Text: Joel 2:12 NKJV
Further Reading: Joel 2:12-17
“Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
Joel 2:12 NKJV
MESSAGE
In this particular message we want to demystify certain believes about fasting and how you can fast correctly. The first thing to note is that acceptable fast from God from the heart, it is not a mere outward show.
In Joel 2:13, the Holy Spirit pointed out that the facing must be done out of sincere heart. True piety must be the motivating factor for fasting.
So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.
Joel 2:13 NKJV
Another thing you must know is that fasting is not designed to force God to do anything. In 1 Samuel 12, after God through prophet Nathan had declared judgment upon David that the child of his adultery will die, David went before the Lord fasting 7 days and 7 nights but that didn’t stop the judgment of God.
Here was David’s remark:
And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
II Samuel 12:22-23 NKJV
Christians must also know that fasting is not only abstiness from food. I believe that the greatest fasting that we need to day is break from the internet and those shows that does easily entangle us to this world. Many of us find ourselves repeated offenders going back to those shows and internet program that we promised never to touch again. Such people must trust God to get out of this web.
Finally, we must establish that fasting is not a means of punishing the body, but sign of humility and consecration to God in prayer. Therefore, fasting must be accompanied by praying.
REFLECTION
So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.
Jonah 3:5 NKJV
Fasting done from a pure or repentant heart will not lack divine blessings. Why are you fasting? Check your motive.
PRAYER
Father, please help me understand the real reason why I should fast so that I may get all the blessing of fasting and praying.
