Jesus says in Matthew 6:5-6
New King James Version
5 And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Hallelujah! This is so powerful and instructive on the concept of prayer. Many times we think we’ve learnt all that there is to know about prayer, or we think that the way we go about it is satisfactory. But scripture prescribes the way we ought to carry out our devotion to God.

Jesus gave lessons on how to pray, and he also very importantly, gave lessons on how not to pray. Jesus said, do not pray like the hypocrites. He said they love to stand where they will be seen by men, so that they will been seen as men that pray. He says, that they have their own reward in doing that. But when you pray go into your secret place, and the God who sees your devotion in the secret will reward you in the open.

One of the things that this teaches us about prayer is that: prayer goes beyond the words that we speak to God. It goes beyond the tongues that we burst into. It’s not just about the action. It’s about the heart connection and the heart posture.

Because you can seem so close to God with your lips but be so far away with your heart.

Matthew 15:7-9
New King James Version
7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.

9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 

It’s in fact possible to worship in vain.
It’s possible to honor Him with your lips, but your heart is far from Him.
This should humble each of us to realize that whenever we come to meet with God, he sees us truly and wholly. He sees the true state of our hearts. He can tell when your desires are not really with him. He can tell that you’re just here because of attendance. He can tell that you’re just here to tick off another box. He can tell that you just want to move to the next thing to do.

That’s why, when it comes to prayer, your heart has to be involved. We all must have the honesty to declare before the LORD the true state of our own heart and ask him for help.

Say, this is where I am God, this is the way I feel God, help incline my heart to you, help fix my gaze on you, direct the thoughts of my heart. We must all be able to say this freely to God when we pray. Because he sees where we are either way. Concerning this fast that’s about to start, get your heart invested in what you are about to experience.

The Prophet said to the people of Israel in 2 Chronicles 7:14
New King James Version
14 If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

So, there is a humility to prayer. Where you call yourself back to order, and you say, LORD, I admit my rebellion and inconsistency, align me back to your will. This is what many of us frankly miss. The true heart connection, where we open ourselves entirely to God as we pray, so that we can be transformed.

Remember, yesterday we talked about rendering your hearts to the LORD, and not your garments

Joel 2:12-13
New King James Version
12 Now, therefore, says the LORD, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”

13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.

They had a religious practice of coming before God with sack cloths when they declared a fast, and it gave an appearance of consecration, but not with their hearts. God sought for men that would come to him with genuine hearts to turn from their previous ways.

This is what fasting seasons are all about.
A heart reconnection.
Alignment.
Refocusing your heart back on the things that matter to God.
It’s about consecration to God.

Look at what Jesus says in Matthew 6:16-18
New King James Version
16 Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,

18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

These hypocrites wanted to look like they were fasting; they wanted the appearance of consecration, so that others could applaud them. The Bible says that’s their reward.

Don’t be like them. Don’t be keen on just looking like your prayer life is hot, but actually seek wholeheartedly that each day, your prayer life would be on fire, that you will live consecrated to the will of God, that you will walk in purpose, that you will experience advancement in God

Be intentional.

When you’re learning to drive a car, at first, everything would be mechanical, learning how to keep your hands on the steering wheel and looking at the side mirrors while turning. Soon after you’d realize how these things become second nature, and a subconscious competence. The truth is that this is the same for many of us; we can get so used to religious devotion, and we lose the intentionality that it requires. We are quick to roar in tongues at the top of our voices, which isn’t wrong, but sometimes with no real heart intention in that prayer. The fact that scripture says your understanding is unfruitful doesn’t mean you can’t pray with a focus, with an intention in your heart.

When last did you do that for yourself? Sit down and spend good time praying with focus and with all of your heart?

Fasting seasons are an opportunity to lean away from these things and get things right again. It’s an opportunity to get back to intentionality in your devotion to God.

As we prepare for the fasting period next week, posture your heart correctly. Don’t treat this as just another regular fast. It is as supernatural as the first one you prepared with all your heart for. Be intentional about every single day and beyond. Open your heart to God, seek his voice, seek his word. Show an intention towards wanting to be aligned with God.

Ask yourself these questions: what is the true state of your heart? What does your devotional life really look like? Are you really praying with your heart, or are you counting the clock? Are you seeking to stay in step with the will of God for your life each day?

Whatever your answers are, get ready to do even better. Don’t be comfortable at where you are. Seek and desire more intimacy, more alignment, become more intentional. Seek a tangible transformation in this period.

Prayer Point
Father, as we prepare for the fasting week, help me be more intentional about my walk with you. I open myself up to you, expose my errors and inconsistencies, help me be aligned to you in any way that I’m not. Help me make the best out of this experience with you.