Weekly Devotional - Raquel Simmons

Fasting and prayer are two vital and necessary components of Christian faith. But why? What is the purpose of fasting? Is it to get something in return or to gain favor with God? Do we do it just because we’re supposed to? These are valid questions and questions we should be asking. Questions I’ve asked myself over the years.

Prayer is the main way we communicate with the Lord. When we fast, it can grow our prayer life. Whether it be fasting tv, social media, bad habits, or food, when we experience that strong pull towards the very thing we’re fasting, we can use that as a prompt to pray. Choosing to pray and focus on Jesus when your belly is roaring like a lion because of immense hunger will teach you a thing or two about your yourself and about your relationship with God.

Fasting should be hard! As Pastor Pete said, “one reason we fast is to master the beast.” Genesis 4:7, “You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” It is human nature to have wants and desires and immediately act upon those wants and desires. To deny ourselves of that instant gratification teaches us that we are not a slave to the influences of the world. The fruits of the Spirit: patience, faithfulness, and self control, develop through fasting. Instead of praying for God to give patience and self control, implement the practices that will help you grow in them.

Throughout my 11 year faith walk, I’ve been called to repentance too many times to count. I’m at the point now where it’s things I wasn’t even fully aware of I needed to repent of until He points it out. Which leaves me laughing and shaking my head thinking, “What?! Another thing? I didn’t even see that one Lord!” But, being the loving Father He is, it’s always in a clear and gentle way. Imagine walking on the beach beside a parent and they turn to you and put one hand on your shoulder. Looking you in the eyes, they calmly point out something they notice that is hurting you or hindering your potential. Instead of condemning you, they remind you of who you are and tell you that they’re going to help you through it. That’s how I feel when He brings something to the light for me. I’m telling you this because it happened to me about two weeks ago, and here we are with a week of prayer and fasting right after!

I view fasting as another way to support me in ridding myself of an “old way” and going forth with the “new way” God is calling me to. It’s exciting because I know from experience that this peeling back another layer of the onion might be a little painful at the time, but the reward of overcoming it is far greater.  Ephesians 4:13 says, “…mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.”

If you haven’t taken part in a fast, don’t be intimidated. Start small and stay committed. Then, just keep growing upon that for the rest of your life. Small, consistent, steps of obedience over time add up to a lot in His kingdom! Join us this week for prayer and fasting each night at 7! Hope to see you there :)

Raquel