Fasting Prayer

1. The Effect of Fasting Prayer.

Case 1 : King Xerxes honored Haman, elevating him with a seat of honor higher than all the other nobles. All the royal officials at the king's gate except Mordecai, knelt down and paid honor to Haman. Mordecai's bold behavior enraged Haman, who then threatened to wipe out Mordecai's people, the Jews. This was when Queen Esther sent a message to Mordecai "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me..."

This fasting took effect as fate took a sharp U-turn: Haman was killed, the Jews were esteemed and for a sweeter ending to the story, Mordecai was made second in rank to King Xerxes. (Book of Esther Chp3-10)

Case 2 : BC 458, during the 7th year of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra was permitted by the King. to leave Babylon(1st day of 1st month) for Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month. (Ezra 7:1,6-10) As his team set feet on Ahava Canal, Ezra proclaimed a fast; on the 12th day of the first month, they set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. (Ezra 8:21,31)

Why the fast? Before Ezra was a staggering number of 1,500 men(Ezra 8:1-14). Women and kids would sum up to 5,000 people. Their journey from Babylon to Jerusalem is 1000km which spent a duration of 4 months. (Ezra 7:8-9) Things could go terribly wrong with so immense a congregation and so long a journey.

Besides, in their possession was a large amount of silver and gold and the articles...etc. (Ezra 8:24-30) Ezra didn't trouble the king by requesting soldiers for protection instead he told the king that God would grant them peace throughout the journey.(Ezra 8:21-22)

Safe and sound was the journey, there we have the quiet efficacy of fasting(Ezra 8:23,31-32)

Case 3 - After the baptism of Jesus, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. (Lk 4:1-2; Mt 4:1-2) Despite the gripping hunger, Jesus triumphed thrice against the devil. Jesus was well-versed enough with the scriptures to understand what it takes to win(Lk 4:4,8,12 ; Deut 8:3, 6:13,16)

(Lk 4:14) 40 days and nights' fasting hadn't come to waste.

You may think Jesus is a God who doesn't need food for 40days. But hey, as the Word became flesh(Jn 1:14,1), or "He appeared in a body"(1Tim 3:16)with a divine nature(Ro 9:5); He had became a man, bound with "Human Weakness"(Heb 4:15, 5:7-8) Fasting and prayer didn't come easy, but the reward was great spiritual strength.

According to the book "I see God with my naked eyes"(3rd collection of SoonDao) pages 20-50, the writer witnessed God's wonders n miracles. Until now there are 14 great wonders n miracles 6 of them were a result of fasting. I saw God through these testimonies and believe in the power of fasting.

2.When do we need Fasting and Prayer?

As above-mentioned, fasting came to counter a great trouble by pleading God for a quick solution; or that there was a responsibility just as the following:

1. If Queen Esther attempted what she did, there was a huge risk where the king might be provoked. She needed assurance, and it was through fasting. All the Jews were gathered to fast and pray, and they were saved.

2. With thousands of followers in his leadership, Ezra couldn't go on without a fast. He had a heavy responsibility to bear, and he knew what is the best guarantee.

3. Jesus had descended to fulfill the law by completing the salvation plan. And He had to first face the devil head-on! To overcome the 3 temptations, He fasted.

4. I fast when I have problems to which I have no solutions. I have faith that God would shower me mercy and guidance.

More biblical evidences about Fasting:

1. (Mt 17:14-21) A boy was possessed with a horrifying demon which drove him into the fire or into the water. There was no way the disciples could heal him. With a sharp rebuke, seemingly easy, Jesus drove the demon out. “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” Jesus replied, “this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

2. “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” proclaimed Prophet Jonah, on behalf of an enraged God over the overwhelming wickedness of the city. Fortunately, the Ninevites repentantly declared a fast, prayed and covered themselves with sackcloth in sorrow for sin. God never shuns away the repentant, and spared the catastrophe. (Jonah 1:1-2, 3:4-10)

3. Prophets and teachers in Antioch church were worshiping the Lord and fasting. When they reached communion with God, they could even hear the voice of the Holy Spirit saying, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." (Acts 13:1-2)

This teaches us to have deeper ties with God by zealously serving God and fasting.

"The word which I have called them" in verse 2 refers to evangelizing to Gentiles. Faced with such pressure of a heavy task, they fasted before being sent off.

This record of the apostolic church explains how we should first fast and ask God open the door of gospel (Col 4:3), before "laying hands on them" and "sending them off".

