Fasting and Prayer and The Good News

Fasting and Prayer and The Good News

First things first.

In no way do we wish to put anyone's life in danger.

And,

In no way do we suggest putting your own life in danger.

You are solely responsible for your health,

well being, and spiritual decisions.

It's strongly suggested

that you check with your medical health provider

Before proceeding with any length of fasting and prayer,

No matter how minimal you may think it is.

We also recognize that some people may not be able

to Fast due to medical reasons

Or

Many other unnamed restrictions.

If you know, feel, or you're diagnosed

with the above mentioned,

Then it's strongly recommended

that you proceed with Prayer only!

This information is being provided for those who are able

and desire to know more about fasting and prayer

and in no way shape or form is it being presented

with any intention to condemn anyone!

Ultimately, God knows your heart and that's that.

If nothing else Just set everything else aside.

Turn off the videos, music, teachings,

and whatever else there is and get alone with God.

Find a place. Close the door behind you

and

spend time with Your Heavenly Father!

With that being said, Let's begin!

In this section, you'll be given straight forward information

about fasting and prayer.

Including, how to prepare to fast

and break a fast properly and safely.

While it's understood that you could google fasting

and get many results,

this information is from personal experience.

Which means, It's been personally tested.

In no way is this information set in stone.

With the exception of how God truly defines

fasting and prayer in scripture.

It is Crucial to Understand what True Fasting is.

Fasting and Prayers

is when someone voluntarily goes without eating food

To humble themselves before God

In order to focus on their relationship with God.

This is a voluntarily action

someone takes

When they clearly have the means

and

Ability to eat

But choose not to for a time spent with God.

The simple straight forward answer is this.

No food, Water only,

and

Press in with God!

There's special circumstances

when someone goes without food and water.

But, this is not normal protocol

and

Is not recommended

due to the serious health risk it could cause.

It's very important to know that going without water

for more than 3 days can be Deadly

and

Once again is Not recommended!

There are no loop holes when it comes to fasting and prayer.

Here's a few examples:

A juice fast is not a true fast.

It may be cleansing and you may grow closer to God.

But, it's not how fasting and prayer are clearly defined in The Word of God.

Fasting and Prayer shouldn't be used as a new craze

for the purpose of dieting to lose weight.

While you can choose to abstain from certain actions

in order to seek to know God more.

Abstaining from TV, Speeding, Music, Candy, Driving, Doing Work,

Activities, and the like DO NOT qualify as Fasting and never will.

One must willfully trade earthly food for Heavenly food

and

Press in with God for the right reasons.

There are times when someone will receive direction by God

to fast and pray for a specific purpose or reason.

There may also be occasions

when someone is called to take part in a corporate fast.

But, make no mistake.

It must be voluntary and your motive must be right.

No matter what anyone says.

A True Fast is when someone chooses to not eat food,

While only drinking water for relational time spent with God.

We never fast to earn the favor of God.

We never fast to twist the arm of God

in the attempt to force Him to do something.

You may be thinking.

How does fasting and prayer apply to sharing The Good News?

When someone has pure motives,

Fasting and prayer will strengthen prayer

and

Lead to the guidance and council of God.

We can humbly express grief, or cry out in distress.

But, We must always remember

even though it's common knowledge

that God will always meets us right where we are.

We should avoid only becoming Christians

who only fast and pray in crisis.

What does this mean?

We should not only fast and pray

during what feels like forced times of crisis.

We should simply want to fast and pray

from freedom of choice and a life lived for Christ.

When we seek God for deliverance, protection,

or

even express repentance,

It should be from our relationship with Him.

Fasting and Prayer

will lead to deeper levels of love towards God.

Especially when it's simply to spend personal time

with Him and Him alone.

Ultimately, when we purpose to praise and worship God

with all our being to bring Him glory and know Him more.

We will naturally grow stronger in the Lord and fulfill Mark 12:30-31, NKJV,

Where Jesus teaches us the first of all Commandments and says,

30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,

with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

’ This is the first commandment.

31 And the second, like it, is this:

‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Some may see this next section as extreme.

