Day 1- What is prayer?
As we begin this 21 days of prayer and fasting, I would like to begin by looking at the question, “What is prayer?”
The easy answer is “talking to God,” and this would be correct, however, prayer is more than talking. Prayer truly is communication with the Heavenly Father. Communication is more than talking and listening, but rather humbling ourselves before God and connecting with Him. Jesus tells us in Luke 9:27 that God knows the number of hairs on our head. Peter (1Peter 5:7) says we can “cast our cares upon the Lord,” because He cares for us! Jesus, in His greatness, understood that prayer is not always easy and He gave us a guide for praying. We will look at this “model prayer” and hopefully over the next 21 days gain a greater appreciation for the gift that God has given us with prayer. The Creator of the universe gives us an open invitation to communicate with Him, what an awesome God we serve!
Prayer: Lord teach us how to draw close and communicate with you daily.
Day 2- The Practice of Prayer – Justin Ray
Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
When I was in the 2nd grade, my mom really wanted me to take piano lessons, which was all well and good with one exception: the lessons were taught during free play. As I sat at the piano, I could look out the window and see all my friends on the slides and the swings and the spinning wheel of death thing that we all used to have on the playground. It was torturous, but you better believe that I was not going to mouth off and tell my mom that I did not want to take those lessons. That would’ve spelled bad news for my backside.
So, what was my eight-year-old solution? Half-heartedness. I would not put in the hours of practice needed to get good at playing the piano, and when it came time to sit in with my teacher, I did not know the music. Eventually, the teacher told my mom that I was not getting better, and my mom got tired of spending the money on a talentless hack, so it was off to free-play I went. Problem solved.
And I regret it to this day. A childish and immature desire kept me from getting good at a really cool talent that I could have used for the rest of my life.
For many of us, we treat spiritual discipline in the same way. We know we are supposed to read our Bible and pray and fast and give and all those “good” things, but if we do it at all, we do it half-heartedly. We do it because we have to. We do it because we’re afraid that God will be displeased with us if we don’t, or we do it because we’re trying to get God to answer a need that we have, and we think we can use those disciplines as leverage to force God to give us our way.
But this is not the way. God never intended prayer to be a drudgery; it is a joy that we get to talk with and listen to our loving Father. If it seems difficult for you to pray for a sustained amount of time, it is just because you have not practiced it enough to get good at it. Half-hearted prayer will never fulfill the purpose of prayer that God intended.
If you want to get better at prayer, use the following steps to practice it.
1. Set aside an amount of time—five minutes, ten minutes, start small—dedicated to nothing but prayer, and pray for that entire time, even if your prayers seem repetitive or simple.
2. Start your prayer by thanking God for giving you the time to pray. Thank Him that, in His might and power, He still listens to you. Thank Him for your salvation. Thank Him.
3. Then, move into confession. Is there sin in your life that you know you have been harboring? If so, confess it. If nothing comes to mind, ask God to reveal it to you.
4. After confession, just talk to God and tell Him what is on your mind. There is no script here. Just talk openly and honestly. What are you worried about? What has been on your mind? Is there someone who needs healing? What has been taking your attention recently?
5. DON’T MISS THIS STEP!!! Make sure that you take time to listen!! Prayer should not be one-sided. For part of your time, just be quiet and listen for God to speak.
6. Optional, but really good: write down a summary of your prayer each day. What did you confess? What did you pray for? What did you feel like God said to you?
7. Also optional, but also really good: Pray prayers from scripture. Read a Psalm or one of the prayers of Jesus like you were also praying that to God. Those are recorded in writing for a reason.
This will all feel strange at first, especially if you are used to muttering quick, half-hearted requests for help or healing, but trust the process. Your prayers will get better, richer, and more fulfilling. You will start to savor that time of your day, and everything will feel strange if you miss it.
Last pro-hack: if you are serious about getting more out of your prayer life, seek out someone else who is already good at praying, and ask them to teach you. These people are called prayer warriors, and we all know that when they really get going, they can pray the house down. Just like with any other skill, find someone who is an expert, and ask them to help you hone your skills.