3. The Correct Way of Fasting

(i) DO NOT EAT OR DRINK

(Est 4:16, Jonah 3:7) Moses trudged up Mount Sinai without food and drink for 40 days and nights. (Deut 9:9) despite the tedious climb, he was powerful enough to lift 2 stone tablets, emerging with a radiant face before the Israelites upon his return. (Exo 34:1,28-30)

Testimony: An old Dns. Anna in Taipei Church just couldn't manage her temper well. It was like a genetic disorder where her temper was bad since young. Determined to reverse her "natural behaviour" she fasted every morning. And this led to a blessed fruition.

From what i know, she would never eat before 12pm everyday, not even 1 minute earlier. She continued this practice for years,with just 2 meals everyday she still enjoyed long life, passing away at the age of 106 without sickness!

Coincidentally with the Scriptures, before the glorious birth of baby Jesus, there was a female prophet named Anna who lived with her husband seven years after her marriage and was made a widow until she was 84. She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying. (Lk 2:36-38) footnote states, "widow for 84 years" which adds up to a total of more than 100 years old.

Fasting even gave them long life. "man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."(Mt 4:4)

(ii) Be Consistent

despite work or studies. Do not change our routine of prayer. and fasting easily. Prayer and fasting must come in full, never lose the balance. Remember that the busiest of times, the most crucial are our prayers.

(iii) Humility in prayer and fasting.

At Ahava Canal, Ezra proclaimed fasting and he taught the right attitude "...humble ourselves before our God". Don't force God to answer our prayers. This is never a trade or exchange.

(iv) Shhh! Stay hidden

"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting... 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 men that you are fasting,.... your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."(Mt 6:16-18)

A hypocritical self-promotion is vanity and these hypocrites "have received their reward in full". Reward they wanted was only praises.

禁食禱告

1. 禁食禱告的功效如何？

亞哈隨魯王抬舉哈曼，使他高升，超過一切臣宰。在朝門的一切臣僕，都遵從王的吩咐，跪拜哈曼，惟獨末底改不跪不拜。哈曼就怒氣填胸，計劃滅絕末底改的同族猶大人。王后以斯帖吩咐人告訴末底改說：「你當去招聚書珊城所有的猶大人，為我禁食三晝三夜，不吃不喝；我和我的宮女，也要這樣禁食。然後，我違例進去見王。」

結果，情勢逆轉，哈曼被殺，猶大人大得尊榮，末底改高升為宰相（《以斯帖記》第三章至第十章）。這是禁食禱告發生功效，一個非常明顯的實例。

公元前458年，即波斯王亞達薛西第七年，文士以斯拉得著王的准許，正月初一日從巴比倫起程，五月初一日抵達耶路撒冷。以斯拉返國的主要目的是，「立志考究遵行耶和華的律法，又將律例典章教訓以色列人。」（拉七1、6-10）。當這批返國的旅行團到了亞哈瓦河邊的時候，以斯拉便向隨從他的會眾宣告禁食；正月12日，他們又從亞哈瓦河邊起行，要往耶路撒冷去（拉八21、31）。

以斯拉之所以覺得他必須向會眾宣告禁食禱告，乃因隨從他的會眾，只算男丁就有1,500人（拉八1-14）；如果將婦女和小孩子都加算在內，總數可能有五千人。而從巴比倫到耶路撒冷，全程一千幾百公里，歷時四個月才能抵達（拉七8-9）；如此眾多的會眾，長途跋涉，會不會發生什麼意外，確實令人擔心。

除此之外，他們要帶返耶路撒冷去獻給聖殿的金銀、金器、銀器和銅器等，不計其數，價值更是難以估計（拉八24-30）；況且以斯拉已經對王說過，神必施恩，使他們一路平安，而未求王派遣軍隊保護他們。職是之故，以斯拉必須帶領會眾禁食禱告，求神保佑，使他們得著平坦的道路（拉八21-22）。

結果，神應允他們的禁食祈求，救他們脫離仇敵和路上埋伏之人的手，使他們平安到了耶路撒冷（拉八23、31-32）。這是禁食禱告確實有效，另一個振奮人心的見證。

主耶穌受了洗，從約但河回來，被聖靈引到曠野，四十天受魔鬼的試探。那些日子沒有吃什麼（禁食四十晝夜）；日子滿了，他就餓了（路四1-2；太四1-2）。然後，連勝三次魔鬼的試探。原因是，他除了熟悉聖經，隨時都可以引證經文來擊退魔鬼之外（路四4、8、12；申八3，六13、16）。

