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7 Reasons to Fast

Friday, 01 September 2017 by Johnny Harwood

Because Christ Expects it of Christians

Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:16-18 are not words of a command. He does not tell us that we have to fast. However, He expects that we will. He said, “when you fast…” He was making an assumption that a Christian would fast. Moreover, when He said these words He followed it with a bit of explanation that a fast should be personal and private. Your focus should be on your relationship with God and not on letting the world know you are fasting.

In Matthew 9 Jesus is talking with the Pharisees and tells them that the disciples, while not fasting at that time, would fast once the bridegroom (Jesus) was no longer with them. Jesus expected His disciples to participate in fasting.

For Guidance

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)

We see in the above verse that Paul fasted about some decisions he made in leading the churches he started. The Israelites sought the Lord through fasting when they had been defeated in battle by the tribe of Benjamin. They were asking for guidance on what they should do and how to proceed (Judges 20:26-28).

For Intensity in Prayer

David fasted and prayed for the child that he fathered with Bathsheba. David knew he had sinned, but his fast was not to restore fellowship with God. Apparently restoration was already taken care of. His prayer in 2 Samuel 12 was for the life of the child. Though God did not grant his request, David was satisfied and content after his season of prayer and fasting. He had moved past the point of blaming God to a place of trusting God for the outcome.

Ezra prayed for God’s protection over his countrymen as they journeyed back to Jerusalem. He could have entreated the king for soldiers and cavalrymen, but he had already proclaimed that God would care for them. Now he was asking God to show Himself strong on behalf of the Israelites and to help raise a good testimony before the enemy (Ezra 8:21-23).

As a Sign of Mourning

Nehemiah heard about the destruction of Jerusalem and was moved to fast and weep for his beloved city. This fasting was because of grief over the sin of his people before the Lord. He knew that God was punishing Israel for their sins. Nehemiah mourned and confessed before the Lord. Sin had caused a pain that prayer alone could not express. Fasting was a natural result of his grief:

And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned. (Nehemiah 1:4-6)

To Show Humility in the Presence of God

The man after God’s own heart, King David, said that he fasted for the purpose of humbling himself before God (Psalm 35:13). He certainly seems to be the person who could have walked into the throne room of God and made his request boldly as we are invited to do in Hebrews 4:16. There is a difference between boldness and arrogance. David knew how to humble himself in prayer through fasting.

For Worship

Along with humility before God, fasting can be a way to worship God. David said in Psalm 51 that God is more interested in a humble and contrite heart than He is in fasting and sacrifices. This is not saying that we don’t need to fast; rather, it is saying that fasting without the right attitude does not touch the heart of God.

“… fasting without the right attitude does not touch the heart of God.”

Along with humility before God, fasting can be a way to worship God. David said in Psalm 51 that God is more interested in a humble and contrite heart than He is in fasting and sacrifices. This is not saying that we don’t need to fast; rather, it is saying that fasting without the right attitude does not touch the heart of God.

For Spiritual Strength

While Jesus faced the temptation of Satan, He fasted for 40 days. There is a principle of spiritual strength that is demonstrated in fasting in the life of Christ (Luke 4:1-11).

Mark 9:29 shows that the disciples needed a power from God that comes only through fasting. Matthew 17:20 and 21 say that fasting and prayer coupled with faith in God can work spiritual miracles.

Full article can be seen Here

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  • Published in Prayer, Spiritual Growth
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5 Reasons Prayer Is Good For You

Tuesday, 25 April 2017 by Johnny Harwood
5 Reasons Why Prayer is Good For You

Prayer is a crucial part of our spiritual relationship with God. Here are five reasons why prayer is beneficial to your life.

1. Connect With God

Prayer is a form of worship and an act of praise. When offering our requests to God, we are vulnerable, humbly asking for divine help.

Prayer is the opportunity to share our wants and needs with God, including him in our daily lives.

2. Restore or Build Faith

We can start out or reach a point in our Christian walk, with weak faith. Faith can be born on shaky ground – as a new believer who is just learning about Christ – and faith can be whittled down by our jaded outlook or life struggles.

Sending our prayers to God strengthens and builds our spiritual life. The more time we put in, learning about him through study of his word and prayer, the more we learn about his love and our faith.

3. Express Yourself

Some things we say in prayer, we don’t say out loud. Prayer is the time to express yourself.  You can “lay your burdens down,” talk to God about your secrets, your feelings, or just say a simple, “Thank you.”

4. Live Healthier and With Longer Life

Studies show that prayer can lead to a healthier life as well as extend it. Spending a few minutes each day to worship can provide physical and emotional benefits such as lightening our mood, improving our cardiovascular health, and lowering blood pressure.

5. Humble Ourselves

When we bow our heads and lift our heads in prayer to go before God, it is in humility. Our selfishness, our arrogance is gone because prayer acknowledges that we are servants to God. His power, love and grace, is abundant, more than enough, and He is to be praised.

It can also change our attitude towards our problems, as we pray for others who may be doing much worse.

Full Article Can Be Seen Here

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6 Reasons God Says No To Our Prayers

Wednesday, 05 April 2017 by Johnny Harwood

Reasons God Says No

God does not arbitrarily or capriciously say no; as with all of His other actions, He has a purpose.  Let’s consider some of the reasons God says no to some of our requests.

1.  We harbor unconfessed sin – Psalm 66:18

The Bible makes it clear that we all sin and sin breaks our fellowship with God. (1 John 1:5-10) Maintaining the open line of fellowship with God is the most important need we have in life.  Before granting any other requests we make, God wants us to deal with sin that breaks our fellowship with Him.

God says no not to punish us, but to focus us on the greatest need we have – fellowship with Him.

2.  We ask selfishly – James 4:3

Consequently, another reason God says no to us is because our request is self-focused rather than kingdom-focused.  In the Model Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray for the accomplishment of His will and kingdom. (Matthew 6:9-13)  God delights to give us things that advance His agenda, and He is loathe to grant us our selfish desires.

3. Our request is not good for us. – James 1:17

The verse above teaches us that God gives us whatever is good for us. The phrase “good gift” reminds us that God has given us anything good we already have.  The phrase “perfect gift” teaches us that God will give us everything that could possibly be good for us.

Often God says no to us for our own good. I can think of specific times God said no to my request when I later looked back in thanksgiving.

4.  The timing is not right.  Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11

Sometimes, God says no only for a season.  He may intend to eventually grant our request, but He knows a future time will better serve His purposes.  As Solomon observed, God makes everything beautiful in its time.

5.  God wants to test our persistence. Luke 18:1-8

In the parable of the persistent widow and unjust judge, Jesus encouraged us to “always pray and not lost heart.”  Since He enjoys our fellowship, sometimes God says no for a season to keep us in prayer.  That time of seeming delay, however, is also for our good.  During the season of delay, God is shaping us and building our faith in Him.

How to Respond When God Says No

1.  Trust the goodness of God.  Know that God has a very good reason for saying no to your request.

2.  Examine your heart for lingering sinful attitudes and/or actions you have not addressed.  Exercise 1 John 1:9, confess, receive cleansing, and move on in obedience.

3.  Consider your motives for your request.  Ask God to help you seek HIS kingdom first.

4.  Continue to pray until you sense you have received God’s final “no.”

Do not lost heart when God says no, it may only be temporary.  Even if not, you can trust His wisdom and goodness, and know He will give you what is best.

Full Article Can Be Found Here

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  • Published in Leadership, Life Planning, Prayer, Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized
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