The Lord often mentioned fasting prayer when faced with difficult situations. So when we encounter great difficulties and feel our prayers are not being heard, we should humble ourselves, fast, and pray (Ps 35:13). Fasting prayer is a form of denial of the flesh. But if we fast without a proper heart, our fast is useless (Mt 6:16–18). We should never fast just for the sake of afflicting our body. We deny our flesh to show our sincerity and desire for God’s blessing. Fasting also expresses our devotion to God. After Jesus was baptized, he fasted forty nights and days in the desert. Jesus was preparing for his ministry, but he was also preparing himself to overcome the temptations of the flesh and of Satan. We often think Jesus was superhuman, for Jesus always seemed to triumph over temptation. But do you want to know the secret? Jesus never gave into the flesh, but continued in fasting and prayer. On the other hand, Eve, being tempted by the forbidden fruit, ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, while Jesus fasted forty days and nights! Eve’s indulgence in the flesh, a seemingly minor slip, caused humankind a lasting sorrow. If we can learn to fast, we will add strength to our prayers and overcome our fleshly desires.
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