Fasting and praying, desperate of God

Fasting and praying …desperate for God

, Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.”

Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.”

Surrendering to God is abandoning all that we have, to receive all that God possesses. It is not the skills, talents, and gifts that God places in our hands that matter; it is the full, complete, unequivocal surrender of those meager abilities to Him that He uses to do great things in our lives.

Jim Cymbala, pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church, once said, “I discovered an astonishing truth; God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need Him.”

The first step in any spiritual awakening is demolition. We must become undone!

We cannot make any headway in seeking God without first tearing down all the accumulated junk in our souls. Rationalizing has to cease. We have to start seeing the sinful debris we hadn’t noticed before in our lives, which is what holds back the blessing of the God. Sin grieves the Holy Spirit and quenches His power among us. Prayer and fasting make the spirit and heart tender before a holy God. We begin to see things like never before. We see sins we have never noticed before. Prayer and fasting makes us weak physically but strong spiritually. I believe God is attracted to the weakness that comes to those who pray and fast.

, But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

We at New Life Church must become a church that is weak and totally dependent upon God. Our weakness will become a magnet for the mighty manifest presence of God. When we surrender as followers of Christ we will see an unusual manifestation of God the Holy Spirit fall fresh upon us. Surrender means we must empty ourselves and be filled again. We must die to live; give it all up to gain. No great work anywhere by anyone at any time has ever come about without surrender. For His kingdom to come, our kingdom must perish. Remember, your kingdom, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

When we surrender to God, we become better fathers, better mothers, better husbands, and better wives, better children, better students, better employees, better followers, and better leaders. We must transfer our lives, our ideas, and our best-laid plans over to our heavenly Father’s control. It is in the transfer of our bodies (all that we are), our minds (how we think), our spirits, (where God lives), our tongues, (every word we utter), our attitudes ( the way we respond to others), and our motives ( the reality of who we are). We must give all that God have given us; we must transfer and give it over to Him in surrender for His great purposes. We must live in God’s holy presence, focused on Him through the joys of the disciplines of fasting and prayer, the more we learn His character; the more we will desire Him more than life itself.

No one has ever made more promises than God, no one has ever kept more promises than God, and no one has even been more faithful than God. God will be faithful to answer all His promises to those who pray and fast. He knows that we are engaged in the battle of our lives because He has already told us:

“ For our struggles is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” ( NIV)

When we pray and fast, we are walking in the power of our weaknesses, strengthened by a Holy powerful God, we will face intense spiritual warfare. Yet we will win because we are surrendered fully to Jesus.

Let us pray,

Fasting is abstaining from food with a spiritual goal in mind. It is when you neglect the most powerful lust within you, which is for food, in order to pursue an in-depth, intimate, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I’m totally convinced that there is a correlation in Scripture between humility and fasting and prayer. We are called by God to humble ourselves before Him and fast and pray. , Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.”

We are called to humble ourselves before God; the responsibility is on us to humble ourselves. We are to lay ourselves before God facing our future boldly because of our trust in Him. Nothing can create in us the holiness, humbleness boldness, blessedness, the sacred surrender, and strength through weakness like humbling ourselves before God.

A.W. Tozer said “Humility is as scarce as an albino robin.” In our American culture, humility and seeking God in prayer and fasting is rare. But before we must be willing to seek the help of our holy God and we must be brought low.

We must come to the place of desperation.

Let read our text again and gain a feel for what is going on here. Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

Desperation is not always a bad position to inhabit, I believe that God creates times within our heart and lives, desperate times to draw us closer to Him. Desperation is not bad when we are desperate for God to move mightily in a situation or circumstance. Because when we are desperate enough we will take radical action to change.

We see three movements in Ezra plight here, first Ezra finds himself in a place of desperation, a place where He needs his God to come and rescue him. Then Ezra clearly sees the purpose of his desperation, which is to build more trust in him, the people and even the King, and finally Ezra remembers and relies on the promised deliverance from his desperation.

The place of desperation

, Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God…

Ezra finds himself in a predicament and a place where only humbling himself and his people before God can provide any relief. So Ezra calls for a fast, he recognizes that desperation for God coupled with humbling themselves before God would be a winning combination. Prayer, fasting and making their request known to God was their sacred strategy. The people fasted and pleaded with God that He might miraculously grant them favor and safety. Remember our God is attracted to weakness; God wants to demonstrate His power in our lives if we will just learn to depend on Him. As you and I face an uncertain future, one thing is certain we serve a God who is able, and who responds to prayer and fasting. , ‘Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft. But I, when they were sick—I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest.

