REASONS TO FAST AND PRAY

HH Sir Godfrey Gregg D.Div

Every believer is encouraged to fast and pray for two very important reasons:

1. The Scriptures Teach Us to Fast and Pray

The Bible has a great deal to say about both fasting and praying, including commands to fast and pray. The Bible also gives us examples of people who fasted and prayed, using different types of fasts for different reasons, all of which are very positive results. Jesus fasted and prayed. Jesus’ disciples fasted and prayed after the Resurrection. Many of the Old Testament heroes and heroines of the faith fasted and prayed. The followers of John the Baptist fasted and prayed. Many people in the early church fasted and prayed. What the Scriptures have taught us directly and by the examples of the saints is surely something we are to do.

2. Fasting and Prayer Put You into the Best Possible Position for a Breakthrough

That breakthrough might be in the realm of the spirit. It may be in the realm of your emotions or personal habits. It may be in the realm of a very practical area of life, such as a relationship, family or finances. What I have seen repeatedly through the years-not only in the Scriptures but in countless personal testimonies that I have heard and read — was it that period of fasting and prayer produce great spiritual results, many of which fall into the realm of a breakthrough.

• What wasn’t a reality . . . suddenly was.
• What hadn’t worked . . . suddenly did.
• The unwanted situation or object that was there . . . suddenly wasn’t there.
• The relationship that was unloving . . . suddenly was loving.
• The job that hadn’t materialized . . . suddenly did.

The very simple and direct conclusions one can draw are these: First, if the Bible teaches us to do something, you must do it. You want to obey the Lord in every way that He commands you to obey Him. And second, if fasting and praying are means to a breakthrough that God has for you, then you want to undertake those disciplines so you might experience that breakthrough!

Every person needs a breakthrough in some area of his or her life. I am no exception. I need breakthroughs all the time — it may be

• a breakthrough in understanding a situation,
• a breakthrough answer to a problem,
• a breakthrough idea,
• a breakthrough insight,
• a breakthrough in a financial or material provision,
• a breakthrough in health.

If you have any need in your life, you need a breakthrough from God to meet that need! Fasting and prayer break the yoke of bondage and bring about a release of God’s presence, power, and provision.

I certainly have seen this reality in the course of my ministry.

The breakthrough that you may need in your life is a sense of God’s direction — not only for today and tomorrow but for the broad scope of your life. If you long to know God’s purpose for you on this earth, I strongly encourage you to seek God in prayer and fasting.