Daily Devotional – 1/17/19 “Fasting is not for play!”

We are in a season of fasting and praying. Some of you may have already begun or about too but I need you to know, fasting is not to be played with. Fasting is real and it has the power to shift your entire being. Fasting isn’t something you do to be with the crowd. Fasting is between you and your God. Fasting isn’t something you attempt because you want to lose weight. Fasting is abstaining from something for a period of time as a way to cleanse your body, mind and spirit. Fasting isn’t something you do because you want to look Holy and to get God’s attention, real quick. Fasting is seeking God for something you can’t do on your own. Fasting is what you do for spirituality, strength, instruction, guidance and clarity with prayer, pure intentions, a clean heart and clean hands. Fasting isn’t for play because when you fast, the enemy amps up his attacks against you.

Bible says in Isaiah 58:1-5, “Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout aloud! Don’t be timid. Tell my people Israel of their sins! Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me. ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’ “I will tell you why!” I respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers. What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the Lord?”

In other words, God says you look Holy but you really aren’t. You act righteous but you continually sin. You cry out to God to work on your behalf but your hands are covered with the blood of your brothers and sisters who you claim to love but kill off in group messages. You want God to be impressed by what you show people, not realizing He also sees what you do in the dark. Beloved, God isn’t moved by your ability to fast from food you don’t eat anyway. God isn’t moved by your fasting when you still fight and belittle people with your mouth and actions. In fact God says in Isaiah 58:4, “This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me.” You want to know the real fasting that God wants? Read Isaiah 58:6-14 and stop playing! God isn’t pleased with the show but He’ll be moved by your true worship.