DAY 12 of My Fast - How Can We Know God is Calling Us to a Fast?

Nancy and Karen cooking Thanksgiving Dinner 2008

At the beginning of this past summer, my daugther, Ashton, joined me and my close friend, Nancy, for breakfast at a neighborhood deli that is just wonderful (shameless plug for TooJay's of Lake Mary, Florida!!!). I hadn't seen Nancy in quite awhile and was looking forward to experiencing the joyful fellowship in Christ we always share. Ashton asked me where I was headed to that morning, so I told her to meet Miss Nancy. (Yes, MISS Nancy! Shugah, fo gudnez saikes, ya'll, I em from the South and we refah to evary lovely ladah as "Miss", an they arah jus fine with it.) She asked if she could join us. I smiled to think that this beautiful young woman, my baby girl "forevah", wanted to spend time with two ole dames like Nancy and me. I had a feeling God was in this unplanned social event.

Ashton drove in her car so she could meet friends after and arrived after Nancy and I were already there. We were having breakfast, laughing and sharing what Christ was doing in our lives and the lives of our families. I must have said "God spoke to my heart" as we talked, because Ashton stopped and asked me what I meant. Did I hear His voice outloud? Was it just a feeling? Was it a voice in my head? How did I know it was Him? I knew she was seeking to own her own faith at this point in her life and I can understand why she might not understand that terminology. Some call it Christianese, and imply it's something negative. But, I think speaking in terms the Bible speaks to us is okay.....well, actually, it's biblical to be exact. I'm not ashamed if someone says I speak Christianese and just offer to teach them. Now, there'a a novel idea....teaching the world how to live life in Christ as opposed to having Christ fit into the lives of the worldly.

Nancy began to share with Ashton how she hears from God and knows it's Him. I reinforced her as she spoke that this was indeed the way I hear the voice of God too. I saw the light go on in Ashton's eyes that morning. She knew what we meant and she would be listening for it. God works if we give Him time. Just like with fasting. It takes time to understand and practice it as a part of your life.

Do you know when God is speaking to you? Can you discern His voice from yours or the devil? When my faith was young, that was difficult for me. As I walk with Christ year after year, I hear much faster and clearer. Once in a while I get "static", but I just keep praying and listening to Him.

Ways That God Speaks To Us:

1. You may hear Christians speak of the "inner leading of the Holy Spirit". This refers to an urging, leading or direction they feel as they pray or study God's Word. Some call it a feeling in their heart or a still small voice in their thoughts. Isaiah 30:21 (New King James Version)
says, " Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “ This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand . Or whenever you turn to the left. " So, do not scoff at someone if they say they heard the voice of the Lord and they mean they REALLY heard it because that can be biblical.

2. Make sure what that small voice is saying lines up or agrees with Scripture. God will never tell you to do something that defies His Word or Scriptures.

3. Don't let a feel of peace alone be your confirmation that this leading is from God. I once counseled a woman who came to me very excited because she said God was giving her a new husband and allowing her to divorce her present husband, whom she had no grounds to divorce. She said because he didn't make her feel loved or beautiful and God wanted her to be happy, God had found her a man in her church to be her new "Godly" husband. She had total peace about it. So, when I brought out the Word of God to show her that this could not be from the Lord whether she had peace or not, she did not receive it. Sometimes, we make our own peace in our hearts so that we can do what we like and fulfill our own desires. Peace while you are disobeying God's Word is a sign that your life is not right in Christ and you need to search your heart and come back to Him.

4. If God is speaking to you about something, He will make a way for it to happen. Doors will open or close as you move along the path set before you. In this way, He can also direct your path.

5. There are those in the church with gifts of knowledge and prophesy that God may use to CONFIRM what He has already showed you. In that order! He confirms in YOUR heart and then confirms OUTSIDE your heart to follow. This is a less reliable form of seeking God's will, but cannot not be neglected in terms of how God speaks to His people even today like in the bible.

6. Now, don't come after me for this one, Ladies, but if you are a married woman, I Peter 3:1 tells us, "Wives, fit in with your husband's plans; for then if they refuse to listen when you talk to them about the Lord, they will be won by your respectful, pure behavior. Your godly lives will speak to them better than any words." If you feel God is telling you to do something and it does not fit into the life that you have with your husband OR he is not open to it, then continue to pray until God changes His mind or yours. God would not call you to anything that would cause you to violate that scripture in your marriage. However, do not confuse this with meaning that if your husband doesn't agree with you on something that you do not have the right in Christ to have your different opinion. You do, but it's God's will that you respect your huband's headship in your home and marriage, and continue to go to God (not the husband) for God to work between you. You are JOINT heirs of your inheritance and salvation in God. Equal but with different roles. Yes, I do believe in the principle of submission - both mutual and also by voluntary acknowledgement by a wife that the man is her head, and Christ is the head of the man.

