These are days to fast and pray. The world is shaking. The concern of many is continuing to grow because of all of the uncertainties that the situations in our nation have presented us. The thought of “normal” seems to have been erased from the life experience of most. And the adjustments that have been made in order to survive this unprecedented season have been challenging, confronting on many levels, and difficult, to say the least.

However, with all of the supposed setbacks that many are experiencing, this is our generation and God knew that we would be here. It is a very sobering thought and helps to bring an internal calm to the storm of chaos that seems to be rocking the boat of so many in this moment. God knew that you would be here. His masterful design is what has you in 2020. That tells me that it is not the enemy that determines what happens to us here, it is God. He is good, and He is working all things together for good to those that love Him and have been called according to His purpose! (Romans 8:28)

With that said, I say again, these are days where we must fast and pray. Hearing from God is not a luxury, it is a necessity. There is way too much opportunity in these days to get off track. You can easily, depending on the voices that you are subscribing to, find yourself very much aligned with agendas, conspiracy theories, political narratives, activism groups, etc. There are plenty of competing voices out there. But, in the midst of all of the competing voices are a people that know the voice of the Good Shepherd. (John 10:27) We can be and should be, beautifully synchronized to God and His desires. He has given us access to His mind by His Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:16)

But, let me say this, fasting and praying is not some kind of magic potion. The practice of fasting isn’t like walking up to a vending machine with your two quarters, popping them in, hitting the combination of buttons associated with the item that you desire, and then standing back and watching whatever it is that you wanted most in the moment come flying out to you. Oh no, it is not like that at all. Why would I say this? Many fast and pray and come away disappointed. They invest time and effort into fasting and then come away deeply frustrated. Why would this be? Because sometimes there were things that they wanted out of their investment into fasting and praying other than Jesus. There are times where we come desiring “stuff” and He desires to give us himself.

There is a time in Matthew’s gospel where the disciples of John approach Jesus. They have a question that they feel is pretty important. They have been evaluating the life of Jesus and his disciples and they have come to a conclusion that has bothered them to the point where they have to say something. They come to Him and say, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” Jesus responds to them by saying, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” (Matthew 9:14-15)

Did you know that the Pharisees used to fast 2 days a week? 2 days a week. I don’t know many people who fast 2 days a week. That is not to be condemning, but more so to point out that the lifestyle practice of fasting seems to have been lost on the larger Christian landscape altogether. However, the disciples of John seem to have a valid point of contention with Jesus. They are fasting, why shouldn’t His disciples be? By the way that Jesus responds to them, we immediately learn that there is a clear difference in the heart posture, and that is what is important to Jesus.

The Pharisees fasted two days a week and Jesus called them a brood of vipers and evil. (Matthew 12:34) They fasted two days a week and John the Baptist called them a brood of vipers and called them to keep with the fruit of repentance, not thinking that they could lean on their lineage to save them. (Matthew 2:7-8) Again, they fasted two days a week and Jesus, later on, called them out for shutting off the kingdom of heaven from people, being hypocrites, being blind guides, neglecting justice and mercy, and last but not least, being whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. (Matthew 23:13-28)

Okay, that was a little rough. But what is the point? The point is this—you can have the right behavior and the wrong heart. Just because you are behaving right doesn’t mean that your heart is right. You can do everything perfectly on the outside, that being all of the externals, and from within be corrupt. The Pharisees were fasting for image. They were fasting for resume. They were fasting because their stature was formed by the understanding of their religiosity and the acts that were attached to that. They were doing the “right thing” but for all of the wrong reasons. And obviously, Jesus thought so too, because He rebuked them harshly on many occasions.

So, where does that leave us? Great question. We cannot throw out what is authentic because there are those who seek to taint what is pure. In the midst of a lack of authenticity, our hearts should burn all the more for the Lord to raise up a standard. We should be jealous and diligent to live pure. We should be contending to lay our lives down as a pattern that can be built upon. For all who may have a vantage point to watch us live, we should become a provocative element to them. These things are not wrong, Paul on many occasions considered his own life this way. Therefore, I exhort you, be imitators of me. (1 Corinthians 4:16) Follow me, as I follow Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1) The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9)

May our hearts in these days be purified by the Holy Spirit as we give ourselves to fast and pray. We have to come to Him for Him. It is easy to miss Him when it is not Him that we really want. He waits to be wanted.

Fasting helps to weaken the strength of our self-reliance. We need Him to want Him the right way. It takes Him in us to lead us to Him. Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him…” (John 6:44)

As we feel the tug of the Spirit on our hearts in these days to fast and pray, may we give ourselves to Him. May the lifestyle practice of fasting and praying in these days be a great gift to you as you seek to love Him and live in a way that would greatly honor Him.