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What is the Necessity of Fasting in Prayer?

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Samuel Smith
5

LESSON 6

WHAT IS THE NECESSITY OF FASTING IN PRAYER?

You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.

In this edition, we continue with our series on Biblical Perspectives on Prayer and Fasting. The topic for this study is: What is the Necessity of Fasting in Prayer? People do fast for various reasons. Some may fast as a result of emotional reasons while some may fast for health reasons. However, the kind of fasting that the Scriptures call us to partake is of a religious nature, and actually a complementary aspect to prayer. While prayer may be observed alone, fasting has to always go with prayer (see Nehemiah 9:1-3; Psalm 35:13; Luke 2:37; Acts 10:30; 1 Corinthians 7:5). Someone has said that fasting without prayer may as well be defined as a hunger strike.

For fasting to yield the necessary effective results, it must be done with a clear purpose in mind. In fact, the issue of adding fasting to prayer should be considered when one intends to seriously seek the face of the Lord on a very significant issue. One time the disciples of John and the Pharisees came to Jesus to enquire of him something that had perplexed them for some time. We read the account from Mark 2 as follows: "2:18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

2:19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

2:20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days."

(Mark 2:18-20)
The answer that Jesus gave to the disciples of John and the Pharisees clearly teach us that fasting is not to be done for its own sake. In other words, there must be something that should push us to want to come to God in fasting and prayer. An attachment of fasting to prayer shows a high level of seriousness to which we attach the petition that we are bringing before the Lord. There are several illustrations in Scripture whereby the people of God combined their prayers with fasting as they sought the face of God in very dire situations. Here are some of the numerous scriptural accounts:

1) When the people of Judah knew that they had been sold out by Haman to be destroyed on a particular day, they called upon God in prayer and fasting. We read the account of this story as follows: "4:15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,

4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

4:17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him."

(Esther 4:15-17)
2) When the prophet Daniel, understood that the time for the deliverance of the people of Judah had come, he petitioned God through prayer and fasting to deliver His people. From Daniel 9, we read the account as follows: "9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;

9:2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:"

(Daniel 9:1-3; see also Daniel 10:1-3)
3) When the people of Judah sensed the dangers that awaited them on their return journey home from the land of their captivity, they sought the face of the Lord in prayer and fasting. From Ezra 8, we read the account as follows: "8:21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

8:22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

8:23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us."

(Ezra 8:21-23)
4) The prophet Joel admonished the people of Israel to turn back to God with fasting, weeping and mourning so they can stand before the great day of the Lord God Almighty. From Joel 2, we read the account as follows: "2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil."

(Joel 2:12, 13)
When we desire to return to the Lord after a long period of apostasy or overcome particular sins of addiction, we need to come before the Lord in fasting and prayer. We need to humble our hearts before Him in contrition of soul and weep upon His breasts (see Psalm 35:13). We need to let the Lord know we are genuinely sorry for straying away from Him, and stubbornly indulging in sin over and over again. We need to let Him know in purity of heart that we are tired of being enslaved by our sinful habits and plead for a victory from Him. All who come to God with such an attitude so they can overcome the various sins that do easily beset them will find grace to help them to be overcomers.

5) In the early portion of the New Testament, we read about how Christ prepared Himself for His work of redemption for mankind through an extended period of prayer and fasting. We read the following account from the gospel of Matthew: "3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

3:14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

"4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

4:11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him."

(Matthew :3:13-17; Matthew 4:1-11)
6) A combination of prayer and fasting were deemed necessary by Christ for His disciples to be able to cast out evil spirits. We read the account of this story from the gospel of Matthew: "17:14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

17:21 HOWBEIT THIS KIND GOETH NOT OUT BUT BY PRAYER AND FASTING."

(Matthew 17:14-21; Capital Emphasis Added)
7) The early disciples after Christ made the combination of prayer with fasting a very important aspect of their preparation towards missionary endeavours. From the book of Acts, we read the following example in relation to this point: "13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away."

(Acts 13:1-3)
8) A combination of prayer with fasting was deemed a very necessary part of the process of selecting and ordaining elders in the early church. From the book of Acts, we read the following example in relation to this point: "And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed" (Acts 14:23).

