Day 2 - Prayer and Fasting

Today's post was contributed by Suneeta.

Why do we pray 40days of FASTING prayers? Do we really need to pray with FASTING? If so what the bible tells us about FASTING!

This is where the power is at, because fasting puts us in harmony with an All Powerful God who demands humility from those who wish to be close to Him. Fasting humbles the flesh. When it is done for that purpose, it pleases the Spirit of God.

You can go a certain distance in God, and experience many things, without fasting much, but the highest, richest and most powerful blessings always go to those who together with other disciplines, fast much unto God. The most significant Biblical characters, with the possible exception of Abraham, were all men of fasting and prayer. Jesus, the Son of God, was a man of fasting and prayer (Matthew 4:2). So was the apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 11:27). Elijah fasted 40 days. The early church fasted before starting any major work.

Fasting is not magic, nor does it twist the arm of God. God wants to do many amazing things, but He looks for those willing to urgently make the corrections needed to come into line with him. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Successful fasting is also the fastest way to learn patience. It takes patience and endurance to fast for more than a day. Many of God's tests come quicker to us when we fast, and we have a better opportunity to pass them. Fasting gives you God's focus for your life. It is a major key to hearing God's voice (the other is true worship - the two are related). We need focus from God more than anything. The world we live in is working overtime to distract us, to entice us, to win our hearts and minds, our focus, and to determine our vision. Fasting cuts out the world so we can tune into God. If we are obedient to God fasting will make us catalysts for revival and awakening.

Some Examples of Fasting in the Bible:

Old Testament

• Moses fasted 40 days on behalf of Israel’s sin: Deuteronomy 9:9, 18, 25-29; 10:10.
• Moses fasted to receive the Ten Commandments and the Law of God, and to see God's glory and goodness.
• David fasted and mourned the death of Saul: 2 Samuel 1:12.
• David fasted and mourned the death of Abner: 2 Samuel 3:35.
• David fasted and mourned the death of his child: 2 Samuel 12:16.
• Elijah fasted 40 days after fleeing from Jezebel: 1 Kings 19:7-18.
• Ahab fasted and humbled himself before God: 1 Kings 21:27-29.
• Darius fasted in concern for Daniel: Daniel 6:18-24.
• Daniel fasted on behalf of Judah's sin while reading Jeremiah’s prophecy: Daniel 9:1-19.
• Daniel fasted regarding a mysterious vision from God: Daniel 10:3-13.
• Esther fasted on behalf of her people: Esther 4:13-16.
• Ezra the priest fasted for God's protection while carrying valuable things for God's temple. We too can fast for God's protection. (Ezra 8:21-23)
• Ezra fasted and wept for the sins of the returning remnant: Ezra 10:6-17.
• Nehemiah fasted and mourned over the broken walls of Jerusalem: Nehemiah 1:4-2:10.
• The people of Ninevah fasted after hearing the message of Jonah: Jonah 3.

New Testament

• Anna fasted for the redemption of Jerusalem through the coming Messiah: Luke 2:37.
• Jesus fasted 40 days before his temptation and the beginning of his ministry: Matthew 4:1-11.
• The disciples of John the Baptist fasted: Matthew 9:14-15.
• The elders in Antioch fasted before sending off Paul and Barnabas: Acts 13:1-5.
• Cornelius fasted and sought God’s plan of salvation: Acts 10:30.
• Paul fasted three day fast after his Damascus Road encounter: Acts 9:9.
• Paul fasted 14 days while at sea on a sinking ship: Acts 27:33-34.

Moses fasted to receive the Ten Commandments and the Law of God, and to see God's glory and goodness.

The elders, prophets and teachers in Antioch fasted and ministered to God, which resulted in the launching of Paul and Barnabas' apostolic ministry to the Gentiles (Acts 13:2,3). Likewise we should fast and pray before getting involved in full time ministry and mission work.

Jesus says to us in Matthew 6:16, "When you fast..." not "If you fast". A true disciple of the Lord will fast at times.

God made it clear through the prophet Joel that the last days outpouring of the Spirit will be in proportion to our fasting and crying out to God in humility, hunger and repentance. (Joel 1:5; Joel 2:12).

Even wicked King Ahab's fast moved God so that he did not bring full judgment down on him in his own lifetime (1 Kings 21:27).

  I am so happy that in BIEC we are started about 40 days of faith and fasting. It’s so important as a Christians to do the fasting prayers.  For my husband and me we had wonderful experience  in the God when we were in 40 days of fasting. It brings closer relationship with God and we can really hear his voice  like father and a closer friend, He has done so many amazing things  in our lives.

My husband he did 2 times 40 days prayers, I myself 1 time. We know how it would be the fasting time. My husband he use to fast full day only taking the juice. And I use to do the off day until 12 without taking anything and spending lot of time in the Lords presence .

I would like to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ in BIEC and elsewhere.  I am going to pray for nations and leaders ,our families and friends who are in the darkness, single believers in the families, and my neighbourhood and our employees, and for the healing for need people and mothers, fathers  and for the children and teenagers  and for my church family  and my family, myself .

This is my prayer that I and my family will show Christ love and kind, forgiving to others and to be vessels for his kingdom.  Please pray for my family that every day we bring the prayers to the Lord for salvation and have the deeper relationship with our God.

Fasting is not easy. There are degrees of fasting, of course. The pain of fasting is twofold. The physical pain is due to the detoxification of our bodies. All the accumulate poison and garbage starts to come into our blood and we feel dreadful. This can be alleviated by fasting on juice. With juice fasting you have some control on the speed of your body's detoxification.

The soulish pain is due to the conflict in the spiritual realm between your flesh and the Spirit of God. This goes behind the natural desire to eat. There is soulish pain because:

1. Most times our bodies are demanding food 3 times a day and complain that food is needed when they are denied. A little training in fasting soon clears up this misconception.
2. You cannot use food as an emotional crutch to give pleasure, drowsiness, satisfaction and escape. Instead you must depend on God for comfort.
3. You are brought face to face with other painful issues in your life. God reveals the need for you to forgive others, to repent of your wicked ways, to stop running from Him and start trusting Him. There is thus also a spiritual and soulish detoxification which happens when we fast.
4. You will be attacked by demonic forces seeking to induce you to give up the fast. Jesus experienced this in the wilderness with Satan (Matthew 4:1-10). Great spiritual victories are won or lost on our willingness to endure spiritual hardship and temptation out of love and faithfulness to the Lord.
5. You will experience weakness at times, and we like to feel strong and in control. Fasting teaches us dependence upon God.

May Our heavenly father give the Power and strength to overcome from our weaknesses and to experience the wonderful relationship with God.

With love in Christ .

Yours sister in Christ.

SuneetaSridhar