{"id":883,"date":"2018-06-14T11:39:12","date_gmt":"2018-06-14T17:39:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/masterofthehouse.org\/?p=883"},"modified":"2018-06-14T11:51:14","modified_gmt":"2018-06-14T17:51:14","slug":"the-fast-that-god-has-chosen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/masterofthehouse.org\/considerations\/the-fast-that-god-has-chosen\/","title":{"rendered":"The Fast That God Has Chosen"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?”<\/em><\/span>
\n– God (Isaiah 58:6)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"A fast may seem a daunting task.\u00a0 Denying ourselves the substances that are necessary to quality life, or life itself depending on the nature of one’s fast.\u00a0 It is something we are taught through Scriptures and one we hope will draw us closer to God, but why do we fast?\u00a0 What are we truly hoping to accomplish during our time of deprivation?<\/p>\n

Many people fast for many reasons.\u00a0 Some enjoy the rapid loss of weight and find that becoming their goal.\u00a0 Some wish to feel more spiritually connected with God.\u00a0 Some hope for an answer to specific prayer, or an intercession to assist them.\u00a0 Some seek to rid themselves of improper habits or nagging fears.<\/p>\n

For whichever reason we fast, God has explained that first, it is for freedom.<\/p>\n

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Is our Father speaking of freeing others?\u00a0 Yes, that is very much the direction of His chosen fast, as the next verse reveals.<\/p>\n

“Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring the poor that are cast out to your house? when you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you hide not yourself from your own flesh?”<\/span><\/em>
\n– God (Isaiah 58:7)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

However, consider this.\u00a0 How can any of us give something we do not have?\u00a0 If we are still trapped within bonds of wickedness, like a character flaw of hypocrisy, or fear, or dishonesty – they may be subtle wisps of who we once were but they can still exist.\u00a0 How effective can we hope to be releasing others from the bonds of wickedness when we ourselves are still to one degree or another trapped within?\u00a0 Now do not become disheartened.\u00a0 God meets us where we are, and every effort to do well in Jesus’ name He honours and assists.\u00a0 Continue striving to do well.\u00a0 But we ourselves are not yet perfect.\u00a0 And God does call each of us to perfection.<\/p>\n

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”<\/span><\/em>
\n– Jesus (Matthew 5:48)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Our fasting then begins with seeking to loose the bonds of wickedness that hinder us, to undo the heavy burdens that we carry, to be free of our oppressions, and break all the yokes we carry unnecessarily.\u00a0 It is our goal to be better and freer than we were before we began our fast.\u00a0 It is our hope to be of even greater use for our Lord in service to Him.<\/p>\n

The greatest struggle when fasting is our own minds trying to influence us, telling us we are hungry or missing out on something good.\u00a0 And of course the lies of the enemy seek to strengthen that belief so that we begin to see nothing but what we are denying ourselves, and we lose sight of our initial hopes of growing before our Father.\u00a0 But consider Jesus as He fasted in the wilderness, He was beset by temptations of the devil to give up His pursuit or to find a quick way to accomplish His mission.\u00a0 Yet the enemy could not succeed, nor could Jesus’ own mortal body persuade Him to take His focus off His goal.<\/p>\n

Jesus was alone.\u00a0 His fast could not serve others, yet as the Son of God His fast would be the fast that God has chosen.\u00a0 So what did He accomplish?\u00a0 He broke the bonds of wickedness that sought to entangle Him.\u00a0 His body and mind would try instinctively to tell Him He must eat, and the devil tried every persuasion to take Jesus away from His mission – His goal.\u00a0 And He stood fast and considered only His completeness in His Father.<\/p>\n

“… Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. …”<\/span><\/em>
\n– Jesus (Matthew 4:4)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

When we fast we share in the same discipline and opportunity as Jesus.\u00a0 We grow and become better prepared in our service.\u00a0 When Jesus completed forty days of fasting, and overcame all the temptations, He went out proclaiming the good news in the power of His Father – freeing those demon possessed, healing the sick, and revealing the Truth of God’s Kingdom.\u00a0 Our fasting is chosen for the same purpose, to be free so that we may better set others free.<\/p>\n

Our fasting then begins with seeking to loose the bonds of wickedness that hinder us, to undo the heavy burdens that we carry, to be free of our oppressions, and break all the yokes we carry unnecessarily.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What are some of the bonds, burdens, oppressions, and yolks that might be seeking to be free from?\u00a0 Here are a few thoughts:<\/p>\n