by the vision ; it was beyond understanding ” ( Daniel 8:27 ). Daniel 9:3 explains his efforts to find it . “ So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition , in fasting , and in sackcloth and ashes prayed to the Lord my God and confessed .” As he did , God sent the angel Gabriel with a message . “ He instructed me and said to me , ‘ Daniel , I have now come to give your insight and understanding . As soon as you began to pray , a word went out , which I have come to tell you , for you are highly esteemed . Therefore , consider the word and understand the vision ” ( Daniel 9:22,23 ). Like Daniel , we can turn to fasting and prayer to receive understanding beyond our abilities to comprehend . A fasting prayer for seeking God ’ s understanding and wisdom : Dear Father , All praise , honor , and glory belong to you , our immortal , invisible , only true and living God . You are the revealer of all mysteries and the source of all wisdom and knowledge . In you are all the secrets of the universe , yet you grant us to know the mysteries of your kingdom . You reveal the deep things of the darkness and bring utter darkness into light . Thank You for hearing us when we pray and for giving us understanding when we ask you . For sending your word to us and entrusting us with your truth . We praise you for revealing the true knowledge of God ’ s mystery , Christ Himself , in whom are hidden are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge . Like you responded to Daniel , Lord , send Your word to give us understanding . In Jesus name , Amen
3 . A fasting prayer for resisting temptation : All of us face temptation in life . Even Jesus was tempted in the wilderness and is our example of how to face it . Matthew 4:1,2 describes , “ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil . After fasting forty days and forty nights , He was hungry .” Like Satan tempted Eve in the garden with food ( Genesis 3:1-3 ), he first tempted Jesus with food , too . “ The tempter came to Him and said , ‘ If you are the Son of God , tell these stones to become bread .’ Jesus answered , ‘ It is written ; “ Man shall not live on bread alone , but on every word that comes from the mouth of God ’” ( Matthew 4:3-4 ). Although Eve could eat from every tree in the garden except one in order to obey God , ( Genesis 3:2 ), she gave into temptation and ate from it ( Genesis 3:6 ). Unlike Eve who had plenty to eat , Jesus was without food in the wilderness . Yet , through fasting and obeying God ’ s word , He resisted temptation and defeated the scheme of the evil one . A fasting prayer for resisting temptation :
Dear Father , You are a righteous , holy , and just God , awesome and blameless in all your ways . Lead us in the way of your righteousness . Help us , Lord , to walk in your obedience so that we may live and flourish and extend our days . Father , strengthen us to fix our eyes on Jesus . Let your word equip us to follow His example in resisting temptation . Deliver us , Father , from the schemes of the evil one , for you know how to rescue your godly ones . Help us to take refuge in the shadow of your wings . We praise you that with every temptation , You are faithful to give us a way to escape it . In Jesus name , Amen
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