Top Bible verses about prayer and fasting
The time we spend with the Lord in prayer can release the most potent force that can change history. The Bible describes many different activities of prayer, and in this article, we will treat prayer not only as a personal matter of every human but also prayer as a weapon of every believer. So we bring to you Bible verses about prayer and fasting.
Bible verses about prayer
But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you (Matthew 6: 6).
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward (Matthew 6: 5).
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Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? (Luke 11: 11-13).
- Real trust to the Lord
As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. God, who is enthroned from of old, who does not change — he will hear them and humble them, because they have no fear of God (Psalm 54: 17-18).
Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me (Mark 7: 6-7).
When we express our feelings and problems in a conversation with the Lord, it can take place in the form of:
- Worship
But I enter Your house by the abundance of Your faithful love; I bow down toward Your holy temple in reverential awe of You (Psalm 5:7).
But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him (Psalm 137: 2, John 4:23).
- Confession
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (John 1:9).
- Plea
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7).
- thanksgiving
... always for all God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:4-20).
So first of all, I ask you to pray, ask, pray, thanks for all people ...(Tim.2:1).
According to the Bible, the power of prayer is the power of God, who hears and answers. Pay attention to the following:
- The Lord is all-powerful, He can do everything, nothing is impossible for Him (Luke 1:37).
- The Lord calls His people to pray to Him. Prayer addressed to God must be raised continually (Luke 18: 1), with an expression of gratitude (Philippians 4:6), in faith (James 1:5), according to God's will (Matthew 6:10), for his glory ( John 14: 13-14), from the heart that is in harmony with Him (James 5:16).
- The Lord hears the prayers of His children. He tells us to pray and promises that he will hear us. "In my distress, I called the Lord and called to my God. And he heard my voice from his chalice, and my cry came to his ears "(Psalms 17:7).
- The Lord God answers our prayers. "I call to you, for you will hear me, O God" (Psalms 16:6). "The righteous cry, and the Lord hears them, and from all their afflictions delivers them" (Psalm 33:18).
Another popular idea is that the amount of faith we possess determines whether God will answer our prayers or not. Nevertheless, sometimes the Lord responds to our prayers, even though there is a lack of our faith. The book of Acts, chapter 12, describes how the church prayed for the release of Peter from prison (v. 5). God answered their prayers (verses 7-11). Peter went to the door of the prayer meeting and knocked, but the believers initially refused to believe that it was him. They prayed for his release, but they did not expect that the answer to their prayer would be so immediate.
The power of prayer does not come from us - these are not special words uttered by us, nor the particular way in which we pray, or the frequency with which we utter certain words. The power of prayer is not based on which side of the world our face is facing and in what position is our body. The power of prayer does not come from the use of objects or icons, candles or rosaries. The power of prayer comes from Almighty God, Who hears our prayers and answers them. Prayer binds us to the God Almighty, and we must expect powerful results, regardless of whether He gives what we ask or not. Whatever the answer to our prayers, the God Whom we pray is the source of the power of prayer, and He can, and will, answer to us according to His perfect will.
The five commandments relating to prayer
1. Always watch and pray
So keep watch at all times, and pray that you may have the strength to escape all that is about to happen and to stand before the Son of Man (Luke. 21:36, Mark 13:35,37).
2. Pray that you will not fall into temptation
Watch and pray, lest you fall into temptation: the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).
3. Pray for the workers
And he said to them, The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few; Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest, that he may send workers to his harvest (Luke 10: 2).
4. Pray for those in power
For kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. a. For kings and all who are in authority: Early Christians were often accused of undermining the state because they claimed a higher Lord other than Caesar (Timothy 2:1,2)
5. Pray for your enemies
But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:28).
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Bible verses about fasting
The Bible speaks of fasting as something good, useful, and expected. The book of Acts of the Apostles records the believers who fasted before making important decisions (Acts 13:4, 14:23). Fasting and prayer are often interconnected (Luke 2:37; 5:33). Quite often the focus of fasting is abstinence from food. Instead, the goal of fasting should be to remove from this world and, instead, concentrate on God. Fasting is a demonstration to God (and to yourself) that you are serious about the relationship with Him. Fasting helps you gain a new perspective and renew your confidence in Him.