But, Jesus made it very clear

in Matthew Chapter 6 

when He teaches how to pray and fast.

Please take note in verses 5 thru 18,

Jesus specifically says,

when you pray, then again,

when you pray.

Notice He doesn't teach if you pray!

Then, Jesus specifically says,

when you fast, then again,

when you fast.

Notice again He doesn't teach if you fast!

Now, we know there's not one person reading this

who would think that we shouldn't pray

or

That somehow prayer is merely a suggestion.

Everyone knows deep down

that prayer is a very important part

of our relationship with God.

And,

a very crucial part of the Christian life.

Then, why would anyone think

that fasting would be any different!

Jesus Taught Fasting and Prayer Together

and

Repeated Himself more than once

while Teaching us the do's and don'ts

of Prayer and Fasting.

This is so we would know and understand

The Words found in Matthew 6:5-18,

were not a misprint or something to be read over lightly.

Matthew 6:5-18, NKJV, says,

5 “And when you pray

 you shall not be like the hypocrites.

For they love to pray standing in the synagogues

and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men.

Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

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.

7 And when you pray,

do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do.

For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8 “Therefore do not be like them.

For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in Heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your Kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in Heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is The Kingdom and The Power and The Glory forever.

Amen.

14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses,

your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses,

neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

16 “Moreover, when you fast,

do not be like the hypocrites,

with a sad countenance.

For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting.

Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

17 But you, when you fast,

anoint your head and wash your face,

18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting,

but to your Father who is in the secret place;

and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Matthew 6, reveals that Jesus almost spoke

the same exact words in regards to prayer and fasting!

Jesus also teaches us that we will fast

when He is gone.

Matthew 9:14-15, NKJV, says,

14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying,

“Why do we and the Pharisees fast often,

but Your disciples do not fast?”

15 And Jesus said to them,

“Can the friends of The Bridegroom mourn

as long as The Bridegroom is with them?

But the days will come when The Bridegroom

will be taken away from them,

and then they will fast.

Mark 2:18-22, and Luke 5:34-35,

also confirms and mirrors

Matthew 9:14-15.

Notice Jesus doesn't say if they fast or they might fast.

He says they will Fast!

Jesus also teaches us

that prayer and fasting builds our faith.

And,

That when dealing with a certain kind of demon

it will not go out except by prayer and fasting.

This is found in Matthew 17:19-21, NKJV, which says,

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said,

“Why could we not cast it out?”

20 So Jesus said to them,

“Because of your unbelief;

for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed,

you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’

and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

When looking at Matthew 17:19-21,

One may even concluded that prayer and fasting

Are directly related to someones relationship with God

and

When prayer and fasting are missing

It seems there's something missing in the relationship

Which causes a lack of faith

Resulting in unbelief.

But,

One could also see prayer and fasting

As an opportunity to strengthening

there relationship with God

Which will cause their faith to grow,

resulting in greater levels of faith and belief.

Mark 9:28-29, also confirms and mirrors Matthew 17:19-21.

You might say.

So what's the big deal about prayer and fasting?

Simply stated the enemy doesn't want you to fast and pray!

There's many reasons and examples

as to why the enemy wouldn't want someone to fast and pray.

Matthew 17:19-21, is a prime example seeing Jesus teaches

that certain kinds of demons only get cast out by prayer and fasting.

But, let's look even deeper.

As you may have noticed.

The NLT has been utilized to see certain scriptures clearer

or from a different perspective

than say the way the KJV, NKJV,

or the other translations utilized in this information read.

But, in this case the NLT for Matthew 17:19-21 would not be utilized.

Why?

Because when reading the NLT in Matthew Chapter 17

verses 19 through 21. There is no verse 21.

They completely remove it

and 

skip from verse 20 to verse 22.

Even in Mark Chapter 9 verses 28 and 29 something changes.

This time they don't remove verse 29.

They simply remove the word Fasting.

I am fully aware that this information

could be taken the wrong way.

