No lists today on this blog post – just a challenge. A challenge a friend unknowingly gave to me months ago, and a challenge that pushes me every week.
His story was not unlike the story of so many other parents. One of his children had wandered spiritually, and he and his wife committed themselves to fast and pray every Friday on his behalf. That exercise not only led to his return to the Lord, but it has also become these parents’ practice since then. For more than a decade, they’ve fasted and prayed one day a week for their children.
Pam and I don’t have children, but I happened to be traveling with one of my mentees when I heard this brother tell his story. That day, my devotional text in my reading plan just “happened” to be Moses’ interceding for God’s people in their sin, including his request to be blotted out of God’s book if God did not forgive His people (Exod 32:32). I had a strong sense then that I was to be a regular, sacrificial, fasting intercessor for some of the young men I mentor.
They may not be my biological offspring, but they are sons in the faith to me – and one of the most loving gifts I can give them is something they may never see. In God’s grace, I can wear out my knees on their behalf, thinking little about my own physical food while I long more for God to feed, lead, and protect these young men spiritually. I’m growing in the practice (and I’ll never do it perfectly), but I want to fight beside, and for, my brothers in the real battles of spiritual warfare.
Perhaps you, too, might prayerfully accept this challenge. Maybe you can fast and pray for one meal once a week, one meal each day, or one day a week on behalf of your children and grandchildren. If they’re just babies and preschoolers, let them hear you praying on their behalf each week; pray now that the enemy does not win in their lives. If they’re wrestling with God, agonize in faith on their behalf in prayer and fasting. If they’re walking with God now, pray and fast that they will never be drawn astray – regardless of how old they are.
Take the challenge my brother in Christ unknowingly gave to me. Make a commitment. Keep it regularly. Love your children, your grandchildren, and your mentees enough to push away from the table to focus on the Father – and trust your offspring into His care as you lie at His feet.
What an amazing challenge, so powerful! I going to have to start this practice in some form or fashion. Thank you for sharing Dr. Lawless.
Blessings, Kyle. Thanks for writing.
This is very interesting. Do you mean, after breakfast(for example), I eat nothing until supper at 5 or until I get hungry? Can I have water or tea? Do I just pray and nothing else? Or, do I pray as I do my other stuff during the day?
Thank you for all your articles. I am not a pastor or pastor’s wife or a leader in my church, but I have learned quite a bit from you!
There’s not a set way to do this kind of fast. Some folks refrain from eating one meal, two meals, or all day. Water is usually acceptable, though most people recommend staying away from caffeine. When I do this, I reserve my eating times for prayer — and then I pray briefly each time I have a hunger pang. Hope this helps.
Growing up in the christian faith no one explained how a day of fasting looks, just that we should fast. Thank you for this.
It helps i fast from 6am-12pm! On Monday & Wednesday I seem kinda to see certain thing but, not clear enough for me to speak on. I hurting in the situation, but the child is suffering more especially far as behavior & education area. That I know he’s capable of doin better! Then the other child trying other stuff like it’s alright and she don’t have to graduate this year! Please continue to pray for us.
You have our prayers.
I’m fasting for my adult child who is partaking in sexual sin. Do I tell my child I’m fasting for them?