“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus:  Fasting!

“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.’”
Zechariah 8:19 (NIV)

As we continue to grow in A Lifestyle of Prayer, it is important to remember prayer should be a lifestyle, not an event.  While we’re on a string of not so popular topics, this week will focus on Fasting.  The spiritual discipline of fasting can be seen being taught and practiced throughout the Bible.  From Old Testament people of faith to Jesus to the early church, we can find examples of people going without food for a period of time for the purpose of spending time with God.  While fasting is often associated with times of great sorrow, when it is godly sorrow that leads to repentance the fasts that we participate in will become times of joy and gladness.  As you fast and pray, don’t focus on the repentance and change that you think others need to do.  Instead focus on the repentance and change that God desires for you to allow Him to make in your life.  Please prayerfully consider joining together in the practice of prayer and fasting to humbly seek God and turn to Him for all wisdom and direction.

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) 

Please spend time praying each day, and listening to God, about how He desires to use the practice of fasting in your life. Thank you! 

Sunday: Pray for your church, its staff and leadership, and for all of the preaching and teaching that takes place.  Pray for me (Tom Lemler) and the work of Impact Prayer Ministry. 

Monday: Listen to God Through Fasting.  Pray that you would join with others in listening to God.  “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.  The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.”  2 Chronicles 20:3-4 (NIV)

Tuesday: Humble Ourselves Through Fasting.  Pray that your seeking of God would be done in humility.  “There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.”  Ezra 8:21 (NIV)

Wednesday: Mourning Through Fasting.  Pray that you would go to God in times of sorrow and heartache.  “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”  Nehemiah 1:4 (NIV)

Thursday: Serve Others Through Fasting.  Pray that you would spend time regularly of “going without” with the purpose of serving others.  “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?  Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”  Isaiah 58:6-7 (NIV)

Friday: Cry Out to God Through Fasting.  Pray that you would cry out to God as you participate in a holy fast with the leaders of your church community.  “Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly.  Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.”  Joel 1:14 (NIV)

Saturday:  Worship Through Fasting.  Pray that you would experience fasting as an act of worship.  “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”  Acts 13:2 (NIV)