RESET: Consecration During Fasting
As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. --Psalm 42:1 Fasting is more than doing without food or changing your diet! The Bible teaches us that fasting should not be a religious activity void of real meaning or a true connection to God. It is a spiritual discipline, like others (i.e. prayer, meditation, scripture reading, etc.), which require more than the act of abstaining from food. It is a beautiful opportunity to get closer to God and nurture your spiritual growth. In order to get the most of your 21-day journey of fasting and praying, you should plan to consecrate during the fast. Consecration simply implies that during our fast we are not enthralled in our usual distractions – those things that fill our lives with noise – noise that keeps us from hearing God. The challenge is to avoid or greatly reduce our social activities such as, time watching television, going to the movies, engaging on social media, talking on the telephone and attending events for social purposes, and other nonessential activities that will take us away from our time of prayer and meditation while fasting. My favorite illustration of how fasting connects us to God requires envisioning the old antenna on TVs and radios. The purpose was to adjust the antenna just right so that you can get the right frequency for the best reception. Consecration during fasting is adjusting your spiritual antenna so that you hear God more clearly and connect with Him for direction, clarity, a greater sense of peace, and a better understanding of what the Holy Spirit is doing in your life, to spend time in His presence and so much more!!! During the 21 days of fasting and praying, we should make a real attempt to quiet our lives as much as possible. You owe it to yourself to make the most of your sacrifice. You’ll be glad you did! #RESET2020MSC