Jump!
If you are reading this, I’m trusting it is because the Lord is stirring in you a desire to know and seek Him as you never have before! It was such a privilege for Jody and I to be able to share with The Summit this morning what God has done in us as we have hungered for Him through fasting. Oh, may He be glorified in and through our church as we all hunger for Him together!
As I mentioned this morning, we are encouraging all who are sensing that Holy Spirit “tug” to fast on Tuesday, either from food or all forms of media (TV, cell phones, ipods, newspapers, etc.) It is critical, however, that you seek the Lord for what He would have for you to do…this is NOT about doing what our spouse is doing or our best friend or the person in the row behind us. A fast begins, endures and ends in relationship with Jesus. Let us each keep our eyes fixed on HIM and not on those around us. He knows you better than you know yourself and He will direct you in to the kind of fast that will be best for you and will bring Him the greatest glory.
A couple practical thoughts – while there is a neat corporate dynamic in fasting together as a church, please don’t feel like it has to be Tuesday. Again, it’s not about the specific day or even the kind of fast you do. Most important is your heart’s posture as you enter in to the fast. Also, if you have serious health concerns (pregnant, nursing, diabetic), a food fast is probably not the wisest choice for you. To be sure, under normal circumstances and when done carefully, fasting is one of the healthiest things you can do for your body. However, for some, a food fast may not be an option. (When I have fasted from food, I have still allowed myself to drink 100% pure fruit juice [1 to 3 glasses/day]. This is especially helpful if you may be hypoglycemic. And, of course, drinks lots and lots of water!)
Depending on what kind of fast you are doing, it is important to do all you can to spend the time you would normally spend eating (or on the phone or reading the newspaper) in prayer and reading God’s word. Or perhaps you simply go for a walk and spend time praising and thanking God for as many things you can think of. If not fasting from media, put on some praise music and worship Him through song. The whole point is to redirect your time, your thoughts, your heart, your body towards God. Every one of us will still have to be about the business of our day, but during our fast, we are placing our complete trust in Christ, in a new way, that His strength and grace are sufficient for us.
If you happen to be thinking right now: “There is no way I can do this” then you are absolutely right! You can’t. But let me SHOUT as loudly as I can while typing that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Phil 4:13). I used to think I knew and believed that Scripture…and then I fasted. Now I know that I know that I know that I truly can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! He is an amazing, wonderful, powerful, faithful, strong, awesome, incredible God!! And He wants to pour Himself in to you…if you will empty yourself for Him.
Just a couple closing thoughts…if you are a reader, I cannot recommend strongly enough A Hunger for God: Desiring God through Fasting and Prayer by John Piper. It is simply outstanding. It wrecks me every time I read it – and I long for God anew all over again. (And there are lots of other great books on fasting I can recommend, as well, if anyone is interested.)
I would really, really love to hear from you – please, if you have any questions, any thoughts – if you’d like to share your experiences or perhaps any great books you’ve read – dialogue here on the blog. Email me. Call me. Catch me at church. Jody, too!! Let’s allow this time to be a time of learning and encouragement. There is absolutely a time to fast “in secret” as best we can, but fasting to be seen and to be seen fasting are two very different things. As always, it comes back to the motivation of our hearts.
Above all, seek Christ. Trust Christ. Pursue Christ. It may just be one small step at a time…but as you learn to trust Him, you’ll find yourself jumping with abandon! He is so worthy!! Be glorified in us, Lord!! This much, we hunger for You!!
Jody and I will be fasting with and praying for you!
Hi Cammie,
I just want to say what a blessing to me it was to here both of your testimonies for fasting a couple, you both did a wonderful job of explaining how God is at the center of your marriage.
As a couple with small children, what is your experience, that you could share with our family, about stepping thru a fast together as a family.
