reater sensitiity in the Spirit about what to ask for, and you will receie the answer( @hen we are dominated by the flesh, we don2t een know what to pray for( @e think we know what we need( But we are so much like little children( @hen we +et closer to Eod throu+h prayer and fastin+, we be+in to realiKe what we really need( Eod knows better than us what we need( He can show us the priorities( He can also show us e3actly how to +o about receiin+ what we need( ?aid became the anointed kin+ of Israel because he learned the secret of +ettin+ his flesh out of the way so that Eod could work in him( He said0 6y knees are weak throu+h fastin+J and my flesh faileth of fatness( 4salm "9#08' -.V/
?aid had weak knees from fastin+, but it +ae him a stron+ spirit( He brou+ht his flesh into subFection( He waited in the presence of Eod, in prayer and fastin+, until Eod anointed him to do e3ploits( @hy is it that we fast only when we hae a problem @hy is it that we seem to spend time in prayer only when we are in crisis Eod is not pleased with this( @hen we walk in faith and don2t see any answer, I beliee it is because there are many small impediments in our lies that need to be remoed( If we can discipline the body, our spirits will become useful instruments to Eod( 4aul learned that lesson( But I keep under my body, and brin+ it into subFection0 lest that by any means, when I hae preached to others, I myself should be a castaway( " ;orinthians #08$ -.V/
5astin+ means that you are determined to walk from ictory to ictory( 5astin+ builds up your faith to accomplish it( 5astin+ remoes the weaknesses in your life and leaes you stron+ to face life2s battles( 4aul stayed in the presence of Eod until he receied the answer he needed( ;astin+ down ima+inations, and eery hi+h thin+ that e3alteth itself a+ainst the knowled+e of Eod, and brin+in+ into captiity eery thou+ht to the obedience of ;hrist( 8 ;orinthians "90> -.V/
5astin+ helps us to cast down those Lima+inationsL and all those Lhi+h thin+MsL that e3alt themseles La+ainst the knowled+e of Eod(L 5astin+ helps us to brin+ eery thou+ht into captiity to the
obedience of ;hrist, as nothin+ else can( 5astin+ enables you to conquer the eil thou+hts of your carnal mind( 4aul tau+ht about e3periences in prayer that few people hae these days( *nd pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests( @ith this in mind, be alert and always keep on prayin+ for all the saints( Cphesians =0"&/
How do you pray Lall kinds of prayersL In other words, we should employ eery method aailable to us in prayer( 6any of us hae been tau+ht only one method of prayer( 1he method most people know is the Lan+uishL method( By that I mean that they only call on Eod in e3treme emer+encies, when they are in deep trouble( 1hose who +o no further in their prayer lies neer learn how to praise Eod effectiely( Get, .esus tau+ht us that the ery first thin+ we are to do in prayer is to +ie Him +lory and the honor He deseres( 6any people take their lon+ wish list into their period of prayer and fastin+( 1hey neer wait on Eod for His wisdom, His knowled+e, and His understandin+( 1hey are too busy askin+ Him for thin+s( If we are still in the Lwhat
Scriptures declare0 LEod loes a cheerful +ierL 8 ;orinthians #0$/( Before we start thinkin+ about what we need from Eod, there are some thin+s we can +ie to Him( Start by +iin+ Him your heart, then +ie Him your praise, then +ie Him your time and your focus0 L4ray continuallyL " 1hessalonians >0"$/( 4rayer means thinkin+ with someone( @hen we say, LI am prayin+ for you,L we mean LI am a+reein+ with you( I am thinkin+ with you(L So when we pray, we think or reason with Eod( 4aul meant0 L?on2t stop prayin+( ?on2t stop thinkin+ with Eod( ?eelop a lifestyle of prayin+(L 4rayer is not always easy and prayin+ always is not easy( Some people pray for Fust a few minutes, and they hae nothin+ more to say( If that is the case in your life, it mi+ht be because you don2t know Eod2s @ord( His @ord reeals His heart( It reeals what is important to Him( It reeals what +riees Him and what brin+s Him Foy( Some prayers are not prayers at all but complaints to Eod( 1hat type of prayer cannot please Him( *s you learn His @ord, you will learn what pleases Him( 7ne of the worst aspects of the flesh is pride( 4ride will take you strai+ht into the arms of Satan, while a broken and humble spirit will take you strai+ht into the arms of Eod( 5astin+ destroys pride, somethin+ that eery one of us must stru++le with at re+ular interals in our lies( 5astin+ produces a humility of spirit( It makes us teachable( How +reatly we need this particular benefit of fastin+ these days 7ne thin+ is sure0 5astin+ will neer take you down( @hen you deelop a re+ular habit of fastin+, you can only +o upward spiritually(
Gour flesh will complain( It will say that it is dyin+, that it is becomin+ u+ly, that it is sick and weak( ?on2t +ie in to the flesh( Submit to the Spirit of Eod( Gou want the flesh to die( Gou will neer be sorry that you crucified the flesh( 1he promise of the Scriptures is0 L1he mind of sinful man is death, hut the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peaceL :omans &0=/( Use prayer and fastin+ as the tool to deal flesh a deathblow(
;hapter # 1he Need 1o Hear 1he Voice 7f Eod
Because ;hrist is our Dord and Saior and because we are totally dependent on Him, it is of the utmost importance that we know His will at any +ien time( 1his is the area where many ;hristians fail( 1o know the will of Eod, it is necessary to lie close to Him and to hear His oice( 4rayer and fastin+ makes you sensitie to the oice of the Dord( It enables you to hear Him aboe the din of other oices around you( @hat could be more important Because they hae stopped fastin+, many ;hristians hae stopped hearin+ the oice of Eod and hae resorted to settin+ out LfleecesL in an attempt to know the will of Eod for their lies( 1hey are no lon+er sure that Eod will hear their prayers and answer in a personal way( So, they set three si+ns0 7ne means yes, the second means no, and the third means wait( @hat a shame that Eod2s children are no lon+er e3pectin+ to hear His oice If you hae a child who comes to you and asks you for somethin+ and you can only respond, L@ait,L that child will become impatient and +o ahead and tamper with whateer he was told not to do at the moment( Eod wants to +ie His people specific and detailed answers to prayer, not Fust tell them to wait(
Prayer and (asting *a2es you sensitive to the voice o( the Lord, It ena3les you to hear $i* a3ove the din o( other voices around you, What could 3e *ore i*!ortant5
If you tell your preteen son that you want to +ie him a car but that he must wait, that will wei+h on his mind( He will an3iously await the day that you are away, when he can take the keys to the car and take a little spin( 1he results may be disastrous( 6ost of us know better than to do that( @hen our preteens ask to drie, we say, LNoLAbecause we loe them and we know what they can handle( @hen they become of a+e and demonstrate maturity and responsibility, the LnoL is lifted and becomes a Lyes(L Eod knows what we can handle( He knows what2s +ood for us( He knows what we will do with what He +ies us( He doesn2t hae to answer in a+ue terms( His answers are specific and to the point( Because they no lon+er hear the oice of Eod clearly, many of Eod2s children are actin+ like immature pre
these thin+s will be +ien to you as well( 6atthew =0%%/
*sk and it will be +ien to youJ seek and you will findJ knock and the door will be opened to you( 6atthew $0$/
Eod did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, thou+h he is not far from each one of us( *cts "$08$/
If ye then be risen with ;hrist, seek those thin+s which are aboe, where ;hrist sitteth on the ri+ht hand of Eod( ;olossians %0" -.V/
Seek 1he Dord while he may be foundJ call on him while he is near( Isaiah >>0=/
@hen we seek the Dord, He promises to be found of us(
Gou will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart( .eremiah 8#0"%/
Seekin+ the Dord and fastin+ also +o to+ether( It is difficult to seek the Dord Lwith all your heartL when you hae a full stomach( @e desire to hear from Eod, but the flesh wants to do its own thin+( 1he flesh tells us to +et comfortable( P ;han+e into somethin+ more comfortable P 1urn on the air conditioner
P Eet a cool drink from the refri+erator and somethin+ to snack on P Die down on the couch P Now, rela3 *nd, before lon+, we are snorin+, and all thou+hts of seekin+ Eod are lost( It is amaKin+ how many people sleep in church( 1hey eat before they +o( 1he pews are ery comfortable( It is a little too warm because of the crowd( 1he music is soothin+( *nd, before lon+, they are sound asleep( *nother reason that people sleep in church is because of the atmosphere of peace and power that preails in Eod2s house( Some who can2t sleep well at home can sleep in church( But that doesn2t make it ri+ht( @hen you sleep in church, you miss what Eod wants to do in your spirit at that moment( @hen you sleep in church you are robbin+ yourself of the blessin+s, both spiritual and physical, that Eod wants to +ie you( 5astin+ can cure that problem( 1hose who neer fast rarely see isions( 1hey rarely hae spiritual dreams( 7ereatin+ +ies us ni+htmares( @e dream about eerythin+ else e3cept that which +lorifies Eod( @hen we fast and wait in the presence of Eod, He will speak to us in many different ways( He will put a word in our spirit( He will +ie us a ision or a dream( He speaks to us throu+h circumstances, throu+h nature, throu+h a lie e3perience, or throu+h preachin+( @e shouldn2t stop fastin+ until we hae heard from Eod( @hen I fast, I e3pect to hear from Eod( I e3pect Him to reeal Himself to me in a +reater way( I e3pect to receie the specific instruction I need for my personal life and for my ministry( I e3pect Him to correct me in the areas where I am lackin+( I e3pect Him to show me thin+s about the future( *nd He neer
