(Third part)
Memory verse (Isaiah 58: 4) “ Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high ”.
Many times we have all wrong kinds motives in our heart that lead us to pray and fast, one of which is STRIFE. These are causes of strife; pride, rebellion and offenses. Whenever you sense strife in your life either you were offended, or you are rebellious and it’s simply pride hiding somewhere. Of course where strife is there are debates. Some people debate within them selves as their heart argue with their heads. You need to seek and find the source of the strife in your life, you are striving with your boss at work, striving with your pastor or leader in ministry, you’re striving with your husband or wife, some even strive with God that’s why scripture teaches that the Spirit of God will not strive with man (Gen6: 3).
In your fasting, you need to target the areas of strife in your life. Pray in tongues as you fast and allow the Holy Spirit to shine light in the dark places of your life. Let him show you the roots of strife in your life. When the Holy Spirit expose the roots, then repent to God, ask for healing and transformation (1Jn1: 9). God has called us to freedom and peace. Don’t allow strife to remain hidden in your life, don’t see fruits strife and simply ignore them, confront them and as you bring them to God in prayer and fasting God will destroy their roots.
The problem of the children of Israel was that they fasted in the opposite direction. They thought their wives had a problem; their bosses were bad, their pastors were oppressing them; they thought all other people were wrong. So, they began to pray and uprooted them, they tried to pray them out of the offices. Many believers pray what they call dangerous prayers against different people; they curse their enemies, they fast that God should oppose their enemies. Churches fast against other churches quoting scriptures, no man will be able to stand before us. Check out your motive in prayer and fasting and make sure it’s not strife that is forcing you to fast. You don’t need to feed strife through fasting, build your need to put it to death. You need to love your enemy, you need to pray for them not against them, you need bless those who despitefully use you, walk in love not in strife. (Mtt5: 43-48).
We will continue this subject tomorrow
