Continuing the TOP TEN list from a previous post...
5. Let Others Know You Are Praying For Them - I try to use this week of prayer as an outreach opportunity. So if you have been building a friendship with someone who has not yet chosen to follow Christ, tell them that you want to pray for their needs this week.
I say something like this..."My church is having a week of prayer and fasting. I would like to include you in my prayer seasons. Is there anything specific about which I can pray for you?
6. Use Your Hunger To Drive You - One of the benefits of a fast is the obvious pains of our appetites. When I feel hungry, I thank God for the physical reminder of my need for Him. I use my hunger pains as prayer-moment prompters.
7. Tune Your Ear - The loudness of my fleshly appetites makes it a little easier to discern the difference between the promptings of my flesh and the leadings of the Spirit. So do the things that prepare your spiritual ear to hear: quiet reflection, meditation on Bible promises, worship.
8. When Fatigued Choose Worship - Sometimes I feel sluggish during a fast and it is more difficult to pray for prayer requests. When I get to feeling weary, I just put on a CD and worship. My focus is on enjoying God and letting Him enjoy me back. It's also important to get plenty of rest - When not eating, I get physically tired quicker. So I look for opportunities for a good nap. I try to get to bed a little earlier and rest longer.
9. Journal, Journal, Journal - This may be the most important item in this list of ten. Take time to write out what God is saying to you during this season. Write out what God reveals to you about specific Biblical promises. Write out what you sense the Holy Spirit is saying to you. This will be so meaningful to you after the fast is complete. It is a record of God's revelation in your life.
10. Run Through The Finish Line - The closer you get to the end of the fast, the more tempting it is to eat. So set sites on when you will end your fast. Push yourself to run through the tape. Don't end early. It feels so much better to know you went the whole way through.
Recent Comments