Drawing Near to Yahuah Through Prayer, Fasting & Study
All Ages - Family StudySpiritual disciplines are intentional practices that position us to receive Yahuah's grace and grow in relationship with Him. They are not ways to earn salvation, but rather responses to His love that transform us from the inside out.
In Matthew 6, Yahusha addressed all three disciplines:
Notice He said "WHEN," not "IF" - He expects His followers to practice these!
Spiritual disciplines must flow from relationship, not religious obligation. The Pharisees practiced all these things outwardly but had dead hearts. We seek the Father's face, not merely the discipline itself.
Prayer is communication with our Creator - speaking TO Him and listening FOR Him. It is the breath of the spiritual life, as essential to our spirit as breathing is to our body.
Many people treat prayer like a religious duty or a vending machine (put in requests, get out answers). True prayer is intimate conversation with our Heavenly Father.
Consider: Would you only speak to your earthly father when you needed something? Or would you share your day, your thoughts, your gratitude?
How would you describe your current prayer life?
What obstacles prevent you from praying more consistently?
Our Father which art in heaven,
→ Acknowledge relationship and His sovereignty
Hallowed be Thy name.
→ Worship and reverence for His set-apart Name
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
→ Alignment with His purposes over our own
Give us this day our daily bread.
→ Dependence on Him for provision
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
→ Confession and releasing others
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
→ Protection and spiritual warfare
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
→ Closing affirmation of His sovereignty
Yahusha put worship and His will BEFORE our requests. Many people rush to ask for things without first honoring Yahuah and aligning with His purposes.
When we pray "Thy will be done" FIRST, we often find our requests change!
Write your own prayer following the model:
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanksgiving:
Supplication:
| Type | Description | Scripture Example |
|---|---|---|
| Praise/Worship | Exalting Yahuah for who He is | Psalm 145 |
| Thanksgiving | Gratitude for what He has done | Philippians 4:6 |
| Confession | Acknowledging sin and receiving forgiveness | 1 John 1:9 |
| Petition | Requests for personal needs | Matthew 7:7-8 |
| Intercession | Praying on behalf of others | 1 Timothy 2:1 |
| Spiritual Warfare | Standing against enemy attacks | Ephesians 6:10-18 |
| Listening/Contemplative | Being still to hear His voice | 1 Samuel 3:10 |
| Agreement | Praying together with others | Matthew 18:19-20 |
One of the most powerful forms of prayer is praying Scripture back to Yahuah. His Word never returns void!
Example: Instead of just saying "Protect my family," pray Psalm 91: "Father, I ask that my family dwells in the secret place of the Most High and abides under the shadow of the Almighty..."
Practice each type of prayer this week:
Schedule prayer like an important appointment. Many find early morning best (Mark 1:35), but choose what works for your life and be consistent.
Yahusha said "enter your closet" - find a private space where you can speak aloud without distraction.
If you're not praying at all, start with 5 minutes daily. Add time as it becomes habit. Yahusha spent whole nights in prayer - this was developed over time.
Traditional Hebrew prayer times (still valuable today):
Daniel prayed three times daily facing Jerusalem (Daniel 6:10).
My prayer time will be: _______________
My prayer place will be: _______________
I will start with _____ minutes daily
My goal for one month from now: _____ minutes daily
Fasting is voluntarily abstaining from food (and sometimes drink) for spiritual purposes. It is denying the flesh to strengthen the spirit and draw near to Yahuah.
Yahuah defines the fast He has chosen:
"Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house?" - Isaiah 58:6-7
True fasting produces outward fruit - justice, mercy, and righteousness!
Before extended fasting, consult a healthcare provider if you have:
Children, elderly, and those with health conditions should fast carefully or do partial fasts.
| Person | Duration | Purpose | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moses | 40 days (x2) | Receiving the Torah | Given the Commandments (Exodus 34:28) |
| Elijah | 40 days | Journey to Horeb | Encountered Yahuah (1 Kings 19:8) |
| Yahusha | 40 days | Preparation for ministry | Victory over Satan (Matthew 4:1-11) |
| Esther | 3 days | Saving her people | Favor with king, Jews saved (Esther 4:16) |
| Daniel | 21 days (partial) | Seeking understanding | Angelic visitation, prophecy (Daniel 10:2-3) |
| Nineveh | Unknown | Repentance | City spared (Jonah 3:5-10) |
| Early Church | Regular | Seeking guidance | Missionaries sent (Acts 13:2-3) |
Notice that fasting is almost always combined with prayer in Scripture. Fasting without prayer is just dieting. Prayer without fasting is good, but adding fasting intensifies our seeking.
| Type | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Partial Fast | Limiting certain foods (Daniel fast - vegetables & water only) | Beginners, longer durations, health conditions |
| Normal Fast | No food, only water | Most common biblical pattern |
| Absolute Fast | No food or water | Short durations only (3 days max), crisis situations |
| Intermittent | Skip one or two meals | Regular practice, building up |
| Media/Technology | Abstaining from screens, social media | Freeing time for prayer, breaking addiction |
Purpose:
Type: _______________
Duration: _______________
Date: _______________
What I will do during meal times:
Read through an entire book repeatedly. Outline it. Note themes, key words, and structure.
Study one chapter deeply - context, word meanings, cross-references, application.
Gather all verses on a topic using a concordance. Compare and synthesize.
Research Hebrew/Greek word meanings. How is the word used throughout Scripture?
Study a biblical person's life, choices, and what we can learn from them.
Scripture - Write it out
Observation - What does it say?
Application - How does it apply?
Prayer - Respond to Yahuah
Biblical meditation (הָגָה - hagah) means to mutter, ponder, muse - turning Scripture over in your mind repeatedly. It is NOT emptying the mind (Eastern meditation) but FILLING it with Yahuah's Word.
"Yahuah is my shepherd; I shall not want."
What does it mean that Yahuah is a SHEPHERD?
What does it mean that He is MY shepherd?
What should I NOT want because of this?
Write the verse 5-10 times. The hand-brain connection helps memory.
Write only the first letter of each word:
"For God so loved the world" → F G S L T W
Practice filling in the words from the letters.
Read it aloud 10+ times. Hearing strengthens memory.
Break longer verses into phrases. Master each phrase before combining.
Set verses to simple melodies. The tune helps recall.
Daily review of new verses, weekly review of recent, monthly review of older ones.
The three disciplines work together synergistically:
| Time | Activity | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Prayer (ACTS pattern) + Scripture reading | 20-30 min |
| Midday | Brief prayer + meditation verse | 5-10 min |
| Evening | Scripture study + prayer + review memory verses | 20-30 min |
Spiritual disciplines are not the destination - they are the vehicle. The goal is KNOWING YAHUAH and being transformed into the image of Yahusha.
Don't become proud of your disciplines or compare yourself to others. Keep your eyes on the Father.
Prayer: I will pray at these times: _______________
Study: I will study using this method: _______________
Memorization: I will memorize these verses this month: _______________
Fasting: I will fast (type/frequency): _______________
Accountability: I will share this commitment with: _______________
Father Yahuah,
I come before You seeking a deeper relationship with You. I do not want to merely know ABOUT You - I want to KNOW You.
Help me to be consistent in prayer, not as religious duty, but as conversation with my loving Father.
Give me the discipline to fast when You call me to, denying my flesh so my spirit can grow strong.
Open my eyes as I study Your Word. Let it transform my mind and guide my steps.
I commit these disciplines to You, not to earn Your love, but because I already have it and want to grow closer to You.
In Yahusha's name, Amen.