Category: 21-Days of Fasting

21 days ago we embarked on a journey together with a goal in mind: “More of You and Less of Me.” We have have talked about the concepts of fasting with the themes of Preparation and Pursuit, Purpose and Promise, and Power and Presence. The past few weeks have been full of denying ourselves temporal gratification in exchange for closer intimacy with our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

Today we celebrate the journey. Today we come before the Lord, probably a little thinner than we were when we started, but grateful for what we have encountered. The things the Spirit has revealed to us personally and corporately do not mark the end of something, rather the beginning of something new. Carry what you have learned and let this be the beginning of a new season in your life. Let it be one of continued separation and devotion to the Lord’s purposes and desires. 

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The Ultimate Prize of Fasting

Prayer and fasting are indispensable disciplines that believers must restore to their rightful place in faith and practice. Both of these disciplines are some of the basic expectations that Jesus established for every believer, not just a select few. The motive behind prayer and fasting, though, decides whether or not they are acceptable to God.

The motives behind true fasting are not selfish, but selfless. This is why the one who fasts for incorrect reasons is no better than the one who refuses to fast – both are selfish. Those who begin to understand the privilege of sharing in the fellowship of Christ’s suffering will selflessly subdue their flesh to accomplish that which can be done no other way. They are driven by the knowledge that fasting will “loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke” (Isa. 58:6). Their deepest desire is that the hunger they feel when fasting will cause an intense spiritual hunger for Jesus in the one that desperately needs to be freed.

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Jesus fasted for 40 days prior to the launch of his public ministry. Luke tells us: “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil” (Luke 4:1). Why did Jesus need to experience this 40-day fast?

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Seek, Listen, and Obey

Listen to this statement, “Every act of obedience is another invitation to greater intimacy with GOD.” Think about it like this, you are now 18 days of obedience closer to GOD than you have ever been!

May we continue to pursue the Lover of our souls today with greater fervency than when we first began this fast rather than the other way around. Far be it from us that we should begin something in response to the Spirit’s leading and end with something perfected in the flesh (focusing on the rules and limitations of our fast, the dietary restrictions and piousness of it, instead of the One who has invited us into it). Keep on seeking, listening, and obeying.

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The Lord always deserves the very best we can offer and sometimes it isn’t easy. There are times when we feel empty and alone; like we can no longer continue with our day-to-day activities. Our bodies feel heavy and the emotional toll of our lives begin to weigh on our already weak frames. At those exact moments in our lives, there is a strategy and tool to, not only get through but to invite God right where you are.

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Ubiquity tends to inoculate. In other words, the more we see or experience a particular stimulus, the less significance/relevance it appears to have. This is a default fallacy we can easily slip in to. The word informs us that the visible world was created by, held together in and for the purpose of Jesus. The Messiah tells us, “He is the way, the truth, and the life.” Statements like these can be passed over quickly simply because of our familiarity with them. But the truth is, the Creator of all things dwells in us. And He dwells in us for a purpose.  As the following passage illustrates, power comes from the inside out – it is not skin deep. The presence of God in us is the source of the power that is expressed to the world.

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Contemplations on the Presence of God

Take a moment to reflect on the following scriptures and statements from A.W. Tozer concerning the presence of God. There won’t be further expounding upon these thoughts. Focus on the points that jump out to you and let the Holy Spirit minister to you today.

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” – 1 Corinthians 3:16

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Power and Presence

Romans 8:9-11 (NLT) 9“But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to Him at all.) 10And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. 11The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”

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Expectation

Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was Christ or not, John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you in water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (Luke 3:15-16).

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God of Breakthrough

There is a common denominator to all biblical breakthroughs—they were sought after.

How often we mistakenly think worrying is the same thing as praying; that because we have an area of deep need, God will provide. We forget sometimes that we have never actually asked Him for help. Sure, there are times we will experience God’s grace and kindness sporadically, He is a good God and surprises us often! But the adventure lies in the conversation. If you want to see miraculous breakthroughs for you and your family, talk to Him!

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