I have been so encouraged by the honesty many are posting about their fasting. Your all are being transparent about your struggles to get a handle on your own personal fasting. This reveals that the Holy Spirit is truly helping us go deeper than our normal routines, and this can only mean greater growth and maturity for us all.
Today, I would like to look at Paul conversion in the book of Acts because it reveals his own personal struggle to understand what God was doing in his life, and the discovery that he was going the wrong way.
Acts 9:3-9 Paul’s Defining Moment
As he was nearing Damascus on this mission, a brilliant light from heaven suddenly beamed down upon him! He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
[5] “Who are you, sir?” Saul asked.
And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
[7] The men with Saul stood speechless with surprise, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice, but they saw no one! As Saul picked himself up off the ground, he found that he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days. And all that time he went without food and water.
So here is Paul, a very zealous man who thought he was serving God. He has this miraculous encounter, were God speaks audibly to him, and points out he is going in the wrong direction. How many of us have been heading full steam ahead in our direction, to have God break into our space and reveal we are doing or heading the wrong way? I know I have on more than on one occasion. Often our passion can cloud our judgement of God’s real will.
Paul realizes he can’t do things like he has always done them, he needs some special focus, and so we see him fasting of all things. He goes without food or water for three days to demonstrate to God that the Lord has his attention, and he will be listening more carefully. I think many of us would just assume we are on a roll and God will tell us whatever he wants….. How wrong!
Fasting is not a cure-all or magical practice. It’s a practical practice of saying to our own soul, and to the Lord, we are serious about listening and changing. We choose to be undistracted with food. We are choosing to sacrifice the pleasure of food for intimacy with our Creator.
Here is the next thing that happens, and I think we take this portion of the story of Paul’s conversion for granted, but I think the next things that God does in Paul’s life are predicated on his response.
Acts 9:10-19 The Lord Moves Miraculously
Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied.
[11] The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you arrive, ask for Saul of Tarsus. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him so that he can see again.”
[13] “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And we hear that he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest every believer in Damascus.”
[15] But the Lord said, “Go and do what I say. For Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for me.”
[17] So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you may get your sight back and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward he ate some food and was strengthened.
I know this is a long portion of scripture, but stay with me. Paul fasts and prays, and the Holy Spirit visits Ananias. The Holy Spirit tells Ananias that Paul is seeing a vision about him right now. He is laying hands on him and healing his blindness. Wow! God moves because Paul fasts and prays and Ananias is trusted to being the fulfillment to this vision. Would you be willing to respond if it put your life in jeopardy?
If we put this whole story in context, and relate it to our own lives, is it possible that the Holy Spirit will do the same kind of miracles for us? Could it be that sometimes visions and calling from God will become manifest when we don’t take God’s generosity for granted, but seek Him with measure of personal sacrifice? I think so.
Sometime, the Lord calls us to give a “Sacrifice” of praise. The kind of praise that doesn’t come because we feel good, but because God is worthy. Sometimes we give financially to something or some person because God has put it on our heart, not because we have lots of extra money, but because God is worthy of such sacrifice.
Sometime we sacrifice our pleasures like food, because he is worthy of us demonstrating we love him like he loves us. John 3:16 is all about God demonstrating his love though giving, and we should learn to have the same heart as our heavenly Father.
Let me close with this one thought. We should not fast because God took our hunger away, though that would be great. We fast because God is worthy of our sacrifice, and sacrifice is not real sacrifice if it cost us little or nothing.
Fast with the intent to Love God with sacrifice. Today it is food, and tomorrow it may be another means, but let’s love Him all the same.
Love this fasting period we are in together.
Pastor Dale
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