“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18, NIV)
Who doesn’t want to be free? The good news is that we have this freedom in Christ, and we can claim it with confidence. Yet, freedom often comes with a price. Christ paid the price for us and as his disciples, it is time to act in obedience, motivated by love. Dallas Willard said, “Spiritual transformation into Christ-likeness is not going to happen unless we act. . . . What transforms us is the will to obey Jesus Christ.”[1]
When Moses met with the Lord on Mt. Sinai, he came back with his face glowing. He had to put a veil over it as it was so radiant (see Exodus 34). Something happens to us when we enter into the presence of God through prayer and fasting.
Transformation Over Time Through Prayer and Fasting
As we enter God’s presence through prayer and fasting, we are actually being transformed. We are undergoing a metamorphosis. Scripture tells us that when we become Christians, we are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). In our lifelong journey of sanctification, we are constantly being made into the image of Christ. Our lives should reflect that. Have you ever known a true Christ follower whom you admire and respect?
Have you asked yourself why you respect that person of faith? I bet it is because Jesus is reflected in their lives. They are like a projection of Christ. They have become spiritual fruit producers of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23 NIV). Who does not desire these in their life? I have not met a Christ follower or seeker who does not genuinely want these fruits in their life. This fruitfulness in turn naturally flows to others.
If you desire this as well, then focus your attention on fasting and prayer.
“As we enter God’s presence through prayer and fasting, we are actually being transformed. We are undergoing a metamorphosis.”
A Word of Caution
Here is a word of caution: When you start to regularly fast, your heart’s motivations and true self start to come out. Sometimes it is good, sometimes bad, and it can even be just plain ugly. There have been times when I have been fasting but have gotten distracted by life or work and gotten quite irritable with the people around me. I lost my Christ-centered purpose. When I realized what I was doing (because the Holy Spirit always seems to remind me), I humbled myself, repented, and asked for forgiveness.
I believe fasting shows us chinks in our armor and reveals places in our lives where we need to surrender and be transformed. I have to ask myself, Am I reflecting Jesus? Am I doing his will? Am I living in his power? If I am not, then it is time to refocus, offer necessary amends, and get back to the task at hand which is prayer and listening to the voice of God.
God has done a couple of important things in those moments. First, he has humbled me and changed my heart. Second, in the same moment, he has reminded me of my identity which is rooted in him, and that I am called to love him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love my neighbor as myself (Luke 10:27). Once these reminders settle in, the veil begins to lift! My prayer life becomes more real and thus more effective and I become thankful once again.
“I believe fasting shows us chinks in our armor and reveals places in our lives where we need to surrender and be transformed.”
Prayer, Fasting, and Peace
It is an anxious age. Yet God tells us in his Word not to be anxious about anything, but in everything, to petition him and pray with thanksgiving. Guess what happens when we do this? We are given great peace which transcends human understanding. It guards our hearts and our minds, and is rooted in our Lord Jesus (Philippians 4:6-8). When we fast, this peace comes into our lives as we surrender to God’s power. Trust God and enter his peace!
Getting back to Dallas Willard’s point: “Spiritual transformation into Christlikeness is not going to happen unless we act.” The spiritual disciplines such as prayer and fasting (among others) are given to position us for success.
It is much like the child who has a school project due and has no idea how to proceed. After some time, that child goes to their parent and asks for help. The parent then gladly accepts the challenge and with the life experience and knowledge that the parent has along with their resources, they lay out a plan to help their child succeed. They are motivated out of love for their child. The parent and child spend valuable time together and produce a stellar project that they both can be proud of. It is the same with our heavenly Father. He loves us and wants the best for us. He wants to help us, especially when we align our will with his.
“When we fast, this peace comes into our lives as we surrender to God’s power.”
This is what God’s Word says about effective prayer:
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So, if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” (Matthew 7:7-11, NLT)
When we just do it and act, we start to see the hand of God work in areas of our life like we’ve never seen before.
Prayer & Fasting Isn’t Just for Us
As much as prayer and fasting help transform us, we’ve got to remember they are not just about us.
In the Bible, we see many reasons people fasted and prayed. We see it practiced when God’s help was needed, or to avert his wrath, when asking for protection, requesting deliverance, seeking his will, asking for power to drive out demons, during times of distress, and when seeking his blessings. We also see that fasting and prayer were used when appointing elders/leaders.
Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he gave us the Great Commission in Matthew 28 to make disciples of all nations. This is the mission of church! We are to be disciples who make disciples who, in turn, go and make more disciples, spreading the good news of Jesus and the kingdom of God. Here is the kicker. We cannot do it on our own power. We will fail and be ineffective. We will be spinning our wheels.
“We cannot make disciples on our own power. We will fail and be ineffective. We will be spinning our wheels.”
Jesus himself went off alone to pray all night to choose his disciples. We should do the same. We can ask God how we can partner with him and be used to bring him and the Lord Jesus great honor and glory. When we tap into the Spirit through prayer and fasting, we are given clarity. We are given courage. We are given resolve.
[1] Dallas Willard, The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship (New York: HarperCollins, 2006), 57, 65-66.
Excerpted from Michael Eagle, Prayer and Fasting: Group Discussion Guide.
