Prayer, Fasting and Temptation
Prayer, Fasting and Temptation
There's something transformative that happens when we intentionally set aside time to seek God through prayer and fasting. It's not just about abstaining from food—it's about creating space for God to do what only He can do: set us free from everything that holds us captive.
The Battle We All Face
Every person walking this earth faces the same core temptations. Scripture identifies three fundamental lusts that encompass all the ways we're tempted to stray from God's best for our lives: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). Every temptation you've ever faced—every struggle, every weakness—falls somewhere within these three categories.
The lust of the flesh appeals to our physical appetites and desires. The lust of the eyes draws us toward material possessions, status, and the things we see that we think will satisfy us. The pride of life convinces us that we know better than God, that we can handle things on our own, that we deserve recognition and glory. These aren't new temptations. They're as old as humanity itself.
Jesus Shows Us the Way
When Jesus was led into the wilderness to fast for forty days and nights, He faced these exact same temptations. After going without food for over a month, Satan approached Him at His weakest physical moment. The enemy always comes when we're most vulnerable.
First, Satan appealed to Jesus' hunger: "If you are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread." This was the lust of the flesh—a direct attack on a legitimate physical need. But Jesus responded with Scripture: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
Next came the pride of life. Satan took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and suggested He throw Himself down, testing whether God would send angels to catch Him. This was an invitation to pride—to prove something, to test God, to elevate Himself. Again, Jesus countered with truth: "You shall not tempt the Lord your God."
Finally, Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, promising to give them all if Jesus would just bow down and worship him. The lust of the eyes—shortcuts to glory, wealth, power, and influence without the cross, without obedience, without surrender. Jesus' response was definitive: "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"
The Secret Weapon: Crucifying the Flesh
Here's the powerful truth: prayer and fasting crucifies the flesh to the point where it doesn't have the strength to lust. When we deny our physical appetites through fasting, we're doing more than just skipping meals. We're training our flesh to submit to our spirit. We're teaching our bodies that they don't get to be in control.
Think about the person who has never told their stomach "no." Their appetite rules them. They eat when they want, what they want, how much they want. The flesh has become the master. But when you fast—even just one meal—you're declaring that your spirit is in charge, not your flesh. You're saying, "With God's strength, I can do all things."
This principle extends beyond food. Whether it's nicotine, alcohol, entertainment, social media, or any other appetite that has gained control, fasting breaks its power. When you can deny yourself food—one of the most basic human needs—you discover that those other things lose their grip too.
It's Not About Willpower
Many people try to overcome their struggles through sheer willpower. They take medication, use patches, try every method available. And they fail repeatedly because they're fighting in their own strength. But when we take up the Word of God and speak it over our situation—when we declare "it is written" just like Jesus did—we tap into a power greater than ourselves.
Freedom doesn't come through human effort. It comes through surrender. It comes through saying, "God, I need You. I can't do this on my own, but with You, nothing is impossible."
Becoming Small So He Can Be Big
John the Baptist understood something profound: "I must decrease so that He can increase." This is the heart of what God desires during times of fasting and prayer. It's not about us becoming more religious or more disciplined. It's about us becoming less so that He can become more in our lives. You can either have a big you and a little God, or a big God and a little you. There's no middle ground. When Moses spent forty days and nights with God on the mountain, he came down glowing with God's glory—so much so that people couldn't even look at him.
That's what happens when you spend time with God. You can't be in His presence and not come out changed. You can't seek Him genuinely and not be filled with Him.
And here's the beautiful truth: we have even greater access to God's presence than Moses did. Under the old covenant, God came upon people. Under the new covenant, God lives within us. His Spirit dwells inside every believer, praying from the inside, speaking from the inside, transforming us from the inside out.
The Invitation
God isn't looking for perfect people. He's looking for surrendered people. He's looking for those who will say, "Jesus, You're my one thing. I don't need anything else. You can have all this world—just give me Jesus."
When Jesus becomes your One Thing, everything else falls into proper perspective. The things that once held power over you lose their grip. The temptations that once seemed irresistible become conquerable. The chains that once bound you break and fall away.
This is what freedom looks like. This is what living truly looks like.
The question isn't whether God is willing to set you free. He already demonstrated His willingness through the cross. The question is whether you're willing to surrender—to fast, to pray, to crucify your flesh, to make Him your One Thing.
What would your life look like if Jesus truly became bigger than everything else? What would change if you spent time in His presence until His glory became evident in your life?
The invitation stands. Come to Him. Seek Him. Make Him your one thing. And watch as He does above and beyond all you could ask or imagine.
