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7 Purposes of Fasting and Prayer

Most Christians begin the new year with fasting and prayers which usually can be from 3 to 40 days. For some this is just a usual annual religious practice that they do and don’t fast with any aim or expectations.

Year after year they go through the same ritual, afflicting their soul but have nothing to show after their fast. No change physically or spiritually. They remain bond in many ways yet they did fast and pray. 

Fasting and prayer is an enormously powerful weapon we have as Christians with evidence throughout the bible from the Old to the New Testaments. Fasting is going without food for a period, to seek God. During fasting, we seek God to do for us things we cannot do ourselves. 

We draw closer to God as we can focus on his word and prayer. When the ‘seeking God’ aspect is missing in the process of going without food, it becomes a dieting or weight-loss program, not biblical fasting.

True fasting produces many results because it is recognised by God himself. Isaiah 58:1-12 describes the kind of fast God requires and outlines the results that such a fast is guaranteed to produce.

lady praying,

When you fast without a purpose or target in mind, your fasting becomes a ritual or a religious practice which produces no results. This might cause people to deny the power of fasting and prayer or the need to fast at all.

We see this happening in Isaiah 58:3 when the people questioned God about their fasting because it was not producing results. ‘Why have we fasted, ‘they say, ‘and You have not seen? ‘Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’

Throughout the bible, people fasted for various reasons and received tangible results. Next time you or your church starts a fast, write down your reasons for fasting, get some scriptures that will help you focus throughout the fast, pray concerning your reasons for fasting and listened to God for instructions, only then will your fast be effective producing powerful results.

7 Reasons For A Biblical Fast

1. To secure divine intervention

In situations where only God can intervene and turn things around in your favour. When no one can help you but God. In 2 chronicles 15:3-6, the Israelites turned to God when they were in trouble, to sought him and he was found by them.

2. To avoid impending destruction, danger or disaster

Situations where the life of a nation, an individual or family is threatened as shown in the book of Esther. The lives of the Jews were threatened by Haman and Queen Esther proclaimed a three day fast among the Jews and the threat was averted as a result. (Esther 4:16)

Another instance is in the book of Jonah when the word of the Lord came through Jonah to the city of Nineveh about the impending destruction. The king proclaimed a fast throughout the city and neither man nor beast, heard nor flock could eat or drink. Yes, even the animals fasted, and God saw their works and did not cause the destruction to come upon Nineveh. (Jonah 3:1-10)

When you see danger approaching, when someone threatens you or your family, when your city or country is under threat, that is a good reason and time to fast.

3. To accelerate the fulfilment of prophesy where there is a delay in prophesy.

A typical example of this is in the book of Daniel, when Daniel understood that the number of years specified by the word of the Lord through the Prophet Jeremiah about the desolation of Jerusalem was 70years, he began to fast and pray for the fulfilment of that prophecy.

 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. Daniel 9:3

We must make war with the prophesy we receive to enforce it as Timothy was advised in 1 Timothy 1:18. Many prophecies do not come to past because the people who receive the prophecies just wait around for the fulfilment of the prophecy forgetting that;

 We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12.

Whether you like it or not, whether you believe it or not, it does not matter, as a Christian, you are involved in a battle, so fight the good fight. Refrain from calling a Prophet of God ‘a false prophet’ if your prophesy has not come to past yet, instead ask yourself whether you waged war with the prophecy you received.

4. To Provoke divine visitation

A divine visitation is needed when you feel you are struggling with everything in life. Jesus took all our burdens so that we do not have to keep carrying them. So, if you are facing poverty, unemployment, poor health, your prayer life is dying or you are struggling with sin, you need to provoke divine visitation through a fast. This can be personal or cooperate.

5. To intensify spiritual power

When you want to shift from your current level of power to a higher level of power, you need the capacity to contain the new power.

6. To secure divine direction

Seeking God’s direction on what to do in your ministry, marriage, business, career, etc.

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. Acts 13:1-2

7. To secure physical health and vitality

Jesus took all our sicknesses and infirmities and nailed it to the cross. We must be in divine health to remain in charge and dominate our environment. Poor health can limit us and eventually terminate our lives and assignment on earth.

Fasting however will help break the bondage of sickness and any attack on the  body.

Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Isaiah 58:8

As you fast, trust that any illness in your body will be flushed out because fasting brings healing. You can fast off diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and many other chronic conditions if you believe. You do not have to take medications for life as they produces side effects which increases your infirmities. Fasting detoxifies the body by giving it an opportunity to cleanse itself. Energy level increases, and you become more vital during and following fasting.

I hope this will help you have a purpose for your next fast. How can you hit your target if you never focus or aim at it, same is true with fasting. Let your fasting count from now on.

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