The psalm say, they Repay Me Evil for Good. The song returns to say more about the schemes of the pursuers: they rise up as malicious witnesses, and they repay me evil for good, these enemies especially gloat over David’s misfortunes yet, he has only shown them kindness.

Ezra called his people to fast, his only desperation was for the name of God to be lifted up and for their enemies to be defeated without man’s help but by the hand of God. The fasting had the purpose of imploring from God a straighter plan or level field, free from hindrance, and so a prosperous journey. Fasting was an evidence of a clean heart and a contrite spirit that seeks to gain the favor of God who is enthroned on high can only dwell among the lowly.

, ‘For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.’

who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.’

This is what all Christians must do when we are faced with a future against difficult odds.

The drama that is recorded in speaks of how King Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast so that the people would seek the Lord for guidance, direction, and, most of all, protection. As their enemies surrounded them, God was moved by their fasting and prayer and saved them in dramatic fashion. Remember, some men came from the Moabites and Ammonites and told Jehoshaphat that a battle was brewing and coming against him from beyond the sea and he was afraid. But look at what he did when facing a difficult future.

, And Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy—behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” So what did they do pastor?

They fasted and prayer and were delivered, look at

, And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the LORD to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you.” Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD.”

What did we say last week, , “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” We can trust God in our place of desperation!

The purpose of desperation

, … To seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.

The people prayed and fasted seeking from God traveling mercies in the midst of their current storm. They were concerned about themselves, their children, and their possessions.

Have you even observed a mother hen looking after her young? As she seeks a hawk circling overhead, she instinctively gives a warning sound, and immediately the baby chicks come running to hide beneath here wings. When menacing storm clouds fill the sky with rolling thunder and jagged lighting, she quickly makes a noise that calls her brood to herself where they find protection from the elements. As night approaches and the shadows lengthen, she gives out yet another, quite different call that gathers her young to breast.

Jesus once said this, , “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

When we come humbly into the presence of God in prayer and fasting, our Father promises us protection: “Then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.” Protection from the front and the protection from the rear – God literally has us covered. And for good reason, Satan remains on the loose, roaming about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. As fasting and prayer become integral parts of our lives, we find ourselves overwhelmed by God’s care for us, especially as our lives continue to be sprinkled with everything from daily annoyances to outright fear. Fasting and prayer will keep the enemy at bay. They are our spiritual shields. If you find it somewhat difficult to agree with what I am saying, perhaps you have not yet put yourself in a position to experience God’s supernatural power in your life. This is a power available to you right now. Its simply not possible to live in the presence of our Protector and not feel the touch of His gracious, comforting hand that keeps our souls at rest while the storms of life rage around us.

When we fast and pray, we expect two things: (1) We will enter spiritual warfare like never before. That’s why we must be prepared with spiritual weapons. When fast and pray we are taking over enemy territory and there will be blowback. (2) We can know with all confidence that God protects us in front and at the rear. Our encouragement comes from those who have walked before us in the confidence of their God. People like John who wrote;

“Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world” ().

When we humble ourselves before the Father, and when God sees we are serious about giving Him our broken spirits, He begins to do things we have never seen before. His empowering Spirit takes charge. It moves us to another level in our Christian life.

It sensitizes us to the needs of others at home and overseas as we suddenly find ourselves quietly praying for people, events, and situations with the knowledge that our prayers not only will be heard but that the Father will answer them.

Please understand this though: Prayer and fasting prepares my heart to receive whatever God wants to do in my life. As I present my request to Him earnestly, whatever He determines to do is easy to live with. Why? Because, now my heart want what He wants and not what I want. Prayer and fasting position me to hear God speak and receive what God does.

Abraham Lincoln once wrote these words about purpose and desperation in prayer.

“I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day.”

Only when we arrive at the crossroads desperation and deliverance; will we understand the true purpose of desperation is to appeal to God for His protection.

The promise of desperation

, For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.”

, saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer.”

, For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”

, The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

keeping watch on the evil and the good.

To implore the help of God, in this circumstance Ezra and his companions had expressed a trust in God when speaking King Artaxerxes. The King knew of their faith and their devotion, which they had confirmed. They had especially relied upon God; for means of their earthly protection. To show this trust in God was certainly important and that, King Artaxerxes’ respect for the Jewish religion might be strengthened in this very way.

They acknowledged that the hand of God is upon all who seek good and that seek Him; but His power and wrath is against all them that forsake Him.

