Fasting aids in deepening our prayer life and breaking through distractions.
Fasting allows us to express our hunger for God and seek forgiveness.
Fasting provides space for grief and mourning in a culture that lacks it.
Fasting and praying can be a powerful response in times of crisis.
Fasting helps us seek God's wisdom and align our hearts with His will.
Deep dives
Reasons Behind Fasting
Fasting has three basic reasons: to starve the flesh and feed the spirit, to pray, and to stand in solidarity with the poor.
The Importance of Prayer
Prayer is a vital aspect of our relationship with God, but sometimes we struggle with distractions, like a racing mind or fatigue. Fasting is a practice that aids in deepening our prayer life and breaking through these barriers.
Fasting and Repentance
Fasting is a way to sincerely apologize to God for our sins and seek forgiveness. By fasting, we express our hunger for God and invite Him to work in our lives.
Grieving and Fasting
Fasting allows us to process our grief with God, offering a healthy way to mourn and lament. Our culture often lacks space for grief, and fasting provides an opportunity to express our sorrow to God.
Crying Out to God in Crisis
In times of crisis, fasting and praying can be a powerful response. We see examples in the Bible where people fasted and prayed in desperate situations, seeking God's intervention and guidance.
Fasting to Change God's Mind
Fasting is not a way to manipulate God or persuade Him to do our bidding. However, it can create an environment for God to change our hearts and minds, aligning them with His will and purposes.
Fasting to Seek God's Guidance
Fasting helps us to sharpen our focus and tune in to the voice of the Holy Spirit. It allows us to seek God's wisdom and discern His direction, especially in decision-making processes.
The Cumulative Effect of Practices
While the practices of fasting and other spiritual disciplines may not always yield immediate results, they have a cumulative effect over time. Like a date night in a marriage, these practices create space for deeper relationship and transformation.
Final Thoughts
The key is to keep coming back to these practices, knowing that they work in the long run. Fasting, along with other practices, helps us create space for God, deepen our relationship with Him, and experience transformation in our lives.
Do you ever feel stuck in prayer? As if there is a wall between you and heaven? In this teaching, John Mark shows us different ways that fasting can be used in combination with prayer. Using examples from the Scriptures, he shows us five different ways that people fast and pray: to repent, to grieve, to cry out to God in a crisis, to ask God to relent, and to know God's mind when making decisions. John Mark concludes by reminding us that this practice, like all the practices, is about building our relationship with God, and encourages us to keep pressing in even when it's hard.
Key Scripture Passages: Acts 13v1; 1 Samuel 7v3-6; 1 Kings 21v27-28; Leviticus 23v26-32; 1 Samuel 31v11-13; Nehemiah 1v2-4; 2 Chronicles 20v1-12; Jonah 3v1-10; Joel 2v12-14