fails me( It is not wron+ to e3pect answers to your prayers( @hen I talk to Eod, I e3pect Him to respond( I know that He hears me, and I know that He will answer me( It is not wron+ to e3pect to hear from Eod( He is an3iously waitin+ to reeal many thin+s to usA if we will only dedicate ourseles to a time of seekin+ Him( -nowin+ the will of Eod is the +reatest stru++le most ;hristians face in life0 P Is it Eod2s will for me to +et married P Is this the ri+ht person for me P Dord, I want to know your will( P Is it Eod2s will for me to +o into business P 7r should I +o into the ministry 1hese are important questions( -nowin+ and obeyin+ Eod2s will for our lies means the difference between success and failure( @e desperately need to know His perfect will for today( @e could aoid so many of the tra+edies of life and be so blessed if we were more conscious of what Eod wanted( 6ost decisions in @estern societyAbe they political, social, spiritual, economic, or educationalAare made around a dinin+ room table( Ima+ine the impact we could make if all our plans were made around dedicated prayer and fastin+ 1he only way to really know Eod2s will is to +et flesh pushed aside lon+ enou+h to hear His oice and to discoer His heart( That0 in itsel(0 is su((icient reason (or concerted !rayer and (asting,
;hapter "9 1he Need 5or 4ower
.esus is our e3ample( He was Lled by the Spirit into the desert(L 1here He fasted Lforty days and forty ni+hts(L He didn2t +o there to be seen of men( He didn2t +o there to fulfill some tradition of his fathers( He went there to +et the power of Eod in His lifeJ and when He came forth from that solitary place, no enemy could stand a+ainst Him( He was powerful( How Eod anointed .esus of NaKareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doin+ +ood and healin+ all who were under the power of the deil, because Eod was with him( *cts "90%&/
@hen .esus returned to the syna+o+ue in NaKareth, He was accorded the honor of a isitor and was +ien the priile+e of readin+ the Scriptures in public( 1he book was +ien to Him, and He read from Isaiah0 1he Spirit of the Dord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach +ood news to the poor( He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recoery of si+ht for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the
year of the Dord2s faor( Duke '0"&<"#/
@hen He had finished the readin+, .esus said to the con+re+ation0 L1his day is this scripture fulfilled in your earsL Duke '08" -.V/( @aitin+ upon Eod the 5ather in prayer and fastin+ had placed a special anointin+ upon the life of .esus, and that special anointin+ enabled Him to do the works of Eod( 7h, how we need the power of Eod in our churches today In the +reat maFority of our churches, much attention is +ien to seein+ that sinners +et saed and come to the knowled+e of ;hrist( 7nce they are saed, howeer, ery little is done to ensure that they receie an anointin+ of the Holy Spirit, become effectie, and +o forth to lie ictorious lies( 7nce they are born, we abandon them, in a sense, and leae them as powerless infants, helpless a+ainst the eil intents of the Cnemy( 7ne reason we don2t see the miraculous demonstration of Eod2s power more in our churches these days is because we hae reli+ious entertainers in the pulpit( 6inisters hae been trained to be eloquent orators, and they tell us some ery nice thin+sA usually Fust what we want to hear( *fter we hae listened to seeral of their soothin+ sermons, we become complacent and stop seekin+ Eod2s best for our lies( 4oliticians hae learned to put a certain LspinL on thin+s so that they become acceptable( 1hose who work in the news media hae done the same( Now, preachers are learnin+ this tactic( It is now possible to sit in their serices week after week and neer feel uncomfortable, neer feel challen+ed( 1hey make you feel totally satisfied with your present position in Eod( 1his is surely the day of which *mos prophesied0 L1he days are comin+,L declares the Soerei+n Dord, Lwhen I will send a famine throu+h the landAnot a
famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearin+ the words of the Dord( 6en will sta++er from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searchin+ for the word of the Dord, but they will not find it( In that day the loely youn+ women and stron+ youn+ men will faint because of thirst(L *mos &0""<"%/ 1oday people trael lon+ distances when they know that the true @ord of the Dord is bein+ preached( Because they are so hun+ry for somethin+ more real, challen+in+, and transformin+, it is not uncommon for people to drie si3ty miles to church or to +o halfway across the country for a special conference( Eod2s @ord is bein+ performed( 4eople are hun+ry for the supernatural( Belieers are infatuated with famous ean+elists who hae si+ns and wonders in their ministry( It is not uncommon for ;hristians to drie clear across the country to see a particular ean+elist( 1he sad thin+ is that most of those people would neer make the sacrifice necessary to see those same miracles in their own lies( 1hat kind of ministry costs somethin+( 4eople are hun+ry for the supernatural( Because it cannot be found in their church, many are turnin+ to Castern reli+ions and LNew *+eL thinkin+( Hun+ry people are susceptible to deceit( 6any deilish practices hae been adopted into corporate *merica in the +uise of Lproductiity trainin+(L 7utlandish practices are bein+ tau+ht in seminars sponsored by the lar+est corporations in this country( 6any false prophets hae entered into the world, and many people are bein+ deceied and are, in turn, deceiin+ others( 1he church of the Dord .esus ;hrist is bein+ called back to basics, to apply itself seriously to battle( @e must return to the simple Eospel and to the power of Eod that enables us to stand a+ainst any enemy(
No amount of fundin+ or reeducation can stop this trend toward the occult( 1he only hope is for Eod2s people to rise up in indi+nation and take control of the situation( 1he only hope of reersin+ the +ains of the Cnemy is throu+h concerted prayer and fastin+( 5or more than two doKen years, I hae lied for the @ord of Eod( Nothin+ else is more important to me( It works( I can rely on it( It neer fails( I can preach it without reseration( 1herefore, I am unwillin+ to preach the theory of the @ord while neer seein+ its power in action( I want to see the @ord at work( I want to see the power of Eod transformin+ lies( I hae no interest in playin+ the church +ame( I am an+ry with the ?eil, and I am determined not to +ie him one sin+le inch( I thank Eod for the miracles I hae e3perienced in my ministry( 7n four different occasions, I hae seen the dead raised( I don2t mean people who fainted( I mean people without breath or a heartbeatA
as Lthe wild animal(L Deft loose, he recklessly destroyed lies and property( He was so possessed that he ate his own e3crement( 7n seeral occasions, he receied supernatural stren+th and was able to snap the chains that held him( No medicine could sedate him( But I saw him deliered throu+h prayer and fastin+( Eod2s power is +reater than any other( @e can tap that power throu+h prayer and fastin+J for prayer and fastin+ will open your spirit to the supernatural( 6any of today2s ministers are preachin+ more like ciil
6ost of us are impressed by +ood preachin+( LHe is a +ood preacher,L we say( LShe is a +ood communicator( She knows how to +et her point across(L But where are the miracles @here is the power of Eod It is one thin+ to hae a siler ton+ue and another thin+ to see and e3perience the power of Eod on a re+ular basis( 4reachin+ can be entertainin+ without chan+in+ our lies at all( It can be pleasant to the ears and be oid of power( Intellect doesn2t cast out deils( If it did, we would be callin+ upon professors to delier people who are tormented( 6en and women of power, whateer their status in life, are used of Eod to drie away eil spirits( If your spiritual needs are not bein+ met by your minister, it is time to shake the dust from your feet and +o somewhere where
you can be fed, somewhere where Eod2s power is in demonstration( I understand that such a moe is not always easy( 4eople are reluctant to moe from one church to another for many reasons( L6y +randmother +rew up in this church,L they say( 1hey hae a lot of friends in their old church( *nd will another church be any better I understand these reserations, but don2t stay in a dead church Fust because your +randparents were members there( 5ind a church that means business for Eod( Gour soul and the souls of your other family members are at stake( Dook for a church where people loe .esus enou+h to seek His face and present His @ord in power and +lory( Dook for a church that has more than a few minutes of prayer at a time( Dook for a church where fastin+ is tau+ht and practiced( *ny church that has not moed into prayer and fastin+ is doomed to fail( In eery church, those who hae serious positions of ministry should be required to fast( Dook for a church where this is the case( I am coninced that most of the miracles, the healin+s, and the si+ns and wonders that we see in our ministry are a result of prayer and fastin+( Because of that, fastin+ is not a heay burden for me( It is a Foy( How could I not fast @hile some look forward to a +ood meal, I look forward to the opportunity to shut myself away with Eod without distraction and draw closer to my heaenly 5ather( *ny church that has not learned to pray and fast will not hae an effectie demonstration of the +ifts of the Spirit, which are demonstrations of Eod2s power in our midst( 6uch of what is passin+ as +iftsare of the Spirit these days,many the prophecies and words of knowled+e, ineffectie because of the people prophesyin+ or +iin+ the word of knowled+e hae not spent time with Eod( 1heir words are shallow( Some who are callin+ themseles LprophetsL hae neer fasted more than a few hours at
a time( 1hey only fast between meals( How could they know the mind of Eod Some people who +ie a word of knowled+e chan+e their minds two or three times before they finally +et it out( But Eod doesn2t speak that way( He speaks in specifics( 1hose people need to do more fastin+ and prayin+( Eod can tell you e3actly what2s wron+ with indiidualsJ He can tell you where they lieJ He can tell you what they like to eat( Det Eod be specific( Dook for a church where +enuine +ifts and +enuine demonstrations of Eod2s power are in eidence( 6any people, when they think of lookin+ for a church home, always think first of LfriendlinessL or of Lloe(L @hile it is +ood to look for loin+ people, we must remember that the true loe of Eod, His compassion, is only manifested throu+h His power( Ceryone has a measure of loe, een the people of the world( Eod2s compassion is another leel of loe to which the world can neer hope to attain( 1he ministry of .esus was effectie because He was Lmoed with compassion(L But when he saw the multitudes, he was moed with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep hain+ no shepherd( 6atthew #0%= -.V/
