human, used to offer a gentle
nudge to bring people together.
Photo courtesy of Victoria Hinn of the Rhode Island
School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island
Thursday, October 29, 2009
EARLY THANKSGIVING BLESSINGS!
The hands of God are sometimes
human, used to offer a gentle
nudge to bring people together.
Photo courtesy of Victoria Hinn of the Rhode Island
School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island
human, used to offer a gentle
nudge to bring people together.
Photo courtesy of Victoria Hinn of the Rhode Island
School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island
FASTING: Day 13 - Spiritual Attacks During Fasting - Is there a purpose for them?
"Why should Jesus be tempted at all? Because innocent faith is not strong faith. The Garden of Eden is illustration enough. Innocent faith may be pure, but it needs testing to be strong." - Dr. Ralph Wilson
I like and agree with this quote by Dr. Wilson. One of the hallmarks of a passionate believer is their desire for greater faith in Christ. Faith to believe for every day needs like doing well on a test or making the mortgage payment on time, as well as faith to believe for answers that it seems aren't within our human capability to solve such as healing of terminal illness, financial collapse, broken marriages, or prodigal children. And a faith that continues to grow. That growth comes with trials and opportunites to use our faith.
We look at a small child and think how cute she is, but we don't think of her having great strength. We might ask her to take a bowl of cherries to the table, but we would not ask her to move the refridgerator to the garage. She has not developed the strong muscles to do such a thing. But, we would ask our college age son who trains at the gym or works out, to move that fridge. We know he is prepared and capable of doing so because he has already lifted much weight by training in the gym to do so.
Untested faith is uncertain faith. Fasting and trials are actually a blessing because they allow us to gain greater, stronger, more productive, effective faith. Like working hard in the gym is required to build well sculpted, strong muscles, building faith is painful and requires time, willingness and trust in God to lift the heavy burdens that come with stress and trials to do the faith building. James 2:20 says,"Faith without works is dead". Our faith does not produce results unless it is put into action, according to this passage. The action builds our faith at the same time as we see God move and change circumstances. A result of faithful prayers and living.
I believe one of the reasons God allows the enemy to war against us during our time of fasting is so that our faith will increase. As we battle against the temptations and attacks of the devil during our fast (which is intended to wear us down so we give up the fast either in fear or exhaustion), we tend to have a greater resolve to fight because we have a personal sacrificial investment in our own faith. As in the case of motherhood, the pain pregnancy and childbirth requires gives motherhood even greater value to a woman. Not to say that women who adopt children cannot understand the sacrifice required to be a mom, but I do think enduring the physical pain of bringing a child into the world through your own body contributes to the passion every birth mother feels for her baby. I praise God for every woman that adopts a child and voluntarily becomes a mother. Her sacrifice is no less than that of a birthing Mom with the exception of the physical toll of childbirth. The human mind tends to associate past physical pain with events, time, places, and things. I cannot stand to use gray anywhere in my house, and especially not on the walls, because I associate it with the seven months of expecting that made me so ill (I lost over 35 lbs.) when the walls of my Toronto apartment were painted gray. I would have to lay in bed and stare at those walls all day. To this day, gray walls make me nauseous. But I also believe our human mind has the capacity to weigh the cost of entering into that pain again to determine if the result is worth the pain investment.
The pain of fasting isn't enjoyable at times, even though there are some benefits like clearer thinking, less preparation for meals and more initimacy with the Lord (of course!!!) I can attest to that today, as my body is not doing very well. In fact, I am going to move to a Daniel Fast as of tomorrow to prevent any complications that might occur long term with the type of juice fast I chose to begin with. I've worked through all that with God in the past 24 hours and I feel good about my decision. The fast is still on, but it has just had to change in implementation. Even so, I know at the end of this 40 Day time, the results will be worth the cost. After researching many testimonies of fasting, many Christians find that the result of their fast may not be immediately seen, but will come with time. I am asking God, if this is the case for me, that when the harvest comes, He will in some way encourage me by allowing me to know my fast was a part of the deliverance at hand.
Living Treasured in Christ,
Karen
I like and agree with this quote by Dr. Wilson. One of the hallmarks of a passionate believer is their desire for greater faith in Christ. Faith to believe for every day needs like doing well on a test or making the mortgage payment on time, as well as faith to believe for answers that it seems aren't within our human capability to solve such as healing of terminal illness, financial collapse, broken marriages, or prodigal children. And a faith that continues to grow. That growth comes with trials and opportunites to use our faith.
We look at a small child and think how cute she is, but we don't think of her having great strength. We might ask her to take a bowl of cherries to the table, but we would not ask her to move the refridgerator to the garage. She has not developed the strong muscles to do such a thing. But, we would ask our college age son who trains at the gym or works out, to move that fridge. We know he is prepared and capable of doing so because he has already lifted much weight by training in the gym to do so.
Untested faith is uncertain faith. Fasting and trials are actually a blessing because they allow us to gain greater, stronger, more productive, effective faith. Like working hard in the gym is required to build well sculpted, strong muscles, building faith is painful and requires time, willingness and trust in God to lift the heavy burdens that come with stress and trials to do the faith building. James 2:20 says,"Faith without works is dead". Our faith does not produce results unless it is put into action, according to this passage. The action builds our faith at the same time as we see God move and change circumstances. A result of faithful prayers and living.
I believe one of the reasons God allows the enemy to war against us during our time of fasting is so that our faith will increase. As we battle against the temptations and attacks of the devil during our fast (which is intended to wear us down so we give up the fast either in fear or exhaustion), we tend to have a greater resolve to fight because we have a personal sacrificial investment in our own faith. As in the case of motherhood, the pain pregnancy and childbirth requires gives motherhood even greater value to a woman. Not to say that women who adopt children cannot understand the sacrifice required to be a mom, but I do think enduring the physical pain of bringing a child into the world through your own body contributes to the passion every birth mother feels for her baby. I praise God for every woman that adopts a child and voluntarily becomes a mother. Her sacrifice is no less than that of a birthing Mom with the exception of the physical toll of childbirth. The human mind tends to associate past physical pain with events, time, places, and things. I cannot stand to use gray anywhere in my house, and especially not on the walls, because I associate it with the seven months of expecting that made me so ill (I lost over 35 lbs.) when the walls of my Toronto apartment were painted gray. I would have to lay in bed and stare at those walls all day. To this day, gray walls make me nauseous. But I also believe our human mind has the capacity to weigh the cost of entering into that pain again to determine if the result is worth the pain investment.
The pain of fasting isn't enjoyable at times, even though there are some benefits like clearer thinking, less preparation for meals and more initimacy with the Lord (of course!!!) I can attest to that today, as my body is not doing very well. In fact, I am going to move to a Daniel Fast as of tomorrow to prevent any complications that might occur long term with the type of juice fast I chose to begin with. I've worked through all that with God in the past 24 hours and I feel good about my decision. The fast is still on, but it has just had to change in implementation. Even so, I know at the end of this 40 Day time, the results will be worth the cost. After researching many testimonies of fasting, many Christians find that the result of their fast may not be immediately seen, but will come with time. I am asking God, if this is the case for me, that when the harvest comes, He will in some way encourage me by allowing me to know my fast was a part of the deliverance at hand.
Living Treasured in Christ,
Karen
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