Prayer and Fasting
Where did the idiom “toe the line” originate?
What line do you toe? Most people fall into one of six worldviews or categories that reveal what they adhere to or follow.
1. Worldly line. The ways of the world are wealth, power, pride. Those who follow this line want are driven by wealth, power, and selfish pride. They always want more and have an endless appetite for worldly pleasures.
2. Political line. If you watch the news it is full of information on party lines. Democrat, Republican, independent, and of course the cannabis party as if legalizing weed will solve the worlds’ problems.
3. Spiritual line. Those who toe this line follow their own spiritual path. They create it and follow it some more serious than others. America is now a pluralistic nation when it comes to spirituality.
4. Cultural line. Those who follow cultural lines go with the latest cultural fads. They join whatever movement is the hot topic of the day.
5. Independent line. These are the people who disaffiliate with everything yet like to connect over all they agree on disagreeing about so they really are just a click of like-minded people.
6. Biblical line. Those who toe the line with a biblical worldview integrate Jesus teachings into their everyday life. They see the world through the lens of faith, meaning, and purpose. Jesus Sermon on the Mount really challenged his followers and the crowd in general to adapt a biblical worldview and adjust their behaviors and actions to align with the Kingdom of God.
Toeing the biblical line means that you follow the teachings of Jesus. That is what a disciple is, a follower of Jesus. Not just walking behind him, but applying his teachings to your life.
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.”
Ephesians 4:11-12, 14
Prayer
And when it comes to communicating with God through prayer we need to grow in maturity in this area.
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”
James 1:6
As Jesus gave his sermon on the mount, he explained how to pray to his disciples and the crowd that had gathered to listen.
He teaches us how to pray by first explaining how not to pray.
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Matthew 6:5-6
“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
Matthew 6:7-8
You need to learn how to communicate with God in order to feel close to Him and you are able to hear Him. Communication involves both talking and listening. It’s a dialogue not a discourse. We open up our hearts and lives to God and then we listen for his response.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Matthew 7:7
Then Jesus tells us how we should pray. Notice he doesn’t tell us what to pray, he tells us how to pray.
It’s an outline not a prescription.
“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,”
Matthew 6:9
Prayer starts with praise. Praise God for who He is, worship Him with your words. Worship Him with your heart through your words.
“your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:10
This is when you seek to align your will with the will of God. Turn whatever situation you are facing over to Him. Give Him your burdens. You gave Him praise, now give the one worthy of praise your problems and ask God to fulfill His will in your life.
God speaks through:
- Prayer
- Reading the Bible
- Other born-again Christians
- Life circumstances
- The local church
“Give us today our daily bread.”
Matthew 6:11
This is the part when you ask for God to provide for you. Not just break in the literal sense, ask God to provide for whatever need you currently have.
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Matthew 6:12
This is the part when you search your conscience and ask God to forgive you for the sins you have committed. Angry thoughts, lustful intentions, selfish gain, whatever. Ask God to forgive you. Then tell him who you forgive. Let God know who you need to forgive and tell him who you have forgiven.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Matthew 6:13
This is the point in your prayer when you ask God for help. Help to overcome whatever temptations you have. Help for God for protection. Ask God to protect your mind, body, and heart. Satan is always tempting and destroying, that’s what he does. Ask God to deliver you from the lies of Satan.
Then Jesus tells us why forgiveness is so important. He circles back to forgiving others.
“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Matthew 6:14-15
Fasting
After Jesus explains how to pray by giving an outline, he goes into fasting saying that it’s not about the showmanship, it’s about connecting with God.
“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.”
Matthew 6:16-18
When is the last time you fasted?
Fasting is the spiritual discipline of giving something up to focus on God instead. You can give it up for a day, a week, a month, whatever. Some people do three days fasts to focus on their dependency on God.
If you need to really hear from God or need a specific answer, I suggest you fast and pray as it does help. You will gain clarity and feel closer to Christ.
Challenge this week:
Memorize the Lord’s Prayer
Not just to recite it over and over, but to remember the structure it provides. Otherwise you may be tempted to treat God like a vending machine, or just ask him for forgiveness all the time, instead of taking time to worship Him and align your life with His will for you.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever, amen.