(Fifth part)
Memory verse (Isaiah 58: 9) “ Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the LORD? ”
We need also to be careful when fasting not to end up in a show of flesh. Sometimes we end up in the flesh in an attempt to crucify the works of the flesh. Pride is very subtle and dangerous and we need to guard ourselves from it. Jesus taught against this fleshly pride about fasting. Fasting should destroy pride and cause humility to grow in our spirit. “ Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward ”. (Mtt6: 16)
Fasting is not about being seen by men but it’s about being seen by God. Fasting is not seeing our selves superior to other who are not able to fast the way we are, fasting is not about the ability of the flesh it’s the grace of God. It not about how many days you can go without food, it’s how much grace of God at work in transforming our lives. Fasting should be causing us to die to the flesh instead of making us proud. Fasting should seek to crucify self so that Christ could live in us. We should not depend on fleshly ability in fasting but on GOD’S GRACE.
I’ve sensed many times while fasting, many weaknesses begin to rise to the surface, like I get angry, impatience and others. And when they are exposed, you feel as though you can’t go ahead to pray the way you have been praying, God is telling you: now there’s this issue you need to repent of first and ask me to take it away from your life before you go to the next level in prayer. People, who never fast in life, don’t have any idea of the kind of things that are hidden in their lives. Prayer and fasting shake your life to the root until hidden things are exposed. These things stop their spiritual growth and hinder their prayer life. We all need to fast. There are things that will not go out our lives except by prayer and fasting. You need it my brother and sister.
Tomorrow’s subject, “ The acceptable way of fasting”