If you put forth this much effort to get good at prayer, Scripture says that it will start to infect every area of your life, and the by-product will be unending peace in any and every circumstance. Nothing can happen to you that you do not immediately take to God in prayer, and once you get good at listening for His response, He will give you the right answer, every single time.
Prayer: God, you know the state of my prayer life, and you know where I struggle and where I succeed. There is nothing inside of my mind that you do not already see, so I have nothing to hide from you. Where I fall short in my prayer life, please point it out to me; help me to understand why it is such a struggle, and help me to get better at it. I want peace in every circumstance, and I know that only comes with a close relationship with You. Show me how to know you like that. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Day 3- How not to pray – Kyle Patton
Matthew 6: 5-6:
5: And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly I say to you they have their reward. 6: But you, when you pray, go into your room and when you have shut your door pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
On day 3 Jesus gives instructions on how not to pray. The Pharisees were about a show- “look at how spiritual I am, and listen to my fancy words.” Jesus calls them hypocrites or pretenders like a theater character who wore a mask. They love to be seen and heard, to show off their nice clothing and their tassels on their robes. Their words were meaningless because they said one thing and lived another. Jesus says they have received their reward, their applause of man, not from God.
Jesus said do not follow this model but instead go in a room and shut the door. It is not about fancy words or elegant clothing. We must truly seek the quiet time, our own alone time. Jesus is concerned about the posture of your heart. When we are alone and no one is around to see us, what are we seeking, is it man’s approval or God's? God sees all things. He sees you in the closet seeking after Him. Hebrews says God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him! So today do not be a pretender. Instead, pursue after the Lord's approval.
Prayer: Lord, do not allow us to put on a show with our prayers, but rather seek you with a pure heart.
Day 4 – Our words matter - Tim Summerlin
"And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." — Matthew 6:7–8 (ESV)
When I was a young Christian, I would hear a person pray – oftentimes someone who was very eloquent with words or unusually verbose with “King James” English – and I would secretly think to myself, “I will never be able to pray as good as they can.”
In time, I figured out that it was not as important what prayers sounded like as much as the confession of the heart behind those prayers. Low and behold, God understands regular ol’ Alabama slang as easily as He does King James English! Who woulda thunk it?
In all seriousness, when Jesus is speaking in these verses, He is not condemning people who are eloquent or pray very well – I have no doubt of the sincerity of the prayers I was secretly intimidated by as a young Christian. The issue is not even the length of the prayer – Jesus Himself prayed all night on occasion. Jesus
is speaking to a practice or repeating the same things over and again, as though doing so will somehow persuade God to act. This was a practice common among a lot of the other Gentile religions of the time, where prayer involved a lot of meaningless repetition, in the belief that somehow their gods would be manipulated by repeated chants, formulas, or endless words. They assumed that persistence in speech—not sincerity of heart—earned divine attention. Jesus says His followers are different!
Our prayers are not performances. They are conversations with a loving Father.
We do not pray to inform God of our needs. He already knows them perfectly (Jesus’s words in the next verses confirm this). We pray to express our dependence upon Him. We pray to deepen our relationship with Him. We pray to align our hearts with His will. We pray knowing that every good gift comes from His hand. We pray to share the burdens of our heart, knowing that He cares and understands – even when we do not have the words to express them (Scripture tells us that when we are too broken to know what to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf with “groaning too deep for words.” (Rom. 8:26-27)).
God is not looking for polished speeches. He delights in honest hearts. A simple, sincere prayer in faith is more pleasing to Him than a thousand empty words!
There is a caution here we should note, however. While none of us are walking around Sulphur Springs chanting mindlessly (I do not think at least!), we can drift into the same trap Jesus warned against when we focus more on the routine than the reason. For example, we know we need to pray (before meals, before bed, in the morning, etc.), so we rush through the motions, repeating familiar phrases without so much as thinking about their meaning. Over time, if we are not careful, prayer can simply become a box we need to check, moving from relational to simply a routine. Take care to avoid this!
