fasting as interceding

from the fasting as interceding reading plan


Nehemiah 1:1-2:8, Psalm 35:13, Mark 2:1-12

BY Raechel Myers

Text: Nehemiah 1:1-2:8, Psalm 35:13, Mark 2:1-12

“Is fasting ever a bribe to get God to pay more attention to the petitions? No, a thousand times no. It is simply a way to make clear that we sufficiently reverence the amazing opportunity to ask help from the everlasting God, the Creator of the Universe, to choose to put everything else aside and concentrate on worshipping, asking for forgiveness, and making our requests known – considering His help more important than anything we could do ourselves in our own strength and with our own ideas.”
– Edith Schaeffer, The Life of Prayer

Do you remember the story of the four men in Mark chapter 2 who have a paralyzed friend and want desperately to get him to Jesus? They heard He was in town and carried their buddy on a stretcher to where Jesus was, but when the house was so crowded with people that the door was completely blocked, they were not deterred. The men wanted healing for their friend, so they carried him up onto the roof, cut a hole in the roof, and lowered him into the center of the room.

First of all? I want friends like these guys! And second – their persistence paid off! Jesus forgave the man’s sins (because only Jesus knew where his greatest sickness was), and then told the man, “rise, pick up your bed and go home.”

The four men were willing to put aside all earthly sensibilities because their friend needed Jesus! And what could be more urgent than that?

Roughly 400 years earlier, I think Nehemiah was a similar friend with a similar faith. He was living a solid 800+ miles from home, selecting wines for the king of Babylon. Even though he was in exile, he was enjoying a life of prestige and influence until he received word that his people and his city had suffered a great devastation.

Like the four men in Jerusalem some 400 years later, Nehemiah’s compassion compelled him to seek the Lord on behalf of his people at any cost:

“As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven… let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants…” (Nehemiah 1:4-6)

When I think about the men who pursued Jesus tirelessly on behalf of their friend, and Nehemiah who petitioned and fasted and repented before the Lord on behalf of his people, I don’t wonder to myself, Well, sheesh, what kind of a friend am I? Instead, I remember what kind of a God I (and Nehemiah, AND the four dudes in Mark) serve! I remember that however compassionate those men were, HIS compassion is greater still! And if I serve a God of compassion who answers the persistent petitions of His people (did you see what the King let Nehemiah do in chapter 2?), I remember that I can approach the throne just as boldly, just as reverently, and with the same discipline, and be heard by the Almighty God upon whom no prayers are wasted.

Sisters, your God hears you. Let’s seek Him more and more and more today. Let’s petition Him with persistent prayer and fasting for good things for ourselves and others! Like Edith Schaeffer said, let’s “reverence the amazing opportunity to ask help from the everlasting God, the Creator of the Universe.”

signin

He is listening. The Bible tells me so!

Post Comments (59)

59 thoughts on "fasting as interceding"

  1. AnnaLee says:

    Late commenter here– I had a busy morning! But wow. I love how Nehemiah's mourning, fasting, and seeking the Lord in all these things helps do something as big as rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah pours out His whole heart before God: He mourns, fasts, confesses, He remembers how badly He's broken His covenant with the Lord, and He repents with His whole heart, relying on the Lord to take Him back and make not only Him, but his whole community new. He loves and cares about these people so much, and I think I've come close with how I feel about the school I'm currently attending. I'm praying for huge revival there, and praying for the students involves my whole heart and soul, because I've realized how much we really need it. This has shown me just how I need to submit myself fully to God so that He can use me more in this area, however he so chooses.

    PS- Today, I skipped the meal that I was supposed to for my fast… but when I got home, I basically pigged out on dinner, and then on chocolate and whatever else was in the house. I didn't have the heart I should've, and it's been hard for me to come to grips with 1) The Love of our God (just how much he LOVES me, loves us), 2) The Sovereign nature of God, and 3) Just how much I need Him. Sisters, if anyone sees this, please pray for me. It's hard to keep my heart in check, but more so, it's hard to realize that I need to trust GOD with my heart and not myself. It's hard to know the line between complacency and just trusting him; I'm over complicating it. I'm sure. Pray I'd learn to lean on Him more and more. I need Him. Goodnight, sisters.

    1. tina says:

      AnnaLee, bless you girl, you are so God filled….trust Him……
      As I was praying for you I asked for a verse to give you so you would know that our Lord is there and nearer than you think….Isaiah 54:10 says "the mountains and hills may crumble…..(you may have a blip in your fasting) but MY love for you will never end……I will keep my promise of peace…." So says the Lord who loves you…..AnnaLee God knows you by name, He knows your heart, we mess up, But God is always always there to pick us up, into loving arms of forgiveness…..trust as you lean……please stop kicking yourself, you are so God blessed….
      Praying you know that promised peace…. with love dear friend…. x xxx

  2. jaustin35 says:

    Just beautiful!!!!! I love reading about Nehemiah and the story about the four men who dig a hole in a roof to help their friend be healed by Jesus – but I have never heard the two stories be compared together…….. Very motivational to be more bold before The Lord with your prayers to Him just like Nehemiah was and I hope I can be like those four men with my friends – be that courageous and bring my friends to the feet of Jesus like they did in Mark 2……..

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