Fasting & Prayer

  • Matthew 6:17-18
  • Fasting and prayer go hand in hand; you can’t have one without the other.
  • Fasting helps to increase our spiritual activity.
  • Fasting is to abstain from gratifying any physical appetite.
  • Fasting should be a spiritual exercise. It can aid in one’s prayer life; it is valuable in times of crisis when one desires to discover the will of God.
  • It is valuable in promoting self-discipline.
  • Fasting is a matter between an individual and God. It should be done only with a desire to please Him.
  • Fasting brings a note of urgency and importance into our prayer.
  • Fasting helps in:
    • Governing of one’s self - 1 Corinthians 9:25
      • Now every athlete who competes in the games is disciplined and exercises self-control in all things.
    • Contentment -1 Timothy 6:6
      • …. the contentment comes from the source of inner confidence based on the sufficiency of God
    • Personal Growth – Romans 15:13
      • May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will abound in hope and overflow with confidence in His promises.
    • Endurance – James 1:12
      • Blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] is the man who is steadfast under trial and perseveres when tempted; for when he has passed the test and been approved, he will receive the [victor's] crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him.

The Benefits/Attributes of Fasting
  • Genesis 24:33 The first fast was over the marriage of Rebecca to Isaac
  • Zechariah 7:5-6 Fast unto the Lord
  • Acts 13:2 Minister to the Lord in fasting
  • Every time you fast it should be to bring you close to God
  • 1 Corinthians 9:27 Fast to bring your body under subjection to God
  • Fasting puts you in position for a breakthrough
  • Esther 4:16 Esther fasted 3 days for a crisis
  • Ezra 10:6 Fasted and mourned for the transgressions of the people who had unequally yoked themselves
  • Judges 20:26 Fasting to overcome defeat
  • 1 Kings 21:27-29 Fasting moves God
  • Leviticus 23:24-32 Time, fasting and consecration
  • Jeremiah 36: 6-7 Fasting a time of turning
  • Daniel 10:2-3, 12 Daniel fasted 21 days for purpose and greater understanding of God’ vision and for more focus (Reference 9:3)
  • Isaiah Chapter 58 God approved fast
References
All Scriptures are from the Amplified and King James Version of the Bible