Whether your prayer lasts thirty seconds or thirty minutes, what matters most is the posture of your heart. Speak honestly. Listen carefully. Trust completely. Your Father already knows your needs, and He invites you to come to Him with confidence because He loves you!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us pray sincere prayers from a thankful heart.
Day 5 – Instructions for prayer - Matt Huffman
Matthew 6:7-9
“But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathens do: for they think they will be heard for their many words. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need before you ask Him! Pray like this instead: Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”
These verses in Matthew are an instruction manual for prayer. We should not pray to impress the people around us with many words and long-winded speeches, but we should pray intimately. We should be giving God the glory through our prayers. God knows what we need before we do. Prayer should start with acknowledging our Lord and Savior, the (why we are praying), and then finished with a praise to our Father, Jesus Christ. Prayer is a powerful tool that He has given us to use for our advantage, so the next time you pray, just remember intimate and intentional, for He already knows what we need!
Prayer: Lord help us value the blessing of prayer and seek that intimate connection with you!
Day 6 — Reverence for the Father – Erica Price
Matthew 6:9 (ESV)
“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.’”
The Greek word for “hallowed” is hagiazō, which means to regard as special or sacred—to make holy, set apart, or sanctify.
In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches us how to pray—and even how not to pray. He gives us a model for prayer, and notice where He begins:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”
Think about it this way: If one of our kids walked up to us and, instead of saying, “Hey, Mom” or “Hey, Dad,” simply demanded, “Fix me something to eat!” We would probably feel a little offended—and maybe even annoyed! And if you are not a parent, think about a spouse, friend, or sibling approaching you and immediately demanding something without even acknowledging you first. It probably wouldn’t sit very well with us.
If we recognize the importance of being acknowledged and respected, how much more should we approach our Heavenly Father with reverence?
As you pray today, before coming to God with your requests, needs, and petitions, begin simply by acknowledging who He is. Honor His name and give Him the reverence He deserves. He is worthy!
Prayer: Dear Lord, you are worthy of our prayer, and we acknowledge your awesome power as we pray today in Jesus name.
Day 7 – His great name – Allee Taylor
What’s in a name?
In our culture, the name of someone or something denotes that thing or person’s identity. For us as people, a name is how we are recognized. There is a reputation or association that comes along with that name. We earn this reputation by our words and our actions. People who know us automatically associate a thought when they hear our name. The same is true for the people of the Bible, and the one whom we call Father.
In Matthew 6:9, Jesus is giving instructions to the crowd he on how to pray. He says, “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” This word “hallowed” means to make holy, set apart, or to regard as special or different. This statement means more than just praise to the Father, it is an active verb that truly means to separate His name from everything else. In the same way our names indicate specific qualities that belong to us, God’s many names require us to regard Him in a way that is different and holy. He deserves the utmost honor and respect from us as we approach His throne in prayer because He is holy. His name has a reputation as awesome, all-mighty, and just. This reputation comes from His word and His faithful action!
The next time you write your own name, say a prayer and thank God for his holiness, and our ability to call on his hallowed name.
Prayer: Lord, may we acknowledge your greatness every time we pray in your name
Day 8- His kingdom come – Trae Connor
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” — Matthew 6:10 (ESV)
I heard a speaker ask the question, “If God answered every prayer you have prayed this week exactly the way you wanted, whose plans would have been accomplished—yours or God’s?”
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He did not begin with His or their needs. Before asking for daily bread, He taught us to surrender.
When Jesus says, “Your kingdom come” He is saying I surrender fully to your will, and it is all about you God not me. It is all about reaching others for Your kingdom not about carrying out my plan.
“Your will be done” is an extremely hard prayer because it requires complete faith. We often pray, “God, bless my plans,” while Jesus teaches us to pray, “God, change my plans if they don’t match Yours.”
