Chapter 17-Go For It!

Whew, we made it, this is the last chapter of the book, "Fasting". It has been a great ride to share with you and the information answered a lot of my questions and I hope you can say the same.

Not sure what I'll blog about next but whatever it is, I pray it encourages you. Stay tuned! ;)

2 Pet. 1:10-11

Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you" (Josh. 3:5).

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....if we are to see God do wonders in our midst, we must confront sin in our lives and live holy.

Fasting is an excellent means of sanctifying yourself.

Knowing God's Will

Sanctification is the key to being in God's will. As Paul said, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thes. 4:3). You cannot follow God's leading until you start where Paul said start.

It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. (1 Thes. 4:3-8, NIV)

Fasting will help you identify areas of hidden sin in your life.

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:

John 17:16-19

Fasting helps you discern between serving the lesh and serving the spirit.

Heb. 9:13-14

Why do we need to sanctify ourselves? We have no place in our hearts for pride. We have no place in our hearts for complacency. Do not let the blessings of the past interfere with the blessings of the future.

Ps. 51:10

We need a sanctification of motives. We need a sanctification of desires. We need a sanctification of attitudes. We need a sanctification of the right spirit. We need a sanctification of our flesh.

Heb. 3:12-13

While the leadership should certainly set an example in personal sanctification and holy living, it is the responsibility of every believer to "exhort" fellow believers. Exhort means to be abrasive with one another, to encourage one another, to push one another to live holy so that no one falls into temptation and ends up turning away from God.

Joshua 3:3-4

When you fast and sanctify yourself unto God, it moves you off the bank and into the miracles! There are too many people on the edge of what God is doing and not enough of us standing firmly in the middle of His will.

When your family sees you stepping off the edge of mere "Sunday-morning religion" and getting right into the middle of what God is doing, they will follow and find God's direction for their lives.

You should be attached to a local body of believers instead of just trying to find your own way. If ever there was a time when we needed to be crossing together, taking a firm, united stand against sin in this nation, it is now.

Circumcision speaks of sanctification of the flesh. It is cutting away dead things and hidden sins. You can look good publicly, raising your hands, giving your offerings, praying, and even fasting, but all the while hiding deadly sins. You are sanctified by the blood of Jesus when you first accept Him as your Lord and Savior, but over time, complacency and hidden sins can creep into your heart.

Gal. 5:19-26

Fasting sharpens the blade and sharpens the Word in your heart and in your mouth, allowing you to cut away the dead flesh and hidden sin as you set yourself apart from God.

God wants you to ask Him for things that are bigger than yourself!

What if you set yourself to diligently seek the Lord, sanctifying yourself with a fast and journey back to the spot where it all began--where He saved you, set you free, filled you with His Spirit, and called you out? I actually physically traveled to that spot, but if you cannot do that, you can go back mentally. You can recall the ancient landmark, that same simplicity, innocence and dedication with which you first responded to His voice.

Fasting will bring you into destiny. Fasting will bring you into alignment with God's plan for your life. Just as Joshua called the children of promise to sanctify themselves--I believe that, likewise, your "tomorrow" is just around the corner. God is going to do wonders in your life, leading you places you have never been before. Now is the time to fast, to seek God diligently, to sanctify yourself, to discern God's priorities, and to walk in His promises. Go for it!

I can mentally go back where I knelt down and invited Jesus into my heart but I can't go back physically. However, in March 1997, God began to work in my life and bring about some major change that I earnestly and sincerely sought Him for. I'm blessed to say that in September of this year, I will physically journey back to that very place and spot, for a personal retreat with Him and I know undoubtedly, I will not return the same. That, I believe, undoubtedly or unwaveringly. Is that a word? :)

You my friend have finished!!!! Put what you've learned to work because faith without works is DEAD!