Fasting and Entreating God
When we want to see God answer an urgent prayer request, there are two very important things we should do. We should fast and entreat the Lord. (Ezra 8:23) The Jewish people did these two things in the days of Ezra, the priest, and God answered them. I believe the same still holds true for us today.
Fasting is abstaining from eating solid food for the purpose of spending more time with God and showing Him that we are very earnest in our request. It does not make us more spiritual or help our soul to fast. It gets God's attention, and it insures that we are as alert to God's response as we can be. When we do not eat, we are physically more sensitive. It is even more difficult to sleep, so we can pray better longer. Fasting is what God has told us to do, so we are obeying Him when we fast, too. Try it, and I believe you will find these things to be true.
Entreating God is sincerely asking Him for an answer to a problem or for direction in our lives. The Jews needed protection on their trip back to Jerusalem. Whatever we need, when we entreat God, we are fully trusting Him to supply it. Many times we do not have because we do not ask God. Then, at other times, we only ask for our own pleasures. Entreating God is seeking His will, not our own. God loves to meet our unselfish needs, so He loves to hear us entreat Him, so He can respond, and we know what we receive has come from Him.
We need this type of fasting and prayer for the National Day of Prayer this Thursday. We need to cry out for God's direction for our country and God's protection for His people.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezra 9-10 and Nehemiah 1.
Fasting is abstaining from eating solid food for the purpose of spending more time with God and showing Him that we are very earnest in our request. It does not make us more spiritual or help our soul to fast. It gets God's attention, and it insures that we are as alert to God's response as we can be. When we do not eat, we are physically more sensitive. It is even more difficult to sleep, so we can pray better longer. Fasting is what God has told us to do, so we are obeying Him when we fast, too. Try it, and I believe you will find these things to be true.
Entreating God is sincerely asking Him for an answer to a problem or for direction in our lives. The Jews needed protection on their trip back to Jerusalem. Whatever we need, when we entreat God, we are fully trusting Him to supply it. Many times we do not have because we do not ask God. Then, at other times, we only ask for our own pleasures. Entreating God is seeking His will, not our own. God loves to meet our unselfish needs, so He loves to hear us entreat Him, so He can respond, and we know what we receive has come from Him.
We need this type of fasting and prayer for the National Day of Prayer this Thursday. We need to cry out for God's direction for our country and God's protection for His people.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezra 9-10 and Nehemiah 1.