Fasting Lifestyle - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) April 6, 2021

Some, if not many of us, just concluded Lent during which we fasted from one thing or another. Personally, I see fasting as a Kingdom Key which enables me to deprive my flesh in order to receive clarity and get closer to God.

However, how many of us realize that fasting isn't merely about sacrificing for a few hours, days, weeks or more? How many of us realize that fasting and thus sacrifice to God, is a lifestyle? A lifestyle that when done right amplifies our efforts with the Lord?

Consider key scripture in Isaiah 58 -

6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression,

with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

11 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

The scripture encourages us to live lives where we consistently care for the hungry, the homeless and the poor. Our lifestyles should bring justice to the oppressed and restore our broken family relationships. We are not to be wicked (oppress) to others nor are we to act as accusers and slanderers.

When we do that, the Lord promises in verse 8 that our light will shine, we will receive healing and be surrounded by Him. He also promises to answer us when we call out to Him in verse 9 and in verse 11, He assures He will guide us, provide for us and strengthen us.

Can we therefore claim to have adopted a life of true fasting to the Lord? It's hard to even consider but we thank our Heavenly Father for His grace. It allows us to start this new lifestyle.

1 Samuel 15:22 - But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

Proverbs 21:3 - To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

Jeremiah 7:23 - but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.

Let's take today's Praise & Pray (for others) as an opportunity to step into this lifestyle. Let us focus our prayers on the needy and may the Lord help us to live lives that reflect obedience to His word.

Hope to see you at Noon EST for fellowship. God bless you.