*nd .esus went forth, and saw a +reat multitude, and was moed with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick( 6atthew "'0"' -.V/
.esus called his disciples to him and said, LI hae compassion for these peopleJ they hae already been with me three days and hae nothin+ to eat( I do not want to
send them away hun+ry, or they may collapse on the way(L 6atthew ">0%8/
.esus had compassion on them and touched their eyes( Immediately they receied their si+ht and followed him( 6atthew 890%'/
5illed with compassion, .esus reached out his hand and touched the man( LI am willin+,L he said( LBe cleanL 6ark "0'"/
.esus was the Son of Eod, Eod incarnate( He is loeJ for Eod is loe( Get, in order to effectiely minister, He had to be moed with compassion( He receied this Eod
How can the +uests of the bride+room mourn while he is with them 1he time will come when the bride+room will be taken from themJ then they will fast( 6atthew #0">/
;onsiderin+ their lack of prayer and fastin+, it is no wonder that most churches rarely see a miracle( It is no wonder that the power of Eod is neer manifested in their midst( 4od6s !o%er co*es to those %ho see2 $i*,
;hapter "" 1he Need 5or 6ore 5aith
ow we who have believed enter that rest, =ust as 'od has said, ?So I declared on oath in my anger, ;
1he promises of Eod hae been +ien to people down throu+h the centuries( @hen these promises were not belieed, howeer, when the @ord was not combined with faith, there was no result( Eod2s blessin+s are not automatic( 1he @ord, when Lmi3ed with faithL -.V/, produces Eod2s blessin+s in our lies( 1hose who beliee the @ord of Eod enter into Eod2s Lrest(L 1hat means that if you receie the @ord of Eod and walk by faith, you always hae rest in the Dord( Nothin+ disturbs your peace( Nothin+ perturbs you( 1hose who do not obey this admonition lie in constant turmoil and confusion( Nothin+ could be more important in our ;hristian lies than our faith( @e are saed by faith( @e are healed by faith( @e receie miracles by faith( @e operate in the +ifts of the Spirit by faith( Cerythin+ we do is by faith( *nd, as we hae already seen0
*nd without faith it is impossible to please Eod, because anyone who comes to him must beliee that he e3ists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him( Hebrews ""0=/ Eod is pleased when we beliee Him( He loes us and wants the ery best for us( Cerythin+ that He does is for our benefit( 7ur faith in His +oodness sets in motion the forces of the unierse( 7ur faith, then, is founded on Him(
For we do not have a high %riest who is unable to sym%athi@e with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tem%ted in every way, =ust as we are-yet was without sin. &et us then a%%roach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to hel% us in our time of need. Hebrews "#!-!*
.esus is our Hi+h 4riest( He was able to take His own shed blood into the presence of Eod( @ith His blood, He made a coenant with us( Now, we are coered with His blood( Because of that, we can come Lwith confidenceL into His presence( 1his is the basis of our faith( 7ur faith is not based on what we see( *irplanes leae apor trails in the sky( Sometimes we can see the wispy trail but not the airplane( Dikewise, we may not be able to see the Dord with our physical eyes, but He is always there( @hat a wonderful Hi+h 4riest we hae @e need to wake up with faith for a wonderful day( @e need to walk in faith that Eod is watchin+ out for us and that eerythin+ will be done for our +ood( @e need to +o to church with faith that we are +oin+ to meet Eod and that He is +oin+ to touch us in the area of our need( 6any people +o to church with serious problems( 1hey listen to the preachin+ or the teachin+ but are unable to take adanta+e of
what they are hearin+( 1hey cannot appropriate it( 1he messa+e +oes in one ear and out the other( 1he problem is not that .esus doesn2t understand the situation( He does( He was tempted in eery way( He knows what dru+ addicts +o throu+h( He understands the economic pressures that force some women and some men/ into prostitution( He is able to deal with any and eery situation( 1here is no conceiable problem that is too +reat for Him( 1he problem is that we need to beliee Him( @e need to +et our minds on Him and talk to HimAin faith( @hen 4eter was about to sink in the waters of the Sea of Ealilee, he prayed a prayer of desperation for Eod to sae him( He could pray that prayer because he had taken a leap of faith and started walkin+ on the water to .esus( 6ost people who pray desperate prayers hae so little faith that He can2t een hear them( 4aul wrote to the :omans0 5or therein is the ri+hteousness of Eod reealed from faith to faith0 as it is written, 1he Fust shall lie by faith( :omans "0"$ -.V/
L1he Fust shall lie by faith(L 5aith isn2t Fust some mental assent( It is a way of life( It affects eerythin+ that we do( It makes us walk ri+ht and talk ri+ht( L1he Fust shall lie by faith(L 1heir faith will produce the proper works( Because they beliee, they will act on that belief( In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead( .ames 80"$/
* person who doesn2t put their faith to work is like a brother who has lost his Fob( He may hae many abilities, but he will soon +o bankrupt because he is not workin+(
* corporation may hae a name and a le+al status, but if it produces nothin+ and accomplishes nothin+, it will soon falter( 5aith that doesn2t produce is meanin+less( It is dead( 6ost ;hristians hae faith, but their faith is no lon+er breathin+ or their faith is a ne+atie faith( 5aith works in two directions( 1here is a positie faith and there is a ne+atie faith( 1hey are equally powerful( 6any ;hristians e3pect all the worst thin+s to happen to them, and they do( Det your faith be both positie and liin+( Det it produce the appropriate action( If you aren2t willin+ to +et up in the mornin+ and put forth an effort to support your family, you soon won2t hae a family to support( Gou can wake up eery mornin+ and quote doKens of Scriptures, but if you do nothin+, your faith is ain( It accomplishes nothin+( *ction pleases Eod( It proes your faith( 5aith pleases Eod and displeases Satan( He knows whether we beliee or not( He knows whether we depend on Eod or not( He knows if we spend time with the heaenly 5ather or not( He knows if we wait in the presence of Eod for power and authority oer him or not(
I( %e s!end ti*e %ith the Father0 our (aith gro%s, The 3etter %e 2no% $i* and the *ore %e 2no% a3out $is !o%er and glory0 the *ore our (aith gro%s, Because %e 2no% *ore a3out the Lord0 %e have *ore (aith in $i* and in $is Word,
*nd here we hae the relationship between more faith and prayer and fastin+( If we spend time with the 5ather, our faith +rows( 1he better we know Him and the more we know about His power and +lory, the more our faith +rows( Because we know more about the Dord, we hae more faith in Him and in His @ord(
Satan trembles when we pray and fast( He knows that we are receiin+ faith to cast down his kin+dom( He hates fastin+( He will do anythin+ to keep us from obeyin+ Eod in prayer and fastin+( *nythin+ Satan knows that if we don2t mi3 the @ord with faith, nothin+ will happen( He knows that if we don2t pray with faith, our prayers will not be answered( If you beliee, you will receie whateer you ask for in prayer( 6atthew 8"088/
2LIf you can2L said .esus( LCerythin+ is possible for him who beliees(L 6ark #08%/
I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 2Eo, throw yourself into the sea,2 and does not doubt in his heart but beliees that what he says will happen, it will be done for him( 1herefore I tell you, whateer you ask for in prayer, beliee that you hae receied it, and it will be yours( 6ark ""08%<8'/
Satan knows that if we don2t beliee, we will not be healed and deliered from his afflictions( 1hen .esus said to the centurion, LEot It will be done Fust as you belieed it would(L *nd his serant was healed at that ery hour( 6atthew &0"%/
.esus tau+ht us to pray always, to pray in the will of Eod for our lies not to pray LamissL/, and to pray with faith( Cen then, many prayers will not be answered without fastin+(
Hannah desperately wanted a son and belieed that it was Eod2s will to +ie her a son( She promised Eod that if He would bless her with such a child, she would dedicate him to sere the Dord( Hannah fasted and prayed and belieed Eod for the miracle( *nd Eod responded to her e3ercise of faith( @hen 4eter was cast into prison, he was constantly +uarded by four soldiers( His enemies intended to kill him Fust as soon as 4assoer had ended( He was causin+ too much trouble preachin+ about .esus ;hrist and His miracles( But, before they could do that, somethin+ unusual happened( 1he an+el of the Dord isited that prison( He woke 4eter up and told him to +et his sandals on( 1hen he led him out past the +uards( 1he +ate opened of its own accord, and 4eter was set free( It all happened because belieers were prayin+ in the home of 6ary, the mother of .ohn 6ark( It was late at ni+ht, and no doubt many of them were sleepy( 1hey could hae been home in bed +ettin+ a +ood ni+ht2s rest, but they had dedicated themseles to intercede for 4eter( @hile they were prayin+, someone knocked at the door( It was 4eter( He didn2t rush out to celebrate his freedom at the all
that Eod will do 4rayer and fastin+ sharpens your e3pectancy so that when you ask, you e3pect to receie(
;hapter "8 1he Need 5or 4reparation
He is like a man building a house, who dug down dee% and laid the foundation on rock. 7hen a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. +ut the one who hears my words and does not %ut them into %ractice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation.
