Customer Reviews

The Power of Prayer and Fasting: 10 Secrets of Spiritual Strength

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This book is very broad based and applicable to those delving into the arena of fasting. Foundationaly sound, this book pulls the most relavant scriptures for the legitimacy of fasting even in our "modern" times. Not only is this book convincing, it also gives practical advice for the hesitant follower. I thought it did a nice job of balancing the notion of fasting for the appropriate reasons yet not with the wrong motives. I'm not quite sure why he subtitles the book "10 secrets of spiritual strength" though, unless for marketing reasons. Overall, this is a good place to start if you're considering fasting.

Having just read Bill Bright's book The Coming Revival, I thought, what could Ronnie Floyd's book teach me in addition about Fasting & Prayer? DO NOT HESITATE to buy this book. It is excellent. The story behind Jonathon Edward's "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is riveting. We are just leading our church into Fasting & Prayer now. I would recommend this book for anyone who is going to consider this incredibly powerful discipline. It took the gut-wrenching, illness of cancer in his wife, to bring him literally to his knees. It's those trials of life that strengthen us and teach us.

I recently heard Ronnie Floyd on a Christian talk show where both he and the host had nothing but alcolades on the book. They gave me the impression that it was guidelines on how to go maximize your efforts of fasting and prayer to get closer to God. I couldn't get past the third chapter. Although he was sincere, it was nothing more than a testimonial of his love for his wife during her trial of cancer, which she won. It was not guidelines on how to prepare or to get the most out of a fasting/prayer experience, nor of the best routines for the process.

As we enter the 21st century, society is experiencing shortcomings in its moral fabric which pose a threat to the overall advancement of society. And where is the Church? Ronnie Floyd's book shows how prayer and fasting can be effective on a personal and church and level and if embraced by people nationally, can stem the tide and bring national revival. I appreciate the book because he intersperses narratives which help illustrate the 10 points. The book helps give a proper intellectual, mental, and spiritual mindset to have as one enters into a time of prayer and fasting. These disciplines, prayer and fasting, must be practiced effectively if revival is to be experienced in our personal and corporate lives.

When I 1st purchased this book, I read the first three chapters and judged the book by basically it's cover. Luckily, I somehow kept getting drawn back to read more. I'm really glad I did for it turned out to be almost everything that I was looking for. I apologize to the Author for my quick and inaccurate assessment with my initial comments.

Those of us who call ourselves Christians have the power of the Holy Spirit in us. That same power is what raised Jesus from the dead. Unfortunately, few of us take advantage of this power that is at our disposal.

Ronnie W. Floyd is the senior pastor of two campus churches in Arkansas - the First Baptist Church of Springdale and The Church at Pinnacle Hills. He has revised and expanded his best-seller, `The Power of Prayer and Fasting,' and it is now available from B&H Books.

Pastor Floyd's premise, which comes right out of the Bible, is that prayer and fasting are God's gateway to supernatural power and spiritual breakthroughs. These are spiritual disciplines which are required of us. According to Pastor Floyd, "prayer and fasting is a Scripture-ordained act of obedience - a deep means of humbling ourselves before God, drawing closer to Him, and making room for Him to speak and act in our lives." Pastor Floyd offers powerful examples from his experiences personally and in his church to show God moving powerfully to answer the requests of His people.
This book provides sound doctrine, and gives us solid instructions on how to break through our strongholds and As Pastor Floyd states on page 100:

"A spiritual breakthrough is the result when we surrender ourselves fully to God, transferring all ownership to the one true Owner, Jesus Christ. We do not need to grab but to release. We do not live with our hands in fists, but with our hands open. We will never choose to let God have his way with us if we continue to hang on to our own desires, our own dreams, and our own bondage."

I am convinced that if Christians would follow the instructions provided concisely and convincingly in this book, they would live lives that would be more honoring and pleasing to their Heavenly Father. We need to be real through genuine confession and repentance as we are in the holy presence of God. Prayer and fasting will result in authenticity and transparency with everyone. I thank Pastor Floyd for his passion for these spiritual disciplines and for providing such practical applications so that we can to show fasting and prayer - which are difficult for our weak flesh - to be obedient acts of worship to God.

This book was provided to me for review purposes by B&H Publishing Group in Nashville TN. There was no remuneration involved and this review is based strictly on my own thoughts and opinions.