Prayer and Fasting

Read Matthew 6:5-18 & 9:14-15

Prayer is when we have a conversation with God.

Jesus Gave us an example of how to pray in Matthew 6:9-13. We know this as that Lords Prayer. Basically what Jesus said is: 1. Our prayers should honor God; 2. Our prayers should be centered around Gods kingdom, power, authority, purposes, and way of life. Not with our problems and situations; 3. Our prayers should ask god for our daily needs, provision, protection, and His leading; and 4. Our prayers should include confession of the bad things that we have done.

Matthew 6:5-7 Jesus is saying not to be fake. Have you ever know someone with the Holier than Thou attitude. These are the people who pray in front of others to show that they are religious or spiritual. When you take a close look at these people they are far from it. These are the people who come to church on Sundays and Wednesdays saying God is Good, but every other day of the week they don't even acknowledge God, they cuss and do the same bad things they have always done. They are Hypocrites.

That is why Jesus told the Disciples to pray when no one else is around. The hypocrites do not have a relationship with Jesus. They are just there to be seen by others. Jesus however, wants us to have a personal relationship with him, so He asks us to pray in secret. Praying with others is a good thing and we are asked to do it, but but in these verses Jesus wanted to emphasize us having a relationship with Him.

Another part of prayer is fasting.

When we fast, we give something up for a period of time. We do this for the soul purpose of spending more time with God.

Normaly when we think of fasting we think about giving up food. Some people give up 1 meal per day, others go for several days with out eating, and people also go on strict diets where they give up just meat, or sugary foods. There are more things to fast from than just food. You can fast from video games, the internet, tv, starbucks, going to the movies, total electronic fast, texting, talking on the phone, and this list can go on for quite a while.

Its not what you fast that's important, its why you fast. When Jesus was on earth the disciples didn't fast because they were with Jesus. They had that personal one on one time with him every day. It is when Jesus ascended into Heaven that the Disciples started to fast. They fasted so that they could stay close to Jesus.

When we fast, it should be to grow closer to God, to honor Him, for God's will to be done, and to humble ourselves to put God first in our lives. When we fast and pray correctly we will see some amazing things happen. You'll have an amazing relationship with God, and you'll see many miracles signs and wonders in your life and in the life of the people around you.

I know in my own life, when I have fasted and prayed things have happened. When I first started to fast I grew closer to God and actually felt his presence in my life. When I was seeking the Holy Spirit I went on the Daniel Fast and was baptized in the Holy Spirit for the first time. When I was looking for my first full time Job while at Central Bible College I fasted and God gave me a Job at the General Council of the Assemblies of God as a Designer and photographer. Another time I fasted because my wife, Bethany, was really sick and at church one night God healed her.

Prayer and Fasting can be a powerful thing and open up doors with God that you never thought existed.

I want to encourage you to Pray and Fast.
Pray the way that Jesus set the example for in the Lords Prayer found in Matthew 6, and fast so that you can honor God and grow closer to Him. While your praying and fasting seek God's will for your life and for the Holy Spirit.




To find out ways that you can pray and fast contact Sunset Chapel.