Fasting and Prayer for Protection

Ezra 8

²¹ _i Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river _j Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, _k to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. ²² For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, _l "The hand of our God is for good on _m all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him." ²³ So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

1. Cross References
   2 Chronicles 20:3
   Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
   
2. Cross References
   Ezra 8:15
   I gathered them to the river that runs to Ahava, and there we camped three days. As I reviewed the people and the priests, I found there none of the sons of Levi.
   Ezra 8:31
   Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way.
   
3. Cross References
   Psalms 5:8
   Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.
   
4. Cross References
   Ezra 7:6
   This Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.
   
5. Cross References
   2 Chronicles 15:2
   And he went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.