1.Being humble before God in prayer and fasting prior to any engagement or project | “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.”Ezra 8: 21.

Spiritual preparation is needed when we want to make a journey. Ezra knew this principle and made his people ready to first begun by prayer and fasting. He wanted the assembled group thereby to humblethemselves before God in order to ask Him for a safe journey for themselves, their children,and their possessions.

• Prayer and fasting show one’s spiritual dependence and his acknowledgment that God is in total control.

2.Counting not to human’s help Ezra 8:22-23

22For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, "The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him." 23So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.