In His grace, Garnett Lloyd
I appreciated hearing Jody’s analogy of your dating relationship and fasting. He had to decide what things in his life he would need to jettison in order to pursue you more fully. I had never looked at fasting in that light before–abstaining from certain things in order to pursue God. That really helped shed a new light on fasting for me. Sometimes I try to fit God into all my daily stuff, when really I should pursue Him first and He’ll prioritize all the other details of my life. Thanks to both of you for sharing so candidly with us yesterday!
Looking forward to tomorrow. I have been teetering on the edge of this discipline for months now. I have been pretending that I am waiting on God’s instruction. The truth is, He has given every instruction and every reason to fast in scripture. I’m just a wimp. Throughout the Bible, fasting and praying go hand in hand. Who am I to think I am OK just praying?
It is so awesome to grow in the Lord together! I love hearing about what God is doing in hearts all around me!! Thank you so much for sharing yourselves with me.
Garnett, yours is a great question! Obviously, it’s nearly impossible to fast “in secret” at home, but we have found that our times of fasting have been incredible times of conversation as a family. As Jody and I have fasted from foods, our children have been able to see the Lord sustain and strengthen us…they’ve been able to pray for us…and they, too, have been encouraged to think and pray about things from which they might consider fasting, as well. With young, growing children, we normally don’t encourage a complete fast from food. They might, however, consider about fasting from maybe one meal, or perhaps desserts. Usually, though, we talk about maybe a favorite pasttime of theirs that they might considering giving up for a time, in order to spend time reading their Bibles, etc. There have been many, many nights that we’ve simply prepared a meal for the kids and sat down to have fellowship with them while they eat. Not always easy, but believe it or not, it gets easier the more you do it!
It’s also hard, as you well know, to find that time throughout the day to spend with the Lord when you would be eating (or otherwise, depending on the fast), since our children are always around! But, I have learned to trust in the fact that God knows EXACTLY what season I am in. What’s neat about a hunger fast, is that the hunger pangs will regularly remind you to turn your heart and mind to the Lord in prayer and worship, even if you can’t necessarily sit down and give Him your utter, undivided attention. Does that make sense?
And last, remember that YOUR obedience will bless everyone around you, including your children. I’ve tried to make it a “habit” now to thank Jody any time he is fasting, because we receive so many, many blessings when he is faithful to pursue and follow after the Lord. Even small steps of obedience are “huge” in God’s economy!!
The timing of this sermon was perfect. God never ceases to amaze me. God has been tugging at me to try fasting for a long time.. I was always hesitant because I wanted to do for the RIGHT reasons and was honestly chicken to try it. I struggle with my weight so any time a fast was mentioned my first thought was always I should give it a try; it would at least help me lose some weight. Totally, the wrong reason to fast. I am sure it was also Satan’s way of detering me from this experience.
Recently, I was sitting in Food Lion Parking lot. I was dying for a diet coke and some chocolate (what a combo)after a bad day at work. I was overwhelmed by the spirit as God pressed upon my heart do you seek me every day as you seek your Diet Coke and chocolate. I had to say no, not every day. Ash Wednesday was the next day so I gave them both up for 40 days. Every time I crave them I say a prayer ( I have been praying alot)..
Thanks to Jody and Cammie for their testimony. I now see fasting through new eyes. Today, I have joined my Summit family in fasting. I am fasting from food today only allowing myself liquids.
A coworker asked why I wasn’t eating lunch today. I thought this would be good witnessing moment so I shared what our church was doing today.. She promptly challenges me by saying that ” You drank coffee didn’t you. Aren’t you supposed to only drink water?”.. LOL.. It made me think of the Legalistic guy from the video on Sunday.
God will bless whatever we do in his name even if you drink coffee during your fast. With each stomach growl, I say the same prayer, Lord, I want to know You more!
I can’t tell you how many times I have thought about and prayed for everyone who may be fasting today (or anytime throughout this week). I can’t get you off of my mind! I just can’t tell you how encouraged, excited, and full of anticipation I am for what God will begin in us as we fast together. (Thank you, Melanie, for sharing what God has been doing in you! Wahoo!!)