9) Besides the examples we have enumerated above, there are several other instances we may face in life that will require us to come before the Lord in prayer and fasting. Some of these include seeking the will of God in relation to the choice of a career path, the choice of a life partner, long term travel, the scheduling of very important projects, and all other things that you realise are critical to require that you come before the Lord in prayer and fasting.

10) Prayer and fasting can help us to develop a closer relationship with God. From the various points above, we may be tempted to think that we must come to God in prayer and fasting only when there are critical issues that we need the Lord to come through and help us with. However, one important reason for prayer and fasting is to get closer to God. As we leave the things that we cherish and love, and determine to spend time with God, the discipline helps us to begin to love God the more, and enables us to develop a closer walk with Him. If you desire to have a closer personal relationship with God, I will encourage you to try prayer and fasting. As you commit to this spiritual discipline, you will begin to see amazing positive changes in your Christian walk.

From the example of Christ in the wilderness of temptation, we can glean the point that the main approach to religious fasting is one in which the participants forgo food and water for an appointed period of time (see Matthew 4:2; see also Esther 4:15-17). Nevertheless, because of health or other equally important reasons, some may decide to utilise water and some light food such as fruits and vegetables during an extended period of prayer and fasting. Even though total or partial abstinence from food and water is regarded as the main approach to religious fasting, there are still other kinds of fasting that the people of God can also decide to engage in. For instance, in our modern 21st century era, some children of God have seen the spiritual benefits to often fast away from Television or Social Media Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube so they can fully concentrate on their walk with God.

Friends, Jesus' prophecy to the disciples of John is also applicable to our time (see Matthew 9:14, 15). We are living at a point in the history of the world where the Bridegroom is not physically present with us. Moreover, we are even living at the time of the end of this world (see Daniel 12:4-9). If there was ever a generation of God's people who should be found in regular prayer and fasting, it is our present generation. All the signs of our world indicate that the coming of our Lord is very near, even at the doors (see Matthew 24:1-51; Mark 13:1-37; Luke 21:5-36). Now, as our heavenly High Priest rounds up the work of judgement in the Most Holy Place of heaven's sanctuary, we must be found in a condition of serious heart searching, watching, prayer and fasting as Israel of old did on the Great Day of Atonement (see Leviticus 23:26-32; Joel 2:1-13; Revelation 14:6, 7; Revelation 22:10-12).

The Lord has graciously granted us this time of peace so each one of us can make the important heart preparation for heaven. Are you struggling in your walk with the Lord? Are there various forms of sins that you have failed to overcome? Are you failing to bear the fruits of the Spirit of God? Are you losing the urge to give your best effort for the cause of Christ? The simple Bible-based answer to all these situations is to approach God in fasting and prayer. Some have asked how do we fast? Beloved, the kind of fasting that the Scripture outdoors for us is not any kind of difficult spiritual exercise but rather an opening of the heart to commune with God by forgoing the basic necessities of life such as food and water, or the seemingly pleasurable activities that usually divert our minds from easily seeking the face of our Maker in fervent contrition of soul.

Exhortation: From the Holy Scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy, we read the following accounts in relation to the form and manner of fasting which pleases the Lord: A) "58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

58:2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.

58:3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

58:4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

58:5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

58:7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.

58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

58:10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:

58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

58:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."

(Isaiah 58:1-14)
B) "6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6:17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

6:18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly."

(Matthew 6:16-18)
C) "For certain things, fasting and prayer are recommended and appropriate. In the hand of God they are a means of cleansing the heart and promoting a receptive frame of mind. We obtain answers to our prayers because we humble our souls before God." -- (Letter 73, 1896; CD 187.6) D) "Now and onward till the close of time the people of God should be more earnest, more wide-awake, not trusting in their own wisdom, but in the wisdom of their Leader. They should set aside days for fasting and prayer. Entire abstinence from food may not be required, but they should eat sparingly of the most simple food." -- (The Review and Herald, February 11, 1904.) In our next study, we will consider the topic: Are there some dangers associated with modern forms of prayer? The Bible Study references for this study are Isaiah 8:20, John 4:23, Matthew 6:7, 8; Luke 11:2, Psalm 119:15, 97, 99; Isaiah 30:15 and Psalm 46:10. Please do well to go through these passages before the next study is released.

Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Maranatha!

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