Ezra's 3 Day Fast

God chose Ezra the scribe and close to 50,000 Jews to go and resettle Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity.  They were ready to take a deadly and perilous journey from Persia (Iran) to Israel.  The King, Cyrus,  told Ezra to take a large armed guard of professional soldiers to make the trip. The trip was extremely dangerous.  Ezra was  carrying the temple gold, treasures, silver and had many women and children and livestock. They were easy pickens for thieves.   

(workersforjesus.com)

But Ezra refused the soldiers.  Why?  Ezra was too embarrassed to accept them.   Ezra relied on the Lord God of Heaven instead.  How?  Through prayer and fasting.  Ezra writes:  THEN I CALLED FOR A FAST THERE AT THE AHAVA RIVER SO WE COULD HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE OUR GOD AND SEEK FROM HIM AN APPROPRIATE WAY FOR US AND OUR LITTLE ONES TO LIVE , AND HOW WE SHOULD GUARD OUR PERSONAL WEALTH, BECAUSE I WAS ASHAMED TO ASK THE KING FOR A CONTINGENT OF CALVARY TO PROTECT US FROM ENEMIES WE MIGHT ENCOUNTER ON THE WAY.  AFTER ALL, WE HAD TOLD THE KING, "THE HAND OF OUR GOD SEEKS THE GOOD OF ALL WHO SEEK HIM, BUT HIS POWER AND ANGER ARE AGAINST EVERYONE WHO FORSAKES HIM."   SO WE FASTED AND ASKED OUR GOD ABOUT  THIS, AND HE LISTENED TO US.  (Ezra 8:21:-23 ISV)  When Ezra arrives he records: OUR GOD'S PROTECTION WAS WITH US.  AND HE DELIVERED US FROM THE ENEMYS' POWER, AND FROM AMBUSH ALONG THE WAY.  (Ez. 8:31b)

How much do we all need protection for us, our families, and our personal wealth?

We all need deliverance from the enemys' power and ambush in this life.  The secret?  Prayer and fasting brings incredible victory. Just like Ezra and his people.  Why? Because the hand of our God seeks the good of all who seek Him.  PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.. (Paul's Epistles)