更重要的是，他「滿有聖靈的能力」（路四14），由「禁食禱告四十晝夜」而得著的能力。這就是說，主耶穌雖然是「道成肉身」（約一14、1），或說「神在肉身顯現」的救主（提前三16），具有神性（羅九5）；但既然成為人來，就有「人性的軟弱」（來四15，五7-8），所以必須藉著禁食禱告來領取上頭的能力，才能戰勝魔鬼的一切試探。何況我們呢？

拙著《我親眼看見神》（順道文集之三）21-50頁，筆者見證神在我家裏所顯明的神蹟奇事，到目前為止，共有14件；其中有六件是經禁食禱告，蒙神憐憫而得到的恩典。這些信仰上的體驗，不但讓我覺得我親眼看見了神；同時也使我深信不疑，禁食禱告真的是很有功效的。

2.什麼情況下需要禁食禱告？

由上面第一題所敘述的例子可知，他們之所以要禁食禱告，乃因面臨極大的困難，急待解決；或身負重大的任務，非完成不可之緣故。諸如：（1）王后以斯帖之所以要所有的猶大人都與她同心禁食，乃為了拯救她的同族，她必須孤注一擲，違例去見王。（2）文士以斯拉之所以要向會眾宣告禁食，乃因身負重大的任務，必須將隨從他的會眾，以及要獻給聖殿的一切財物，都順利帶到耶路撒冷去。（3）主耶穌之所以要禁食四十晝夜，乃為要戰勝撒但的試探，以及成全律法，實現神救贖普世罪人的計畫，他必須得著來自上頭的能力。（4）我之所以要禁食，則因屢次遭遇患難，無法解決，必須求神憐憫我的軟弱，施恩給我。

除了上述這些例子之外，下列的情況也需要禁食禱告，懇求神應允：

有一個孩子患了癲癇病，屢次跌在火裏或水裏，非常痛苦。他的父親把他帶到主的門徒那裏，他們卻不能醫治他。主耶穌斥責那鬼，鬼就出來，孩子也就痊愈了。門徒暗暗的到主耶穌跟前，問他說：「我們為什麼不能趕出那鬼呢？」主說：「這一類的鬼，若不禱告禁食，牠就不出來。」（太十七14-21）。

尼尼微城惡貫滿盈，神差遣約拿先知去向他們傳警告說：「再等四十日，尼尼微必傾覆了！」尼尼微人信服神，便宣告禁食，切切求告神；並且披上麻布，為罪哀傷，徹底悔改。因此，蒙神憐憫，得以倖免空前的浩劫（拿一1-2，三4-10）。

「在安提阿的教會中，有幾位先知和教師……。他們事奉主，禁食的時候，聖靈說：『要為我分派巴拿巴和掃羅，去作我召他們所作的工。』」（徒十三1-2）。這段經文中的「事奉」（leitourgeO），原指祭司在聖殿裏辦理聖事（來十11），到了新約時代便轉用為「崇拜」了。

當安提阿的教會中，五位先知和教師正在舉行「崇拜聚會」，並禁食的時候；也就是說，他們與主的「靈交」達到最高峰的時候，他們聽見了聖靈的聲音。這件事所要傳給我們的信息是，有時候為了與主做更深入的靈交，我們也可以禁食禱告，虔誠地事奉主。

「於是禁食禱告，按手在他們頭上，就打發他們去了。」（徒十三3）。在第二節那段經文中記載，聖靈說：「要為我分派巴拿巴和掃羅，去作我召他們所作的工。」所謂「我召他們所作的工」，就是要到外邦去傳福音。惟因這是世界傳道的開端，任務非常艱鉅，所以他們就先禁食禱告，求神同工，才按手差派他們去了。

原始教會這段歷史提醒我們，當我們要差派工人去做開拓工作之時，如果先禁食禱告，求神給我們打開傳道的門（西四3），才按手差派他們，則效果必定更好。

3.正確的禁食禱告方法如何？

聖經上所說的「禁食」是，連水都不喝（斯四16）。《約拿書》第三章第五節只說「宣告禁食」，似乎沒有「禁飲」，但第七節卻說「不可喝水」；由此可知，「禁食」是包括「不喝水」的。最奇妙的是，摩西上了西乃山，在耶和華那裏四十晝夜，既不吃飯，也不喝水（申九9）。

如此長期斷絕飲食，摩西竟然不但精力充沛，可以將兩塊法版（石版）拿到山下，而且面皮發光，令以色列會眾不敢挨近他（出三十四1、28-30）。這是一種神蹟，我們難以想像。

