Fasting and Prayer By Os Hillman

"So, after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off" (Acts 13:2).


There are times in our lives when major decisions require a concerted effort to press into the heart of God. In Acts, chapter 13 we find a situation in which the disciples were worshiping during a time of fasting. During this time God spoke to them with some specific instructions. It was a strategic time in the church in which Barnabas and Saul were being set apart for the work God had called them. Fasting was an important aspect of hearing from God.

Angie and I have often set aside times of fasting and prayer whenever a major decision has to be made. Fasting is a physical demonstration to God that we are serious about wanting an answer. It allows us to be totally focused on the issue at hand. The physical aspects of fasting contribute to our mind being more in tune with the spiritual dimensions of life.

In 1997, before I was married to Angie, I was troubled over where I was in my life. It seemed nothing was moving forward. I was struggling with whether to rebuild my advertising agency, or focus on the new calling God seemed to be raising up. I assumed my fast would be a few days. However, as each day went by I did not feel I was getting direction. I extended it for a few more days. By the time I was on my fourteenth day I decided to fast for forty days.

It just so happened that the last day of my forty day fast was the first day of a conference I had planned to attend months earlier. That night an intercessor from South Africa came forward with a word of prophecy for someone in the audience. The minute he read his words, I knew they were directed at me because the scripture verse he used had been a passage that God has used consistently in my life during my journey recently.

The next time you have an important decision to make, consider setting aside a time of fasting and prayer to gain clarity on your decision.

Source:  Fasting and Prayer