Hello beloved, Praying and fasting are the covenant platforms for supernatural achievements in the life of a believer. But there are things that prayer and fasting cannot give you. Its important we note this so that we will not be engaging the right exercise for the wrong reasons. I present to you in this post, 5 wrong reasons people pray and fast, read and be blessed.

1.) To Be Rich: Riches does not come by prayers and fasting, rather it comes by the application of relevant knowledge of Gods financial principles. I don't care how many times you pray and how many days you fast, until you apply diligence in labour you will never get rich. The bible is clear about wealth, wealth is tied to work, great wealth is tied to creative work. The bible speaking in the book of Proverbs 10:4 it says :
He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
It is only a diligent or hardworking person that is permitted to see great wealth. Our covenant fathers Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job where all great men of wealth and they were also diligent men in their business.My dear friend don't pray and fast for Money, Be diligent in your work because God will only bless the works of your Hands.

2.) To Be Blessed: Some people pray and fast to be blessed by God, that is backward thinking. If you are a born again child of God, you are a seed of Abraham and therefore you are Highly blessed. See what Paul said about you in the book of Galatians 3:29
And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Every believer is a blessed with the blessings of Abraham. Every blessings we will ever need is packaged in our salvation. I love what the book of Ephesians 1:3:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
You see that? God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places, so you don't need to fast and pray for blessings. You are already Blessed.

3.) To Defeat Satan: A lot of believers fast and pray to defeat the devil, the gospel truth is this, Satan has been defeated by Jesus, we have authority over every devil. Christ has placed us Far above all Principalities and Powers see how Paul puts it in Ephesians 1:19-22
Ephesians And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.
Through Christ we have been placed far above all Principalities and Powers, we don't struggle with the devil, we dominate the devil in the Name of Jesus. Child of God, don't fast and pray to defeat the devil, Even the weakest Christian is stronger than the greatest devil. Use the name of Jesus which is above every name and put the Devil where he belongs. (Under your feet). Jesus said in the book of Luke 10:18-19 he said:
And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
You see, you have Authority over devils, nothing can hurt you, no devil can harm you. Go ahead and use your authority in the name of Jesus.

4.) To Be Holy: The Pharisees in the days of Christ where victims of this. The thought that praying in public places, fasting and other spiritual exercises made them holy in the sight of God. But Jesus gave them a shocker when he exposed the selfishness of their hearts ( See Mathew 7:15). My dear beloved God is not moved by our physical actions but he watches the heart and holiness cannot be attained by our outward display godly service, it can only be attained by our faith in Jesus Christ. See what Paul has to say in this matter:
Colossians 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
This is beautiful, when you got born again, You were reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, and Christ presented us HOLY, UNBLAMABLE AND UNREPROVEABLE in Gods eyes. Aren't you excited that God sees you as holy? You may ask "but I don't think I am holy", "I don't feel holy", "I am imperfect" , now see the truth, Is Jesus Holy? If yes then You are, because he took away our imperfections and gave us His Perfection. The cross was a place of exchange. If you believe in Jesus his Holiness becomes your Holiness.God sees you as holy in His sight.Halleluiah. For more understanding on this I recommend you read my older post The Power Of Righteousness @ http://jesulovesme.com/the-power-of-righteousness/

5.) To Be Righteous: Just like Ho!iness, prayers and fastings don't make you righteous in the sight of God. The bible is clear on the issue of righteousness, it is gotten by faith in Jesus Christ.You cannot be made righteous by observing the deeds of the law or any spiritual exercise for that matter.Romans 3:20 says "by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified"
Righteousness comes by faith in Christ, does who believe in Christ Jesus are made righteous in Gods eyes. Why is that? Because Jesus became sin though he knew no sin that we might become Rightoeus 2 Corinthians 5:21 and I also love what Paul said in the book of Romans:
Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
By the obedience of one man Christ all who believe in Him as there Lord and Saviour are made righteous. My dear beloved, Righteousness does not come by the law, or any outward spiritual exercise, but it come by faith in Christ. Just as we were made sinners because of the failure of Adam, we are now made righteous because of the Triumph Of Jesus Christ ( The Last Adam). Jesus obedience was complete, so he fulfilled the Law and made us Righteous.
Wow!!! I can write on this a whole year, but let me end with this beautiful illustration Jesus gave in the book of Luke:
Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Will love to see your comments God bless you. You can also read 5 Good Reasons To Pray And Fast @
http://jesulovesme.com/5-good-reasons-pray-fast/

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i can't argue with u, but i just don't agree with u on most of the points raised

6. To preserve food. 7. When there's no food

OK let's prove these points ...since the bible says prove all things

1...to be rich
well I reluctantly agree since Jesus Himself said give and It shall be given unto you..good measure pressed down and shaken together .....et al shall be given back to you ..so I agree its a bible principle ...but How about ..Ask and ye shall be given ?


2....to be blessed
well seem similar to one above but the message under it tho ...I believe you still need prayers to claim those promises


3....to defeat Satan
well as much as I believe of a certainty that Jesus already overcame Satan on the Cross ... I still must stress that prayer is needed to enact this victory in our individual aspects of life ...OK lemme ask...what started the Idea of prayer and fasting in the new testament?..

I wan to believe that it was when the disciples of Jesus couldn't cast out a demon not until Jesus arrived and did such in a snap of a finger ..then the disciples marvel and asked why they couldn't ..then Jesus told them..." this kind Goeth not out but by prayer and fasting" ..so I still think prayer and fasting is relevant in this aspect


4...to be holy
of a truth righteousness is God given gift of salvation ..but prayer and fasting is highly needed for substaining this gift in order not to let it slide ..remember prayer means talking to God and fasting means serious business that I had to skip human pleasure of food or other addiction ...


5..to be righteous
well here I agree with u righteousness is a free gift from God to man thru Christ ..RIGHT-eousness is God being Right but given us that right ..because Jesus bought the Right thru His death for us ...so Righteousness is not our works but Gods

When one is under the yoke of poverty, he has to fast, when living a holy and righteous life is is difficult, one needs to fast. When one. mysteriously loses good things and opportunities, fasting is needed. Obadiah 1:147,"But upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance and holiness and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.". Matt 17:21,"This goeth not except by prayer and fasting ".

Guys, emphasis is on PRAYER AND FASTING, as a spiritual exercise, not just Prayers. Praying and fasting is practically for spiritual empowerment. Pls just check this post http://jesulovesme.com/5-good-reasons-pray-fast/