Sensitively understood
Jesus did not say (Matthew 6:16-18) if you fast, but when you fast. What is the purpose of fasting? We certainly cannot persuade God to change His mind and if we try to, it is both hopeless and sinful. I think fasting is to bring our focus to be so entirely fixed on what we are praying for, that we let nothing else, including food, intrude, interfere or distract us from prayer during that time. We can all have our differing ideas about fasting. Of course, there are times when we will fast from food but for myself, I also want to adopt a lifetime fast which is fasting from everything that was never in Jesus. This fast can free me from slavery to habits of the flesh. If I don’t observe this fast then occasional fasting from food will be a waste of time. What would a lifetime fast include, what must be avoided? One of the strongest impulses in humans is the desire to be always proven right. This stems from pride and must definitely be included. You cannot convince people that you are clever and that Jesus is wonderful at the same time. This fact would also include anger, criticism, impatience, exaggeration, holding a grudge, unforgiveness, bitterness, gossip, racial and all prejudice, selfishness, rudeness, a sharp tone of voice, manipulation and etc. All of these bad habits are enslaving poison.
If an incident occurs where someone is rude to me or harshly and wrongly accuses me, I must not respond in kind, never retaliate. If someone says something that is contrary to God’s Word, I must speak truth but never as a put-down. My words should convey such love and gentleness that the other person might become interested rather than angry. When Paul was deserted by Demas (2 Timothy 4:16) he didn’t try to get even. When Herod killed James and arrested Peter (Acts 12:2-3) Peter didn’t bad-mouth Herod.
When Stephen (Acts 7:60) was stoned to death, just before he died he prayed that God would forgive his murderers. These men fasted from natural reactions to injustice and they reflected the glory of God.
We have many opportunities every day to give heed to the inclinations of the flesh. If we break our fast, what will it do to our witness, our testimony? What will it say to bystanders about Jesus? I want everything about me to proclaim the truth about Jesus. How could such a lifetime fast be possible for us in this wicked world? This is the fast that the Lord has chosen (Isaiah 58:7-8) to meet the needs of the hungry, naked and homeless and not to distance ourselves from the needs of family. The transparent integrity of our new life should shine in every aspect of our daily lives and wherever possible, we will be a voice for Justice. God requires that (Micah 6:8) we love kindness and walk humbly in fellowship with our God.
In a previous meditation I mentioned that our history, our present time and all our future were only made possible because of these 12 words: “It is finished – He is risen, Behold I make all things new.” These victorious 12 words represent the fruit of everything we will enjoy in time and eternity. But what is the root of that fruit? We must (Isaiah 37:31) take root downward in order to bear fruit upward. No root – no fruit. The root of this joyous fruit is culminated in 7 words of surrender. Without these 7 words being spoken first, the 12 words could not have been uttered. Come with me to Gethsemane and see a MAN throwing Himself prostrate on the ground. His stress is so great that the blood vessels in His forehead burst and His Blood runs onto the ground. Jesus fasted from His own will all through His life and now, in His anguish, He continues to fast with these 7 words of total yielding and surrender, (Matthew 26:39) “Not My will but Thine be done.” There was no other way because Jesus is the only Way. Are we getting a fuller understanding of what a lifetime fast meant for Jesus and what it means for us? The open secret of victory is the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We have (1 Corinthians 2:16) the mind of Christ. Jesus is (Colossians 3:4) our life and the Holy Spirit is (Romans 8:2) the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. So, with Jesus being Himself in us by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, we can launch out into this lifetime fast with courage, strength and joy. Never let our wonder decrease but may it increase greatly to fill us and thrill us with the wonderful wonder-filled wonder of our glorious Sovereign God.
The MAN Jesus strictly observed a lifetime fast (John 8:29) from His own will in order to fulfill the holy purpose for which God had created Him in the virgin’s womb. I know that God had a holy purpose for creating me. Therefore, a lifetime fast is essential to me in order for me to fulfill God’s purpose. If I should choose my own will and my own way, I would be deliberately fighting against God’s will and His purpose. Truly I want no part of that wicked sin and the resulting tragedy.
I want to have a deep and growing spiritual awareness so deep within me, that it fills and envelops my entire being, becomes part of me and is my reason for everything I think, say and do. I seek and pray for intense spiritual comprehension of the COST of so great salvation and the WORTHINESS of THE LAMB. Through the Blood of Jesus, we now have (Hebrews 10:19) full freedom to enter the Holy of Holies. By faith I ascend to that high and holy place (Isaiah 57:15) where God dwells in eternity. Then I kneel at the Throne of Grace to present my requests and to have heart-to-heart communication with the loving Triune God.