Not Sold Separately
Everyone is trying to get a leg up on this New Year. Thousands of churches nationwide are participating in 21 days of prayer and fasting. I’ve never been more excited about the American church seeking God. Surely He is going to answer these millions of prayers! Jesus taught us the “three-fold cord” of a breakthrough in Matthew 6 with the Sermon on the Mount.
Here is how they have worked in my life when I combine them together:
1. “When you FAST” (v. 16)
I have never felt “led” to fast! I love to EAT! However, Jesus didn’t say “IF you fast”, he said “WHEN you fast.”
The primary purpose of fasting is to hear the voice of God. Our body and mind so control our normal lives that our spirit can barely get a word in edgewise.
When you fast, your body and mind slow down and your spirit comes to the forefront. Like a radio receiver that’s been switched on, suddenly you hear the voice of God LOUD AND CLEAR.
Fasting should not be legalistic. It is used for the purposes of direction (Paul, Acts 13), devotion (Anna, Luke 1: 37), and desperation (Esther 4: 16). You can fast only with water, with just liquids, or with a Daniel fast of vegetables and fruits. All of it will heighten your “hearing” of the voice of God.
2. “When you PRAY” (v. 5, 7)
A second key to breakthrough is prayer. I like to use the benediction prayer in 2 Cor. 13: 14: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” It helps us to commune with all three Persons in the Trinity.
GRACE: Jesus Christ went to the cross, the whipping post, and the grave for our sins, sicknesses, and bondages. Every day, I approach Him with gratitude as my great High Priest, and my King,
LOVE: The Father God is the great Invisible God who made heaven and earth. He named the stars. He counts the hairs on my head. He loves me as His child. His goodness is amazing and endless. His generosity to me is priceless (Ps. 103: 5).
FELLOWSHIP: The Holy Spirit is my Partner who lives within me. He changes me by the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5: 19). He anoints me by the Anointing of the Spirit (Isa. 11: 2). He empowers me by the Gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12: 6-8).
3. “When you GIVE” (v. 2)
Finally, I sow a seed of time, talent, or treasure. I ask the Lord to show me a need or a dream that I should put inside a seed and sow.
“When you fast, your body and mind slow down and your spirit comes to the forefront. Like a radio receiver that’s been switched on, suddenly you hear the voice of God LOUD AND CLEAR.”
Fasting, prayer, and giving are the three elements of a breakthrough. Try all three together in this first 21 days of 2016 and see how God brings a breakthrough in your family, your marriage, your health, and your finances.