Before going to the cross, submitting to God’s will didn’t make Jesus’ path easier, but it accomplished the greatest act of love and redemption in history.
The world will try to convince us we have to give up too much and there is no joy in Gods will, when the truth is exactly the opposite. We all have a deep longing for purpose and that purpose can only be fulfilled by kingdom work.
When you pray this week start with this prayer:
“God, help me want what You want. Show me where I need to surrender. Use me today to advance Your kingdom.” Will you build your kingdom today or God’s?
Prayer: Lord, may our desire be to see your kingdom come. Amen.
Day 9: Surrender – Christina Wallace
Matthew 6: 10b "...your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven."
As Jesus is teaching His disciples (and us) how to pray, right after He shows us that we should acknowledge who God is and worship Him, He gives us an example of surrender. It was very intentional that Jesus placed surrender at this point in the prayer. The way this prayer is structured, praise first, followed by surrender, followed by requests, helps us to posture our hearts correctly when we come to the Father in prayer. We are His children and He loves us and cares for us in the same way that we love and care for our own children. Jesus reminds us of this in Matthew 7:9-11 when He explains that if we know how to give good gifts to our children, then the good gifts God has for us are even better than we can imagine. One of the most frustrating things about parenting is trying to make my children understand that I have rules and boundaries for them because I want good things for them. They want zero boundaries, but they do not yet understand the consequences that would come from getting to exactly what they want in the moment. This creates a battle of wills. I am trying to show them a better way, and they are dug-in deep, sticking to what they want (or what they think they want).
We are often very much like children, stubborn, strong-willed, and selfish. We have an idea of how we want our lives to be or what we want to accomplish, and we expect everyone and everything to bend to what we want. Even when we know that is not how the world works, most of us still have a little bit of this attitude hanging around. Think about how upset you get when you are in the middle of a busy day, checking things off your list just like you need to, and are suddenly interrupted by someone or something that ruins the rest of your plans. We like to have a plan that is ours, and we like it when nothing disrupts that plan from happening the way we want.
But the Christian life is a life of surrender. It only works if we are willing to let go of our plans and acknowledge that God's plans are better. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has good plans for us, to give us hope and a future. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to "trust in the Lord" with all our hearts and to "lean not on your own understanding." We like to think that we know what is right and good, and our culture today tells us that we do. We are bombarded with messages like "follow your heart" and "tell your truth" - but none of these messages line up with Scripture. The Bible reminds us that we cannot trust our hearts because "the heart is deceitful about all things" (Jeremiah 17:9) and that God is our standard for what is true (Romans 1:25 and John 14:6). God's way is better than our way, which means that we must surrender our will for His. This sounds simple, but it is not easy. Even Jesus faced this struggle when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26. Jesus's flesh did not want to suffer the death He knew was coming on the cross. In that moment, knowing what He would soon face, He asked God if there was another way. He wanted there to be another way, but He knew that there was none. He surrendered His will to the Father's and acted in obedience. Unlike Jesus, we do not know what is coming. However, we do know that God is faithful. We know that He is trustworthy and that He has good plans for us. We know that Jesus promised that His "yoke is easy" and His "burden is light" (Matthew 11:30).
As we pray, we must surrender. It is only through a surrendered heart that we can receive the good gifts God has for us. Surrender is a daily practice. Surrender is discipline we must commit to even when it feels hard or when we face difficulty because of it. When we are living in surrender to God, He will provide what we need.
Prayer: Lord may we surrender our lives and live in your blessings.
Day 10 – God our provider - Matt Hallman
“Give us this day our daily bread.” — Matthew 6:11
“Lord, give us what we need.”
While teaching His disciples to pray, Jesus tells them to ask God for their daily provisions. Spurgeon called this petition “a heartfelt expression of dependence upon God.” Notice what Jesus teaches us to ask:
Our portion — not what belongs to someone else, but what God assigns to us.
This day — not tomorrow’s needs. We are invited to depend on Him daily.
