William Secker, a 17th Century Puritan Pastor, offered this excellent insight into prayer and fasting, "By fasting, the body learns to obey the soul; by praying the soul learns to command the body."
When the disciples could not stay awake in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus succinctly described the disciples' problem with the words, "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." Their spirit had expressed a desire to pray but their flesh was too weak to accommodate their spirit's willingness to pray. The weakness of the flesh persists even to this day.
However, when it comes to fasting, it seems like the opposite is sometimes true. You, like I, may have discovered that the spirit is willing but the flesh is strong. The flesh demands to be given what it wants. The strength of the flesh threatens, and sometimes succeeds in its ability, to overpower our spirit. Fasting demands that a willing spirit takes authority over a flesh that can be remarkably strong.
A great Scripture for your spirit to affirm daily is "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." The Spirit of Christ can give strength to the flesh during the time of prayer and to the spirit during the time of fasting.
Pray with me, "Thank you, Lord Jesus, for this opportunity to spend these days in prayer and fasting. I welcome your Holy Spirit to rise up within me and give strength to my body when my flesh is weak and weary in prayer. I welcome your Holy Spirit to empower my spirit to withstand every demand of my body in the time of fasting. I am determined to experience victory and blessing during this time of prayer and fasting, through Jesus Christ, my Lord.
When the disciples could not stay awake in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus succinctly described the disciples' problem with the words, "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." Their spirit had expressed a desire to pray but their flesh was too weak to accommodate their spirit's willingness to pray. The weakness of the flesh persists even to this day.
However, when it comes to fasting, it seems like the opposite is sometimes true. You, like I, may have discovered that the spirit is willing but the flesh is strong. The flesh demands to be given what it wants. The strength of the flesh threatens, and sometimes succeeds in its ability, to overpower our spirit. Fasting demands that a willing spirit takes authority over a flesh that can be remarkably strong.
A great Scripture for your spirit to affirm daily is "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." The Spirit of Christ can give strength to the flesh during the time of prayer and to the spirit during the time of fasting.
Pray with me, "Thank you, Lord Jesus, for this opportunity to spend these days in prayer and fasting. I welcome your Holy Spirit to rise up within me and give strength to my body when my flesh is weak and weary in prayer. I welcome your Holy Spirit to empower my spirit to withstand every demand of my body in the time of fasting. I am determined to experience victory and blessing during this time of prayer and fasting, through Jesus Christ, my Lord.
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