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Fasting? Protect Your Heart!

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You can read the first three posts in our fasting series here, here and here. We are still talking about the Armor of God. Suiting up with that armor EVERY DAY means we are always prepared for spiritual warfare. Fasting, coupled with prayer is an integral part of that armor! Today, we are putting on the Breastplate of Righteousness.

Have you heard the story about King Ahab? Yes, the same one who had Naboth killed so he could have his vineyard, but that’s not the story I am talking about.

In the 16th chapter of 1 Kings,  Ahab “…did what was evil in the LORD’s sight more than all who were before him.”

Jumping over a few chapters, we are told that prophecy revealed to King Ahab that he would surely die in an upcoming battle.  Ahab thought he could take control of that situation by disguising himself, yet he instructed his ally, King Jehoshaphat, to go ahead and wear his royal robes.

The catch was that the enemy had been told to “Fight with neither small nor great, but only with the king of Israel.” And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is surely the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out. And when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

But a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate…And the blood of the wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot.”

Ahab’s  plan didn’t quite work out, first of all because God’s Word never returns void and secondly, his demise was due to a small opening in his armor, his breastplate.

This breastplate could save a soldier’s life! It protected the vital organs, especially the heart.

Putting on the Breastplate of Righteousness is an intentional act, as are all of the pieces of armor. We make the choice to seek His righteousness and acknowledge we can do nothing apart from Him.

We can also have a “small opening” in our armor and not be fully protected! Could it be said that our breastplate isn’t as effective when we aren’t praying, haven’t fasted in forever, we are not reading the Word or following it, when we have obvious sin, or even when we think we can get by on our own merit? 

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 ESV.

We can’t afford to be without this breastplate of righteousness! The enemy is watching and waiting for us to be careless and when we aren’t maintaining our relationship with the Savior, we are “taking off” pieces of our armor and leaving ourselves exposed to an attack from the enemy of our souls.

“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.” Hebrews 3:12.

Fasting, with prayer, makes us stronger, our armor more secure because we have determined to be closer to our God. We don’t let a day go by where we aren’t putting on the whole armor of God…that we may be able to stand, not in our own righteousness but in His! 

See you tomorrow!

Do you have your copy of my easy-to-read Fasting Devotional? Don’t let the title fool you! It is a 21 day devotion for ANY FAST. Each day is an example of someone in the Bible who fasted, some for the wrong reason as well, and what we can glean from them. There are also Daniel Fast recipes and instructions for following that fast as well. Available at Amazon.com

 

The Sword of the Spirit: Pick it up!

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The Sword of the Spirit: Pick it up! Today is the final piece of armor and it is of utmost importance; it is the Sword of the Spirit; the Word of God! You can read all of our posts since January 1 here. But we are far from finished; we will continue with a fasting devotion every day for the rest of the month. Stay with me!

“…and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.” Ephesians 6:17-18

This last piece completed the Armor of God that we are to put on every day but it is not something you wear like the other items, it is something you take up and is used offensively or defensively.

Remember, Paul’s analogy of the Armor of God was taken from the Roman soldiers armor, one he saw every day in the prison where he was writing.

The Roman soldier carried a two-edged sword which was easier to penetrate and easier to cut and easier to wound or kill the enemy. It was a smaller sword, more like a dagger, and the soldier would have carried it with him at all times.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The soldier was equipped with all his armor fitted and put on in the right place, every day.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

Then, he takes up that sword. And like the Roman soldier, the child of God takes up that Word, that Living and Active Word of God that is sharper than any double edged sword!

Matthew Henry says so aptly what I cannot and it is so good: “It…makes a soul that has been a long time of a proud spirit to be humble, of a perverse spirit to be meek and obedient. Those sinful habits that have become as it were natural to the soul, and rooted deeply in it, and become in a manner one with it, are separated and cut off by this sword. It cuts off ignorance from the understanding, rebellion from the will, and enmity from the mind, which, when carnal, is enmity itself against God.

This sword divides between the joints and the marrow, the most secret, close, and intimate parts of the body; this sword can cut off the lusts of the flesh as well as the lusts of the mind, and make men willing to undergo the sharpest operation for the mortifying of sin….The word will turn the inside of a sinner out, and let him see all that is in his heart.

