"Pastor, I'm fed up with being unemployed. I want to fast and pray until God helps me find a job."

 

Let me guess, you're hoping that if you fast and pray enough, God will magically give you a job, right? Well, it's not that simple. You see, God responds to faith. If your fasting and prayer lack faith, it's just an emotional journey. Sure, God understands your pain, but He's more likely to grant your wish if He sees your unwavering faith.

Consistent prayers are good, but they need to be rooted in faith. Remember the story of the widow and the unjust Judge? She kept bothering the Judge until he helped her. But her persistence wasn't driven by emotions; she had faith that the Judge could help her, and that's what kept her going.

Unfortunately, many Christians misunderstand the purpose of fasting. It's not just about asking for things; it's about building your faith to receive what you're asking for. Isaiah 58 sheds some light on this:

Isaiah 58:

6 Isn't this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

So, the purpose of fasting is to break free from the hold of wickedness, burdens, and oppression. But you can't achieve this with just emotional prayers and fasting; you need knowledge from above. The more you know, the stronger your faith becomes, and the easier it is to overcome challenges.

You see, oppression is a legal hold that Satan has over you. No amount of fasting and prayer will break it unless you understand your rights in Christ. That's why verse 8 talks about light breaking forth and healing appearing quickly. Revelation is the key to receiving your breakthrough without delay.

During fasting, don't just pray emotionally; seek revelation from God's Word. Study books related to your situation until you gain insight, then pray with that revelation. Prayer without revelation is like shooting in the dark; it's ineffective. And if you need more guidance on fasting, check out my book "FASTING TO GET RESULTS."

I hope this helps someone understand the true purpose of fasting and prayer.

Remain blessed, in Jesus' name!