Fasting and Prayer

But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. Mt 17:21 

The Lord Jesus Christ is the best pattern of a man of prayer. While He was in His early ministry, He lived a God-man life of prayer. He did everything according to the Father's will and spent time with the Father alone in prayer. Even when He could have exercised His rights and authority, He chose not to. instead, He submitted Himself fully and did the will of the Father.

Having such a pattern of a Man of prayer, I have also consecrated myself to follow the Lord's pattern. Not only me, but the brothers who have been taking the lead in the Lord's move in this country also made an open announcement and encouragement for the saints and the churches to pray. Yes, even fast and pray. We generally did not speak in this way as we did not want to fall into a religious trap and turn the matter of prayer into a thing of ritual. But this should not hinder us from offering genuine prayers to the Lord according to His burden. There indeed is a thin line between praying genuinely and praying for the sake of fulfilling one's religious duty. I advocate the former and abhor the latter.

Last Saturday, I had the strong feeling from the Lord to bring this matter to the brothers' fellowship so that we brothers can start praying in such a way; a fasting prayer at least once a week that the saintaints who joined the PSRP meeting on Lord's Day afternoon. The same burden I reiterate in our Monday afternoon literature distribution fellowship, encouraging all my serving brothers to pray and seek the Lord's leading for all our practical service. To even further strengthen thes can follow. The same burden was released in our prayer meeting on the same day, and though not intended, still, the Lord made it happen. Therefore, we made the burden known to all the saints who joined the weekly prayer meeting. The same burden has been made known to all the saints, the burden of fasting and prayer. I also started posting the ministry excerpts on fasting and prayer, a portion daily. There is also a need for spiritual education on the truth, which will gradually become our spiritual and normal function as a child of God. Though we generally did not make such announcements on fasting and prayer, the need of the time has called for it.

Excerpt from FASTING AND PRAYER Lessons on Prayer, CWWL, 1959, vol. 4, ch. 19

FASTING BEING THE SPONTANEOUS EXPRESSION OF MAN RECEIVING GREAT RESPONSIBILITY

FASTING BEING AN INDICATION OF MAN’S ABSOLUTENESS

FASTING BEING THE RENUNCIATION OF LAWFUL RIGHT

FASTING BEING MAN INDICATING THAT HE DOES NOT CARE FOR HIMSELF

FASTING BEING FOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF GOD’S WILL AND FOR THE DEFEAT OF SATAN

NOT FASTING LIGHTLY

FASTING BEING NECESSARY

On the one hand, a Christian should not fast lightly, but on the other hand, he needs to fast. If a Christian has never fasted, there is certainly something wrong with him. Either God has never committed any matter to him, or he has refused God’s commission. 

If you would care a little for God’s heart, the burden for the gospel would press upon you, and you would struggle in life and death. So, what does fasting mean? Fasting means that you care very much for God’s purpose, and you deeply sense the fierceness of God’s enemy. Such sensation presses and compels you to such an extent that you simply cannot eat, drink, and be merry like other men, but you must fast.

Without letting know anyone, not even my family, the Lord enabled me to start carrying out this burden by fasting and prayer. I pray that this burden will be a regular lifestyle of mine. In addition to my daily pursuit and prayer life, now I have been graced to further spend additional time for fasting and prayer. May the Lord bless all the saints in the church who are burdened by His burden and that we all consecrate our time to fast and pray regularly.

With all the outward situations going on in this country, the Lord is indirectly leading us to live a life of prayer and doing His will. Despite all the enemy's attacks, the Lord is working into the being of the saints to perfect us for the building up of His Body. There are certain things that can be dealt with and accomplished only through fasting and prayer. I believe it is even healthy to have a regular practice of fasting and prayer. 

Lord, lead us to live a life of prayer that is according to You. Lord, make a man of prayer like You.