Have you ever noticed the power, unity and special bond that are discovered through sharing experiences with others? Through social media and conversations with friends around the world, I see that many churches are fasting right now. And like those churches, Fellowship Church is in the midst of an amazing 21-day fast! I can’t help but think how amazing it is that we are joining forces with people from different locations, different walks of life, all with the same goal—to seek God!
Through the years we have done various fasts. And each experience is challenging, but rich in blessing.
The challenge lies with the fact that we all love to eat. We often revolve our entire social calendars around meals. The blessing is that fasting helps us put everything in perspective. By simplifying our meals, we are better able to focus on prayer, Scripture and celebrating the majesty of God.
As I was praying last night in bed (this is not unusual, as I often lay in bed awake…praying or thinking about random things), an acrostic popped in my head for F A S T. This acrostic has helped solidify what the fast is all about for me, and I hope it will help us all grasp the blessings that are in our midst.
Focus – Fix our eyes on Jesus, and look to Him for strength.
Hebrews 12:2-3, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Ask - Ask the Lord to reveal Himself to us through reading the Bible and through prayer time. What needs to change in our routines, in our priorities and in our commitments?
Psalm 139:23-24, “ Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Submit - Submit to the will and ways of the Lord. He wants to grow us up; and in order to do that, we have to be willing to get under His authority in every area of our lives.
James 4:7, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Thank - Thank God for every detail of life. Thank Him for the great things that are happening, but also the trials and difficult circumstances. Often, God uses the hard times to draw us closer to Him and to shape us up. (I am a living testimony of this!)
Psalm 100:4,5, “ Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."
As we continue this fast together, my hope is that you will experience the blessing of that common bond shared with others. I pray that you will continue to seek God's will. And I look forward to the harvest of change that will result from this time!
Leave a comment and let me know how the fast is going for you. And together, let's strengthen the bonds and experience the blessings!
