Every year, my church participates in a corporate fast. It's one of those things that happens every year all across the body of Christ in some capacity. In years past, I've tried to take it seriously but often ended up getting sidetracked or just unclear about what I was fasting for. There has always been a conviction and an understanding of the importance of prayer and fasting in my life, but for some reason, I come out on the other side with no real focus or feeling of accomplishment.
I attribute this feeling to the lack of direction heading into the fast. I never really know what I am fasting and praying for. I do it because it's what I'm supposed to do. Scripture tells me to fast and pray, but do I really know what I'm looking for God to do during that time?
This year, I have chosen to approach fasting with intention. I aim to meditate on three key scriptures concerning prayer and fasting, establish specific times for prayer and intercession for the people and topics I am focusing on, and complete the fast with the assurance that God will listen and respond.
So here are three scriptures I'm taking into this season of prayer and fasting.
Ezra 8:23
"So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer"
When Ezra and his people traveled to Jerusalem, he decided not to ask the King for soldiers to protect them and told the king that God would protect them. He knew it would be a dangerous trip, so he called for all the people to fast and pray to ask God to protect them during their travels, And God did just that.
One thing that I need to remember while fasting is that God will answer my prayers. Ive often avoided praying for things in my own life thinking that they were not worth praying for. I will no longer approach my circumstances that way as I pray and fast.
Mark 9:29
"He replied,"This kind can come out only by prayer."
This verse describes Jesus and his disciples encountering a boy possessed by an unclean spirit that the disciples could not cast out. Despite having been empowered to perform miracles, the disciples are confused by their failure. Jesus explains that some challenges, especially those involving deep spiritual strongholds, require more than authority; they demand deeper spiritual preparation and commitment. This highlights the importance of prayer and fasting for believers engaging in spiritual warfare or seeking divine intervention. Prayer connects believers with God, expressing dependence and seeking guidance, while fasting enhances spiritual sensitivity and focus.
The reality is that there are some situations I've been praying for that haven't changed. I realize that in order to see true deliverance from strongholds in my life and the lives of my loved ones, I must go deeper in order to equip myself for the spiritual battle. Denying my flesh through fasting will provide space for me to fill up spiritually in ways I am unable to do when I am not fasting and praying.
Isaiah 58:6-7
"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter - when you see the naked to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?"
In Isaiah 58:6-7, we are reminded that true fasting goes beyond our yearly christian traditions; it is a deeply personal commitment to justice and compassion. It calls us to look at our own lives and the ways we can make a difference. It challenges us to break the chains of injustice that bind others, to extend our hands to those who are oppressed, and to share our resources within our communities. It ultimately highlights that our actions matter and that selfless acts of kindness can transform lives, including our own.
This scripture is especially important to me as I enter another year of professional ministry. it is easy to get caught up in just doing the work and executing the events because its what I'm supposed to do for work. As I fast and pray I will ask God to open my eyes to opportunities to serve my brothers and sisters in Christ. I want to make sure that I am fulfilling the mission of being a servant of the Lord through love and generosity beyond my work title.
I am looking forward to this season of prayer and fasting. I hope to come out on the other side with a deeper connection with the Lord. I hope to have prayed specifically about my own situations. I hope to have answered prayers of deliverance from the things that can only be resolved through prayer and fasting for myself and my loved ones. I hope to be empowered to be the hands and feet of Jesus for those in need.
I pray that as you reflect on these scriptures, the Lord will call you deeper into devotion during times of prayer and fasting. May it not just be a tradition for us, but a way into a deeper relationship with our Lord. May God open our eyes to what He has for us.
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