Daily bread — what is necessary to sustain us, not every luxury we desire.
How can we pray this with confidence? Because of who God is.
In Genesis 22, Abraham is about to offer his only son, the son of the promise, as a burnt offering. At the moment he raises the knife, God stops him and provides a ram caught in the thicket. Abraham names that place Jehovah Jireh, which means, “The Lord will provide.” And a saying spread: “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided” (Genesis 22:14).
God had already prepared the ram. He simply waited until Abraham needed it. He saw Abraham’s obedience, and Jehovah Jireh provided on the mountain.
Many years later, on another mountain, Jehovah Jireh provided again. He gave the spotless Lamb of God who was slain for the sins of the world. His name is Jesus!
Christian, when you depend on God every day for what you need, He will provide. It is in His character. It is in His name. Ask Him every morning and trust Him with the answer.
Prayer: Lord, we know you are our provider, let us trust you today for our needs.
Day 11 – God our physical Provider - Matt Huffman
Matthew 6:11 -“Give us this day our daily bread.”
This portion of the Lord’s Prayer is our daily bread, which is just us asking for our basic physical and spiritual needs. We are to ask for our current needs, not for abundance to hoard away. God wants to provide for us daily, and He wants us to seek Him daily. We see this in scripture in the book of Exodus. God freed the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt. As they were wondering toward the promised land, God fed them daily with manna, which was a type of food similar to bread. However, He only gave the enough for one day at a time. God wants us to depend on Him and He is faithful to provide! We are to put our faith in Jesus and trust that he will provide daily, for he is the bread of life!
Prayer: Lord, may we depend on you daily for our provision.
Day 12- God our spiritual Provider – Kyle Patton
Matthew 5:11 - “Give us this day our daily bread.”
The Lord's prayer "our daily bread" is a request for God to provide the basic physical and spiritual necessities needed to sustain life day by day. Physical needs are food, clothing and shelter. However, as followers of Jesus, He provides so much more; our spiritual needs also. The word of God acts as a spiritual food for our soul. In Matthew 4:4, Jesus is alone fasting and in prayer. Satan tempts Him for the first time. Jesus's response is it “it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” This was a quote from Deuteronomy 8:3 where God by His sent manna to feed the people of Israel. However, the true manna was not the physical bread that would keep them alive, but God's word that would guide them and teach them how to draw close to the Father. One can find meaning and purpose, love, peace, wisdom, and forgiveness through the word of God. Jesus fought His battles with the word. The word of God is living, powerful and sharper than any two edge sword.
God has given us everything we will ever need in this life in his word. Open it, read it, apply it and see how your daily needs are met!
Prayer: Lord, may we look to you for more than our physical needs. May we seek that spiritual manna!
Day 13 – Forgiveness from God – Rick Taylor
“and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” — Matthew 6:12 ESV
When giving our example of how to pray, Jesus included asking forgiveness for our “debts.” When we think of debts, we think of those whom we owe something financially. The debt that Jesus was referring to is a spiritual and emotional debt. Jewish law required a person to pay someone they had wronged as part of a recompense. In that same way our sin creates a debt or price that we owe. Jesus says we should pray that God would be merciful and forgive what we owe. In Matthew 18 Jesus tells a parable of a wicked servant who was forgiven by his master for a great debt and then refused to forgive someone who owed him very little. We are to be thankful that God forgives our sins (1John1:9), and that we have an opportunity to be like God by forgiving others who might have wronged us. Forgiveness of sin first comes by recognizing our sin, then we are told to confess our sin before the Lord, that we might receive forgiveness. Who are we to withhold this same forgiveness from others?
Prayer: Lord, we thank you for the mercy and forgiveness you have shown us. Let us show the world that same forgiveness.
Day 14 — Forgiveness toward others – Erica Price
Matthew 6:12 - “and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
The Greek word for “forgive” is aphiēmi, from apo (“away from”) and hiēmi (“send”). It means to send away, release, or discharge.
