As I read the Bible and look at my life, I have come to a conclusion: I am missing something. Yes, I try to be a good Christian who wants desperately to do the will of God. I work hard at being a mother and wife. I do my best to spread the Gospel through my ministry; yet, when I compare my life to the “abundant” life that Jesus promises me in His Word, I’m left with one absolute truth: I’m a hypocrite. My life does not adequately reflect the fullness that Jesus describes during His ministry.
I think that I’ve gotten so good at following rules and performing my Christian duties that I’m missing all the good stuff, and according to the Bible, there is A LOT of good to be had as God’s child and co-heir with Christ. Every time I read through the Bible, I am amazed at the promises God gives us through His Word. The most extraordinary promise is that Jesus Himself says that if we just ask in His name, it will be given to us: John 14.13-14 NIV, John 15.16 NIV, John 16.23-24 NIV, Matthew 7.7 NIV and Luke 11.9 NIV.
The key to this promise is found in the following verse: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” John 15.7 NIV.
If we can remain in God so that His will becomes our will, there is no telling what blessings God can pour on us. If I am not experiencing the fullness that God promises me and my life is not chalked full of blessings that He desires for my life, I am not fully remaining in Him. If I’m not securely rooted in God, how could I expect to produce His abundant blessings in my life?
What I’m realizing is that I’m spiritually stuck, and I’m desperate for God to help me. I’m no longer satisfied with a “good enough” life. I want the best that God desires for me. I know that God loves me more than I love myself. He wants to bless me more than I could even think to ask. And He has a plan for my life that I couldn’t even begin to imagine.
What can we do as Christians when we are stuck spiritually? What can we do when we see the fullness of God on the horizon, but we are unable to reach it?
We fast.
In Mattew 9:15-17 NIV, Jesus says that in order to receive the new wine (the fullness of God or blessings) we need to become new wineskins (increased capacity or new anointing). That is when Jesus says that we need to fast! We fast in order to ready ourselves for our new anointing that will hold all of God’s new blessings. We fast so that we can be ready for the feast (the feast will be discussed tomorrow)!
“Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.’”
I am fasting for seven days. During my fast, I am expecting great things from God. There are many health benefits to fasting, and the mainstream world-view is already capitalizing on its effects (Reference). However, I’m fasting because I’m ready for new blessings to be poured into a new anointing on my life. My hope is that fasting will unclutter my spirit and help me to hear from God. I know that my wineskin (anointing) has reached its capacity, and I need God to supernaturally make my wineskin new, so that the new wine (blessings) doesn’t run off onto the ground because I’m too weak to hold them all.
Today was my first day of the fast, and God has already given me one of the scriptures that I will be meditating on during the shedding of my old skin and the growing of my new. I will be examining Matthew 22.1-14 NIV – The Parable of the Wedding Feast. God has already showed me amazing insights into this verse, which affirm my desire to want the abundant life. I have lots to share, so I will be posting each night of my fast until the 7th day.
God has a banquet prepared for me, and I don’t want to miss it! I’m ready to fast so that I can be ready to feast.
If you would like to join me, please do so. If you have never fasted, I would start out with a 1 or 3 day fast. Or you can simply join me each night for my posts and see what God does!
If you would like more biblical information about fasting, I would suggest Jentezen Franklin’s book, Fasting. He and His church do a corporate fast every year, and God shows His glory each time.
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