* wise man builds on the rock( His house is powerful( It will withstand eery storm( * foolish man builds on the sand( His house is not well supported( @hen storms come, as they must, it
will fall( In this parable, .esus was instructin+ us about the need for a proper foundation, the need for proper preparation for life( Some people ask, L@hy doesn2t Eod hear our prayersL Dack of faith may be one important element of the answer to that question Abut only one part( Dack of preparation has to be another important component( Nothin+ could be more important Student cannot depend on faith when e3am day arries( 1hey must prepare( @hen people are unprepared, it shows upA re+ardless of how much faith they mi+ht hae( 4reparation means Lthe process of makin+ somethin+ ready before hand for use(L 4reparation means +ettin+ somethin+ ready for a proFect( In recent years, we hae come to reco+niKe the need for preparation in many aspects of life( ?urin+ that same period, we hae come to ne+lect the most important elements of spiritual preparation( In the business world, successful people are prepared people( Some poorly prepared people seem to obtain a leel of success, but it is rarely lastin+( ;redentials mean eerythin+ in the work place today( *s we moe further into the technical era, they become increasin+ly important( It is more difficult to document spiritual preparation, but it is no less important( 4reparation is crucial in the military, and there are no shortcuts( Soldiers who are not well prepared do not last lon+ in time of war( @ith the first enemy attacks, they are easily defeated(
7Why doesn6t 4od hear our !rayers57 Lac2 o( (aith *ay 3e one i*!ortant ele*ent o( the ans%er to that 8uestion93ut only one !art, Lac2 o( !re!aration has to 3e another i*!ortant co*!onent, Nothing could 3e *ore i*!ortant
1he trainin+ to which modern athletes submit themseles should challen+e us all( 1hey train many hours a day( Some professional football players lift wei+hts for four hours eery day, Fust to tou+hen themseles up( 1hey not only train physically, they train themseles mentally and emotionally, as well( *thletes are motiated by the Foy of winnin+( 1hey are motiated by the fame their positions brin+ them( *nd they are motiated by the money they can make in professional sports( @e hae much more to +ain or much more to loseAdependin+ on your perspectie( @e all reco+niKe the importance of preparation in some areas of life0 @ould you +o to a doctor who was not well prepared @ould you want to cross a lon+ brid+e desi+ned by an en+ineer who was not well
and effort, both of which we don2t want to Lwaste(L It is true that preparation takes time( It is true that preparation takes effort( Howeer, eerythin+ in life that is worthwhile takes time and effort and is worth the time and effort we put into it( @e don2t like the sound of the word preparation because we hae become a society that looks for shortcuts( @e cook by microwae( @e trael by hi+hspeed Fets( @e communicate by e< mail and te3t messa+in+( @e want to learn eerythin+ in a few easy steps or from a Lhow
hae that assurance Fust as certainly as I hae the assurance of salation( I know, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that I am saed( No one can conince me otherwise( I am confident in the @ord of Eod( Nobody can tell me that it is not true( *nd, in the same way, and to the same de+ree, nothin+ can chan+e my mind as to my authority and power oer the works of the Cnemy( *s a prepared ;hristian, I know where I stand, and I can boldly state my case( 6inisters of the Eospel need to be well
kin+dom( He wants a prepared people( @hateer your particular +ift is, whateer your ocation in life, let Eod prepare you for the days ahead( *s a pastor and professor, I cannot stand in front of my con+re+ation or my colle+e class and e3pect to feed my people if I hae not prepared myself( How can I +ie somethin+ I do not hae @hat would you think if your mother called you to the dinner table but for+ot to prepare anythin+ for the meal It2s a craKy thou+ht, isn2t it Beliee me, it is Fust as craKy to try to do Eod2s work without the proper preparation( Some people seem to +et by with little preparation until they e3perience a crisis( @hen they are attacked by the Cnemy, they don2t know how to react properly( @hat they do sometimes isn2t ery L;hristian(L Some people can only take a defensie stance at eerythin+ because they hae neer been trained at offense( In sports, defense is important, but those teams that ultimately take the top priKes also e3cel at offense( 1hey are e3tremely well
pay any price to prepare for the Dord2s work( 1he day I +raduated, I packed my ba+ and started a little church in someone2s sin+le
I thank Eod for the priile+e of prayer and fastin+( *fter seeral decades in the ministry, I am still preparin+ myself( I haen2t arried( Cery day holds new challen+es for me and the +reatest days are Fust ahead( *nd life itself is a preparation for somethin+ +reater( 7ne day soon we will present ourseles at the marria+e supper of the Damb( I %ant to 3e !re!ared (or that day0 as %ell,
;hapter "% 1he Need 5or * Healthy Difestyle
I4D. )Isaiah B#B 34
*lthou+h losin+ wei+ht is not our primary purpose in fastin+, fastin+ is a ery healthy custom to adopt( @hile we brin+ the flesh into subFection to the Spirit of Eod and deelop a deeper relationship with our heaenly 5ather, we +et the side benefit of a healthier body( 1here are seeral reasons for this( 5irst, when we fast, our systems hae time to heal themseles( 5astin+ +ies our internal or+ans time to rest and recuperate( 1hey work ery hard most of the time( No wonder they occasionally rebel 6ost of us abuse our di+estie systems with the wron+ kinds of food oer a lon+ period( 6ore and more doctors are realiKin+ how healthy it is to let the system hae a time of restoration(
Although losing %eight is not our !ri*ary !ur!ose in (asting0 (asting is a very healthy custo* to ado!t,
@hen we fast our systems are cleansed( In measure, this happens while we sleep( But we don2t always wake up in the mornin+ ready to conquer the world( Sometimes more time is needed to flush all the to3ins out of our systems( Uncontrolled eatin+ does all sorts of dama+e to the body( 4eriods of fastin+ brin+ the body into balance and help to re+ulate the systems so that thin+s run more smoothly( *lthou+h most of Eod2s people don2t hae the harmful habits of drinkin+, smokin+, and doin+ dru+s, so many of them are killin+ themseles with foodAtoo much food and the wron+ kinds of food( 1his cannot be pleasin+ to Eod( 6any fear that fastin+ is harmful to your health( 6oses fasted forty days, but he did not hae to be carried down from the mountain( *nd when he came down, his face +lowed with the +lory of the Dord( If you follow Eod2s leadin+ in fastin+, you will not +row unduly weak( Gou will not ruin your health( Dadies, fastin+ will not destroy the beauty of your skin( If you fast enou+h, the +lory of the Dord will shine forth from you, as it did from the face of 6oses( Beliee the promise of Eod0 L1hen shall thy li+ht break forth as the mornin+, and thine health shall sprin+ forth speedilyL Isaiah >&0&/( 1his will be accomplished throu+h the restin+ of your or+ans, throu+h the cleansin+ of your system, throu+h +ettin+ control of your appetites, throu+h deelopin+ a more health
Part I# $o% &ou Can Pray And Fast More '((ectively Pre!aration"
;hapter "' 6ake * ;ommitment 1o 4rayer
+ehold, I will %our out my s%irit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. )/roverbs !#$0 34
1he first step to successful prayer and fastin+ is to make a commitment to do it( 1hat commitment is finaliKed by makin+ a proclamation, by makin+ known your intentions( 1he word
@e confess the Dord .esus ;hrist, and we are saed( In this sense, eery ;hristian is called to be a preacher, one who proclaims( 1he first person you must preach to is yourself( @e must speak Eod2s @ord to ourseles( If not, we can neer speak Eod2s @ord to others( 7nce is not enou+h( Cery day we need to remind ourseles of the +race of Eod in our lies( @e need to proclaim, to make known, and to declare Eod2s faor toward us frequently( @hen I hae declared my faith to others, they are Fustified in e3pectin+ me to lie up to my confession or LprofessionL of faith( @hen they look at me, they may do so based on the declaration I hae made( I am bound by my confession( @hen I tell someone that I am saed, they e3pect to see new life in me( @hen I say that I loe the Dord, people are Fustified in e3pectin+ to see that declaration lied out in my words and my actions( @hen we make a declaration, we are not Fust speakin+ empty words( @e must beliee what we declare( 1oward the end of eery year, people be+in makin+ their New Gear2s resolutions( Some resole to lose wei+ht( 7thers resole to stop smokin+ or to break some other bad habit( 1he +reat maFority keep these well< meanin+ resolutions for only a few days( 1hey didn2t beliee what they were resolin+ in the first place( 1hey weren2t serious and didn2t make a commitment from the heart( ;au+ht up in the emotion of the passin+ of another year, they resoled( But their resole wasn2t ery effectie( 7ur proclamation, our commitment, must be different than human resole(
The (irst ste! to success(ul !rayer and (asting is to *a2e a co**it*ent to do it, That co**it*ent is (inali.ed 3y *a2ing a !rocla*ation0 3y *a2ing 2no%n your intentions,
6ost ;hristians hae, at one time or another, made a commitment to fast Lafter 1hanks+iin+(L But after 1hanks+iin+, someone inites them to -5; and offers them some of those lar+e biscuits( 1hen ;hristmas comes, and New Gears, and birthdays, and the 5ourth of .uly, and on, and on, and on( It neer ends( 1here are enou+h special days in the year to keep us breakin+ our resole foreer( @ith many people, because there is not a firm commitment to fastin+, any e3cuse will do to aoid it( It doesn2t take much( 1his is why it is necessary to make a proclamation concernin+ fastin+( Gou must personally make a statementAto yourself and othersA that you intend to fast for a certain period of time( 7nce you hae made your proclamation, you must keep your commitment, for makin+ a confession places you in a position of responsibility before Eod and before man( 6any people are fearful of commitment( 1hey know it costs somethin+( 1hey are afraid that they may not be able to fulfill their part of the commitment( 1hey say they would rather not promise and hae to break that promise( 1his is a phony e3cuse( @hen you use that e3cuse, you are makin+ a commitment to failure and to mediocrity( @hen I inite people to come to church, some answer0 L4astor, I don2t want to promise you that I will come, because somethin+ mi+ht happen that would keep me away 4lease don2t count on me( I will try to make itAif I can(L I doubt if that type of person will eer fully understand the kin+dom of Eod( 1hey would hae to say0 L@ell Dord, I want to come, but don2t count on me( I mi+ht not make it(L How can you place authority or trust in people who are afraid to make any commitment Gou can2t .ames said that type of person Lis a double
