40 Days of Spiritual RebootSample

My early days of fasting began with a desperate need for breakthrough in ministry fruit and bondage breaking. I was beginning to see situations arise in ministry that Jesus commended could only be removed by prayer and fasting. I also wanted to see a break through in ministry fruitfulness that would see our vision realised. I have maintained a lofty vision of where God is taking us and what he will do through us. But fasting was the only way to ensure there wasn’t anything in my life or the church that was an impediment to God’s blessing and revival.

I began to read books and become familiar with the lives of people who fasted. Unfortunately there weren’t a lot of examples around me that I could reference. In my field, people are convinced that fasting is a very personal and private matter and any talk about it or sharing about it is a violation of the humility code and makes a person pharisaical. I don’t hold to this view but this definitely put me at a disadvantage. So I had to test and try most of it on my own and read up on the subject as much as possible. Prayer and fasting are two things that go together a lot, so for me too this was true.

I began by understanding what the battle was all about. During my first few attempts of a single 24 hour period, I was just cocky and feeling superior. I had enough of ‘stored fat’ to sail me through this day. I then stretched it to three days. Now I began to see the monster come out. I became deeply sorry for myself. Feelings of sadness came over me and I just wanted to recluse myself from people until this period was over. I could not conduct myself normally and continue with my usual work. I was irritable and vile thoughts of sin and indulgence came to mind. All the things I don’t normally need to feel or eat suddenly became urgent, and I panicked as if I was leaving this world and I would never enjoy these things again.

I soon realised that this was exposing (1) the deep worship of the ‘self', (2) my inability to say NO to myself and (3) where my happiness lies. I found myself doing a lot of confessing and expressing disgust for what I was seeing in myself. I was afraid to fast again not wanting to see more of this ugly self.

Then it dawned on me… that while I may be getting a glimpse into my ‘old man’… he was in fact nailed to the cross. He had no bearing on my ministry or future or intimacy with God. The life I now lived, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. So now every revelation of the 'old man’ simply highlighted the very grace of God that covered me. So every time I fasted, I became more deeply aware of the immense grace under which I was operating.

Prayer and fasting then became a joy because Prayer was placing every concern and desire I had before a God who had already dispensed amazing grace. Now I just had to wait to see the work of God unleashed.

OPEN YOUR BIBLE

Read John 15.

Reflect on Christs invitation to ‘abide in him’.

COME CLEAN

Assess your week and share with God what’s on your heart. Just talk to God and trust him with your feelings about your day, your people, your money and your fears.