Before we moved here to Brazil I served on the pastoral staff at a church in the U.S. for almost 10 years. One of the things that we did at the beginning of the year was to participate in a corporate fast. We, as a church body, would fast and pray corporately- together. It’s something that sounds great at first, but once it got underway? It was well... challenging. Let me explain:
Back in the early years at the church, we’d do a “corporate 3 day fasting and prayer revival thing.” We’d fast together and we’d also meet each night at the church to pray together corporately. It was good and the end result was always great. You always felt like you were a part of something that was bigger than you as an individual. But then, one year, as we got closer to the New Year, somebody had the awesome idea to do a 21 day fast instead. Really? 21 days? OK. Sounds good, let’s do this thing. Spirits were high, people were pumped... this is gonna be awesome! The New Year rolled around and we started our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. Sweet! Day 1, day 2, day 3... everything was fine. Then day 4, we had just entered unchartered waters (at least for me anyway) and things got more difficult. I don’t know what happened but I slowly started to melt down. And it got worse as each day progressed. I think it was about day 14 or so that I began doubting everything we were doing. Your mind will definitely play tricks on you when you’re hungry. It was a lowlight (that’s the opposite of highlight) in my spiritual walk. And being the “Bible” or “Word” person that I am (in my mind anyway), I started pointing out to everyone that corporate fasts were never 21 days in the Bible and then I asked the pastor (my boss) if we were just doing it because other churches were doing it. Ooops... not good. What was I thinking? I (and hopefully he) can laugh about it now but at the time my questioning didn’t go over very well. The last thing you want to hear from one of your high level staff people (while you’re fasting) is all the doubt and negativity about what you’re already 2/3 of the way into! What an idiot I was. lol! I think fasting made me delusional. To say the least, I never did that again. I’m surprised he didn’t punch me in the throat. haha!
The reason I’m writing this today is because I know a lot of you are fasting right now. And at some point (when the hunger pangs kick in) you will question what you’re doing. You’ll wonder if it’s even worth it. And you may even try to use the Bible to justify breaking your fast. Don’t do it. If you search hard enough you can find stuff out there, written about fasting, that says it’s not for today. You can basically form a doctrine out of any scripture (even if it’s taken out of context) and make it say whatever you want. Don’t let the enemy rob you of what God has for you. Fasting works, period. So don’t quit. I mean, the worst thing that could happen is you’ll lose some weight and you’ll be healthier, right? So stick with it. Keep pressing into God and see what He does on the other side of this thing.
And just so you know, fasting is something that even though I struggle with it, it’s something that’s proven itself to work when prayer by itself didn’t. So, we’re fasting this year (corporately as a ministry - Hope and Life Brazil) because we need God to move and strongholds to be broken over this place. And we know that some things only come (or come out) by prayer and fasting (Mark 9:28-29). Can’t wait to see what God does: )
Hungry (for more of Him),
Jim
The pictures at the top are from this last week. They're of the property adjacent to the camp. The others are of Michael on a horse, and Matthew and Maryssa goofing off on a hammock when we were sitting around a fire (that's why the pic is so smokey looking, haha). And, by-the-way, Michael made his flight out of Rio last night. Thanks to everyone who prayed: )
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