in all he doesL .ames "0&/( 6ake up your mind( If you want to be part of Eod2s kin+dom, then make a commitment to do it( If you want to receie the blessin+s of a local church, then make a commitment to be an actie part of that church( If you want to hear Eod2s oice, make a commitment to pray and fast( .ust prior to erse &, .ames said0 But when he asks, he must beliee and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wae of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind( 1hat man should not think he will receie anythin+ from the Dord( .ames "0=<$/
1hat is stron+ lan+ua+e( L1hat man should not think that he will receie anythin+ from the Dord(L *nythin+ Eod cannot trust such people( 1hey are not reliable( 1heir line is always0 L@ell, I am not +oin+ to tell you that I will do this( I would like to, but perhaps I can2t( *nd I wouldn2t want to disappoint you(L @hat a lame e3cuse *nd so many people use it( It is better to commit and hae to break a commitment and suffer the consequences than neer to make a commitment of any kind( 1hose who neer make a commitment to fast neer fast( 1his halfhearted approach to eerythin+ seems to be acceptable in our society today0 no commitment in marria+e, no commitment on the Fob, no commitment in the church, no commitment amon+ friends( If you commit yourself, you mi+ht hae to do somethin+ whether you want to or not( So, why take the chance @hen we ask someone to do somethin+ in the church, instead of Fumpin+ at the chance to honor the Dord by their inolement, they say, LI2m not sure( Eie me some time to pray about it( 1hat2s a bi+ commitment(L No wonder few people fast It demands too much of them
I understand why many ;hristians hae so little Foy( 1hey are not willin+ to make a full commitment to ;hrist( 1hey are tryin+ to lie on the fence, with one foot in the kin+dom and the other in the flesh( *nd it simply won2t work( 4eople who lie like that are the most miserable people alie( 1hey are more miserable than sinners( *t least sinners know where they stand( 1o reap the benefits of prayer and fastin+, you must make a commitment and stick with your commitment( Gou must make a commitment of time and effort to dedicate to prayer and fastin+( If somethin+ le+itimate preents you from doin+ it, make a new commitment and keep it this time( Gou cannot e3pect results from your faith if you are unwillin+ to make a full commitment to Him @ho is the obFect of your faith( Gou cannot e3pect to see the @ord of Eod fulfilled in your life if you are unwillin+ to make a full commitment to the @ord( It2s worth it( Beliee me( I hae faith in the @ord of Eod( I am not afraid to make a full commitment to lie by His @ord( I know the power of Eod that comes throu+h prayer and fastin+, and I am not afraid to make a commitment to pray and fast( It2s worth it( ?o you hae difficulty committin+ yourself to eat Is that a chore for you ?o you keep postponin+ your meals because you hae so many other more important thin+s to do I don2t think so( Gou eat because it is important to you( Gou know the benefits( If we could understand all the +ood that fastin+ will do for us, we would be an3ious to fast, deli+hted to fast, and lookin+ for an opportunity to do so( @hy is it such a stru++le for you to stay away from the dinner table Is your +od your belly ?oes flesh rule your life 6ake a commitment and keep it( @hen you proclaim a fast, the ?eil will tell you that you are a hypocrite, tryin+ to draw attention to yourself( 1he Bible does
say0 But when you +ie to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your ri+ht hand is doin+( 6atthew =0%/
1hat means that we are not to boast about what we are doin+( It is to be done unto Eod( 1hat, howeer, does not preent us from declarin+ what we are about to do( Some people really put on a show when they fast( 1hey try to look absolutely miserable( 1hey don2t bathe( 1hey keep lookin+ in the mirror to see how their condition is, as if they were about to die at any minute( L?o I look pale to youL they ask( L*re my lips whiteL 1he declaration I am talkin+ about is not for ain+lory( It is to +et yourself and others around you ready for what you are about to do( It is makin+ a commitment so that you will not be able to chan+e your mind easily for eery flimsy e3cuse( I find that declarin+ my fast eliminates much of the stru++le I mi+ht otherwise hae in obeyin+ Eod( In order to make a declaration to fast, you must first be coninced that you should do it( Uncertainty always leads to procrastination( 1here are many ways that this can be accomplished( It is ery biblical for a pastor or other leader to call for the entire con+re+ation to fast( Some people rebel and say, LI fast when the Dord tells me to fast( I don2t fast Fust because the pastor says so( Eod can speak to me personally(L 1hose people almost neer fast( If they are unwillin+ to Foin a public fast, they rarely fast on their own( If a fast is not called by a spiritual leader, it becomes a ery personal thin+AFust between you and Eod( Eie Him opportunity to speak to you( Eod doesn2t tell some people to fast because they don2t want to hear it( 1heir ears are stopped( 1heir
mind is made up( Eod doesn2t tell them to fast because He doesn2t waste words( If you are open, He will speak to you( If many months +o by and you haen2t been led to fast, +et concerned( 1hat is not normal( 1he disciples fasted re+ularly( So did many of the con+re+ations of the Ereat :eformation( :ead Eod2s @ord until you become coninced of your need to fast( 1hen make your commitment( Gou will be ery hesitant to make a commitment to prayer and fastin+ if you doubt your ability to fulfill such a commitment( 1hose who are unsure can start out with shorter periods of fastin+( 1here is no biblical rule about how lon+ you must fast( Be+in on a smaller scale and work your way up as you feel able( 4erhaps you hae been feelin+ a little weak physically and are not sure if you can complete a fast( 4erhaps you are not feelin+ your best because of a recent bout of flu or because of e3tra hours put into your work or some physical strain( 1here is no better way to improe your health and receie diine healin+ than fastin+( If you are unsure of the timin+ of your fastAwhen you should be+in and how lon+ you should fastAyou may hesitate to make a commitment( It isn2t always necessary to know how lon+ you will +o before you be+in( If the Dord leads you to be+in and doesn2t tell you how lon+ to fast, trust Him to tell you when it is time to quit( 6ake a commitment to fast until the Dord tells you to stop fastin+( If you feel burdened to fast and don2t know when to be+in, know that the sa*e 4od %ho urges you to (ast can tell you e)actly %hen to do it,
;hapter "> 4repare Gourself 5or 4rayer *nd 5astin+
+ut I kee% under my body, and bring it into sub=ection# lest that by any means, when I have %reached to others, I myself should be a castaway. )! orinthians 2#$1 34 Gour declaration of your commitment to prayer and fastin+ is more for yourself than it is for others( @hen I declare that I am +oin+ to fast, I am takin+ the first step toward preparin+ myself( I am puttin+ eery part of my bein+ on alert, lettin+ eery part of my body know what I intend to do( 6y mind is made up( 6y emotions are under control( I know e3actly what I am about to do( I will fast and seek the face of Eod( 7nce I hae made that declaration, the responsibility to carry throu+h on my commitment is mine, and I must prepare myself to obey( I must discipline myself and make myself fast( 1hose who really loe Eod and mean business with Him do that( No one said it would be easy( 6ake yourself fast( Eie yourself a challen+e( Say to yourself, Imind will all brin+ my subFection spirit, my body, emotions, and+iin+ my under to the my @ord of Eod by myself to prayer and fastin+(
Eet yourself ready to do somethin+ +reat( Eod does not waste a prepared essel( He has much work to be done and is lookin+ for those who are ready to be placed into positions of authority(
When I declare that I a* going to (ast0 I a* ta2ing the (irst ste! to%ard !re!aring *ysel(, I a* !utting every !art o( *y 3eing on alert0 letting every !art o( *y 3ody 2no% %hat I intend to do, My *ind is *ade u!, My e*otions are under control, I 2no% e)actly %hat I a* a3out to do,
It is amaKin+ to meet some worldly businesspeople and see their positie attitudes toward life( 1hey e3pect the best to happen( 1hey neer e3pect the worst( 1hey are optimistic about the economy and their future in it and are preparin+ themseles to do well( It is amaKin+ to speak with career military people( 1hey beliee that one day they will be +reat officers( 1hey are ery positie and upbeat( 1hey are workin+ ery hard and makin+ +reat sacrifices toward their +oal( It is amaKin+ to meet serious athletes( 1hey beliee they can be the best and are puttin+ e3traordinary effort into achiein+ their lon+
@e can help their families( @e can help their loed ones( @e hae the answer for the homeless and the downtrodden( @e should be the most motiated people in the world( @e hae the answer for unwed mothers( 1hey don2t need to look elsewhere( @e know how to take wayward +irls off the streets( In our fellowship, they can find hope and comfort( @e hae the answer for people trapped on welfare( @e can help them( @e can train and equip them( @e hae the answer for the hun+ry, the lost, the cold, the oppressed( @e hae the answer for precious children with chemical imbalances, whose parents are desperate to find what is wron+ with them( Eod2s loe can rescue them and make them normal and healthy( @ith the power that comes with re+ular prayer and fastin+, we will see our lost loed ones come into the fold( @e will see sufferin+ +randmothers and mothers who hae been abandoned by medical science, and who are preparin+ their wills because they don2t e3pect to lie lon+/, totally healed and deliered( * ;hristianity that doesn2t reach out beyond the four walls of the church stinks( It is not ;hristianity at all( Eod sent His Son to die for our sins because He loed the whole world( 5or Eod so loed the world that he +ae his one and only Son, that whoeer beliees in him shall not perish but hae eternal life( .ohn %0"=/
