FC’s mission is to culture like Christ, and the vision is Jesus. Pastor Josiah stated that he saw
that 2025 would be a year of intimacy with the Lord. We all have relationship with the Lord;
some hold Him at arm’s length; others have a very deep relationship; and others have
relationships that range in between. He said that he had only seen Jesus once, and that was
when the Lord told Pastor Josiah that He wanted a more intimate relationship with him. It was not because of time that the depth of relationship would grow but rather through transparency and a willingness to have transforming grace reshape him. More time does not guarantee a closer relationship.
As the FC family embarks on the Daniel Fast for three weeks, what does that mean and why
would one deprive oneself of certain favorite foods? Fasting is not just a diet and
deprivation. Fasting is always coupled with spiritual engagement. To benefit from the fast,
spend 90% of your effort on spiritual engagement, and 10% on the dietary adherence.
This point was very important to me because of my goal orientation. Adhering to the dietary
rules was a priority for me when I first began fasting years ago. I had several lists out to see
what I could and could not eat or drink. For me those first years were an exercise in discipline
and deprivation. However, with the focus on spiritual engagement, that turned the fast into a
spiritual development where I focus on Him not on what I cannot eat or drink.
Fasting includes a heart that honors the Lord. It engages with Him, includes dying to the flesh, and is more connected to the Lord. It is better to have a life change as a result of prayer and fasting, than to be vegan for three weeks and then return to the old habits. Don’t casually bump into the Lord for forty-nine weeks and isolate three weeks of concentrated time with the Lord to return to old habits. Let the three weeks jumpstart your deeper walk with the Lord. May the fast become an opportunity for gaining ground spiritually and be a spiritual tool for equipping you to seek the Lord more intensely.
Pastor Josiah cited a passage from 2 Chronicles 20 where King Jehoshaphat feared the
Moabites and Ammonites who threatened his people.
“And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD,
and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered
together to ask help from the LORD; and from all the cities of
Judah they came to seek the LORD.” 2 Chronicles 20:3-4 (NKJV)
King Jehoshaphat called his people to seek the Lord and fast, in other words pray and fast. That was how Jehoshaphat dealt with his fear; he and his people sought the Lord directly. May you and I seek the Lord when we feel threatened; cry out to Him; fast and seek His will and protection. The key was the king sought after the Lord through both fasting and praying.
Jesus taught the disciples how to pray. He instructed them not to copy the hypocrites who made a spectacle of themselves but to humbly and privately seek the Lord. And when they prayed they were not to use big religious words or repetitions but to seek Him sincerely.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from the evil one.”
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)
Fasting and prayer are inseparable. As we desire to deepen our relationship with the Lord, we can use His model of prayer: praise and honor the Lord, submit to His will and way, seek His help and provision in addition to fasting.
Several examples in Acts exemplify fasting linked to prayer. For example,
“One day as these men were worshiping the Lord
and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,’Dedicate Barnabas
and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.’
So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid hands on
them and sent them on their way.” Acts 13:2-3 (NLT)
Also when Paul and Barnabas were appointing elders in the church, they fasted and prayed and “turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.” Acts
14:23 (NLT) It seems easier to pray, but to add fasting to praying seems to add an extra level
of seriousness.
In both the Old and New Testaments people prayed and fasted: Esther, Moses, David, Ezra,
Daniel, John the Baptist, Paul, Jesus for forty days and nights. The precedent of fasting is the
heart’s posture and the fact that you are invited to engage. He’s extended an invitation, but it is yours to receive or deny.
Agreeing to fast sends a message to the flesh which is counter cultural from our society which says that we deserve what we want. Last week the topic dealt with determining His lordship and letting Him lead in the working out of situations. In contrast our flesh would love to be lord of our hearts, but do you want your feelings and emotions to guide your decisions or do you want the Almighty Father and Creator of the Universe to guide, bless, and convict you to follow Him? “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16 (NKJV) The flesh and Spirit are at odds with each other. Since our Wednesday nights for a year have been focused on the Holy Spirit, we are better equipped to walk with a strength of the Spirit. May we seek our Heavenly Father rather than the flesh to be the King of our hearts.
Pastor Josiah recommended that we engage in intimacy with the Lord coupling praying with
fasting. The staff has prepared Intentional 21 which are tools/devotionals to equip us to
succeed. Each day is an opportunity to grow closer to the Lord not by deprivation but through focused desire and actions that draw us to our Abba Father.
On another note, Pastor Josiah shared two proposals on his heart:
Brick by Brick-the renovation of the Activity Center to meet the growing needs of expanding
ministries like the Young Adults and FC youth. Updating the almost forty year facility with a big LED screen, modern technology, new flooring and seats would allow the Activity Center to be another site for inside and outside groups. February 2 is the seed offering date.
Faith Academy High School-a countercultural educational opportunity; educational
discipleship. Two different resources have helped foster this dream-Foothills and Trinity.
They have offered their organizational binders to help us learn from their experiences. Part of the goal is to have Faith Chapel help shape the mission to be to culture like Christ. Pastor
Josiah presented,”It is a cool idea, but is it a God idea?” Please spread the word and pray and fast for the Lord to be blessed through these two endeavors.
As we fast and pray, may we be salt and light in this sad, dark world.
Calendar:
Prayer nights: 1/5, 1/12, 1/19
Daniel Fast-1/5 to 1/26
1/17-LB and Young Adults joint potluck and worship time. 6:00 pm in the Activity Center
Submitted by
Larry and Annette Linthicum
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