Break Every Chain

God moves, and when He moves, something changes.

God moves through His Word as creation continues to express His intentionality from the moment He gave it purpose.

God moves through our prayers as we respond to His un-ending and unlimited invitation to connect.

God moves through faith as we align our actions with our declaration of who He is.

God moves through fasting as we pull back from every distraction, good, bad, or indifferent, and focus wholeheartedly on the things of God.

True Fasting

As there were pharisees who memorized all of the law and missed their encounter, there is fasting that abstains, and is never filled by the Lord.

Even so, you cannot deny the power of fasting -

• Moses was sustained for 40 days on the mountain in a continuous encounter with the Lord.
• Elijah was strengthened for a 40-day journey with a meal served by an angel.
• Daniel, along with traditional fasting, lived a lifestyle that refused to assimilate with the compromise of his surroundings and was strengthened by his conviction and promoted into influence.
• The Father invited Jesus to be strengthened in a season of fasting in the dessert so that in His physical weakness, He could powerfully demonstrate His reliance on the Father.  

And while Jesus' sacrifice initiated a superior covenant between God & humanity, He was also clear that fasting would continue to amplify our relationship with the Father -

When you fast...
your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Fasting Without Compromise

I have a phrase that often anchors my thinking, if I ever get so confident -

If I am not wRESTling in a paradox, I am often compromising a truth.

And this is truly the case when we consider the words of Isaiah (Ch. 58) -

Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
   and exploit all your workers
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
   and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
   and expect your voice to be heard on high.

Our abstaining must partner with the works of God and if ever we have influence over an outcome, it must align with the heart of the Father.

• To loose the chains of injustice
• To untie the cords of the yoke
• To set the oppressed free
• To share your food with the hungry
• To provide the wanderer with shelter
• To clothe the naked
• To not turn away from your own flesh and blood

Remember

Have you ever fasted? What happened? If you've ever seen a breakthrough from fasting, take time to remember and make sure you have it written down. If you aren't already, use GodSpeaks so that we can remind you of His faithfulness.

Live Now

The Bible has many fantastic examples of fasting (choose any 40-day adventure) as well as uncompromising and focused lifestyles (Daniel, Ezekiel). Don't let the fantastic discourage you from a genuine desire to connect with the Lord in fasting.

Whether you choose a meal, a day, or some other form of abstaining, don't forget to nourish yourself with His Word, and partner with His presence during your fast.