@e can hae His loe and take it to the worldAif we are willin+ to pay the price of prayer and fastin+( Eet yourself prepared for all that Eod has for you( Set your si+hts on the +oal( Dook toward the +oal, Lto win the priKe(L I press on toward the +oal to win the priKe for which Eod
has called me heaenward in ;hrist .esus( 4hilippians %0"'/
Instruct your spirit man( Det it be known in eery part of your body that you intend to seek Eod and do His will( Cquip yourself with the @ord of the Dord( Det fastin+ become your desire( 6ake a point of +iin+ yourself to fastin+( 1here is no other way( Say without fear0 Belly, I want you to know that ;hrist is in control of my life( Gou no lon+er hae authority( Gou will obeyA whether you like it or not( Belly, I want you to understand that because Eod is in char+e of my life, Eod is in char+e of you( Gou cannot rule me any lon+er( I hae +ien my life completely to the Dord, and I intend to do His will(
If you are hain+ a stru++le in this area, repeat out loud this declaration0 I am determined to brin+ my flesh under subFection to the Spirit of Eod because I want Eod2s best for my life( I refuse to walk in the flesh any lon+er( 5rom this day forward, I will walk in the Spirit so that I will not fulfill the desires of the flesh( I will allow Eod to +lorify His name throu+h my life( I will obey Him in prayer and fastin+(
Put &our Flesh ;n Notice0 Without /elay
1he ne3t step in your preparation seems, on the surface, to be a purely physical one0 Be+in to adFust your body to the new reality( Some people eat many times a day( @hen they decide to fast, their bodies are shocked( 1hey may e3perience symptoms ery
similar to dru+ withdrawal( 1hey may +et diKKyJ they may feel weakJ their stomachs may ache( 1hese people need special preparation( Deadin+ up to their fast, they should start reducin+ the number of times they eat each day so that fastin+ will not be such a terrible shock to their systems( If you eat three re+ular meals a day, cut back to two, then to one( 1hen your body won2t be shocked when you deny it food alto+ether for your period of prayer and fastin+( If you drink coffee re+ularly, be+in to cut back so you won2t +et headaches when you fast( 1hose who are especially susceptible to the temptation to oerindul+e their appetites must be careful to inform their senses what to e3pect in the days ahead( 1hey must put their flesh on notice( 1he shock some people e3perience is as much psycholo+ical and emotional as it is physical( 1his is serious business that demands sincerity and dedication( ?on2t be la3 in your preparationAeither physically, emotionally, psycholo+ically, or spiritually(
4et ready (or the great things 4od has (or you
;hapter "= Stop 6akin+ C3cuses *nd .ust ?o It
+ut they all alike began to make e(cuses. -&uke !"#!B
.ust like those who were inited to the weddin+ feast, eeryone seems to hae their own e3cuse for not fastin+(
&oung Peo!le And Fasting
Some youn+ people think they are Ltoo youn+L to fast( @hen our dau+hter, *nna, was ery youn+, we allowed her to miss a meal occasionally, een thou+h she was too youn+ to understand ery well what she was doin+( She didn2t know about the needs of the local church( She didn2t know about the problems of the ministry( Neertheless, by permittin+ her to fast, we knew that we were equippin+ her early to know how to seek the face of Eod( If all of us had be+un to pray and fast at a youn+er a+e, many of us would not hae +otten into so many problems in adolescence and youn+ adulthood( I thank Eod for parents who encoura+ed me in prayer and fastin+( 1hey wanted more than anythin+ else to see me in the will of Eod for my life(
I( all o( us had 3egun to !ray and (ast at a younger age0 *any o( us %ould not have gotten into so *any !ro3le*s in adolescence and young adulthood,
Goun+ people, don2t let anyone tell you that fastin+ is not of Eod or is no lon+er important( ?on2t let anyone tell you that you don2t need to fast( ?on2t let your belly run your life( 1ake authority oer your appetites( Eet your life under control( Submit yourself to Eod so that you can +et your eery prayer answered( :emember, when the disciples asked, L@hy couldn2t we do it @hat is the secretL .esus answered them, L1his kind +oes not out but by prayer and fastin+(L See 6ark #08&<8# -.V(/ Stand on the word of .esus and don2t let anyone discoura+e you from doin+ His will for your life( *s youn+ people, you hae a whole lifetime ahead of you( ?on2t waste your opportunities( Eet serious with Eod and His blessin+ will be upon you( 4arents, don2t deny your children and youn+ people the opportunity to seek the face of Eod in prayer and fastin+, if and when they desire to do it(
The 'lderly And Fasting
Some elderly people think they are Ltoo oldL to fast( If you are a diabetic, perhaps you hae a le+itimate reason not to fastAuntil you +et set free from your sickness( I hae known many people who receied healin+ from arious diseases while they were fastin+( ?on2t limit Eod( 5or those elderly persons who are well, there is no e3cuse( *nna the prophetess should be an e3ample to eery elderly person concernin+ fastin+( 1here was also a prophetess, *nna, the dau+hter of 4hanuel, of the tribe of *sher( She was ery oldJ she had
lied with her husband seen years after her marria+e, and then was a widow until she was ei+hty
*nna fasted re+ularly, althou+h she was Lery old(L 5astin+ and prayer deeloped in her a sensitiity to the Spirit of Eod so that when most eeryone failed to reco+niKe the child .esus as bein+ any different from other children of a similar a+e, *nna was miraculously drawn to Him( Clderly people don2t want to fast for the same reason the rest of us don2t want to fast( @e hae accustomed our stomachs to certain foods at certain times of the day, and we don2t like to feel hun+ry( @e enFoy eatin+(
'lderly !eo!le don6t %ant to (ast (or the sa*e reason the rest o( us don6t %ant to (ast,
Some of the elderly are amon+ those who hae no tolerance for church serices that +o a few minutes beyond mealtime( @hen the internal alarm clock +oes off, they for+et what Eod is sayin+ and concentrate on +ettin+ out of the church so they can eat( *t that point, many close their hearts and minds to anythin+ else( Nothin+ is more important to them than eatin+( I would say to the elderly amon+ us that Eod hasn2t finished with you yet( Gou hae a ery +reat responsibility before Eod to share your knowled+e of Him with the upcomin+ +enerations( Be the e3amples you should be in prayer and fastin+(
Men And Fasting
Some men don2t fast because they beliee they must constantly spend time with their families( If you, as the leader of your household, cannot hear the oice of Eod and know Eod2s will for your family, you are not a +ood father anyway( Some men neer fast because they hae to work and cannot +et alone with Eod for lon+ periods of time( If you must work, that doesn2t mean that you cannot fast( 6any of Eod2s people who hae to work fast anyway( .ust ask the Dord to help you keep your mind on Him( @hen lunchtime comes, don2t han+ around to see what the others will eat( Eet alone, perhaps in your car or in some other priate place( Eet out your Bible, read it, and concentrate on the mind of the Dord( But fast(
I( you *ust %or20 that doesn6t *ean that you cannot (ast,
6en, we hae a +reat responsibility( Because we know that we are liin+ in the last days and that the comin+ of the Dord is +rowin+ nearer, we should be compelled to pray and fast more( 1hose who are not conscious of the lateness of the hour neer fast( .esus answered, LHow can the +uests of the bride+room fast while he is with them 1hey cannot, so lon+ as they hae him with them( But the time will come when the bride+room will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast(L 6ark 80"#<89/
.esus said that we should fast when the bride+room was taken away( 5astin+ will continue, then, until His return( ?on2t stop now( 1here is too much to be accomplished in the kin+dom of Eod( *fter more than three decades in the ministry, Eod is dealin+ with me to fast more than eer( 1his is not a time to rela3 and allow ourseles to be ruled by the flesh( @e must hone our spiritual instincts and be ready to do spiritual warfare in these last days( ?on2t let the women do all the fastin+( If we do, they +et all the blessin+s(
Wo*en And Fasting
In +eneral, women fast more than men( But een many women hae their e3cuses not to do it( 1he two most predominant e3cuses women use are their need to prepare food for the whole family and their need to maintain a +ood appearance( Neither of these need be an e3cuse not to fast when the Dord leads you to do so(
I( you need to !re!are (ood (or the rest o( the (a*ily0 you can do that and continue your (ast, It -ust de*ands a little *ore %ill!o%er on your !art not to eat everything you are coo2ing,
If you need to prepare food for the rest of the family, you can do that and continue your fast( It Fust demands a little more willpower on your part not to eat eerythin+ you are cookin+( @hile your husband and your children eat, read your Bible( 6editate on the +oodness of Eod( Gou can sere others while abstainin+ yourself( *s for appearance, it is a lie of Satan that fastin+ destroys your
appearance( 6y mother is well oer seenty now, yet she is stron+ and looks fresh and beautifulAbecause of her life of fastin+ and prayer( @omen, stop beliein+ Satan2s lies(
The Most 7La*e7 ')cuses
5eelin+ that you are too old or too youn+ or too sick or too busy may be a half
