Prayer and Fasting
The Importance of Prayer
What does it mean to pray? Why do we pray? How do we pray? When do we pray? These may be questions you ask, and it is important to gain a better understanding of prayer. You may have heard it said that you have two ears and one mouth and should use them in that proportion. In other words, listening more than talking. Not only should we take time to pray in order to talk to God, but we should also be quiet in prayer to hear what God is trying to say.
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The Model Prayer
Communication with our heavenly Father is important. It is important to be honest with Him as we confess our sins, which means to acknowledge our sins. Many times, we come to God with a list of things we want Him to do for us rather than coming to Him in worship and in a right attitude and understanding of prayer. Below is a passage from Matthew 6; this is described by Jesus as a model prayer.
"Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." —Matthew 6:9–15 (ESV)
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
+When beginning to pray, there must be respect and honor for the position of God in our lives. Acknowledging who He is and showing our adoration takes the focus of the prayer off of our selfish desires and onto the mighty and wonderful attributes of God.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
+After recognizing who God is, in this part of the prayer, we relinquish control of the activities in our lives to the plan of God. There is a dispersing of fear and anxiety as we trust God and find peace in His plan for our lives.
Give us this day our daily bread...
+Here, we take the time to pray for our needs.
...and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
+Not only do we need to ask forgiveness for our own sins, but we also need to ask for strength to forgive others who have caused us personal hurt or harm.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
+Last, we pray for guidance from God because we are prone to sin. The enemy (the devil) is always at work trying to discourage or misguide. Praying includes asking for protection from these temptations and increasing in self-control.
OTHER EXAMPLES OF PRAYER
Another example we need to follow from Jesus is that He prayed often. Many times, after a great ministry opportunity, Jesus went to pray alone, and sometimes He prayed all night long. He prepared against temptation by praying. He prayed all night before appointing the disciples. He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion. He prayed for those whom He healed. He prayed at the tomb of Lazarus before raising him from the dead. In all these situations, He earnestly went before our heavenly Father to seek His will, and this is a perfect example for us.
Paul exhorts us to pray without ceasing, but how is this possible if you still must do schoolwork or be involved with various jobs or activities? If you remember that prayer is communication with our Lord and that communication means we speak and listen, then as you go through the day, you can be attentive to the Lord's voice through the Holy Spirit regardless of what you may be doing. This is a discipline that will take time to develop, but as you strive for personal holiness, you will understand more and more how to be in communication with your heavenly Father.
In Mark 14:38 (ESV), we read, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
This is also mentioned by Paul in Ephesians 6:18 (ESV) when he encourages Christians to be "praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints..." In this passage, Jesus is saying that you must keep alert, which means to diligently and very observantly be aware of what the devil may be throwing at you. This idea of watching and praying is the same as a soldier up in a tower in a fort. He is looking intently at anything that may be approaching that would attack that which he is guarding. You are called to guard your own heart, and as you learn this, you will be able to apply this to guarding your family someday as well.
The prayer of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:10 (ESV) says, "Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, 'Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!' And God granted what he asked." Jabez learned what Jeremiah 33:3 states—that if one calls out to God, He will hear and answer. This is a comforting thought that God is for us and is "our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1, ESV). He brings hope, which promotes a positive outlook and enhances health.
Throughout the entire Book of Job, God's servant was tested by Satan, but he continually turned to the Lord in prayer, not away from Him. Though he lost his family, his livestock, his home, and his health, Job had faith in the character of God to come through on his behalf. As he grappled with understanding pain and suffering, Job waited upon the Lord and trusted in Him. He had many open conversations with God, sharing his thoughts and questions. In the end, Job gained a new perspective on life while drawing ever closer to God, which helped maintain his sanity in perilous times. God desires for us to do the same, and His timing is perfect in answering or not answering our prayers to develop our personal convictions.
The Book of Psalms is loaded with prayers put to music and is mostly written by David. Psalms 3, 4, 19, and 119 all have meaningful words to glean from regarding prayer. Psalm 3:3–8 tells of the Lord being our protector, strength, and salvation.
The reasons for prayer are evident. One reason is to worship God and put Him first; other reasons are for protection and deliverance, for salvation, for healing, for provision, for forgiveness, for direction, and for perspective. Consider these things and apply them to your prayer time.
It is wrong to pray for our needs. True or false?
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False; God wants us to talk with Him about everything—even our needs
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What are some of the purposes of prayer?
To worship God, to accept salvation, to seek forgiveness, to ask for direction/wisdom, to tell God our needs, and to thank Him for all our blessings
How was Job able to hang on to his faith throughout his trials and pain?
He knew the true character of God
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Fasting
Fasting is abstaining from food and/or drink, or from something else you depend on, for a specific spiritual purpose. The Bible tells us in Isaiah 58 to fast to get rid of strongholds and break the bonds of sin. In the Old Testament, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther all fasted so that God would hear their petitions and change the hearts of their people and their enemies, and God answered their prayers. They knew taking a bold stance could cost them their lives, but they believed that God would work things out for good.
Fasting in the New Testament can be observed in the Book of Acts, where the new believers often fasted as a common practice or spiritual discipline (Acts 13:2–3 and 14:23). Prayer and fasting can bring about clarity of mind and renewed energy as one's mind is not consumed with lusts of the flesh but with seeking the Lord and hungering and thirsting for Him and His Word, which truly satisfies. In a moment, watch a brief video about fasting by clicking below.
Try a day of fasting either from food or from something else you depend on every day, be it technology, video games, or anything else. Rather, spend that time pressing deeper into your relationship with God through prayer and reading the Bible. You will be asked to reflect on this in your spiritual health reflection paper at the end of the week.