Dr. Ronnie Floyd's Secret

"God used prayer and fasting to change my ministry," said Dr. Ronnie Floyd, Chairman of the National Day of Prayer. I heard Dr. Floyd give the following at Fasting & Prayer '96 in St. Louis.

He said as he grew up no one taught him how to fast, but he began to notice fasting in Scripture and out of a desire to draw near God, he decided to delve into what it meant and to practice fasting.  

Then in 1990, his wife was diagnosed with cancer. He felt God wanted him to fast and pray one day each week for her healing.  He did, and, in response to his obedience, God healed his wife.

He was burdened for his church and ministry and in March 1994, as he read about God's calling Moses, he felt God telling him, "Ronnie, I want you to fast and pray for 40 days now for spiritual renewal for the nation, the church, and your life."

"I have never been the same since," he confessed. "God had my attention on America, on the Church, and on the sins in my life." 

God spoke to him from Isaiah 57:15: "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit."

"Your biggest problem is your sin of pride," God said to him. "You are a young arrogant, proud pastor and I will break you to make you what I want you to be."

One Sunday morning, he got up shortly after midnight to pray.  After three or four hours, God came. "I was free like never before."

On June 4, 1995, Dr. Floyd told his church of his 40-day fast, and how God had dealt with him. That morning the Holy Spirit came, and people were on their faces before God, praying. They worshipped for two and a half hours. He spoke of another service in which, "The only comfortable place in that room was on your face before God." Although he didn't give a call to fast, nearly fifty lay people completed a 40-day fast.

Dear Father, fill every part of my life with the spirit of humility, and make it my consistent habit so that I have no thoughts and no desires except those that are the fruit of a humble spirit.

"For this is what the high and exalted One says-he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit" (Isa. 57:15).