By Pastor Chinedu  Emmanuel

Col. 3:1-3 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. “

It is a common practice for many Christians to set aside the first month of each year for fasting and prayer. The month of January is dedicated to prayer and fasting. This blog post will be centered on prayers to help guide us as we embark on fasting and prayers this month.

WHY WE PRAY, we essentially do so to establish God’s will on earth regarding our personal life, our family, nation, our church, a people group, etc.

1 John 5:14-15 “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

God does everything according to His will alone, not ours.

Eph 1:11 “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.”

Praying amiss with the wrong motive hinders our prayers.

Matt 20:20-23 “Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked. She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”23 Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

These individuals were engaged in prayer, similar to many who pray today. However, their intentions were self-centered, seeking to fulfill their desires rather than aligning with God’s will and bringing glory to Him. Their prayers were driven by personal motives that contradicted God’s purpose. The book of James makes it clear that praying to fulfill our selfish purpose instead of God’s purpose is praying amiss. Our purpose is to bring Him pleasure, not to seek our own satisfaction.

James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”

Discovering the will of God before you pray is crucial. Scripture serves as His revealed will.  2 John 15:7 reminds us to that by abiding in Him and letting His words dwell in us, our prayers will align with His will and our prayers will be answered. Unfortunately, many individuals pray in ignorance of God’s will. Engaging in fasting and prayer without consulting Scripture on a particular issue can lead to uncertainty. Understanding what God has conveyed about a situation or challenge in the Scriptures reveals His will and the promises He has made regarding that matter. This knowledge instills confidence in prayer, as highlighted in 1 John 5:14. The confidence mentioned is rooted in praying or asking according to His will, assuring that He hears our prayers.

Moses prayed in accordance with God’s Word, bringing God’s promises into his prayers (Exodus 33:12-17). He prayed to God, saying, “this is what you have told me.” We can follow this example because God treats everyone equally, showing no favoritism. He is no respecter of persons.

We must not only concentrate on our physical needs when praying but also direct our attention to spiritual matters. We should set our affections on things above and prioritize the kingdom of God. John 6:26-27 warns us not to be overly preoccupied with perishable things like food, urging us instead to invest our energy in seeking the eternal life offered by the Son of Man, as it carries the seal of God the Father’s approval.

FASTING

Now let us talk about fasting. Fasting comes with numerous benefits, but first, let us explore what fasting is not intended for. Fasting does not replace the role of the Lord Jesus in connecting with God and receiving His blessings. The only way to approach the Father is through faith in Christ Jesus, not through our efforts or any other means (Eph 2:18).

Secondly, fasting is not to seek acceptance from God. We are already accepted in Christ, and God considers us righteous based on our faith in Christ Jesus. Fasting, or any other action, is not the reason for this acceptance; it is solely through our belief in the Lord Jesus that God regards us as righteous (Romans 3: 23-25).

Thirdly, whether you eat or abstain from food does not bring you closer to God or earn His approval. As mentioned earlier, it is faith in Christ Jesus that makes us approved and acceptable to God, not our dietary choices. Faith in Christ Jesus is what designates us as children of God, heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ, not fasting.

1 Cor 8; 8 “It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.”

Everything God grants us is a gift and cannot be purchased, as Jesus has already paid the price for all of them. Any attempt to pay for these gifts would deny us access to them and undermine the role of the Lord Jesus in providing them (Acts 8:20-21). Fasting does not alter God or His Word. God remains unchanged both before and after your fast, and His Word remains steadfast, unaffected by the act of fasting. At times, we tend to attribute glory to our fasting rather than acknowledging God and His mercy. Yet, it is by the Lord’s mercy that we are not consumed.

So, what then are the benefits of fasting? Fasting has tremendous benefits and it is highly recommended as inspired by the Holy Spirit. We cannot minimize the benefits of fasting. All over the Scriptures we see many people fast and get results. Fasting serves as supplication in prayer, involving the humble pleading for specific requests. Supplication, as is defined as making passionate and specific requests during times of deep prayer. While prayer encompasses a broader range of topics, supplication within fasting concentrates on specific needs.

Fasting involves humbling oneself before God and acknowledging the need for His intervention and guidance. When we humble ourselves, God lifts us up. Psalms 69:10 “When I wept and humbled myself with fasting, I was jeered at and humiliated.”

Fasting helps subdue our flesh so that our spirit can take precedence. The flesh often acts as an obstacle to effective prayer. When the flesh is nourished, it becomes energized and fully active, potentially hindering spiritual engagement. Denying the flesh through fasting weakens its influence, allowing the spirit to dominate.

Think of athletes who carefully manage their food intake before competing to perform at their best. Imagine running a sprint race with a belly full of fufu and Okra soup. I think your full belly will slow you down. Similarly, prayer requires serious engagement of your spirit and total focus. Remember the Bible says that “The flesh will profit nothing”. So, when we pray, we want our spirit to be in control, not our physical desires. Denying the flesh through fasting weakens its influence, allowing the spirit to dominate. Our spirit man does not eat natural food.

Fasting helps us practice self-control over our physical desires. Exercising discipline is highly beneficial in spiritual activities such as prayer.

1 Cor 9: 26-27 “So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”

May God bless, strengthen, and enable us all as we fast and pray fervently and effectively especially this month and always. Amen!

Pastor Chinedu Emmanuel is the Senior Pastor of Fountain of The Living Word Church East Orange, New Jersey.