“Day 12: The Holy Spirit Is Using Your Fast
The Holy Spirit is using your fast to reveal your true spiritual condition, resulting in brokenness, repentance, and a transformed life. God looks throughout the earth for those faithful few upon whom He can pour out His blessing in extraordinary ways. When you fast, you attract His attention as one willing to venture beyond the norms of religion and into the great adventure.
The Hebrew root for sanctify is qadhash, which is also the root for holy. God said: “I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy” (Lev. 11:44, NIV). Sanctification is the process of becoming holy in daily life; it is practicing purity and being set apart from the world and from sin. Sanctification is allowing the Holy Spirit to make us more like Jesus in what we do, in what we think, and in what we desire. We do not hear much about sanctification from the pulpits these days, but if we are to see God do wonders in our midst, we must confront sin in our lives and live holy.”
“God was about to lead His chosen people out against the enemies of God, but they could not stand if they were not holy. This is clearly seen in the contrast between Israel’s supernatural victory against the city of Jericho (Josh. 6), and their defeat in Joshua 7 by the tiny army of Ai after Israel had sinned by having stolen things in their midst.
We desire to be in the will of God and to walk according to His plans. Sanctification is the key to being in God’s will. As Paul said, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thess. 4:3). There is no need to try to find some mysterious “wheel of God” out there. You cannot follow God’s leading until you start where Paul said to start.
Fasting is an essential means of sanctifying yourself, pulling yourself away from the world, and getting closer to God. Fasting allows you to filter your life and to set yourself apart to seek the Lord. Jesus prayed for us:”
“They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
—JOHN 17:16–19
Fasting will help you identify areas of even hidden sin and things that are displeasing to God in your life. Fasting helps you discern between serving the flesh and serving the spirit. “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:13–14). If we are in Christ, His blood cleanses us from dead works, enabling us to serve God in holiness.”
“Fasting helps you distinguish between what you want and what you really need. When you choose not to worry about these things and to seek Him first, you are demonstrating the kind of faith that is pleasing to God, because you are trusting Him to also give you all the things that you need.
On your twelfth day of fasting, remember:
• Journal your daily thoughts.
• Continue to focus on God.
• Hunger is still an issue, but stay focused.
Thoughts for your journal:
(Write your thoughts in a separate journal.)
• What has God revealed to you personally?
• Reflect on what it means to present your body as a living sacrifice through your time of fasting.”
“Prayer Focus Day 12: Right Relationships and Kingdom Connections
People can be used in our lives as blessings of God or as tools of the enemy. You have to be able to “discern” the difference between the two. There are “flesh people” who tear you down, but there are “faith people” who build you up and help you unlock your potential. “Flesh people” feed your fear and cause you to feel like you’ve lost your dream. The “right relationships” begin to instill in you a can-do attitude. You begin to stretch your thinking: “Well, maybe I can do that.” You can be “catapulted” by the relationships that God puts in your life. So, as you continue to fast and press in to Him today, seek His counsel on the relationships in your life. Which ones are draining? Which ones are supporting you? Which do you represent to others?
(Write your thoughts in a separate journal.)
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
—JOHN 10:27”
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