Those who love God must surrender fully to God. When I think of fully surrendering to God, I think of the apostle Paul. From the moment he was radically converted to Jesus Christ, he became a prime example of absolute surrender. From that moment all the way to his death, he poured out his life for Jesus and the gospel of Jesus Christ. The last letter he wrote in prison before his death was to Timothy. In 2 Timothy Paul knew he was never going to leave prison alive. Even as his time on this earth was short, he was going to live a surrendered life before God.

At some point, just before AD 68 when Nero stopped reigning in Rome, Paul was escorted to his death. He was beheaded for Jesus Christ.

, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”

This idea of being poured out as a drink offering comes from the Old Testament. The drink offering was poured out on the altar after the burnt offering was given. Paul was saying, “I am that offering.” Urgency and finality rang loud and clear throughout that declaration. I believe Paul was saying, “I am pouring myself out slowly, and I’m willingly will shed my blood as a way to give myself all the God, even in death.”

Even though Paul was moving toward his death, but because of his surrender towards God he was not moved.

Here also he refers to his departure, meaning he was about to be killed for Jesus Christ. The word ‘departure’ gives us two word pictures. (1) Its usage illustrates a ship lifting its anchor to leave. (2) Its usage also illustrates soldiers who were breaking their camp. Both word pictures illustrate going home. In other words Paul was informing us that he was setting sail for eternity and he was talking down the tent, preparing to go home to be with Jesus.

This is why earlier in his life he penned, , “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

You see, Paul did not see himself as losing either way. Living on this earth, all for Jesus! Dying for Christ, all for Jesus! Giving his life in death all for Jesus was gain!

Paul did not see himself sacrificing his life once and for all for the gospel of Jesus Christ, nor did he see it as Nero taking his life, he saw himself surrendering his life to Christ. Paul was willing to shed his blood as a way to give himself to God, even in his death. Without any question at all, he was a man who was surrendered fully to God. Paul’s life testified at all times, even in his death, “I am pouring myself out Jesus.” Living a surrendered to God fully, we must understand there is to be an outpouring of God’s Spirit in our personal lives, our churches, and our communities. Only when we lift our hands to the Father in full surrender to His will, His way, and His wonderful grace, we can never enter the gateway to His supernatural power. The question becomes, are we willing and ready to pour yourselves out for God. Are we willing to give up our shallow lives for an experience that will change our lives for eternity? Are we ready to see God move in our life, church, and community? If the answers to these questions are yes; then we are desperate for promise of God. What the promise of desperation?

That God will answer our prayers!

, So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

We fasted and implored our God— What is the connection between prayer and fasting? Although the connection between prayer and fasting is not specifically explained in Scripture, a common thread connecting the two seems to run through all the instances of prayer and fasting recorded in the Bible. In the Old Testament, it appears that fasting with prayer had to do with a sense of need and dependence, and/or our their understanding of humanity’s abject helplessness in the face of actual or anticipated calamity.

Prayer and fasting are combined in the Old Testament in times of mourning, repentance, and/or deep spiritual need.

Prayer is a ready weapon in the spiritual battle

, “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication for all the saints.” This praying plus fasting helps to focus prayer and give it resolve. The theology of fasting is a theology of priorities in which believers are given the opportunity to express themselves in an undivided and intensive devotion to the Lord and to the concerns of their spiritual life. This devotion will be expressed by abstaining for a short while from such normal and good things as food and drink, so as to enjoy a time of uninterrupted communion with our Father. Our “confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus”, whether fasting or not fasting, is one of the most delightful parts of that “better thing” which is ours in Christ. Prayer and fasting should not be a burden or a duty, but rather a celebration of God's goodness and mercy to His children.

Fasting is not about manipulating God. Fasting will not cause God to do something that is outside of His will. Fasting is about changing yourself to be in agreement with God’s plan and to be prepared to carry out your role in His plan. When you are deciding how to fast, it is crucially important to remember what fasting is all about—changing yourself, not changing God.

The first chapter of Nehemiah describes Nehemiah praying and fasting, because of his deep distress over the news that Jerusalem had been desolated. Tears, fasting, confession on behalf of his people, and pleas to God for mercy characterized his many days of prayer. So intense was the outpouring of his concerns that it’s almost inconceivable he could “take a break” in the middle of such prayer to eat and drink. The devastation that befell Jerusalem also prompted Daniel to adopt a similar posture: “So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes” (). Like Nehemiah, Daniel fasted and prayed that God would have mercy upon the people, saying, “We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws” (v. 5). In several instances in the Old Testament, fasting is linked with intercessory prayer. David prayed and fasted over his sick child (), weeping before the Lord in earnest intercession (vv. 21-22). Esther urged Mordecai and the Jews to fast for her as she planned to appear before her husband the king (). Clearly, fasting and petition are closely linked.