The Christian Life

Fasting&Praying with purpose

I watched a video of Derek Prince's teachings and I felt the need to share the insight on this platform. Therefore, I don't take ownership of this writing.

Fasting and Praying by Derek Prince
When you pray,
Matthew 6:5-6,
[5]Also when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites,...
[6]But when you pray,...
(I have not included the rest of the sentences because I would like to focus on their first parts)

From the above verses Jesus Christ expects us to pray regularly. He used the word when and not if to imply that we ought to pray regularly.

When you fast,
Matthew 6:16-17,
[16]And whenever you are fasting, do not look gloomy and sour and dreary like the hypocrites,...
[17]But when you fast, perfume your head and wash your face,
The same word 'when' is repeated when he speaks about fasting.
He says when you pray and again says when you fast.
This is to mean that he also expects us to pray and to fast regularly.
Regularly - With constant frequency or pattern.
Jesus puts prayer and fasting on the same level.

Quoted from John Wesley,
"A Christian who has understood the need to pray and does not pray will backslide just as surely as the Christian who has understood the need to fast and does not practise fasting"

Purpose Of Fasting
There are several purposes but only one is dealt with here.
Fasting is  the appointed way ordained by God to humble  ourselves or our souls.

The greatest hindrance to answered prayers is pride.
Luke 14:11
[11]For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
Its our responsibility to humble ourselves.
God never says He will humble us. Therefore, don't pray that He humbles you for it is not scriptural. The result maybe disastrous if God will humble you at your request.

He that is down need fear no fall and he that is low no pride. When you are on the floor there is no lower you can go.
A Universal example, (Jesus and Lucifer)
Lucifer was a created being, he wanted equality with God he slipped and fell.
Jesus had equality with God but he humbled himself even to death and in Philippians 2:9 he was exalted.
If you humble yourself you will be exalted.
Humility is an essential condition for an effective prayer.
James 4:10,
[10]Humble yourselves [feeling very insignificant] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up and make your lives significant].

1 Peter 5:5,
For God sets Himself against the proud (the insolent, the overbearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful)–[and He opposes, frustrates, and defeats them], but gives grace (favor, blessing) to the humble. [Prov. 3:34.]
The Biblically appointed way of humbling or afflicting our souls is by fasting.
Psalm 35:13,
[13]... I afflicted myself with fasting, and I prayed with head bowed on my breast.

And why should I afflict my soul?
The soul is the arrogant part of you. The egoistic part.
Egoistical :Caring about oneself and the gratification of ones desires rather than others.
It has three main functions.
¶The Will
¶Intellect
¶Emotions
It expresses itself in these phrases,
°I want.  °I think.  °I feel.
But God says that these are not important but His will.

There is no access to God with pride. In the book Psalms it is written that God can see a proud man from a far.
Therefore we need to deal with pride by humbling our souls.
He says, "If you've got to align yourself with my will you got to deal with your soul."
Humble your soul with fasting.

(Here is an example of how one can humble their arrogant souls with fasting.)
I preached about fasting in Washington DC and a Christian lawyer got the message and decided he would fast. He had a miserable day. He would pass by a restaurant and he could hardly resist to get in though he made it to the end of the day. At the end of the day he Gabe his stomach a lecture. "Now because you have given me unnecessary trouble today I will punish you. Tomorrow I will also fast!" :)
In connection with the above story;
The stomach is a good servant but a terrible master.
When we fast we bring our bodies to be subject to God.
Let us look at two instances in the Bible about subjection.
(I) The Day of Atonement
Referring to Leviticus 16:29-31
Ordinances for the day of atonement.
Describes the day that God ordained to make a sacrifice for the atonement of sins (Israel). Their future depended on that sacrifice.
In the midst of that description God also requires response from His people. They should afflict their souls.
(afflict is translated to humble.)
The sacrifice was outside their power to provide or arrange. It came entirely from God's grace but they could not benefit from the sacrifice unless they met God's conditions (humble their souls).
Same case applies to Christians.
Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is complete and perfect. We can never add anything to it but if we are to benefit from it, we have to meet God's conditions just as surely as Israel did.
Israel was required to afflict their souls in order to receive the benefit of the sacrifice offered on their behalf.
The Jews afflicted their souls by fasting. Bringing their souls to be subject to God.

Fast: Abstain from food for spiritual purposes.

The Jewish people for about 3400 years have always known that to humble themselves meant to fast. It is unbroken practice from the time of Moses up to date they afflict their souls by fasting.
In New Testament Acts 27:9
Acts 27:9,
[9]But as [the season was well advanced, for] much time had been lost and navigation was already dangerous, for the time for the Fast [the Day of Atonement, about the beginning of October] had already gone by, Paul warned and advised them,
New Testament confirmation that God understood that afflicting our souls is fasting. Bringing our souls into subjection. Not allowing our souls to dictate to us or to God. Submitting ourselves to God.

(II) Returning exiles after the Babylonian captivity in Ezra 8
Ezra was assigned a task of leading a group of exiles back from Babylon to Jerusalem. It was a 4month journey in those days. And it lay through where there were robbers and enemies of Israel. He had women,children and many of the precious vessels of the temple to carry back. The question was how was he going to get a safe passage?
This was his solution.
We read in
  Ezra 8:21
[21]Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a straight and right way for us, our little ones, and all our possessions.
They submitted themselves to God's protection.

Fasting may avert judgment.
If people are under God's judgment, we can humble ourselves before God so that the judgement is averted.
Relating to the story of King Ahab and the people of Nineveh. Now if fasting could do that to Ahab and the people of Nineveh what more can it do to us the Children of God?
Do you see the potential?

Fasting will also avert disaster. Relating to the story of Esther.

Apostle Paul in II Corinthians 11:23&27commends himself as a minister of Christ and one way he does this is by fasting and praying.
2 Corinthians 11:23,27,
[23]Are they [ministering] servants of Christ (the Messiah)? I am talking like one beside himself, [but] I am more, with far more extensive and abundant labors, with far more imprisonments, [beaten] with countless stripes, and frequently [at the point of] death.
[27]In toil and hardship, watching often [through sleepless nights], in hunger and thirst, frequently driven to fasting by want, in cold and exposure and lack of clothing.
Therefore we can conclude that fasting is also a way of commending ourselves as the ministers of Christ.

Fasting is a time set apart to worship God and pray. To submit and humble our souls to God. To seek His face and His intervention in whatsoever we are praying for.
Acts 13:2,
[2]While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Separate now for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.

HOPE FOR A NATION
2 Chronicles 7:14,
[14]If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
¶Humble yourselves- Deal with pride. Fast
¶Pray -Pray after dealing with pride
¶Seek my face- Pray until you get into God's presence
¶Turn from your wicked ways
"Well God I don't have any wicked ways."
He says,"Well, wait until you come to my presence and you will find out"
This is so because in the light of His countenance things look different.
If you say you have no wicked ways to repent that probably shows how far you are from His presence.

In a nutshell, fasting is a necessity for a Christian. As ministers of Christ we ought to commend ourselves. It is a regular commitment. The more you understand its importance the better it will be for you to practice it faithfully with sincerity.

God bless you. :)