29/03/2023
At the beginning of this year we did a fast with our church for 3 weeks. Folks were encouraged to participate how they deemed fit. My husband and I chose to do a Daniel fast.
On this fast we watched as God started moving in our lives, answering prayers, and working in us - and in our church. It was so awesome to witness. As we were nearing the end of the fast I heard Holy Spirit whisper โwhat if you gave me a year.โ ๐ณ๐ณ๐ณ๐ณ๐ณ๐ณ Ummm, come again Lord? You must be kidding. I said okโฆ well what if I just try to stick to the confines of eating healthyโฆ Iโll keep with cutting out sugar, and โbehaveโ. Not me trying to barter with Adonai. ๐คฆ๐ผโโ๏ธ
Funny enough, a couple days passed and my oldest came up to me and said โMom, are you going to keep fasting?โ โฆโฆ. ๐ separately and a few days later my second oldest came up to me and said โMom, are you still fasting?โ โฆ.. ๐ The weeks went on, and I was trying to โbehaveโ but wasnโt really doing so. Last week I met with some girlfriends to celebrate one of their birthdays and on fo them asked โAre you still fastingโโฆ. ๐
Right after that dinner I got fairly sick. So did most of my kids. As I was catching up and reading my devotionals through a prophetic channel on telegram - it was as if the Lord hit me upside the head with a 2x4. The woman running the channel said โYou keep praying for healing from things you are knowingly putting in your body.โ In other words. How can God heal me when I won't stop poisoning my body?
Conviction hit. The tears flowed. God had clearly requested I fast for a year, and I tried to negotiate! Then I just flat out ignored! ๐ข My heart broke.
I know youโre thinking, what is the lesson here, Steph? Why are you telling me this?
A lot of people want break through, or healing, or deliveranceโฆ. But they arenโt willing to die to self first.
Ouch, right? Conviction isnโt always glamorous. Sure wasnโt for me last week either.
Maybe you are praying for deliverance for our country right now. That God would intervene now so we don't have to endure much more of the insanity that is sitting in the White House. Or youโve been praying for healing in your life and it isnโt working, or youโve been seeking deliverance from a generational curse and it wonโt seem to breakโฆ. I want you to dive into a couple areas.
Are you dying to self daily? Did the Lord ask you to do something, and you just ignored it? Self control is a really hard thing to die to flesh with. BUT what do you want more? The fleshly satisfaction? Or the anointing? Another ouch. I know. Are you willing to fast if God calls you to? Fast for our nation?
A few nights ago we went out to celebrate my second oldest birthday (Dean), I had to stick to the fast at dinner and at ice cream afterwards. Iโll admit it, my flesh was not happy. However, when we came home and anointed our home I quickly learned WHY it was important I did that. We finished anointing our home and started worshiping after as a family. As we worshiped I felt what I like to call โThe Holy Spirit Goosies.โ That shiver that just runs through you when you hit the Spirit. Then I heard โthat is why you fast, so you can do this, and hear me, what do you want more, the food or this?โ I cried, again.
You Abba, I will decline it all just to be with you.
What about open doors? Is that spirit of unforgiveness still operating in your life? Healing and deliverance wonโt work if youโve got open doors. Youโve got to forgive them my friend. Just as the Lordโs Prayer says โforgive me my trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.โ It doesnโt say that just for funsies. Ya gotta actually do it.
I found a door the other day that I didnโt even know was open. But as I found myself talking with a friend about a certain person my stomach turned. That is usually an indicator that youโve got some unforgiveness operating in your life. I came home and told my husband that we needed to pray for that person. God clearly knew I needed toโฆ so my husband goes โokay, you pray.โ ๐คข It was bad enough I had admitted I wanted to pray for them, now I actually gotta do it?! Then I quickly remembered, yes. That is how you practice forgiveness, especially when you thought you already did. So we prayed. And Iโll continue to do so every day. I will pray for that person before my family, friends or church. Because that is how you heal the wound. You pray for them like you would your spouse or your child.
So now I ask you. Is God speaking in an area of your life and youโve tried bartering with Him? Did you get a not so coincidental reminder from more than one person? Or are you waiting until conviction smacks you upside the head with a 2x4, like it did me?
Whatever you're being called to do, go do it. Don't wait like I did. Especially if it concerns our nation. We need all the united fasting we can, especially if Abba is calling for it.