I knew I was being called to this fast a month ago. In my personal prayer time, I felt a soft urging to think about a longer fast in response to some serious needs with our family, the move and my work. Each day, God would take me to Scriptures where fasting was entered into and miraculous results occured. He would bring books about fasting to my mind. I started re-reading them and my faith was being built. I hadn't entered into a 40 Day fast since I was younger. It scared me to be honest with you because of my health issues. But, as some situations in our family became acute and I was in the middle of dealing with their desruction to the ones I love most, I ran to prayer to talk about this fast with my Heavenly Father. At that point, I didn't think anymore about and just planned when I would start it. I now know because of my health issues, I needed to make a wiser plan than I have for such a longer fast, but I am not going to be legalistic or prideful about this and remember what matters is my denial of self.....not the destruction of self. Satan would love to even make fasting an idol in our lives. I realized today, that I have let it become more about the "how's" of fasting instead of the "why's".

I cover each of you in the Blood of Christ and ask Him to protect you and your families now and always. Put on your armour daily, Family of God. I wish I could meet each of you. Write and introduce yourself if you don't know me. We are already related in Christ! To my precious husband, Ross - Sweet Dreams.....this fast will bring me to you, Beloved.

Treasured and Loved,
Karen

DAY 10 OF MY FAST: Doing Better

It's a new day and things seem to be more settled for me as I get into the routine of this fast. I juice every morning, making enough for the whole day, and then follow my plan of "eating" for the day. Fruit in the morning and late evening. Veggies and broth for lunch and dinner. It's feeling more comfortable for me, so take heart fellow, Fasters! It does get better!

No. 1 Result from this fast so far: A clearly defined calling from God.

MY CALLING: To encourage, equip and empower Christian women to live an abundant life in Him, bringing hope and healing through a deeper relationship with Christ, sharing testimonies of His life changing power and living a life led by the Holy Spirit.

I've been a business consultant and lay counselor for women for years. I have known God was leading me into a coaching practice as my vocation for quite a while now. But, the conflict for me had always been who was He calling me to....the world or the church. Yes, we are all admonished to share the Gospel and be a part of the Great Commission, but I do believe He also has specific people or groups that He gifts us to serve. He called certain of His disciples to bring the Gospel specifically to the Gentiles and not the Jews, whereas, others were called to the Jews. I'm not an effective evangelist and that has always bothered me. I try to share the message of God's truth and redemption with everyone, especially women, but I know I am not gifted in this area. But, what I feel God has given me grace to do is help women, who are believers, work out their faith and lives in Him as they pass through the different seasons of life, directing them to learn more about living in the power of the Holy Spirit and managing their lives more successfully. He certainly gave me enough personal experience over the years. Through my journey with Him, He taught me His ways. I followed and the results brought healing and blessing to my life. He is no respector of persons, so what He has done for me and others that have seen Him move powerfully, He will do for all of His people.

This may seem like a small thing as you read it, but to me, it's BIG! It's HUGE! For the Lord to show me that He has called me to believing women is monumental in my life. That doesn't mean I won't be sharing the Gosple with unsaved women, but it does mean the focus of my ministry will be to my sisters in Christ. I'm excited and so grateful. This fasting is good stuff!

I am an idea person. A strategic planner by nature, and I feel energized when I am working on projects that are highly results-oriented. My brain operates more in a male mode than a female mode when it comes to processing. I want the bottom line and not every detail that led up to it. The majority of women are the opposite. But, having so many things I want to do or see happen has also led me to be too diverse at times, which can be counterproductive. You end up not focusing enough on a specific area that you don't produce anything of real substance. God has shown me in the past, when I focused on specifics and followed through, He brought success to whatever He had led me to do.

Many of you have written to encourage me during my fast and to say you will be fasting with me during these weeks in some way, and I am very grateful for that. You are in my prayers each day. God is looking for available, willing faith, dear Family. There are moments when the enemy will place a thought in my head that this fast is in vain, not worth it, just too hard or that I will fail and God will be disappointed with me. I come back to him with God's Word, just as Christ modeled for us on His 40 Day fast in the desert and tell him that "the prayers of a righteous man availeth much". He's a liar. If not me, who will fast for my family? Who will stand in the enemy's way or bring down his strategies in my life and the lives of my family and friends?

Who will stand for you and yours? You can stand in the gap for yourself and others and see God's blessings happen. God is able to conquer Satan without me. The cross and resurrection took care of that. He has already won the war and we know the outcome , but He allows us to wage the battles for the present so that we are changed in the process. There is that "working out of our faith" principle. that has been so important in my spiritual growth.

May His love and peace be with you today. Whatever you are facing, turn to Him and follow.

Treasuring You in Him,
Karen
The Treasured Life Coach