若要禁食一天，就要等到次日才進食。若是早上禁食，則要等到中午才進食。從前台北教會有一位看會堂的老姊妹，叫亞拿執事。她曾對我說過，年輕的時候，她的脾氣好大，容易動怒，卻苦於無法自制。為了求主改變她的壞脾氣，她便決心每天早上都禁食禱告。後來，果然蒙主應允，可以克制裕如了。

據我所知，她每天非到中午12點正，必不進食，即使早一分鐘都不要。如此經歷數十年的歲月，她天天只吃兩餐，卻得享長壽，活到106歲才無疾而終！很巧，主耶穌剛剛降生沒幾天，那位指著他說預言的女先知，也叫亞拿。聖經說：「她從作童女出嫁的時候，同丈夫住了七年，就寡居了。現在已經八十四歲，並不離開聖殿，禁食祈求，晝夜事奉神。」（路二36-38）。37節的細體字注明，或作「就寡居了八十四年」；《現代中文譯本》也註明，或譯「已經寡居八十四年」。如果這樣翻譯才對，則她當時已經一百多歲了。

台北教會的亞拿執事長期禁食禱告，竟然活到一百多歲；聖經中的女先知亞拿也是長期禁食禱告，並且也活到一百多歲。這兩件巧合的事，使我想到主耶穌在禁食四十晝夜之後，所說的一句話：「人活著不是單靠食物，乃是靠神口裏所出的一切話。」（太四4）。主的話一點兒也沒錯，我深信不疑；我既往七年半，以及內人三十多年的禁食禱告，使我如此深刻地體會。

需要時刻提醒自己的是，若要做長期性的禁食禱告，則千萬不要形式化。所謂「形式化」，就是有時候工作特別忙碌，或身心過度疲憊，便忽略了禱告；如此只有禁食而不迫切禱告，甚至沒有禱告，是毫無意義的。因此，既然要長期禁食，便要下定決心，排除萬難，抽空禱告；記得你最忙最累的時候，乃是你最需要禱告的時候。

除此之外，在禁食禱告的過程中，「心態」的問題也非常重要。那麼神所喜悅的心態，究竟是什麼？下列的個案和經訓給予我們一個明確的指引，就是謙卑。當以色列的旅行團從巴比倫起程，來到亞哈瓦河邊的時候，文士以斯拉便向會眾宣告禁食。

後來，以斯拉描述他當時的心態說：「在我們神面前克苦己心」（拉八21）。《現代中文譯本》譯為：「在我們上帝面前謙卑」；《思高譯本》譯為：「在我們的天主前自謙自卑」；日本《文語體譯本》和《口語體譯本》，都譯為：「在我們神面前自卑」。由這幾種譯本的譯文看來，也許將「克苦己心」譯為「謙卑」比較恰當。

第一、「克苦己心」是什麼？其含意很模糊，令人費解。第二、以斯拉當時身負重任，路上什麼意外都可能發生，因而看清楚了自己的軟弱和無助，所以在神面前謙卑乃是理所當然的心態。第三、禁食並不是強迫神垂聽我們的祈求之手段，更不是與神之間的交易條件──以禁食換取神的應允；禁食應該只有一個很單純的動機，就是求神體恤我們的困境，憐憫我們的軟弱。以斯拉當然明白這項真理，所以當他向會眾宣告禁食，而跪在神面前禱告的時候，他的心態必定是極其謙卑的。

主耶穌曾教訓門徒說：「你們禁食的時候，不可像那假冒為善的人，臉上帶著愁容；……故意叫人看出他們是禁食；……他們已經得了他們的賞賜。你禁食的時候，……不叫人看出你禁食來，……你父在暗中察看，必然報答你。」（太六16-18）。

「故意叫人看出他們是禁食」，之所以要這樣，無非是想要讓眾人知道，他們事奉神是多麼地虔誠。顯然，他們的禁食並不是因為內心有迫切的需求，而不過是把禁食當作一種自我宣傳的手段而已。這種動機不純，存心要誇耀自己的禁食，是毫無價值的。

「他們已經得了他們的賞賜」，是什麼賞賜呢？就是眾人的稱讚，他們所期待的。言外之意是，凡故意叫人看出他們正在禁食的人，都無法得著天父的賞賜。因此，下面緊接著說，你禁食的時候，不要叫人看出你禁食來；如果這樣，則天父在暗中察看，必然報答你。

歸結上列的詮述，正確的禁食禱告方法是：（1）在禁食的期間內，必須完全斷絕飲食。（2）千萬不要形式化，即使再忙再累，也要恆切禱告。（3）當在神面前謙卑，懇求神體恤我們的困境，憐憫我們的軟弱。

http://www.joy.org.tw/holyspirit.asp?num=995