Fasting

The weakness of hunger which leads to death brings forth the goodness and power of God who wills life. Here there is no extortion, no magic attempt to force God’s will. We merely look with confidence upon our heavenly Father and through our fasting say gently in our hearts: “Father, without you I will die; come to my assistance, make haste to help me.”

—JOSEPHWIMMER

So the other day I was kind of re-minded about this nifty little blog that I started almost a year ago. Not sure why I fell off the bandwagon, but of course, like many things in my life, I let this go...so much for New Year's resolutions.

Well, I guess there's no better time to get back into my writing habit than when I should be studying for finals (good thing my parents don't read this. I feel like they might have a thing or two to say about that).

My life lately-

There's a reason I titled this post "Fasting." If you have never studied the spiritual discipline of fasting then you are missing out on a crucial, powerful aspect of the faith that so many of us fail to utilize. And it's to our detriment really..

Fasting and prayer are the most powerful tools we as Christians have in our spiritual arsenal. Skeptical? There's numerous Biblical examples, such as the Ninevites in the story of Jonah. They were marked for destruction, but at the message proclaimed by Jonah they fasted and clothed themselves with sackcloth. What happened? God changed his mind and let them live. Cool.

In the New Testament, after the ascension of Jesus when the disciples were seeking direction about where they were supposed to go to take the good news, the Bible says they fasted and prayed. And you know what, it says then the Holy Spirit of God spoke. Because of their devotion to fasting and prayer, the Father was compelled to act.

Please read Isaiah 58. This is the definition of fasting and should be the definition of our lives if we claim to live as servants of God. In Matthew, when John the Baptist's disciples came to Jesus and asked him why his disciples didn't fast, Jesus answered, Why would they fast when the bridegroom is with them? But a day will come when the bridegroom will be taken away, and then they shall fast...

And then they shall fast. No if's. A few verses later, when Jesus is elaborating on the subject, he says, And when you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do...

And when you fast. I don't see a second option here.

As the Church, I think we are missing the boat on this one. I can't remember the last time I went to a service and the topic was fasting; even longer since I heard a sermon challenging me to fast, to surrender something crucial to me as a way of saying to God that I desire Him more.

What do you cherish more- our God or His gifts? When's the last time you actively took steps to tell Him that, God, my desire for you is greater then my desire for ___?

Nations have been shaped through fasting and prayer; history has been changed as the result of fasting and prayer. Remember the Great Awakening? Every single one of the leaders of that powerful spiritual movement in our nation's history actively practiced the discipline of fasting in their lives (trust me, I've researched this).

So why aren't we doing it? If the heart of God is moved when we fast; if revivals have broken out because of the fasting and prayer of a few individuals desperate for the Spirit of God to work, why isn't this more of a big deal??

More than a month and a half ago, God started talking to me about fasting and revival. Eventually, it got to the point where I couldn't escape it (there's that Hound of Heaven again). Now, I've fasted numerous times in my life for different reasons, but never has the necessity been impressed upon me so strongly as it is now. God is raising up His people here at IWU; the Spirit of God is leaking out all over the place. I have seen it with my own eyes, talked to individuals whom God is using and can see the same thing. Having just yesterday been released from the longest fast I have ever done in my life, I can say from personal experience- it's worth it. My heart in this fast was not for me, but for my friends, my school. And yet, what God did in my own life was absolutely incredible; I had no idea the deep, powerful ways that God was going to work in me, use me, change and shape me. I'm not saying this to point out how great I am now that I have accomplished this great feat. NO, as Paul said, I am the least of all. Truly. I know how small I am in life's grand scheme, how many individuals more gracious, commendable, talented, humble, etc. there are that God has placed in our community for His good work. But now, after this time of intense fasting and seeking the His face, I am more than I was- more equipped, malleable, teachable, able to listen, discern what God is saying to me and to us. If I was the preaching type, I would give everything I had to get people to see how important this is. If you want to do something for God, but are always wondering what in the world there is for you to do in the bubble in which you live (for me it's the IWU bubble), do this. Do fasting. It's not about food or Facebook or whatever God calls you to give up; it's about saying, God, I desire the outpouring of your Spirit more than this thing in my life.

Having always wanted to live a life completely dependent on God (kind of a Shane Claiborne, ordinary radical type of thing), this fast was the first step, a small taste. Again, I wish I could stress how passionately I feel about this..but I can't. So I'll leave the rest of to God.

And now that I've wasted a significant amount of time, I really should study...because that would be the responsible thing to do. I know it's not Biblical, but the phrase "God helps those who help themselves" comes to mind....

Oi, it's going to be a long night...