Note before I get started: A number of you pointed out to me a typo from yesterday’s fasting encouragement – the reference to that passage should have read Isaiah 41:13-14 (not Isaiah 40).
Well . . . it’s Day 3 . . . and you have survived! God is good!
Many hundreds of people from our church (and even some from outside!) have joined together with us in this fast. I have heard from a number of different people who are doing this for the first time – an actual, all-out food fast for 3 days! Way to go. A number of you have also told me that this was easier – not easy, but eas
ier – than you thought it would be. I’m glad.
I actually knew this would happen because most of us North Americans have a such a complete mental block about fasting – we’re so petrified at the mere thought of going without food for more than a day – that we don’t ever step out and actually try a multiple day fast. But then, when you actually do step out and try it, you realize that it is physically and spiritually doable even for regular ordinary Christians like us.
Fasting is not a burden, it is a tool and a gift that God has given to REGULAR ORDINARY CHRISTIANS to help them take their praying and seeking of Him to a whole new level. Fasting is not supposed to be only for spiritual giants. It is a gift from God to regular ordinary people to open up pathways in our hearts for more of His power to flow, and for us to grow more hungry for Him.
Remember that we’re only doing this because God has promised to work powerfully on our behalf in response to our earnestly seeking Him. We’re not doing this to earn brownie points with God or each other. He loves us just the same whether we fast or not. Fasting doesn’t make you more spiritual. We’re pressing into God for a purpose, because we all want to see Him to do big things in our lives and families!
Aren’t you experiencing some benefits? More time for prayer, a sense of desire and purpose that wasn’t there before, a more quieted mind?
Three final thoughts for this final day of the fast:
1.
Don’t spend all day anticipating supper! PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! Today is your last day to pray while on this fast – make use of it! Don’t just coast to the finish line, you need God’s strength just as much today as you did on Days 1 and 2. So make sure that today of all days, you set aside a couple of times before supper to really pray about your big prayer requests.
2.
Sometimes your flesh will tell you angry, hateful things during a fast – “I hate this! I have a headache! What a stupid thing to do! I’m never doing this again!” When those thoughts come to your mind today (and in all future fasts), I want you to:
Remember the millions of Christians around the world today who are hungry and poor and suffering. You and I are fasting today because we choose to – and we’re all looking forward to a good meal tonight! But many of them fast every week BECAUSE THEY
HAVE TO, and there’s no big supper waiting for them tonight at the end of it. They fear for the lives of their children and families; they fear having their houses burned down; they fear angry mobs; they fear being thrown in prison and never seeing their loved ones again (All the stuff in this sentence is stuff from the news this past year – and there are millions of cases that never make the news.).
As you fast today, feel some solidarity with the Body of Christ all around the world. You and I can surely do a little 3-day fast every now and again in order to show a little solidarity. Let something rise up in your heart that says, “I am tired of being a wimpy Christian who only does the easy thing.” We need to have a bigger more radical vision for what Jesus has done for us, and what Christians around the world are going through.
3.
Lastly, one of our staff here at church reminded me of something a few days ago, just before the start of this fast: In Luke 22:18 Jesus says, “For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Is Jesus doing a fast with us in heaven right now? Is He doing a fast of sorts until His return? We know He is looking forward with burning purpose and passion to that day: The day when He returns to bring heaven to earth and to redeem our bodies; the day when He will wipe away all of our tears and sorrows. In that day there will be no more fasting, there will be no more pain, there will be no more suffering, or failing, or fear.
In the mean time we do know that He is praying with and for us:
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” – Rom 8:26 (ESV)
“Christ Jesus is the One who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” – Rom 8:34 (ESV)
Jesus is praying for you today – what might He be praying? Let us join Him and see Him do great things!
God bless!
Kris Duerksen
Lead Pastor
Southland Church
