Prayer and Fasting

 *This should've been posted before the previous one on worship, but at first I wasn't going to share.  This is if you care to read how some of my journey through a week of prayer and fasting went, and why I have the topics I will be writing on in the coming weeks*

Last Friday it was brought up at a leadership meeting that our church would be doing a week of prayer and fasting, and that they would encourage us to do it too.  That night I personally felt that it wasn’t for me.  I knew things like fasting had to be God-led, and I just didn’t feel like it was for me.  However, by Sunday afternoon, God had convinced me otherwise. 

            I decided, through prayer, that God was asking me to do a complete fast.  No food of any kind for the full week (4 days of actual fasting).  I also felt a strong pull to stay away from social media.  My time would be spent praying, reading my Bible, worshipping, journaling, and also doing homework and working because those are important commitments. 

            It has been AMAZING!  Like there are literally no words to describe what has happened so far (I am on the 4^th day.  In 22hrs we as a church will break the fast).  Don’t get me wrong.  This has been hard.  I never realized how much I relied on the world to satisfy me, specifically social media, until I took it away.  When I got hungry I realized that I had never fully relied on God to help me physically.  It was a major learning experience.  But outside of that, I found real meaning behind Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door shall be opened for you.”  I have asked, seeked, and knocked and it has all been given to me.  I have learned and grown more these past 4 days then I have in weeks.  Being a baby Christian still (almost 10mos of being in a relationship with God), I feel that this fast has been God starting to wean me from milk and put me on some solid food.  What a change!  Yet, it is all so filling, and I find myself constantly wanting to come back for more.  My body hates me today (Fasting also has great physical benefits of detoxing your body.  However, that means it actually goes through detox which is not the best experience), but my soul is strong.  My spirit is in sync with the Holy Spirit, for the first time in weeks my soul is satisfied, not hungry or thirsty, but nourished. 

            Anyway, I have a nice list of things that God has revealed about Him and His plans for me.  I have two separate lists.  One is what God wants of me, and the other is what I can expect of Him.

For me:

·         True worshipper of God (John 4:23-24, John 9:31)

·         Be intentional in all things.  Let each word I speak be intentional, and each action intentional. (Proverbs 15:4, Proverbs 18:21, 2 Chronicles 31:21, Hebrews 6:11-12, James 1:23-25)

·         Use your Spiritual gifts (1 Peter 4:10-11, Ephesians 4:11-16, 2 Timothy 1:6-7)

·         Intercede through prayer for others (James 5:14-20, Ephesians 6:18)

God has also revealed a lot about Himself such as:

·         He knows me intimately and thinks about me more than the grains of sand (Psalm 139:1-6, 17-18)

·         He desires to break all chains, not just some of them (Isaiah 61:1-3)

·         His strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)

·         He is perfect love, we love because he first loved us (Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:10, 1 John 4:16)

o   He prays for us (John 17:9-26)

·         God is an anchor for our souls (Hebrews 6:19)

Like usual, most of this was not found through reading the Bible, but things that were laid on my heart, and later I was able to confirm with the Bible.  I am at such peace learning/being reminded of these things for my life.  I feel more confident and bold better understanding God’s plan, and God Himself.  It is crazy to believe that the King and creator of all the universe is madly in love with us.  Like the Bible says, it surpasses all understanding, but because God is the beginning of love, we can better love when we know we are being loved by him.  Love is more than just a feeling, but an action.  We have been called to be salt and light to the world (Matthew 5:13-16), and that is achieved first by love (1 Corinthians 13). 

My hope in the coming weeks is to expand on each of the things that God has taught me over this week.  To write exactly what He has shown me and how it applies to everyday life.  The lessons will forever be cherished in my soul.