reality, they are cheatin+ themseles( Eod doesn2t benefit from your fastin+( Gou are the one who benefits( 1his is a serious matter( @hy play +ames with Eod If you cannot be sincere in a fast, Eod won2t be able to trust you with His blessin+s( Some people fast for wron+ moties( If you want to sere Eod, sere Him with a pure motie( If you want to deny the flesh, then do it( Stop makin+ e3cuses( Some don2t fast because they will be LmisunderstoodL and they don2t want to be criticiKed( @ell, that2s Fust part of it( It is wonderful to walk in the power and anointin+ of Eod( Some people may be critical of you( 1hey may say that you are Lantisocial(L 1hey may say many other unkind thin+s( But when they hae a need, they will know who to call on( @hen effectie prayers must be prayed, they will remember your dedication to Eod( ?on2t let what other people think or say hinder you( 7bey Eod( :i+ht now, today, you must face the thin+ that has kept you from fastin+ and conquer it once and for all( If +luttony has kept you from Eod2s best, He is ready to delier you from that sin( If food is your Dord, cast it down from its throne today and let ;hrist rei+n and be the Dord of your life( If your belly has been your +od, make .ehoah, Eod of our fathers, your Eod today( If you hae a medical problem that preents you from fastin+, Eod is able to heal you( If His will is for His people to fast, and you are one of His children, His will is that you fast( *nd if you cannot fast because of a medical problem, He wants to remoe that obstacle so that you can hae total ictory in your life( Be healed in the name of .esus ;hrist today( If Eod is leadin+ you to fast, then fast( Day aside eery e3cuse( ;onquer the flesh, and Fust do it(
I con+ratulate those of you who hae fasted in the past and those of you who hae been challen+ed by this book and are about to embark on a Fourney into the realm of fastin+ and prayer and seekin+ the face of Eod( Gou will e3perience +reat breakthrou+hs in the Spirit( Gou are about to +et control oer your appetites once and for all( Gou are about to hear from Eod in a new and liin+ way( Gou are about to hae your faith increased( 5irst, let me +ie you some practical tips that will help you make the most of your fastin+ e3perience(
Part # What To ')!ect Fro* Prayer And Fasting Actions And Results"
;hapter "$ 4ractical 1hin+s I Hae Dearned *bout 4rayer *nd 5astin+ *ction/
5rom my e3periences with prayer and fastin+, here are a few thin+s that I would recommend to you that I beliee will help you to achiee Eod2s best for your life(
/uring the (irst (e% days o( your (ast0 don6t as2 4od (or anything,
6any people hae the L+immes(L 1hey fast only to +et somethin+ material( 1hey +o to Eod with a wish list( ?on2t triialiKe fastin+( @e do not fast only to receie an answer to a specific prayer( @e fast for the sake of our spiritual position with Eod( @hen you fast, seek to understand and e3perience the loe of Eod( 7ther thin+s will come( Be+in by acknowled+in+ His loe and by e3pressin+ your loe for Him( @orship Him( *dore Him( Elorify Him( @ork toward a deeper e3pression of your mutual loe(
We do not (ast only to receive an ans%er to a s!eci(ic !rayer, We (ast (or the sa2e o( our s!iritual !osition %ith 4od,
@hat should you pray for durin+ a fast 1he same Eod who ur+es you to fast can burden your heart with the specific needs for which you should pray(
Re!ent ;( &our Failings And Shortco*ings, *cknowled+e your failin+s and shortcomin+s( ;onfess them before the heaenly 5ather and allow Him to cleanse your heart, to wash you clean( 6ost people hae so many thin+s that stand between them and Eod that they need seeral days Fust to clear the air and be ready to communicate well( 5astin+ is not Fust for the purpose of resolin+ specific problems( It has the purpose of renewin+ and stren+thenin+ your relationship with Eod so that
your eeryday prayers can be more effectie( 4ray as ?aid did0 Search me, 7 Eod, and know my heartJ test me and know my an3ious thou+hts( See if there is any offensie way in me, and lead me in the way eerlastin+( 4salm "%#08%< 8'/
If you fast, yet you hae somethin+ in your heart a+ainst your nei+hborA+rud+es, unfor+ieness, bitterness, strife, eny, or backbitin+Adon2t e3pect to +et miracles from Eod( *ny of those thin+s will brin+ you into bonda+e if you allow them to rule in your heart( Use this time in prayer and fastin+ to brin+ these thin+s to the li+ht and to allow Eod to deal with them( Some belieers +ossip too much and loe to hear somethin+ bad about another brother( Some belieers cause diisions in the body of ;hrist( Some belieers don2t loe their brothers and sisters( Det Eod search your heart and brin+ to li+ht hindrances to answered prayer of which een you are not aware(
Intercede For ;thers And Their Needs
Before you ask for thin+s that you need yourself, pray the heart of Eod( Intercede for others( Gou won2t lose anythin+ by doin+ this( Eod is concerned about your most insi+nificant need, but He is concerned that you be like the 7ne who laid eerythin+ down to sere others( @hen you hae prayed for others, the 5ather will stretch out His hand to you and inite you to receie all that you are personally lackin+( Intercede for the leaders of our society( Intercede for our community leaders( *nd intercede for our spiritual leaders( It is easy to criticiKe our leaders( 1he most laKy people can do that( But few are willin+ to +ie the time and effort necessary to intercede in prayer for those in authority( If we beliee that Eod is powerful, we should be willin+ to ask His help in eery matter, both public and priate( If we beliee that old sayin+, L4rayer chan+es thin+s,L then let2s put it to work( @e are admonished by .esus Himself to pray for more laborers for the spiritual harest( If we should pray for them to +et into the harest, surely we can uphold them durin+ their labors in the field( 1hey are human, and they will make mistakes( But we are not called to Fud+e them( Eod is the Fud+e( @e are called to uphold Eod2s serants in prayer( Because we lie in a democratic society, we, as belieers, often take to e3tremes the liberty we hae to criticiKe( ?eacon boards and other elected bodies of representaties in our churches often take an adersarial role, ery much like an opposition party in ;on+ress or a Curopean parliament( 1his is not Eod2s way( @e are all in the same party( @e are all members of the same kin+dom( Support one another( 4ray for one another( Intercede for one another(
Boldly Present &our ;%n Needs Be(ore The Lord
@hen you hae taken these steps, it is time to present your needs before the Dord( Gou may do it with +reat boldness( ?o not be an3ious about anythin+, but in eerythin+, by prayer and petition, with thanks+iin+, present your requests to Eod( *nd the peace of Eod, which transcends all understandin+, will +uard your hearts and your minds in ;hrist .esus( 4hilippians '0=<$/
Eod shows His interest in your need by His concern with your Ldaily bread(L He wants to supply you personally with your needs( ?on2t be hesitant to take your petitions before Him( ?o it boldly( Eod wants to help you( 5or he and all his companions were astonished at the catch offish they had taken( Duke >0#/
4eter was surprised when .esus +ae him the miraculous drau+ht of fish( He hadn2t learned yet that Eod is interested in our smallest problem and wants to help us( 1he story is a familiar one0 .esus saw two ships standin+ by the shore( He +ot into one of them which happened to belon+ to 4eter/ and asked him to thrust the boat out a little from the land so that He could address the entire crowd at once( @hen He had finished ministerin+ to the crowd, He said to 4eter, LDaunch out into the deep and let down your nets for a drau+htL Duke >0' -.V/( 4eter said, L6aster, we2e worked hard all ni+ht and haen2t cau+ht anythin+( But because you say so, I will let down the netsL ( >/( @hen he cast the net, it took in more fish then he could handle,
and his boat started sinkin+( 1he net was breakin+ with the burden, and 4eter had to call for help from another boat( @hat a lesson 4eter learned that day Eod knows our needs( He is more than aware of our problems( He has declared that we need only ask Him, and He will rescue us in our hour of need( 7ur problems sere the purpose of +ettin+ our attention( 1hey make us draw near to Eod and cry out to Him( @hen we do, He is more than ea+er to hear our pleas and to help us( -nowin+ this, learn to erbaliKe your need( 1his is somethin+ that many hae not learned to do effectiely( Eod2s @ord says, L*skL 6atthew $0$/( He is an3iously awaitin+ your plea( ?on2t +et tired of prayin+, and don2t be embarrassed to pray publicly( CliFah stood in front of his critics and boldly talked to his Eod( Gou can do the same(
Concentrate ;n The Word ;( 4od
7nce you hae be+un your fast, don2t spend all your time in front of the teleision( 5or one thin+, too many foods are adertised on teleision( @ithout thinkin+, you mi+ht +et up, +o to the refri+erator, and +et somethin+ to eat( 1he most important reason not to do it, howeer, is that teleision won2t feed your soul( ?on2t waste your time on ma+aKines or other friolous readin+ materials either( Use this opportunity to +et into the @ord of Eod( 6editate on Eod2s promises( Det your mind dwell on them( ;laim them for yourself( 1he @ord of Eod is true( @e can trust its promises( It is neer failin+( If Eod2s @ord can fail, then He is no lon+er Eod( It is impossible( Beliee Him( 5or the word of Eod is liin+ and actie( Sharper than any
double
/on6t Neglect The Prayer As!ect ;( Fasting
1he most important aspect of your fast is prayer, and there are seeral important thin+s that you should consider re+ardin+ prayer0 7ur principle purpose in prayer is not to wrestle with the Cnemy( If you allow him to, Satan will dominate your prayer time( 1he purpose of prayer is to communicate with the 5ather, to tell Him of our loe, to worship and adore Him, and to intercede before Him for others( ?on2t let the Cnemy dominate the conersation( .esus tau+ht His disciples to pray0 7ur 5ather in heaen((( 6atthew =0#/
He didn2t teach us to spend all our time in prayer addressin+ demons and Satan( Satan has no ri+ht to interrupt our intimate time of fellowship with Eod( ;ast him out( Send him on his way( ?on2t yield your aluable time to the Cnemy( Submit yourseles, then, to Eod( :esist the deil, and he will flee from you( .ames '0$/
?o not +ie the deil a foothold( Cphesians '08$/
?on2t pray for the ?eil to +o( ;ommand him to +o( Use the authority Eod has +ien you( 4ut the Cnemy in his place( Det him know that he has no ri+ht to disturb you while you are communin+ with the 5ather( Gou may ask Eod for wisdom and authority to deal with the Cnemy( 1hen, without wastin+ more precious moments, put him to fli+ht and continue your priate conersation with the heaenly 5ather( Satan will oppose you as you pray( 5or our stru++le is not a+ainst flesh and blood, but a+ainst the rulers, a+ainst the authorities, a+ainst the powers of this dark world and a+ainst the spiritual forces of eil in the heaenly realms( Cphesians =0"8/
