Ezra 8:21-9:15; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Psalm 31:1-8; Proverbs 21:1-2
As Ezra continued to put the affairs of Israel in order, he knew that prayer alone would not be enough. He knew the enormity of what God wanted him to do and he did not want any interference from his own emotions or satan.
He called the people to fast in addition to pray. Fasting is a powerful addition to our spiritual lives. Fasting in the Bible consisted of going without all food or types of food for a specific period of time to draw closer to God. Fasting does not bring God closer to us but it brings us closer to God. Why?
Because our lives can become so cluttered that we have interference in our relationship with God. When we take some time to fast, this interference reduces and our spiritual senses are heightened. Live a fasted lifestyle where you regularly take some time to fast, and you won’t have “low spots” in your relationship with God. Ezra found that after they fasted, God answered. God will answer you too!
Tomorrow’s Reading: Ezra 10:1-44; 1 Corinthians 6:1-20; Psalm 31:9-18; Proverbs 21:3