So, you might ask, what does all of this have to do with fasting? When we fast, we are spending extra time in prayer and reading of the Word. We are making effort to be with God and come closer to Him and hear His voice. Fasting clears our minds and our hearts and allows us to hear what He would say to us, what the Word is speaking and how it affects us as His children. Jesus said some things can not even happen without fasting and prayer!

It isn’t necessarily that you receive new power or more power, you already have it with the Holy Spirit living inside of you. It’s just that, because of the denying of the flesh, you are recognizing what you have and are activating it by taking up that Sword every day. Then, when you need it, it is active, it is living, it is ready for whatever comes your way!

Finally, Paul’s description of the Armor of God doesn’t really end with the Sword of the Spirit. “and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.” He continues in the same sentence that we should be praying at all times and for those around us. Fasting, with prayer, makes our spiritual vision come alive and we start seeing the needs of others around us and awaken to things happening in the spirit world. And if we have that Sword in our hands, that Word of God in our hearts, we will be well equipped to do the work Jesus has us to do.

Come back tomorrow for another fasting devotion as we look at what NOT to do when fasting! 

 
 

Need your own copy of The Daniel Fast, A Devotional? Get it on Amazon by clicking here!

When Ye Fast… In ALL Circumstances

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Welcome! We are still praying and fasting through January; you can access all of our previous posts here. Tomorrow, we will discuss the Sword of the Spirit then back to more concentrated Daniel Fasts devotions. Now, on to the helmet!

I know very little about football, but can you imagine your favorite football team, all suited up and ready to hit the field, when the coach makes the announcement that they are to leave their helmets behind? Abandon the only protection they have for their heads, their brains? Football is an aggressive sport that requires serious protection and the helmet is likely the last piece of armor that a player puts on. But just because it is last doesn’t mean it isn’t important! Without a helmet, they risk serious injury that could affect them the rest of their lives.

Friend, I have given enough of an explanation above that anyone could finish this post! Ephesians 6 is the charge to the Church about the Armor of God. All it says about the helmet is “…and take the helmet of salvation…” no explanation why or what it means, etc. Paul just said to take it. Don’t forget it, don’t leave home without it! And we have seen all week long that you don’t pick up a piece of armor and then not wear it because it will do absolutely no good whatsoever.

The sentence with the instruction to take the helmet begins with “In all circumstances…” then proceeds to tell the reader to take the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit.

In all circumstances.

We don’t get up every morning and think, “Hmmm…wonder if it is necessary to put on all of the armor? Can I just at least leave off the helmet? It’s so bulky and it’s hot under there. Can I go without just this once?” (Unfortunately in 2021 it is the dreaded mask that we struggle with but still wear every day!)

There is one who would love for you to leave it at home and that is Satan. The Bible calls him a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Those are pretty strong words! But they ring true because he is the enemy of your soul. He knows if you put on that helmet of salvation, you are confident that the Name you have applied to your life, Jesus, is more than enough to withstand his constant attacks!

” In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.”

This helmet of salvation protects our minds. Satan works to bring doubt and confusion to the mind of the child of God. He knows if he can get you to question what you believe or even doubt the power of God, he will weaken you and then cause other things to come after you, etc. On and on it goes until you don’t even have the strength to pick up the helmet.

The Roman soldiers helmet also protected the eyes! With it, he could maintain his focus on the goal that was set before him. Likewise, we, as the Body of Christ, applying the Armor of God EVERY DAY, in all circumstances, can see what lies ahead, we can fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!

When we are praying AND fasting, there isn’t a distraction, delay or detour that can trip us up. In all circumstances, He is our hope! Our goal is salvation, our goal is to see Jesus, the One who makes salvation possible. Jesus has given us the armor as protection against anything the enemy can throw at us. But if we don’t put it on, if we forget one piece, it is all useless.

Fast unto the Lord, build up your most holy faith by praying in the Holy Ghost and, in all circumstances, be faithful with the Armor He has provided. It will surely keep your physical body and your mind from things that would hinder or cause you to stumble. See you tomorrow and be blessed as you fast unto the Lord.

Need your own copy of The Daniel Fast, A Devotional? Get it on Amazon by clicking here!