Things to Avoid When Fasting and Praying – When you’re trying to focus on God through prayer and fasting, there are some things you should steer clear of.
The Bible prescribes regular periods of fasting and prayer. Although weight loss is a common byproduct of fasting, you shouldn’t do it for that purpose.
In other words, fasting is unnecessary if you don’t believe that praying while fasting is a necessary spiritual discipline.
In the Old and New Testaments, the people of God use fasting and prayer to seek God’s face and what He calls them to do. Matthew 4, Esther 4, and Nehemiah 9 provide further insight into this topic.
Not eating only food means you’re starving. During a fast, a person should devote more time to God’s Words and prayers. If you don’t pair your fast with prayer, it’s just a waste of time.
Fasting and prayer can be done in several different ways, and it is up to the individual to seek God’s will by praying to know which of the many possible fasting and praying methods is best for him/her.
Among the methods are the water-only fast, the juice-only fast, the Daniel fast (during which one consumes only fruits, vegetables, and water), the media fast, etc.
Additionally, we put aside our bodily needs and seek God’s face in fervent, transformative prayer as we fast. Fasting is not a means of gaining favor with God or eradicating sin. Only the blood of Jesus can redeem us before God and wash away our sins.
Things to Avoid When Fasting and Praying
Avoiding certain things during fasting and prayers opens the way for your blessings.
No matter how committed is your fasting and prayers, if you fail to avoid these things, it will jeopardize your fasting and makes it a speck of dust before God.
Below are the things to avoid when fasting and praying:
- Avoid idolatry.
- Avoid social media contents that are unhealthy to the heart.
- Avoid uncleanness.
- Don’t try to replace food with water.
- Avoid worldly gestures and dressing.
- Don’t drink alcohol.
- Don’t forget your prayer guide for focus and direction.
- Avoid backbite.
- Avoid acidic fruits.
- Avoid envy.
- Avoid lying and stealing.
- Avoid bad conversation that promotes sins or sexual desires.
- Avoid variance and hatred.
- Don’t hold grudges, malice, or any negativity towards your neighbor.
- Avoid adultery.
- Avoid unforgiveness.
- Avoid selfish prayers.
- Avoid quarreling.
- Avoid sin in every form.
- Avoid conflict with your spouse or anyone.
- Avoid spiritual and physical opposition.
- Avoid hypocrisy.
- Avoid indiscretion to exposure to people and things.
- Avoid greediness.
- Avoid stinginess.
- Avoid jealousy.
- Don’t announce your fast.
- Avoid fornication.
- Avoid disobedience.
- Avoid heresies and seditions.
- Avoid self-pity.
- Avoid meaningless/unproductive engagements.
- Avoid weak bible study life.
- Avoid evil imagination.
- Avoid pride and anger.
- Avoid unbelief and doubt.
- Avoid breaking your fast rapidly/with hard food.
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