Day 8 - Prayer is Request
In his essay The Efficacy of Prayer, C.S. Lewis writes, “Prayer is request. The essence of request, as distinct from command, is that it may or may not be granted.”
I love this quote because it reminds me that prayer is much bigger than my personal wish list. It’s not just me asking God for stuff, like a 6-year-old writing to Santa. If I keep this perspective, I learn to trust Him more. He knows what’s best. It reminds me that ultimately, as Philippians 4:6 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but…present your requests to God.”
Clearly God wants to hear our requests. And He wants to bless us. But, He also wants us to have the courage to not worry, even if the answer isn’t what we wanted.
The ultimate example of prayer is found in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus prayed to be set free from the crucifixion. Yet, after lots of heartache, Jesus finally said the greatest words ever uttered, “Not my will, but Yours,” to God. In that moment, Jesus expressed what prayer is all about. It’s about being real with our Heavenly Father, for Jesus held nothing back. But it’s also about giving Him the final say.

When we fast and pray, we reduce the temptation to focus on ourselves. We begin to overcome the flesh and go deeper in the Spirit and surrender our desires to His will. This is the beauty of corporate prayer and fasting. When we collectively join together and Lean Into God Like Never Before, I believe He will answer our prayers and He will reveal Himself in ways we never thought possible. We will see his power in 2024.
Today’s Prayer:
Lord, please forgive us for craving food more than you. Forgive us for craving anything more than you. Lord redirect our hunger. Be our God. Open our eyes to the benefits of fasting. Open our hearts to you like never before. Give us the desire to turn to you with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our strength. May we no longer live by bread alone but by every word that comes from your mouth, Oh LORD. Teach us to fast so that we might hold fast to you. In the bondage-breaking, redeeming name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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