But, neer try to debate with Satan( He can outsmart you eery time( ?on2t listen to his ar+uments( He is a liar( ?on2t entertain his thou+hts( ?on2t let him finish his thou+ht( Send him on his way( Gou hae power, in the name of .esus ;hrist, to cast him down( Because Satan attacks them in prayer, some people spend a few seconds in actual prayer and the balance of their prayer time ar+uin+ with Satan( :ebuke him and let him know that he cannot waste your precious time( ?on2t hesitate to bind any eil spirit that torments you durin+ prayer and fastin+( ?on2t ask Eod to take care of them( He has +ien you authority to take care of them( ?on2t be afraid( Speak directly to the demons( Bind them in .esus2 name( ;ommand them to take their hands off of your family off of your business,
and off of your house( Satan knows that he has no ri+ht to interrupt the actiities of my home( He knows that the members of my family are coered by the blood of .esus( He knows that he doesn2t belon+ in our house( He knows to whom we belon+( He has no ri+ht to touch us, and I am not afraid of him(
Focus &our Mind ;n 4od
Since Satan2s +oal is to +et your mind on him and his actiities, the most important thin+ you can do is focus your mind on Eod( Be aware of His presence with you( Be conscious of His workin+ in your life( If you Fust sit and let your mind wander, while Eod is tryin+ to speak to you, you will neer know His best for your life( If you let your mind wander, Eod can neer reeal to you those better thin+s that He has prepared for you( 4rayer is a two
Learn To Sense The Presence ;( 4od 6any do not +et their prayers answered because they cannot sense Eod2s presenceAhow can people conerse with Him effectiely if they cannot een sense His presence 1hese people
cannot isualiKe Him, so how can they talk intimately with Him @hen most people think about .esus, they picture Him on the cross in a+ony( 1hey weep for Him( 1hey plead for mercy for Him( 1hey ask the 5ather to be compassionate to .esus( Because of this, they can2t +et any further in their prayers( How can .esus help us if He is in a+ony Himself @e must know that .esus hun+ on the cross for a ery short space of time( He was in the +rae for a ery short space of time( He oercame death( He oercame the cross( He oercame the +rae( He is alie( He is not on the cross( See Him triumphant( See Him rei+nin+( See .esus( Dook into His face( 1alk to Him( 1ell Him your troubles( ;onfide in Him( Day bare your soul before Him( ?on2t think of .esus as lookin+ like some paintin+ you hae seen and liked( He is like nothin+ that any human has been able to capture with a paintbrush( Dook to the .esus of the Bible, not the .esus of popular myth( He is the -in+ of Elory( He is Dord of all( *t His appearance, an+els bow and say, LHosanna to the Damb of Eod(L See the liin+ Eod, and receie from His hand(
$old Steady /uring The First Fe% /ays
Be firm durin+ the first three days of your fast( 1hey are the most difficult( It is durin+ those days that many people quit( If you hae a +enuine burden for the lost, if you want to see dru+ addicts deliered and to see our society chan+ed by Eod2s power, you will continue( Be firm( @hen those first days hae passed, it becomes easier to fast(
Be A%are ;( S!ecial Needs
Some people need to +et away from eeryone while they are fastin+( 1he normal actiities of the household mi+ht disturb their concentration( Gou don2t need to +o far or to spend a lot( 6ost churches hae rooms that are not in use and that could be made aailable for a place of prayer( Sometimes we need to +et apart into a priate place( 6y wife encoura+es me when I feel this need( She understands( Some people need to take time off from work to seek the face of Eod( If we can take time off for acations, for huntin+ season, or Fust to work around the house for a few days, why not do it for the welfare of our souls If you are married, consider sleepin+ apart from your spouse while you are fastin+( ?eny the flesh( ?efraud ye not one the other, e3cept it he with consent for a time, that ye may +ie yourseles to fastin+ and prayerJ and come to+ether a+ain, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency( " ;orinthians $0> -.V/
*+ree with your spouse for a period of abstinence from your physical relationship for the purpose of seekin+ Eod( 1his will not hurt your relationship( It will stren+then it(
/rin2 Plenty ;( Water While &ou Fast
Gour body can +o a lon+ time without food, but it can only +o a few days without adequate liquids( Since you will not be +ettin+ the liquids normally contained in most foods, drink a lot of water while you fast( Start drinkin+ more, een before you start( It helps you to flush the poisons out of your system( * fast is a +ood time to +et free from your crain+ for su+ar( 1oo
many of us are addicted to sweets( *nd drinkin+ plenty of water will help you +et oer this crain+( 4uttin+ a little lemon or lime in the water may help(
Be+in to eat slowly, not all at once( *nd use the opportunity to deelop better, healthier eatin+ habits( Now that you hae the flesh under control, this will be easier to do(
;hapter "& 1he 5ruits 4roduced By 4rayer *nd 5astin+ :esults/
In the course of our search for truth concernin+ prayer and fastin+, we hae already discoered many of the benefits or results of this +odly practice( 4rayer and fastin+ enables us to conquer the flesh and the selfish desires of our a+e and to walk in the Spirit of Eod( 4rayer and fastin+ makes us sensitie to hear the oice of Eod so that we can +ain the direction we need for our lies( 4rayer and fastin+ opens our spirits to the supernatural and +ies us the power and the anointin+ to work the works of Eod( 4rayer and fastin+ sharpens our e3pectancy so that when we ask Eod for somethin+, we e3pect to receie an answer( 4rayer and fastin+ prepares us for the challen+es of adopt life, whateer they mi+ht and be( 4rayer enables us to a healthier lifestyle brin+s and to usfastin+ physical and mental health and healin+( See also 4salm %>0"%(/ 6any times confusion, an3iety, and perple3ity disappear after a person has fasted +enuinely and sou+ht the face of Eod( 4rayer and fastin+ renews our minds( 5or those who want to attain +rowth throu+h the knowled+e of Eod2s @ord, fastin+ can help( ;onfidence to hold onto truth also comes about throu+h prayer and fastin+( 1he patriarchs were the first to practice fastin+( 1hey fasted when they had bad news, such as times of mournin+, sorrow, and affliction( 1wo e3amples are the case of *braham for his wife
Sarah Eenesis 8%08/ and that of .acob for his son .oseph Eenesis %$0%'/( .oshua and the elders of Israel remained prostrate before the *rk from mornin+ until eenin+ without eatin+ after the Israelites were defeated by the men of *i .oshua $0=/( 1he Israelites, perceiin+ themseles to be pressed by the 4hilistines, assembled before the Dord at 6iKpah and fasted in His presence until the eenin+ " Samuel $0=/( In each case, Eod2s people were comforted and receied diine direction( Isaiah confirms that fastin+ will reliee you of heay burdens Isaiah >&0=/( In the early church, the belieers fasted for much more than mournin+, sorrow, and affliction( 5or e3ample, they fasted to be able to make quality decisions *cts "'08%/( 1he apostles ordained elders and prayed with fastin+ for them( 1he prophet ?aniel also prayed and fasted for wisdom and receied it ?aniel "9/( *ny person who does not consult with Eod in matters of serious decision makin+ may be subFect to poor Fud+ment( 1here are so many other blessin+s that prayer and fastin+ brin+s( *mon+ them are0 P 4rayer and fastin+ brin+s reial and transformation( Historically, churches hae been reied and transformed, cities hae been reied, and entire societies hae been reied throu+h serious prayer and fastin+( 1he state of our nations cannot be chan+ed solely throu+h the political process( 1rue chan+e requires committed and dedicated prayer warriors who know how to deal with spiritual powers, unseen and unreco+niKed by our natural eyes( 1his knowled+e comes only throu+h prayer and fastin+( 1he whole;ontrary world reFoiced at theopinion, fall of communism eil influence( to popular this +iant didand notits fall because of *merican political pressure but as a result of the profound commitment of a few dedicated belieers who +ae themseles to prayer and fastin+ and the study of Eod2s principles
of successfully resistin+ the Cnemy( P 5astin+ brin+s protection( @hen you are faithful to seek Eod in prayer and fastin+ and to commit your ways to Him, He will protect you from eery enemy( P 5astin+ can usher you with success into a new proFect or a new ministry see *cts "%/( @hen we enter into any new endeaor in this way, we are assured of the hand of Eod upon all that we do( .esus be+an His ministry throu+h prayer and fastin+ 6atthew '08/( How much more we need to do the same Businessmen should use this method of launchin+ new business endeaors and of resolin+ difficult situations in their present businesses( ;omple3 situations are often soled after prayer and fastin+( Goun+ people should use prayer and fastin+ to launch their careers( Students should pray and fast before selectin+ their courses of study( 4rayer and fastin+ helps us to understand the ways of Eod( Because He doesn2t do thin+s the same way eery time, sometimes we hae difficulty understandin+ Him( 1omorrow in Eod may be totally different than today( 4rayer and fastin+ chan+es the way we perceie thin+s( *s we be+in to think more like Eod thinks, we can adapt better to His perfect ways( 4erhaps most important of all, prayer and fastin+ draws us closer to Eod( He is Spirit( ?enyin+ the flesh its desires for a period of time seems to shift the balance of power in our lies to the spiritual side( *nd the result is that we are close to Eod and more like Him( 1hose who pray and fast hae a new hatred of unri+hteousness and a new desire for Eod, His @ord, and the thin+s of the Spirit(
6y 4rayer 5or Gou 5riend, let me ask you0 @hen was the last time you .D sou+ht the face of Eod in prayer and fastin+ If you are honest, you will reco+niKe that you need Eod2s +race( Det us beliee Eod to+ether as we pray(
Heavenly Father, I %ray that the anointing of the Holy S%irit will rest heavily u%on the words of this hook.
