You know, one thing that I keep saying over and over again about this fast is that the progress is REAL. I'm sure we are all striving our hardest to stick with it. I'm not just talking about sticking to the natural restrictions, but even maintaining consistency in the spiritual aspect. It's difficult being forced to look at yourself in the mirror everyday and accept that YOU are the main obstacle in front of you! As a matter of fact it is during those spiritually fragile times when the enemy comes in to whisper a few things in your ear. That's when he tries to plant little seeds to lead you away from your progress. Even if he can just get you to bear to the left or right juuuuust a little....he gets you off the path. So as I was reading today's passage when Jesus was being tempted by Satan in his wilderness, I realized something key about the way Jesus fought back at the enemy. If you haven't read the passage already, check it out and see how disgustingly deceitful the enemy was in trying to tempt Jesus to lose focus. Anyway, as I was reading I saw that Jesus constantly replied to whatever the enemy tempted him with by saying "The Scriptures Say...". I don't know about anybody else but I was able to see the humanity in that. Jesus knew that HIS words weren't enough. As a matter of fact, if all he based his responses on was how he FELT in the midst of his 40 day wilderness he probably would have responded differently. But instead he fought with the WORD OF GOD. It made me think 'WOW, the word is really important'. Don't judge me....I'm not saying the word was never important to me until now lol. I'm saying that the WORD is our only real offensive weapon. It's funny because when we are in our hardest places we sometimes shy away from it....ESPECIALLY if we feel like we're in sin or something. But the reality is that the Word is the only true way to get the enemy to shut up!
Through this fast, I'm learning to lean on it more and more. I'm learning that the reason it's not enough to just whisk by a scripture everyday and not really internalize it is not because it makes me a bad Christian. It's because I'm weakening my defense AND offense against the enemy. None of us REALLY know the stuff the enemy whispers to each of us when we're all alone. That's the stuff we don't share. But WE know how beligerent he has been our ENTIRE lives! Aren't you tired of it? I AM! So I'm thankful for today's scripture because it's showing me how to fight in a different way and I plan on using it.
Luke 4
Forty days of nothing? Not hardly. Even though Jesus fasted for forty days, He clearly came out stronger than ever based on the events following it. How is your fast strengthening you? Do you feel like you’re struggling and/or stumbling? Maybe in the natural you are not yet seeing the outcomes you expected. Remember the race is not given to the strongest or the fastest…but to the one who endures to the end. Ask God to help you to persevere with a heart filled with faith and expectancy.
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