Fasting and prayer are scriptural; it is commanded by God. It is a period of absolute concentration and complete separation from every distraction to seek the face of God in prayer. Fasting and prayer is a powerful weapon that weakens the enemies’ hand. It is a tested and trusted weapon that has never failed in all generations. Any child of God who lives a life of fasting and prayer will not depend on the earth for his supplies. His supplies and provisions come from God. He relies on God for everything in life because he is regularly connected in the room of prayer.
Fasting and prayer is a solemn assembly where ministers of God and members are gathered together to seek the Lord. It is a gathering of all church members, including children and sucklings. This is the commandment of God from the scripture. It may appear foolish before the man that God could command even the sucklings and children to observe fasting and prayer. God is all-knowing! He knows more than everybody on earth. He has reasons for this and the resultant effect, when obeyed, is usually glorious. Science may have a contrary view as regards fasting. In fact, science discourages fasting because of ulcer. But they cannot be wiser than God that commanded it. And nobody who observes scriptural fasting can ever contact ulcer.
Altars are dried today and bereft of God’s power because of lack of fasting and prayer. The pulpit is supposed to be a meeting point between the divine and humanity, where God’s presence dwells with holy fire generated in the course of prayer. Unfortunately, church leaders are unable to fast and pray to attract God’s presence. This is the reason why the Church of Christ is facing reproach before the heathens.
Churches and individuals have lost their spiritual strength and speed occasioned by neglect of this all-important exercise. To regain it, fasting and prayer must be rekindled to burn ceaseless. This will bring back the power of God in His temple. This is what the church needs, but it is lacking and no one is interested in bringing back the scriptural fasting and prayer.
There will be no real Pentecostal church without prayer and fasting. It was an intense prayer that gave birth to Pentecost, which is a day of power. The voice of God cannot be heard and the demonstration of God’s power would not be displayed, when ministers stay away from God in the room of fasting and prayer. This voice is what will direct believers on the right way to follow in difficult situations.
Fasting and prayer is the key to the spiritual and physical success of believers. A church that loses its prayer life is bound to nose-dive. Conversely, a church that substitutes prayer for other activities is a backslidden church. Shifting prayer meeting for wedding or any other activity is suicidal and such assembly won’t succeed.
The world needs the likes of E. N. Bounds, David Bernard, John Knox, Jonathan Edward and David Livingstone. These men changed their world through intensive and consistent prayer life. They were successful in ministry because of their prayer lives. These men encountered God in a distinct way and saw His glory in a unique way. Peter, James and John witnessed the glory of God, when Jesus Christ took them to the mountain apart to pray (Luke 9:28-35).
Boost your relationship with God through consistent prayer and fasting.
For further reading: 1 Kings 18:41-46; Acts 8:39; 1Kings 18:36-39; 1kings 19:8-12; Acts 2:3, 40-41-42; 3:1; Matt. 17:1-; Mark 9:2-7; Luke 9:28-35; Zechariah 8:23.
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