The question, “am I in the right place,” is something I often ponder. At my wit’s end, I turned to the pages of the Bible to find answers to this dilemma. To my amazement, the words of Acts 13:2-4, jumped off the pages today, putting an equation into my mind: Worship + Fasting = Spiritual Insight.
Worship isn’t a service you attend once a week on Saturday night or Sunday. Nor is worship a portion of a church service where you sing hymns or modern worship songs. Rather, worship is an acquired adoration of a living God, where an individual devotes time each day to honor and revere the creator of the heavens and the earth. As this relationship kindles, lyrics of praise become etched upon their hearts, paying tribute to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Fasting is a spiritual practice neglected by many denominations in recent years. My first encounter with fasting began in high school, by not eating red meat on Friday’s during the Catholic celebration of Lent, prior to Easter. Authors like Jentezen Franklin have helped me grasp this concept through books like the Fasting Edge. The notion of fasting can be traced back to Jesus’ words in Matthew 26:41. By replacing food with prayer for a meal, day, week or month, your body can be strength by a willing Spirit. Like any type of training, start small and work your way your goal of a day, few days or an entire week.
According to Acts 13:2, something supernatural transpired when worship and fasting were present in Paul and Barnabas’ life. During a normal Sunday service, the Holy Spirit filled each with spiritual insight. Prior to this day, their future was unclear. However, in the midst of these joint acts of faith, God called each to the mission field. Though cautious initially, the Holy Spirit guided their inaugural journey, leading them to Seleucia and Cyprus, Acts 13:4. The apostle Paul didn’t just write about faith, Galatians 5:25, he lived it!
Like a teacher becoming a student, are you where God wants you to be or are you resisting a spirit of change? Since everything else I have tried has failed up to this point, its time for me to try the equation Worship + Fasting. As I commit to next 3 days to this exercise, I am praying that spiritual insight will follow. The only thing standing in the way of a modern miracle is weak faith. Therefore, trust the promises within 2 Peter 1:3-9 to pave the way for blessings and a fruitful life in Christ!
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 