Let's Start Praying More (Part 14)

 
FASTING AND PRAYER

After the failure of the disciples to cast out the demon from a possessed man, Jesus told His disciples, "This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting," (Matt 17:21). Based on the words of Jesus, we understand that fasting can help us when we pray. The natural question is how does fasting aid the believer. The words of Ezra help to answer that question,

 

"I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions…so we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listed to our entreaty." (Ezra 8:21-23).

 

Fasting is a way of humbling ourselves and showing our sincerity before the LORD (Psa 35:13), and was the pattern for some of the prophets prayers in scripture (Neh 1:4)(Esth 9:31)(Dan 9:3). This pattern was reflected by the righteous men and women who anticipated the birth of the Messiah (Luke 2:37), was performed by the disciples of John (Luke 5:33), and replicated by the apostles (Acts 13:2, 14:23). The LORD told Israel,

 

"Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping and mourning; and rend your heart and not your garments. Now return to the LORD your God," (Joel 2:12)

 

Although prayer does not require fasting to be effective, we see fasting associated with effective prayer in scripture (Luke 2:37)(Acts 13:3 & 14:23). Fasting and weeping were often associated with significant prayers given by the saints: Nehemiah as he sought favor before king Artaxerxes I to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem (Neh 1:4); Daniel when interpreting "the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, seventy years. So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes," (Dan 9:2-3); The people of Ninevah at the preaching of Jonah, (Jonah 3:5-10); and Ezra for protection on the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, (Ezra 8:21-23)

 

Isaiah makes it clear that there is fasting that can make our prayers more effective and there is fasting that is just going through the motions. Therefore, if and when we may choose to fast, we need to fast in a way to make our voices heard on high, (Isa 58:4).

 

(Next - Persistence in Prayer, Scott)