I know first hand because this has happen to me on countless occasions. I've found myself getting frustrated and even questioning my own salvation.

One time I even tried to give up, of course, Lord brought me back to repentance, but point is I didn't know what was missing from my life that could help me stay on right track for good.

Jesus said to His disciples.

Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: spirit indeed is willing, but flesh is weak."

But sometimes deep in your heart you feel need to do more than just pray. Perhaps because you feel that your prayers are falling on deaf ears. You try to put your finger on what's missing but just can't seem to understand what it is.

Well I'm here to tell you that missing element in your prayer life is fasting.

Yes, fasting in combination with prayer will help to bring about true repentance and a humbleness of spirit that you need and seek.

By fasting, you are able to turn fully toward Lord in your hour of great need.

Do you have times that make you feel need to seek face of Lord in a stronger more, profound way? In your darkest hour do you even know what your greatest need is?

Fasting and praying brings Lord's comfort and prayers you pray while fasting get surprisingly faster answers.

There is absolutely no debate Jesus expects us to fast.

Matthew 6:16 "Moreover when ye fast, be not, as hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward."

When one is crying out to Lord with all of their heart and soul, it can do no less than touch heart of very Lord we pray to because fasting is truest form of prayer.

Which type of prayer do you think God desires to hear? The gut wrenching, deeply sobbing passionate type that comes from a real heart full of sincerity, or off handed casual prayer?

And since this is case devil wants to use pleasures of our flesh to keep us enslaved to our old habits and sinful attitudes.

We have daily choices to live according to God's righteous desires, and deny sin. When we use our power to choose God's way instead of sin's way, we crucify our flesh.

God helps us crucify our flesh through Holy Spirit so that we may live in newness of Spirit.

The desires we must crucify include fornication, covetousness, stealing, and lying plus follow rest of ten commandments.

As we put these things to death, we are able to then put on new man, renewed in knowledge according to image of Him who created us.

1 Peter 4:1-2 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in flesh, arm yourselves likewise with same mind: for he that hath suffered in flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live rest of his time in flesh to lusts of men, but to will of God.

When a man is crucified, he dies. And when you die, you're dead.

Therefore those of us who belong to Jesus need to crucify flesh so that we become dead to flesh, dead to our passions, and dead to our desires.

Galatians 5:24 And those who are Christ's have crucified flesh with its passions and desires.

Now if this is true, why do we still have ungodly desires, and why do we still yield to flesh and it's passions?

Also since these things still bother us, does that mean that we are not one who belongs to Jesus?

Are we failures as Christians? Do we really belong to satan and not God?

Have I struck a nerve? Perhaps you've pondered over these exact same questions.

I suspect that all of us may have felt this way at one time or another.

Rest assured, you are still a child of King if you have excepted Jesus Christ as your lord and savior.