The “FAST” Heavenly Father Desires of Us!
The Father’s Fast, what does this mean?
Stop doing things our way! To “fast” means to deny yourself. RIGHT NOW (in fact, always…) wants HIS WILL…HIS WAY on earth like it is in Heaven, why?
TO BLESS US!
HOW?
HIS GLORY BEING SEEN!!!
The fast we often do is from food to help us gain excellence, as in the “Daniel fast” or to stop a habit. Perhaps to seek knowing the Lord more…all of which is about US!
The fast of the LORD…is to lay down our lives, our agenda by loving Him first, others THEN ourselves! HOW?
This is all related too “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me to …” Isaiah 61:1-2 also spoke of and through JESUS in Luke 4:18-19 AMPC
It also connects to Jesus commission to all His disciples…. “GO, preach, do demonstrate” in short as we know go into all the world, preach the gospel, heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, make disciples of the nations…
We have so many times come together to “repent” on behalf of a nation, or family, groups etc. but is it really repentance or only recognizing the need for forgiveness and asking for that forgiveness?
While this IS part of the repentance process…it is, in and of itself, NOT repentance or “True Repentance!”
IF it were, then attitudes, words, behaviors would show forth or as John the Baptist put it… “Fruit keeping with repentance”!
We may appeal to heaven, or ask for revival etc. but, unless there IS true repentance ….we have repeated issues.
The Father says in Isiah 58 what a fast is, in HIS eyes… and JESUS lived it!
The fast HE requires is NOT “us” or “self” focused beloved, it is HIM focused… meaning God the Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit!
A fast is true repentance because it brings a “total change” in thinking/beliefs, words/speaking and actions/doing!
AND genuine repentance comes out of a heart of love… for Heavenly Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit!!! We WANT, DESIRE to know Them not just “about “ them.
THAT …beloved, IS the first commandment! Love the LORD your God with ALL of your entire being!
THEN…the second…
The second commandment fulfills the commission and reason Jesus came and we are to “walk that out” as first children of THE Most High, and second as Ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven otherwise known as Rulers and Reigners to bring change through demonstration OF the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, like Jesus did and HE commanded us to do!
HERE is what our Heavenly FATHER said IS a “fast”:
- Lose the bands of wickedness
- Undo the bands of the yoke
- Let oppressed go free
- Break every yoke
- Divide your bred with the hungry
- Bring homeless into your house
- Where you see the unclothed, cloth them
- Hide not from the needs of your family (flesh and blood)
- Take away from your midst, yokes of oppression, wherever you find them.
- Take away the finger pointing (accusations and accusing others falsely)
- Take away every form of false, harsh, unjust and wicked speaking
- Pour out that which sustains your you, even life, for the hungry and satisfy the need of the afflicted.
Listen, taking “control” is not the answer beloved!
Rulers and Reigners understand that principle and have no problem with walking in the authority of Jesus Christ as ambassadors OF the Kingdom of Heaven because to rule is to help govern and empower people not control them. And to Reign is to not allow the enemy to have any place within their spheres of influence…to help protect the ones in their spheres from the devil’s schemes and attempts to infiltrate their atmosphere!
They understand that seeing a Kingdom culture established on earth is to recognize and deal with the places where the enemy has influenced people in their thinking…just like the “fast” of the Father!
Embracing and displaying a Godly lifestyle within common values of the Heavenly Father, His will, His way…will help to shape and influence culture, society etc. in every facet of life where His children are positioned!
WHEN we DO by living the Isaiah 58 life that Jesus did, as HE also commanded us to do…CHANGE WILL COME!
Here is the result of what Heavenly Father says in Isaiah 58 when that fast is observed and done (out of a heart of love for Him I might add, because JESUS said if we LOVE Him, we obey Him):
- LIGHT will break forth with: healing, restoration, and power of NEW LIFE!
- Righteousness will go before you (conducting you to peace & prosperity AND the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard)
- Then you will call on the Lord and HE will answer. You will cry and HE will say HERE I AM!
- The Lord will guide you continually and satisfy you in drought AND in dry places…make strong your bones!
- And you shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not!
HE tells us to “keep the Sabbath”!
What does it mean?
- Keep from doing your own thing (deciding that day to do what seems right to you instead of inquiring of Him)
- Honor the Lord
- Don’t seek your own pleasure (ballgames or church fellowship? Hmm…that’s just one!)
- Do not speak idle words
- Do not “go your own way” (meaning: ignoring Him and doing and acting what “feels good to you”)
THE result of obeying this:
- You will delight yourself in the Lord
- He will make you to ride upon the “high places” of the earth!
- Fed by the heritage promised to us
WHAT IS OUR RESPONSE TO BE?
Recognize what the Spirit of the Lord is saying and yes, confess (agree with the Father about the sin issue) and ask His forgiveness personally AND corporately.
Then DO just what the Father is saying to do in Isiah 58 on a daily basis to live the life we are meant to live in order to “influence” culture and society and bring the Kingdom of Heaven, HEAVEN CULTURE to this earth because it IS the WILL of our Heavenly Father and we need to be following HIS ways of doing it!
I pray each of you are blessed by this word but more so that it will affect you and change you to walk in the fullness of God, demonstrating what the Kingdom of Heaven actually looks like being manifest on earth and beloved…..the supernatural will always intersect with us when we are “doing” the will of the Father! If you don’t believe me, just read through the word when Jesus walked the earth. Then take time to read through Acts and see the effect of what HIS life did through those who came to know Him and those who walked WITH Him!
Love, blessings and Shalom to each of you!
Rev. Lori Lynn