Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. (Acts 13.1-4 NIV)
“Fasting along with our prayer requests is not some kind of magic bullet to ensure the answer we want… nor is it a manipulative device. We fast because a condition arises—what we are calling the sacred moment—that leads us to desire something deeply. We fast because our plea is so intense that in the midst of our sacred desire eating seems sacrilegious. A body plea occurs when the unified person gives himself or herself wholly to God to plead for something or someone… Fasting can be a way for the unified person to turn to God to plead with God completely.” (S. McKnight, Fasting, p. 49)
Prayer: Lord, we want to make ourselves completely available to you. Use us and include us in your plans—your plans to bring about salvation to our cities, schools, communities. We plead with you, Lord, bring revival! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Let’s sing “The Secret Place” by Phil Wickham (AMC MT with P. Jason from Sunday 7/11/21) – click here
–JP