The Daniel Fast is a faith vow. Daniel began his 10-day fast with a statement of faith that God would hear and answer. In Mark 11:22, Jesus exhorts us to, “have faith in God.” Now faith can be nebulous because it’s hard to measure. The faith of our hearts shows strong belief in God, strong determination to live for God, and when we pray-ask, it shows strong dependence upon God for an answer.
Faith is simply believing that God exists. Notice what the author of Hebrews said, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Heb. 11:6, NKJV). So we learn two things from this verse. First, we must believe that God exists and is hearing our prayers. Second, we must pray diligently; which means continually with all of our hearts. It’s then that we get our prayer-answers.
So how can we measure faith? Jesus told us to measure our faith by the results of our prayers. “Whoever says to this mountain (problem or goal) ‘be removed and be cast into the sea’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes those things he says will be done, he will have whatsoever he says” (Mark 11:23, NKJV). So our faith is attached to moving mountains. Technically, a mountain is a barrier that stops people going from one flat area to another (valley). Some mountains are extremely high, some mountains are far off, and some mountains have gentle slopes and appear to be benign or non-threatening. How big is the mountain in your life?
I have never thought of myself as a man of great faith. So, sometimes I don’t pray for the project; rather, I pray for faith to trust God for the project. One time we were praying for $5 million dollars at Liberty University, and I looked within my heart to find doubt. I had never prayed for that much money before, and I just didn’t have the faith to ask God for it. So I prayed, “Lord, I don’t have faith for $5 million dollars, but I have faith in You. Lord, give me faith for $5 million dollars so I can ask for it.”
As soon as I made that prayer I remembered the man in scripture who prayed, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24, NKJV).
I once interviewed a leading Christian pastor about his great faith. I wanted to write a story telling others how to get the same type of faith. But the pastor said, “I don’t have great faith . . .” I was shocked and put away my pen. I thought there is no story here. But then the pastor said, “I don’t have great faith . . . but I have a great God.”
Then I realized that it’s not the size of our faith, answers are all about God. So what makes faith great; it’s not the strength of your faith, it’s the strength of the God in whom you put your faith. The more you learn about God in the Bible, the more you can have faith to move your mountain.
When Jesus said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move” (Matt. 17:20, NKJV). In the day of Jesus, a mustard seed was thought to be the smallest perceptible thing. Therefore that means either you have the smallest perceptible amount of faith, or you don’t have it.
Let’s finish the story about the great pastor and his great God. So I asked him the next question, “How did you get your faith in a great God?” He told me of being frustrated as a freshman in college, so he determined to spend every afternoon in prayer, all afternoon. On the first day after twenty minutes he ran out of things to pray about. Again and being frustrated he went to the college librarian who directed him to books on the deeper life written by great saints who had walked with God. He read Power through Prayer by E. M. Bounds, The Christian Secret to a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith, The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee, and The Power of Prevailing Prayer by Wesley L. Duwel. The pastor said, “When I learned what God had done for others, I said, ‘Why not me?’”
So this is where you come in. Use these 10 days of fasting to learn more about God. Read more scripture than you’ve ever done before. Read chapters in books by great prayer warriors. It takes time for your mustard seed of faith to grow. It takes time for your first prayer request to grow into a supernatural miracle.
So 10 days of fasting may first grow your faith, then you pray to save America. Therefore, fast and pray to strengthen your faith, then fast and pray to save America – by Elmer Towns©
-My Time to Pray-
• Lord, I believe in You; strengthen my faith to overcome my unbelief.
• Lord, I believe You can do a supernatural miracle in the coming election.
• Lord, strengthen my faith; strengthen my prayer and fasting, save my nation.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
To email Dr. Towns - eltowns@liberty.edu.
