Supernatural strength in the valley of despair

“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:12-13)

About ten years ago, I had reached one of the lowest points of my life. As the year was nearing its end, my life circumstances had become completely overwhelming and unbearably painful, and I was positive that I could not continue serving as a pastor. I wrote my resignation letter, and planned to deliver it to the elders at our January meeting.

One thing, however, gave me a sliver of hope. I had already scheduled the church to begin the new year with a week of prayer and fasting. I decided that before I threw in the towel, I should devote myself to prayer and fasting and give God the opportunity to work in my situation. I had never fasted for more than a couple of days before, so I wanted to see what God might do if I set aside a week without food. And so, with what little energy I had left, I sought the Lord, praying for His help in my valley. And by the end of that week, God had given me a supernatural strength to not only endure the struggle, but to trust Him with my troubles. He removed my burden from me, and before long, my circumstances had changed for the better. By God’s grace, I am still pastoring this church today.

That week of prayer and fasting convinced me that there is a divine power available to us when we have reached the end of our own strength. And it taught me that one of the preeminent ways we access that power is when we choose to fast along with our prayer. As I wrote last week, there is something about fasting that can properly order our desires, as God decreases the power of worldly desires in our life and increases a desire for Him. But a second benefit of fasting is that it can serve to amplify our prayers, and to amplify His voice to us as well.

When we come to God in desperation, He often responds in His loving-kindness and power to our childlike faith. As God said to Israel through the prophet Jeremiah, “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:12-13). And as Tony Evans put it, “Fasting helps us to activate God’s power to break through that wall and all that stands between you and God’s plan, purpose and power for your life and world.” This is not meant to be transactional, of course. It is not a formula that always gets us our desired result. It is relational, an expression of our desire for God and need for His help.

What is it that you are desperate for? Where are you hoping to see God move? I encourage you to seek the Lord in prayer and fasting and see what He will do.

For a longer teaching on fasting amplifies our prayer, listen to John Mark Comer's teaching here.