WHAT IS PRAYER & FASTING?
If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time you would’ve heard a lot about the topic and importance of prayer. However, for a number of reasons, many Christians can struggle to have a regular and strong prayer life. So what is prayer? Why do we set aside time to fast and pray? And how should we fast and pray?
WHAT IS PRAYER?
Put simply, prayer is communicating or talking to God. Tell God your thoughts, your needs, thank Him for His provision and love. It seems easy right? Not always. So here are a few thoughts that are helpful in taking your prayer life to a more consistent and deeper level.
PRAYER IS PERSONAL
Yes, there are times of corporate prayer and these are important. However, the most important times of prayer you can have is the time you give to God in personal prayer… just between you and Him. Jesus said in Matthew 6:6; “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
Prayer was never supposed to be a religious ritual done out of duty or obligation. Pray because you love God and because you desire an intimate relationship with Him.
PRAYER IS PARTNERSHIP
God calls us to partner with Him to see His kingdom established here on earth. Jesus, when asked about prayer in Matthew 6:9-10 instructed; “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Pray with a sense of partnership and a sense of responsibility. Not duty, but responsibility. Take responsibility to pray for the needs of your family, your school or workplace, your city and your nation.
PRAYER IS POWERFUL
Jesus makes this amazing statement in Mark 11:22-24; “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Jesus said it. We either believe it or we don’t. And if we believe it, then let me encourage you to step out in faith and pray prayers with belief and expectation in your heart that what you pray, if it’s in accordance to God’s will, will be done!
SO WHY & HOW SHOULD WE PRAY & FAST?
Pastor and evangelist, Lou Engle, describes prayer and fasting this way: “We give up the legitimate pleasures of this world for the supreme, the extreme pleasure of knowing God.”
We make a personal choice to give up something that is valuable and important to us for a season in order to focus our hearts and minds on a deeper focus on knowing God and His will in our lives. As a church, we take time to fast together every year in complete dedication to God, believing in faith that God is wanting to bring strength, breakthrough and health to our lives.
As you prepare yourself for 21 days of prayer & fasting, why don’t you take a moment to think and pray about how you will fast. What things will you willingly give up over this time so that you can focus your heart, your spirit and your time to pursue knowing God and the strength that He wants for your life on a deeper and greater level?
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