TEXT: ACTS 10:30
[30] And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
Discussion
Today’s devotional is focused on fasting and prayer. Fasting and prayer are very crucial to living a victorious Christian life. Jesus said that there are some wicked spirits that cannot be conquered without fasting and prayer (Mark 9:29). If fasting were not important, Jesus would not have fasted. The Bible says that Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. Moses also fasted for forty days. There is something about fasting that makes prayer more powerful.
Fasting means a period of abstinence from food and other pleasures in order to concentrate on what is important to us. By adding prayer and worship to fasting, we make our prayers more powerful. Fasting has been scientifically proven to be beneficial to the body, but adding prayer to fasting makes it both physically and spiritually beneficial.
Our Bible text today talks about a man called Cornelius. Cornelius was fasting and praying when an angel appeared to him in the form of a man in bright clothing and told him that his prayers and alms had come up as a remembrance before God. Therefore, Cornelius’s fasting and prayer drew the attention of heaven to him, and God had to bring Peter’s attention to Cornelius. His fasting and prayer touched the heavens, and the heavens had to put Peter under instructions to go to his house.
There are different types of fasting. There is absolute fasting and partial fasting. Absolute fasting is abstaining from food and water for a number of days, while partial fasting is abstaining from food until a certain time of the day.
Four Things to Note About Fasting
1. Fast with wisdom
This simply means that you should not fast blindly. Whether you are on an absolute or partial fast, keep an eye on your body at all times. It is advisable to stay hydrated during fasting. We are not fasting to die; we are fasting to pray.
2. Fast and pray
Many people fast but do not pray. Structure specific prayer times into your fasting.
3. Fast, pray, and give
It is important to add giving and sowing to fasting, just as Cornelius did. The angel mentioned that Cornelius’s alms had been remembered. His giving was part of what God remembered (Acts 10:31).
4. Fast with focus
Avoid distractions during fasting. Some people fast but then spend all their time on social media. That is not good enough. We have to focus on the reason for the fast and wait on the Lord for His instructions or intervention.
We have four months left before 2026 comes to an end. Everything God has promised us this year shall be delivered in Jesus’ name. Let us contend to see the manifestation through prayer and fasting.
I shall hear your testimony in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Declarations:
I shall wait on the Lord in Fasting and prayer and I shall see the manifestation of Gods promises come to pass in my life in Jesus’ name.
Light Up Christian Fellowship