The word “debt” here is referring to our sin. We do not deserve forgiveness for the debt of our sin, and yet Jesus sacrificed Himself to cover it all. We owe Him all our adoration and worship for cleansing us from the sins we have committed against Him. Repentance and asking for forgiveness are not something we only do when we first accept Jesus. It should be a regular part of our prayers—which I believe is exactly why Jesus included it in the model prayer.
But sometimes we like to overlook the next part: “as we also have forgiven our debtors. We are called to extend to others the same gift of grace that Jesus has given us. We do not get to pick and choose who we forgive. And that is not always easy. Sometimes people hurt us so deeply that forgiveness can seem impossible.
But God will give us what we need to send away and release the debt we feel we are owed. As you pray today, ask God for forgiveness for your own sin, but also ask Him to reveal any unforgiveness you are holding onto—and for the grace and strength to release it.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for forgiving my sin, may I show that same forgiveness to others.
Day 15- Guarded and guided -Matt Moore
“And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” — Matthew 6:13 ESV
Part of what we call the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus shows His disciples (and us) to pray for protection. We face temptations daily: pride, anger, lust, selfishness, dishonesty, worry, and other distractions that take our time away from God. Jesus teaches to pray proactively, asking God to guide our steps before we find ourselves in situations where we may be likely to fall. James 1:13 says that God will never tempt us, but He faithfully leads us along paths to strengthen us and not destroy us.
The second part of the verse asks for God to deliver us from evil. We are in a spiritual battle every day, and we can not just rely on ourselves to fight against the evil one. We must depend on the Holy Spirit for guidance, wisdom, conviction, and the power to choose obedience. This closes out Jesus’ prayer with necessary dependence on God. Today, ask God to guard your heart and mind, and to direct your decisions, conversations, and attitudes. Invite Him to close doors that could lead you away from Him and open doors that help you to grow in Christ. A life surrendered to God’s guidance is a life that experiences His provisions.
Prayer: Lord, may you keep us and guide us with your protective hand.
Day 16 – Our Deliverer – Trae Conner
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” — Matthew 6:13 ESV
We tend to think too highly in our own abilities to avoid temptations by relying on our own strengths and underestimating our weaknesses. This part of the prayer reminds us of our complete dependence on God to rescue us from the evil one and the danger we are facing. Sin is evil and is desperately dangerous for us.
Every trial comes with a temptation and an opportunity. We are inadequate to deal with these constant trials and temptations. We are begging Him to rescue us from all the trials...big and small. The evil here is not just the evil we face in this world, but more specifically the evil one. The one bringing about all the evil and destruction. This is no joke! The devil is prowling around seeking who he can destroy. Deception and accusation are two of his primary forms of attack.
Thankfully, we know the One who can deliver us and He is the One we are praying to. We are no match for the evil one on our own. Jesus is the only one who can come out victorious in that battle and we are on His side. The cross is the guarantee that we will overcome, because we are on the side of the One who is always victorious. When Satan is telling you how big your problems are, remind him how big your God is!
Prayer: Lord, may we depend on your strength and deliverance today.
Day 17 – What is fasting? – Rick Taylor
Fasting is defined as the voluntary act of going without food—and sometimes drink—for a specific period to humble oneself, mourn, repent of sin, or intensely seek God’s guidance and presence in prayer. We see fasting carried out in the Old Testament with King David, who was mourning the loss of his child. Queen Esther, as she sought the Lord’s favor to be able to carry out God’s plan. And Daniel, who was seeking clarity and revelation from the Lord.
Fasting is more than just going without food. When we replace the time and thoughts of eating with the word of God and time with God, we begin to experience a closeness and a clarity that is difficult to explain.
Jesus says in Matthew 6:16 “When you fast.” This does not sound as if Jesus gave an option. Fasting is the ultimate surrender because the greatest battle is with our flesh. When we fast, we purge sugar and toxins from our bodies. Our physical body thinks it is dying and the reaction can be difficult. However, if we fast and seek the Lord, He will draw near to us and we can find our strength in Him. Our bodies will be healthier and stronger because of the fast, but the spiritual strength that is gained is more profitable!