But,

I am also fully convinced by The Word of God

and

My life lived that the enemy doesn't want you

in possession of this Kingdom Key.

Once someone understands fasting and prayer

and

Purposely applies it with pure motives

in proper relationship with Jesus Christ.

It unlocks the door to freedom from the flesh

and

Strengthens your faith.

When you received Jesus Christ

as your Lord and Savior.

You were forgiven and set free.

Bought and brought back into

a perfect relationship with The Father.

This is when your spirit man

was restored to it's original created value

and

Seen as perfect through The Body and Blood

of Jesus Christ in the eyes of The Father.

But, we all know this Truth still remains.

That even though we have freedom in Christ Jesus.

Our spirit still resides in the flesh of these dirt body's

Until that glorious day when we depart from these earth suits.

So until then we must understand what we're called

and

Held accountable to here on earth as children of God

and

Followers of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Plain and Simple!

The enemy doesn't want you free.

Because your freedom will lead others to freedom!

Think about it.

If you struggle with freedom from self,

dying to self, sin, condemnation,

or simply have a hunger and thirst to die to the flesh man

and strengthen the spirit man and you freely desire

to give yourselves more completely to fasting and prayer

as we find in 1 Corinthians 7:5, NKJV, which says,

5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time,

that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer;

and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your

lack of self-control.

Or

You may simply have a revelation of

Matthew 9:14-15, Mark 2:18-22,

and

Luke 5:34-35.

Where Jesus teaches us that we will fast when He's gone.

Then pure motive fasting and prayer is a great catalyst

To propel your freedom from self

and

relationship with God forward.

Please remember no amount of fasting and prayer

Will cause God to love you anymore than He does right now!

He has always loved you!

And,

He always will.

But,

We all know God calls us to humble ourselves!

God does not say He's going to humble us.

He gives us free will

and

Teaches us to do this ourselves.

James 4:6-10, NKJV, says,

6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the humble.”

7 Therefore submit to God.

Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Cleanse your hands, you sinners;

and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9 Lament and mourn and weep!

Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,

and He will lift you up.

And 1 Peter 5:5-7, NKJV, says,

5 Likewise you younger people,

submit yourselves to your elders.

Yes, all of you be submissive to one another,

and be clothed with humility, for

“God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the humble.”

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,

that He may exalt you in due time,

7 casting all your care upon Him,

for He cares for you.

Both of these Scriptures give us the same teaching and instructions.

“ God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the humble.

And,

We're instructed to humble ourselves

in the sight of The Lord,

and

Under The mighty hand of God,

With the promise that He will lift us up.

Do you see the Key here?

God resist those who are prideful

and

separates Himself from those who are not humble!

This is really what started it all, isn't it.

All of God's creation has free will

which is the Unconditional Love of God.

The devil was cast down to earth

and

separated from the love of God because of pride.

Humanity also fell because of pride.

Even now, Salvation is a free gift.

Even now, God will not humble you.

Even now, you must choose to humble yourself.

Even now, you get to choose to fast and pray or not.

Even now, you get to choose to have a relationship with God.

But, I can assure you,

if you choose to humble yourself

and

follow Jesus and His teachings.

You will find that fasting and prayer

lead to freedom from the prideful flesh, fear,

and

So many other issues that people strive

and

struggle with every day.

While there's a basic understanding

that everyone's journey is different.

There's a certain point when someone presses in

with fasting and prayer

That always becomes very personal, humble,

and

Pleasing between you and God.

Now,

If you have never chosen to fast before.

Then you should take it slow.

This way you can get a feel

for how your body will respond and recover.

In other words, you may try a day or two at first.

Then eventually work up to much lengthier times depending on your circumstances.

Then again you may simply choose to fast and pray one day here and there.

But, if you ask me this question.

How long should I fast

if I really want to spend time with God

and

See a substantial change in my life

and

My relationship with and for God?

Then this would be my answer.

When your motives are right there's usually a defining moment.

It may be three days or after five days

when your system has shut down

and

Your entire focus is on God and the Kingdom of Heaven.

But, you'll know.

Because you'll have a moment with God!