There's something transformative that happens when we intentionally set aside time to seek God through prayer and fasting. It's not just about abstaining from food—it's about creating space for God to do what only He can do: set us free from everything that holds us captive.
The Battle We All Face
Every person walking this earth faces the same core temptations. Scripture identifies three fundamental lusts that encompass all the ways we're tempted to stray from God's best for our lives: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). Every temptation you've ever faced—every struggle, every weakness—falls somewhere within these three categories.
The lust of the flesh appeals to our physical appetites and desires. The lust of the eyes draws us toward material possessions, status, and the things we see that we think will satisfy us. The pride of life convinces us that we know better than God, that we can handle things on our own, that we deserve recognition and glory. These aren't new temptations. They're as old as humanity itself.
Jesus Shows Us the Way
When Jesus was led into the wilderness to fast for forty days and nights, He faced these exact same temptations. After going without food for over a month, Satan approached Him at His weakest physical moment. The enemy always comes when we're most vulnerable.
First, Satan appealed to Jesus' hunger: "If you are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread." This was the lust of the flesh—a direct attack on a legitimate physical need. But Jesus responded with Scripture: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
Next came the pride of life. Satan took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and suggested He throw Himself down, testing whether God would send angels to catch Him. This was an invitation to pride—to prove something, to test God, to elevate Himself. Again, Jesus countered with truth: "You shall not tempt the Lord your God."
Finally, Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, promising to give them all if Jesus would just bow down and worship him. The lust of the eyes—shortcuts to glory, wealth, power, and influence without the cross, without obedience, without surrender. Jesus' response was definitive: "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"
The Secret Weapon: Crucifying the Flesh
Here's the powerful truth: prayer and fasting crucifies the flesh to the point where it doesn't have the strength to lust. When we deny our physical appetites through fasting, we're doing more than just skipping meals. We're training our flesh to submit to our spirit. We're teaching our bodies that they don't get to be in control.
Think about the person who has never told their stomach "no." Their appetite rules them. They eat when they want, what they want, how much they want. The flesh has become the master. But when you fast—even just one meal—you're declaring that your spirit is in charge, not your flesh. You're saying, "With God's strength, I can do all things."
This principle extends beyond food. Whether it's nicotine, alcohol, entertainment, social media, or any other appetite that has gained control, fasting breaks its power. When you can deny yourself food—one of the most basic human needs—you discover that those other things lose their grip too.
It's Not About Willpower
Many people try to overcome their struggles through sheer willpower. They take medication, use patches, try every method available. And they fail repeatedly because they're fighting in their own strength. But when we take up the Word of God and speak it over our situation—when we declare "it is written" just like Jesus did—we tap into a power greater than ourselves.
Freedom doesn't come through human effort. It comes through surrender. It comes through saying, "God, I need You. I can't do this on my own, but with You, nothing is impossible."
Becoming Small So He Can Be Big
John the Baptist understood something profound: "I must decrease so that He can increase." This is the heart of what God desires during times of fasting and prayer. It's not about us becoming more religious or more disciplined. It's about us becoming less so that He can become more in our lives. You can either have a big you and a little God, or a big God and a little you. There's no middle ground. When Moses spent forty days and nights with God on the mountain, he came down glowing with God's glory—so much so that people couldn't even look at him.
That's what happens when you spend time with God. You can't be in His presence and not come out changed. You can't seek Him genuinely and not be filled with Him.
And here's the beautiful truth: we have even greater access to God's presence than Moses did. Under the old covenant, God came upon people. Under the new covenant, God lives within us. His Spirit dwells inside every believer, praying from the inside, speaking from the inside, transforming us from the inside out.
The Invitation
God isn't looking for perfect people. He's looking for surrendered people. He's looking for those who will say, "Jesus, You're my one thing. I don't need anything else. You can have all this world—just give me Jesus."
When Jesus becomes your One Thing, everything else falls into proper perspective. The things that once held power over you lose their grip. The temptations that once seemed irresistible become conquerable. The chains that once bound you break and fall away.
This is what freedom looks like. This is what living truly looks like.
The question isn't whether God is willing to set you free. He already demonstrated His willingness through the cross. The question is whether you're willing to surrender—to fast, to pray, to crucify your flesh, to make Him your One Thing.
What would your life look like if Jesus truly became bigger than everything else? What would change if you spent time in His presence until His glory became evident in your life?
The invitation stands. Come to Him. Seek Him. Make Him your one thing. And watch as He does above and beyond all you could ask or imagine.
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