Prayer and Fasting: Making Room to Seek God
A practical Christian study of “Prayer and Fasting: Making Room to Seek God,” with clear application for faith, relationships, and everyday life.
Prayer and Fasting
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Begin with the truth
And that's why he says, This demon, this kind of demon is strong, and the only way to get rid of it is through prayer and fasting. With man, just about everything is impossible, but with God anything he wills and says will be done.
So what happens when you and I are devoted to productive, intense prayer, which we know the New Testament commands of us, and fasting, which Jesus just seemed to assume his disciples would do, and that New Testament Christians did do, what happens is this we connect to God.
What this reveals about God
In fact, the last three weeks on Sunday nights, I've had a chance to share this with junior high students one week, high school the next, and most recently our young adults, to challenge them to get past one-dimensional prayer and the complete absence of any form of fasting. And unfortunately, that's the kind of stuff we see sometimes in people's lives at different stages.
Fasting isn't even in the vocabulary, especially with reference to food, and prayer is something that we do, but it's a box that we check instead of a step that we take toward God.
Let faith take root
Sometimes you can even stand before a congregation and say, Lord, forgive us, each person in this room for where they've gone astray, or forgive our church. If there's anything we're standing for or against that dishonors you, there is nothing more important than fellowship with God, and that very often demands repentance.
In the text we ask him to give us this day our daily bread to protect us and heal us and help us.
Respond in daily life
Something you have a right to, maybe even something God built you to do, like enjoying lunch, and at least one time this week just skip it so that you can go and engage in something productive in your faith. Personally, I feel like if I can put off a meal at least a half an hour every day, that will give me a wonderful space to do things that matter.
And if maybe once a week, I just skip one altogether and replace it with things entirely dedicated to my Savior and my Father, it is going to make me stronger.
Take the idea with you.
- 01Where do I see the problem or opportunity described in “Prayer and Fasting: Making Room to Seek God” in my own life?
- 02What Scripture or spiritual principle in this study most needs my attention?
- 03What one specific change can I make this week to put this teaching into practice?
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