Prayer: Lord let us be willing to sacrifice in order to draw close to you.
Day 18 – Fasting, what not to do- Matt Williams
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” — Matthew 6:16 ESV
Most of us have read scriptures about fasting and have read about Jesus fasting and his disciples fasting. How many of us truly have a walk with Jesus that includes regular fasting? Why do we fast? How do we fast? All important questions for us to think about.
Fasting is an important discipline that needs to be present in the life of all believers. Fasting should be personal between ourselves and Jesus. It is not something that is to be proclaimed to others around us so they know that is what we are doing. We can let other believers that are important in our lives know, for encouragement and prayer, but fasting is not for us to receive the honor or glory. There are many things we can fast from and they all tend to fall into one of three categories; the full fast, the partial fast, and a soul fast. The main fast we talk about and read about is a food type fast. There is a full fast like what Jesus used to do, removing all food and only drinking water. The partial fast, one of which is the Daniel fast. This is the one most of us at Sulpher Springs do, removing certain foods but not all. There are many different types of partial fasts but all are effective. It is not a diet, it is an opportunity for us to get closer to God while denying our flesh. The last type of fast is a soul fast, removing secular things from our life: music, tv, social media, among other things. This helps our mind stay clear of all outside noise that distracts us from God’s will and plan for our lives.
At the end of the day any type of fast that we choose to participate in is designed to teach us to say no to the things our flesh wants, clear our minds and thoughts, cleansing our soul, allowing us to be more in tune to the words and things of God.
Prayer: Lord, may we be wiling to give up things in order to see your spirit move,
Day 19 – Fasting, what we should do – Renae Summerlin
“But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:17-18 ESV
In this passage Jesus is addressing His disciples, but He knows others in the crowd will be listening. His words are meant to be instructive to His followers, as well as to those who do not accept who Jesus is. Jesus instructs all of those listening on several topics, and in each, He expresses that the heart behind the actions is much more vital than the action itself. In these verses, He speaks about the spiritual discipline of fasting. Jesus says, “when you fast,” indicating that fasting is expected of his followers. The wording is not conditional. Then Jesus says to “anoint your head and wash your face.” These practices would have been normal grooming in the day, perhaps similar to how “take a shower and brush your teeth” would be normal daily grooming today. This is in contrast to the actions mentioned in previous passages where the practice of fasting had become accompanied by neglecting one’s appearance and disfiguring the face, such that fasting days became a visual spectacle, one that called the attention of others. Jesus says that if you are seeking the praise of man, then that is all you will get. To receive God’s blessing, then the act of worship should be intended for the audience of God only, who will reward worship done with a right heart.
Once again, here is a passage where Jesus attempts to get people to realize that some action in and of itself is not at all the point. A heart focused on God will not draw the attention of man. When we fast, it should be an act of humility where we seek God more earnestly. The time should strengthen our focus on God with a desire to do His will.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me seek the will and praise of you only as I engage in spiritual disciplines and activities in your name. Help me put down self and care not for the praise of others.
Day 20- Praying and Fasting – Justin Ray
Matthew 6:16-18: “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Of all the spiritual disciplines (prayer, reading the Bible, giving, meditating on Scripture, etc.), there are few that are as alien to our modern society as fasting. In our world of plenty and instant gratification, the idea of handicapping yourself on purpose and having to go without does not sound very appealing. So, why should we do it?
In Scripture, fasting is always a matter of attention. When a person or a people started to stray away from God or how He wanted them to live their lives, they would be called to a time of fasting and prayer. This would help focus their attention and make them more attentive to what God was trying to tell them or to where He was trying to call them. When they experienced the pang of hunger, it would remind them to pray and remind them that, ultimately, we have the Bread of Life who can fill our every need.
