40 Days of Spiritual RebootSample

This week we have been considering the discipline of fasting and digging deep to explore how and why fasting lays us bare before God. Fasting gives us a reality check like no other. But there are HUGE benefits and great advantages to those who will hang in there long enough to see the breakthrough. Today I want to remind us that fasting is not going on ‘hunger strike’. It is not arm-twisting God to get what we want or to do what we think he should be doing. It is primarily a humbling of oneself to prove to God that no cost is too much and no demand too great. That we are available for his use and for His glory.

Many hold to the notion that God calls us to fast on certain occasions and for certain things. This is true. But to say that the humbling of oneself can happen outside of the influence of the Holy Spirit… that is from our own spirits... is prideful. Therefore we concur that all desire to fast whether out of discipline or for spiritual breakthroughs are prompted and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Jesus said… ‘without me you can do nothing’.

The Bible teaches that we train ourselves in righteousness. And this is my goal. To instruct us in the disciplines of the faith so that when the Holy Spirit calls on us to implement any of these disciplines we will not be caught off guard or untrained. So let me give you some basics. Having understood the real battles of fasting i.e. the mind, the emotions and the flesh…. we begin by introducing the body and mind to short fasts. Begin with deciding to forego one meal once a week. (e.g. Wednesday Lunch) Do this for four weeks. Prepare to miraculously get invited to lunch or have people come over that you need to eat with exactly on Wednesday afternoon (sarcasm intended). It is mind-blowing how that happens. But just be prepared to say no or reschedule.

If you are ready to take on a greater challenge, begin with something known as intermittent fasting. This is a reduced eating window period. You will eat within 8 hours a day or 6 hours a day. So if you have your last meal at 9pm then have nothing to eat or drink for 16 hours and break your fast at lunch (1pm) the following day. The exceptions to the diet are tea, coffee, green tea and water (no milk or sugar). Do this for three days or if you’re up for it… for a week. I started with 16 hours and have now been successfully fasting for 18 hours a day. No I’m not showing off…. I’m showing up! Like I said, it's tough and it's a discipline. So just like you work out, or run, or swim or walk… you fast!!! It's a discipline. At this point our goal is to beat this body into submission. Bring this mind under discipline. Prepare ourselves for greater things.

OPEN YOUR BIBLE

Read - Hebrews chapter 10. It is heavy and packed with wisdom and learning. Go slow. Take notes. Underline or jot down phrases that get your attention. Identify the central proposition of the text.

COME CLEAN

From your reflection of the passage you just read, give up to God an area of struggle and claim God’s promise to be present with his help and strength. Spend some time in prayer for your spiritual growth. Worship God for His goodness and tell Him how badly you want to live off HIS strength and HIS joy. Ask him for the wisdom to switch cylinders. To leave your own strength and personality and begin to draw from his Spirit dwelling within you for every minute of your day and night.

I’m praying with you.