Fasting Day 4
Asha Brewer
Hello Sisters!
As we move on through this fast, I am so excited even now at the “ break” that is going to happen. I am seeing/imagining that a rush of water is breaking through a barrier and rushing in. I am praying that this is the Holy Ghost flooding the lives of the people we are praying for and providing intercession for. What do you see?
Today, let’s consider the rewards of our work. We have invested now three days, going on four, in order to cover some people and to pray against destruction in their lives. We have been diligent about restraining from some things or experiences, so we can focus in the Spirit and discipline the Flesh. What is the reward for this sacrifice? What are you expecting from God? Have you been specific with Him?
I’m wondering about why it is so important to be specific with our prayers. You may have heard in a church sermon that you have to outline specifically in your prayer what you are requesting of God. Sometimes I felt like this was unnecessary, especially because He already knows what I need before I ask Him for it (Matthew 6:8). I have heard it preached that the reason we have to be specific in our prayers is so God can get involved. By being particular with what we are asking of Him, it invites Him into the situation.
I have also heard to be careful what you ask for….and especially don’t ask for humility or patience! We get this warning, because there is a possibility that you will get what you have asked for, but you will “pay” for it in the end. (Which, is not really a reward, if you have to pay. Know what I mean)?
After reading through our fasting Scripture in Matthew Chapter 6, I have some other thoughts in my Spirit about being specific in our prayers. This has to do with our 1. Faith and our 2. Reward. We are again referencing the phrase, “And your Father who sees in secret will reward you”.
Being specific in our prayers takes great faith. To identify something to God and wait, hope, believe, and pray over that takes a lot more faith than it does to pray in generalities and for positive things to happen. I came across this blog this morning that said it like this, “A general, vague, and broad prayer shows a lack of faith” (://bukyojelabi.com/2013/08/17/god-honors-specific-prayers/). When I read that, I was amazed. It was as if a light went off and was like, “A-ha! When I am specific in my prayers, it says that I have faith enough in God to hear my requests and answer them.” No wonder it’s so hard to do! Taking the time to really search my heart and all of its concerns is already exposing, but now I have to make myself even more vulnerable by saying specifically what these concerns are and believe that God will take care of them? That is bold.
Being specific in our prayers protects the reward. Specificity gives the reward some legs to stand on. For if we are not specific, how can we identify if the right reward came our way, or if this reward was in fact a result of our prayers? How would we know to attribute the reward to God? How does this lack of specificity impact our thankfulness when receiving? Are we less thankful because we were less specific? Would we even dare to think we received because of our own doing? I also think that being specific in our prayers nourishes our faith… which continues the cycle of building our faith to be specific in our prayers. In fact, this building of faith is another reward we get as a by-product of being specific, in addition to receiving the reward of what we asked for.
So how specific can you get in your prayers today? Who do you see? What do you see for them? What do you see happening to them? How do you see it happening? When do you see it happening? Be as diligent as possible in getting your requests together, so when it happens you know it is God and your faith can be rewarded.
 | Dr. Asha Fields Brewer Creator of Healthy Conversations Speaker, Writer, Educator, Radio Personality |
    "Temple Fit with Dr. Asha," Wednesdays at 4pm on Heaven 98.3FM | |