Open My Eyes

I have been trying to prepare the ladies in my small group for the Daniel's Fast. Last year, the Daniel's Fast rocked my world. I thought I was going to die just in the first week! But I was looking forward to it this year, and I wanted to prepare the ladies.  Here's a little exert from some of our talks.

Repentance is not self-loathing or self-deprecation. It is a lifestyle of dying to your selfish desires and wants and focusing on Christ. Whatever you feed flourishes. What you starve shrivels. If you feed the fleshly desires and wants, it will flourish in your life. If you feed your spiritual life, your spiritual life will flourish and the fleshly will shrivel up.  We must cast off the self-centered life and focus on him.

This past week, I asked them, "What are you expecting from God during the fast?"

I fully anticipate the Spirit coming down and full revival breaking out. That is just one of the things I expect, but I expect more. Exactly what, I'm not sure. What I do know is when God comes down he will rock our church's world. Isaiah 64 said God came down and the mountains shook -- He rocked their world. It also said he did more than they had expected -- He rocked their world.

Some may wonder why do we want the Spirit of God to come down? Isaiah tells us it's because he is the only one who cares for those who wait. I'm waiting. I'm waiting for answers about my job. I'm waiting for answers regarding the full time ministry he want me to do.

We also covered Romans 8 the most chapter in the Bible. Hey, any chapter that starts out with, "There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," has to be good. I love how this chapter talks about how the Holy Spirit communions with God and he delivers messages when we don't have the words to say. If we don't have any expectations and we go before God, then the Spirit goes before us. If we are open to receive from him, he will place a desire in our heart. It won't be our desire. It will be his desire, and it will be his pleasure to meet that desire.

So, if during the fast, God leads you to do something or puts a desire on your heart, step out in faith and do it. (James 1:2-7).

Here's the thing about a corporate fast, the Holy Spirit can come down everywhere, and you can miss it. You can miss it because of unrepented sin. You can miss it because of your unbelief. You can miss it for simple disobedience. In the Message, Job 9:12-13, "We'll never comprehend all the great things he does; his miracel-surprises can't be counted. Somehow, though he moves right in front of me, I don't see him; quietly but surely he's active, and I miss it." I don't want to miss out on what God has in store for me, for my church, for my community. Please, open the eyes of my heart Lord!