Home  /  Experience  /  Prayers  /  November 13.2013 – Prayer & Fasting

As we engage in prayer and fasting this Wednesday 13.11.2013 I want to encourage all participants to spent some time in the 7th chapter of 1 Samuel.  This chapter gives us a good base or pattern to follow during this time of fasting and prayer.

Call the Body Together

  • 1 Samuel 7:5 KJV  And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
  • When a Church comes together to fast, then God will answer the corporate prayer and fasting effort.
  • He was unifying their mind, heart, and vision into one.
  • 1 Sam 7:3 - Real repentance will always have some action with it.
  •  True repentance requires that some things be “put away.”

Demonstrate True Repentance:

  • 1 Samuel 7:2 …and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

Separate from Secret Sin

  • Four thoughts come from this portion of the fast:

Have Corporate Confession of Sin

  • Numbers 14:40
  • Numbers 21:7
  • Jeremiah 14:7
  • Daniel 9:5

Acknowledge the Power of the Word

  • Under Jacob:  Genesis 35:1-4.
  • Under Samuel:  1 Samuel 7:3-6.  …putting away of false gods -prepare heart to receive the work of the Spirit.
  • Under Moses:  Exodus 14:31-15:21.  complainers turned into worshipers.  Pharoah’s armies destroy in the Red Sea.  On the other side of the sea, revival broke out.
  • Under David:  1 Chronicles 15:25-28; 16:1-43; 29:10-25.  Ark was returned from the Philistines and brought into Jerusalem for the very first time.

Key Sacred Symbols in 1 Samuel 7

  • Fasting from Food  --  The outer demonstration of fasting can reflect the inner desire of the heart.
  • Sacrificing to God -- Two offerings are made by Samuel.
  1. The first was a blood sacrifice (1 Samuel 7:6) offered by Samuel.
  2. The second – sacrifice made by the people –- (1 Sam. 7:6) Water was valuable to them.

When we fast many spiritual forces are set into action.  We usually do not see these actions taking place but fasting puts the power of God to work and it very often agitates the power of the devil.  There are several things that can be done on your part to encourage the work of God and discourage the work of the devil.

  • Ask forgiveness from someone.
  • Get involved in some form of service or act of kindness.
  • Increase your efforts at consistently attending the house of God.
  • Commit long passages of Scripture to your memory.
  • Make some form of restitution to someone (to those you may have hurt) or restore some thing (to those whom you may have taken something from).
  • Spend time at church alone with God.
  • Witness to someone with the intent of winning them to Christ.
  • Get involved in consistently mentoring someone younger than you who needs your assistance.
  • Begin tithing and offering to God what He has given to you.

As we invest our efforts in activities like those just mentioned, we will be able to find that there are points of victory in our lives and in the Church.

1 Samuel 7:10 KJV  …but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.