Although fasting in the Bible is almost always accompanied by abstinence from food, there are other ways of fasting. All that you can temporarily give up to focus on God better can be considered fasting (1 Corinthians 7: 1-5). Fasting should be limited to the set time, especially if it is fasting without food.
Long periods of time without food are harmful to the body. Fasting is not meant to punish your flesh, but to concentrate on God. Fasting should also not be seen as a "dietary method." Do not fast to lose weight, but to have a deeper relationship with God. Yes, everyone can fast. Some people may not be able to fast without food (for example, diabetics), but everyone can temporarily give up something to focus their attention on God.
Turning away from this world, we can better concentrate on Christ. Fasting is not a means to make God do what we want. Fasting changes us, not God. Fasting is not a way to seem more spiritual than others. Fasting is necessary for a spirit of humility and joy. Matthew 6: 16-18 says,
Also when fasting, do not be dull as hypocrites, for they take on grim faces to appear to people fasting. Verily I say unto you, that they already receive their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, to appear fasting not before men, but before your Father, who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
The evidence of fasting we repeatedly find in the Old Testament. The tradition of fasting dates back to the Old Testament times. However, then fasting was seen, first of all, as a means to calm the wrath of God, a means to cause God's disposition to himself. A striking example of fasting undertaken in the hope of God getting rid of problems is seen in the most famous Old Testament book - the Psalter:
I was dressed in sackcloth during my illness, I exhausted my soul with fasting (Psalm 34:13).
Finally, we can mention the 40-day fast of Moses on Mount Sinai (Isaiah 34:28).
This is the fast that I have chosen: let loose the fetters of iniquity, ... strip your bread of hunger, and bring the wandering poor into the house; when you see the naked, put it on, and do not hide from your half-blooded (Isaiah 58:6-7).
And by the time of the coming into the world of our Lord Jesus Christ, fasting was beginning to be perceived in the Jewish environment only as an external ritual that distinguished the pious Jew. Already from the Fourth Gospel, from the Savior's speeches, when He rebukes the Pharisees, we understand that the Jews, fasting, often took on a mournful appearance, flaunting their lean doings.
Also, when fasting, do not be dull as hypocrites, for they take on grim faces to appear to people fasting. Verily I say unto you, that they already receive their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, to appear fasting not before men, but before your Father, who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly (Matthew 6:16-18).
Top-5 prayers of all time
Prayer is talking with God, communication of our spirit with God. This is not meditation and not a set of spells. This is a direct appeal to our Creator. Prayer can be spoken aloud or in thoughts, permanent or intermittent, with or without an occasion. In the Bible, prayer is called: supplication (Exodus 32:11); "the outpouring of the soul before the Lord" (1 Samuel 1:15); "cry to heaven" (2 Chronicles 32:20); "the search for God" (Job 8:5); "approaching the Lord" (Psalm 72:28); "by the worship of the tribes" (Ephesians 3:14).
We bring to your attention top-5 prayers of all time.
- The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our debts and we forgive
our debtors,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil,
for thine is the kingdom and the power
and the glory, forever. Amen.
Matthew 6:9-13
- Twenty-Third Psalm
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff--they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Psalms 23: 1-6
- Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith,
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light,
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
seek to be consoled as to console,
not so much to be understood as to understand,
not so much to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
it is in dying that we awake to eternal life.
St. Francis of Assisi
- The Jesus Prayer
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." There are many variants of the Jesus Prayer including, "Lord, have mercy," or just plain "Jesus, help!" Since variants of the Jesus prayer are included in the Roman Catholic Mass as well as many Protestant worship services, it has to be one of the top prayers in Christendom.
- A Table Blessing
God is great and God is Good,
And we thank God for our food;
By God's hand we must be fed,
Give us Lord, our daily bread. Amen.
Although the connection between prayer and fasting is not explicitly discussed in Holy Scripture, the common thread connecting these two concepts is seen throughout the Bible, mentioning them.
In the Old Testament, fasting is mentioned with prayer in connection with moments of need and dependence, and/or extreme helplessness in the face of an impending or expected calamity. Prayer and fasting are combined in the Old Testament during sorrow, repentance and/or deep spiritual need.
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Source: Legit.ng