I’ve thought a lot about those of you who may be fasting for the first time, and it made me think about when I first started fasting. It was so hard! I found myself thinking about food all the time…I was more irritable…I couldn’t wait for it to end…and, truth be told, it really took a good while before I truly understand what I was doing and why. That’s OK. It really, really is. The more I fasted, the more I read books about fasting, the more I sought understanding and direction from the Lord, the more I grew.
Every single one of us is on a journey. Spiritual maturity is a process – one that doesn’t happen overnight. And…it’s unique to each one of us. My journey is not going to look like yours. What is so awesome about our God is that because He knows each of us, He fashions our individual “training” to perfectly suit our needs and callings. He knows what He wants to purge from us, and He knows what He wants to pour in to each one of us. And He is faithful to do it, if we are faithful to give Him all the “room” He needs to work.
The thing is, we will never truly know and experience His faithfulness until we step out in faith. We can’t personally know that He can be trusted until we jump and allow Him to catch us. Through fasting, I have done what I thought I could never, ever do – there was no possible way for me to do what I was convinced the Lord was asking me to do. I have learned through fasting, that when I am weak, He is strong. When I can endure no longer, His grace is sufficient to see me through. When I empty myself of everything, He fills me with all of Himself. And I am satisfied in a way I cannot put in to words.
When we fast, our bodies cry out for food. Do our souls cry out for God with that same intensity? If not, why? What have we fed ourselves that has dulled our appetites for God? And what are we willing to do in order to hunger and thirst for Him above all else? Do you want God more that you want to fill your belly? Do you want God more than you want your leisure time/hobbies? Do you long for God with the same passion as you may long for…a new house, a new car, a new outfit? None of those things are bad! Food, leisure, hobbies, houses, cars, clothes, etc. They are not bad….until we elevate them to a place that is meant for God alone. That is why we fast – to awaken our God-given appetite for the Bread of Life and the Living Water of Jesus Christ. He is supremely satisfying!
Hello all,
Just wanted to share that the Lord has been tugging at my heart the past couple of weeks about coming home from work and wasting time in front of the TV. With the house being totally quiet when I get home the first thing I would usually do was to turn on the TV simply to have some background noise, then I would fix a bite to eat and seat in front of the TV and 30 minutes became 3 hours. Interestingly enough my Bible study that I am involved covered an area on Spiritual growth and the fact that it is not enough just to believe the Bible; I must fill my mind with it so that the Holy Spirit can transform me with the truth. The 5 ways to do this is to receive it, read it, research it, remember it, and reflect on it. Under the section describing reading the Bible it stated “We can’t watch TV for 3 hours, then read the Bible for 3 minutes and expect growth”. WOW! Was God sending me a message or what? Then came Sunday and the sermon on Fasting. Which I was blessed and very thankful for Cammie and Jody’s personal walk on that topic. Thank you so much for sharing. With that all said the Lord was really leading me to fast from TV. Monday I started my fast from TV and I must say so far so good. I have increased my readings and prayer time with the Lord and I am so thankful for what he is revealing to me in the time away from the tube. :) “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine. John 8:31 “Millions of believers are plagued with spiritual anorexia, starving to death from spiritual malnutrition”. (quote from The Purpose Driven Life.) I am praying for my family at The
Summit and that your Fast will strengthen you and God will Bless you while He guides you through it.
Hey Cammie,
I was having this argument in my head about legalism. I lost. Anyway, I blogged about it here:
http://www.summitmadison.org/legalism-or-obedience/
If you make me type it again here, that would be legalistic.
Cathy!
LOVED to hear your tesimony!! Thank you so much for sharing! And I think it’s awesome that the Lord has already been preparing your heart for this fast! TV is a huge “one” in lots of lives!! I am thrilled to hear how you are drawing nearer to Him!!
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