Part of the commitment to 24/7 prayer is to fast in some way. Why do that? After all, didn't God give us food to enjoy and for our nourishment? Why do without something so pleasurable and God-given?
As with any human appetite—our sexual appetite, our appetite for entertainment, for recreation, for material goods, for affirmation—we can easily get out of balance when it comes to our appetite for food. Fasting is a way to bring our appetites under control—to keep them in their proper place.
What does it mean to 'pray and fast'?
The purpose of linking fasting with prayer is that the time that would have been dedicated to whatever you've fasted from (a meal time, a TV show, time on-line) would be used for attending to God through Bible reading, prayer, and meditation.
How can I fast?
Fasting involves self-denial and may take many forms. For you, fasting from food could mean
- a liquids-only diet until noon every day for a week;
- eating nothing (liquids-only) from supper to supper (skipping breakfast, lunch, and snacks) one day a week;
- eliminating certain foods for a set period of time. One example is the Daniel fast (from Daniel, Chapter 1), which would be a "no meats, no sweets" diet for the 40 days of Lent, between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.
Can I fast from something other than food?
Whatever tends to take too high a priority in your life is something to consider fasting from—TV watching, Internet surfing, time on the phone, video games, even an all-consuming relationship or hobby. Fasting from something that takes your focus away from God can realign your priorities.
How can we set up 24/7 prayer in our church?
You find people who will staff a prayer room; a coordinating team ensures that each 1-hour time slot is filled. The prayer room, 'set apart' for the effort, can be 'wallpapered' so people can write or paint thoughts and prayers. Music and sym-bols, such as candles and bread, set the mood. People record prayer needs of the community and congregation in one journal; in a second, they record answers. Leaders offer special times for group prayer—for healing, the nation, for kids and teens to pray, and for the community.
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