Why Fast II? part 1

As we were winding down last week’s study, Why Fast, I began feeling as though we really shouldn’t stop, on Friday, with the ending of that study. So we’re going to continue to look into this topic again this week. We need to be a people of prayer AND fasting!

I want to start with a statement we ended with last week. I was quoting one of the comments a Missionary friend made as he shared with me concerning how the Lord prompted him to go on a three-day fast. 

As God was dealing with him he finally came to the point of accepting the fact that for 30 years he had made up excuses as to why he couldn’t fast and that if he was going to do this thing, called Christianity, he was going to do away with all those excuses and go with it all the way (Go ALL IN!). (I can identify with that to a certain degree.) I was looking back at a prayer journal I had when I first really starting praying. I logged how much time I spent in prayer (and fasting), the things I was praying about, how the Lord was speaking to and dealing with me. I used to fast a lot. However, because I was very honest in my journaling, I admitted to breaking fasts early from time to time. Usually it was during extended fasts of 14 days or more.
 

The easiest things to make excuses for are our carnal desires. And those excuses seem very real and convincing at the time. I read about one of my fasts and it says that on day ten, I had lost 17 pounds. Can you imagine that? 10 days from today some of us could be 17 to 20 pounds lighter! But that should be a side effect of a fast for spiritual purposes, not the purpose nor the motivation of it. When I look back at the times I gave up early, I have to accept the fact that the flesh won those battles. 
 
I think we should all agree with my missionary friend and say that if we are going to do this thing called Christianity, why not go all the way with it? Go ALL IN! Because, the truth of the matter

In one of the books I’ve read on prayer, the author makes reference to a Bible teacher who asked his class two questions. He said, “How many of you would say you could care less about spiritual things? You do absolutely nothing to enhance your own spirituality or advance the Kingdom of God?”  Much to his relief, not one raised their hand.
 

Then he asked, “How many of you would say that you do absolutely all that you can for Jesus, that your life is consumed with growing spiritually and advancing the kingdom of God?” Much to his chagrin, not one person raised their hand. 

He then said, “Ok, what you are saying is that you are neither hot nor cold, but rather lukewarm.” He obviously set them up, however it’s rather convicting isn’t it. Especially in light of Jesus saying, Revelation 3:16 “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit.” The Message
 

The context of these verses is a message to the Church of Laodicea. Laodicea was a church that basically stated that they had all they needed, and that there was no need to pursue her relationship with Jesus any further.

Continued tomorrow