But like every good thing, the act of fasting was (and is) often put above the purpose of fasting, and instead of using it as a spiritual tool, it was (and is) often used as spiritual leverage. According to Jesus in Matthew 6, Pharisees tried to show everyone how much pain they were in due to their fasting, and that would cause others to see how righteous they were because they were willing to suffer that much for God. They did the same thing with their prayers. They tried to make their prayers so eloquent that anybody would be able to hear them pray and automatically know that they had a “special” connection with the Almighty. They prayed and fasted, and in return, they were “rewarded” with a good reputation and a holy standing in the community.
We may scoff at that, but do we not often do the same thing? How often do we approach reading the Bible and prayer as merely transactional? God, if I read my Bible and pray and fast and go to church and DO all the right things, then surely you’ll have to heal me if I’m sick, or help my child succeed in sports, or give me a raise so I don’t struggle financially. Surely, you will HAVE to let me into Heaven, seeing as I am so righteous.
But when done correctly, fasting flies in the face of that line of thinking. It helps us to vividly remember that, ultimately, we have no control over our own lives. We are in constant need of God to give us everything, the utmost of which is salvation. Without God’s provision, we will starve, both physically and spiritually. It helps us to remember, in a sometimes-painful fashion, that we “do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). That is a humbling thought, not a prideful one. How can we be prideful about our own righteousness when we are constantly being reminded of our own insufficiency?
And just like any other discipline, fasting takes practice. (And Jesus expected that we would. That is why in this passage, He does not say, “If you’re fasting…” He says, “When you fast…”)
So, if you are convinced of the value of fasting, then start small. Maybe you’ll fast FROM something for a time (your phone, TV, social media, etc.). Whatever it is, it should be something that you will notice that you are missing, so that every time you think about it or reach for it, you’ll be prompted to pray.
But do not stop there. True Biblical fasting is, by definition, abstaining from food. As your health allows, set aside an amount of time where you do not eat—12 hours, 24 hours, etc. And again, every time you notice how hungry you are, let that prompt you to go to the Lord in prayer or to spend time in Scripture.
As you do, your desperate need for the Lord will become more and more apparent, a truth that we need to be taught and re-taught until it becomes engrained in our everyday thinking.
Also, as an aside, if there is an answer to a question that you have been seeking from God, fasting is the best means of getting that answer. Again, NOT because you are forcing God’s hand by your righteous action, but because you are honing your attention in on Him in a way that you do not normally do.
It is all a matter of attention. Where is your attention placed right now? If you, like Peter, can only focus on the storm around you, do something to get your attention back on God. Or, if you, like Jonah, can only focus on how great your life is going right now, and you’re tempted to rely on that to satisfy you, then do something to get your attention back on God.
Prayer and fasting go hand-in-hand, as they were designed to do. Are you taking full advantage of God’s good designs?
Prayer: Father, in my head, I know that every good gift is only from you, and that without You, I would be starkly and completely at a loss, but a lot of the time, I don’t know that in my heart. I still think that I am able to control my own life and earn my own place at the table. Would you help me to see how ridiculous that line of thinking is, and would you help me see how reliant I am on You every second of every day? Help my attention to be trained only on You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Day 21 – Praise God! – Rick Taylor
“that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” — Matthew 6:18 ESV
So we have made it to the end of our 21 days of prayer. I pray that you have experienced the blessing of committing time each day to communicate with the Lord. In Matthew 6:18, Jesus says that when we commit ourselves to this time that our Heavenly Father rewards us. This reward is spiritual. There is a direct correlation between surrendering our time and attention to Christ and living in the spiritual blessing of peace and contentment.
Our hope is that these 21 days have created a desire in you to communicate daily with God. Living out these spiritual disciplines helps us grow spiritually. Jesus modeled a life that was shaped by God’s word and prayer. When we follow this example of prayer and fasting, God works through our hearts and changes our world view. May we continue to grow in the faith and knowledgeable of God.
Prayer: Lord, help us to continue in our commitment to prayer and devotion to you! To God be the glory!