The Benefits of Fasting and Prayer – By Dr Ja Shil Choi

Benefits of Fasting and Prayer

For those who inquire as to whether fasting and
prayer may be profitable for them, I want to explain in
detail how fasting and prayer can benefit a Christian’s
life. There are many misunderstandings concerning
fasting and prayer; therefore, many do not fully
understand Its true meaning and relationship to the
Christian life.

In my capacity as director of the Full Gospel Prayer
Mountain, I often hear testimonies from those who
have discovered the meaning of fasting and prayer.
People come to the prayer mountain with many
different problems and burdens. As they fast and pray,
they. are blessed abundantly both spiritually and
physically. I rejoice in the Lord as I continually see the
victorres and grace they receive from God.

Many talk about the beneficial faith experience of
fasting and prayer, but they lack a definite
understanding as to how these benefits are received.
We are going to attempt to classify those benefits.
Through fasting and prayer we receive powerful
faith which enables us to live victoriously through the
trials and temptations that daily confront us.
Satan continually tries to destroy God’s people,
roaring as a hungry lion in search of his prey. Satan
tries to divert the energies of even faithful Christians
from the task of presenting Christ to the lost and dying
world. He brings upon us various forms of worries,
pain, and anxieties. He brings this about through
difficulties in families, anxiety and distress over
children, failure in business, slander and trickery, and
temptations and tribulations leading to disappointment, discouragement, and despair.

Though we may have overcome many such
difficulties by faith, we occasionally fail to rely
completely on Christ. Thus we stumble. Then, with
self-pity we blame God for circumstances and do not
trust His Word. Many people want to set their own
standard of living. They set natural intelligence as the
highest standard and view themselves as the highest
authority. Worse still, when any temptation or trial
comes their way they become rebellious and hostile
toward Christ.

On the other hand, the child of God realizes his
inadequacies and humbly bows before Christ, earnestly
confessing, “Lord, I am a sinner.” Deeply feeling our
weakness and unworthiness, we place ourselves
entirely at His disposal. Like Jacob of old when he
wrestled the angel beside the river Jabbok, Christians
of today must abandon their self-abilities and talents
and rely entirely upon the power of God and the
moving of the Holy Spirit in all aspects of their lives.
We can receive from God fearless faith to conquer
temptation and overcome tribulation through fasting
and prayer.

In the Bible we find that many great things were
accomplished when people fasted and prayed. Let us
especially notice the lives of those three persons who
fasted and prayed for 40 days.

Our Lord Jesus, prior to beginning His public
ministry, fasted and prayed for 40 days (Matthew 4:2).
Before receiving the Ten Commandments, Moses
fasted and prayed for 40 days (Exodus 34:28); and
Elijah, the prophet of fire, fasted 40 days and nights at
Mt. Horeb. All of these men fasted in order to
accomplish great things for God.

Their fasting generated faith to overcome sufferings,
trials, and testings; and the Holy Spirit gave power to
work miracles, heal the sick and lame, and raise the
dead.

We fast and pray with great desire for the power of
the Holy Spirit. This imparts bold, fearless courage to
do the will of God. It gives us the faith and courage to
cry out as Esther did, “If I die, I die” (Esther 4: 16). It
removes the fear of death, so that as Daniel’s three
friends before the king we can say, “Even if He does
not deliver us, we will not bow to other gods” (Daniel
3: 18). This is the motivating force that gives Christians
the faith to withstand tribulation even in martyrdom.
When we face the forces of evil, whether it be in
difficult circumstances, temptations, or the power of
the antichrist, through this powerful faith we emerge victorious.

Today there are many Christians expenencing such
power through fasting and prayer.

Many Testimonies to Follow