PRAYING AND FASTING FOR THE WILL OF THE LORD
How the Lord is moving me to serve Him more by serving His people intentionally. He is moving me out of my comfort zone into a Greater Spiritual sphere of being intentional in looking for opportunities to serve others. Since I have a desire to please the Lord, I have learned that I need to seek Him more fervently by fasting and praying.
Where did this journey start? When the Lord took my husband home to heaven twelve years ago, I found myself, within days of his transitioning, asking for purpose in my life. I needed to have a purpose pleasing to the Lord that did not include my husband being with me physically. The Lord heard my prayer and knew my heart, as He does today. I started attending Faith Bible Church shortly after my husband died twelve years ago. There was a call in the church for people to serve in the 3 and 4-year-old classes. I answered the call and still serve there today with joy. This was only the beginning of what He had for me to do. I had been in Bible Study Fellowship for several years, at Colonial Hills when the Lord led me to the class at Faith Bible Church. As I was standing in line to check into the first class, the greeter was explaining to the lady in front of me that she would need to be on a waiting list because she had not registered, and they did not have enough facilitators. She proceeded to ask her if she would be interested in being a facilitator. She said no and provided many valid reasons as to why she could not do it. In my mind, the Lord said to me, “You can do it.” When it was my turn to check in, I asked, “Do you need a facilitator for the classes? The greeter said, “Yes, would you like be a facilitator? I answered, “Yes.” With in 2 weeks, I became a facilitator with the guidance of the Holy Spirit’s equipping me. Both these callings have given me joy in the Lord. There have been other callings that I have accepted that I will not mention at this time. These callings have taught me that when following the will of God, you will prevail. Proverbs 19:21 21, "Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails."
Recently, the Lord answered a prayer that I had been praying about for two years. The prayer was for Him to show me the way to reverse my diabetes. I had tried many diets, prescriptions, and over the counter medicines. One day in March of 2023 after church a friend ask me how I was doing. I told her that I was fine just dealing with diabetes. She shared with me a book, Mastering Diabetes that several of her friends had used to reverse their diabetes. I felt that this woman of God had been sent by God to speak to me that day, and God had answered my prayer. I read the book and started on my journey. I have learned that what I eat matters. Not that I am under the law; however, I recalled how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego chose to obey the law by eating only vegetables. I have chosen to eat in the manner that the Lord has given me. I asked for something specific, and He gave me a way to improve my health. Therefore, I am obligated to obeying because it has worked for me, along with committing to exercise which I was already doing.
During this time, the Lord has put it on my heart to fast as I pray for myself, others, decisions, opportunities, wisdom and understanding. Prayer has always been a part of my life since my salvation, but fasting from food has not. I love most foods. However, in order to serve the Lord as I desire, I must be healthy. My desires are to eat the Word – the truth of life, and He will supply me daily bread. Luke 4 1-4 "…. Man does not live by bread alone”; Matthew 6:33 “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things will be added to you.” I felt fasting from food was out of my reach, due to my health issues with diabetes. God has shown me that it is within my ability to fast without a spirit of dread. Before fasting, I prayed that the Lord would take away the desire for food and give me a desire to seek Him with a pure heart in prayer; He has answered this prayer. When I go before Him, I can do it with a humble heart of thanksgiving and praise. Psalm 95:2 "Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!"
Finally, as I fast, I will read these words and strive to act on them, as to please the Lord.
Isaiah 58 6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. 13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, 14 then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” The mouth of the LORD has spoken.
When there is a tendency for me to be anxious, I remember Psalms 46:10, "Be still, an know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
I Stand Amazed at the Sovereignty of my God!
Where did this journey start? When the Lord took my husband home to heaven twelve years ago, I found myself, within days of his transitioning, asking for purpose in my life. I needed to have a purpose pleasing to the Lord that did not include my husband being with me physically. The Lord heard my prayer and knew my heart, as He does today. I started attending Faith Bible Church shortly after my husband died twelve years ago. There was a call in the church for people to serve in the 3 and 4-year-old classes. I answered the call and still serve there today with joy. This was only the beginning of what He had for me to do. I had been in Bible Study Fellowship for several years, at Colonial Hills when the Lord led me to the class at Faith Bible Church. As I was standing in line to check into the first class, the greeter was explaining to the lady in front of me that she would need to be on a waiting list because she had not registered, and they did not have enough facilitators. She proceeded to ask her if she would be interested in being a facilitator. She said no and provided many valid reasons as to why she could not do it. In my mind, the Lord said to me, “You can do it.” When it was my turn to check in, I asked, “Do you need a facilitator for the classes? The greeter said, “Yes, would you like be a facilitator? I answered, “Yes.” With in 2 weeks, I became a facilitator with the guidance of the Holy Spirit’s equipping me. Both these callings have given me joy in the Lord. There have been other callings that I have accepted that I will not mention at this time. These callings have taught me that when following the will of God, you will prevail. Proverbs 19:21 21, "Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails."
Recently, the Lord answered a prayer that I had been praying about for two years. The prayer was for Him to show me the way to reverse my diabetes. I had tried many diets, prescriptions, and over the counter medicines. One day in March of 2023 after church a friend ask me how I was doing. I told her that I was fine just dealing with diabetes. She shared with me a book, Mastering Diabetes that several of her friends had used to reverse their diabetes. I felt that this woman of God had been sent by God to speak to me that day, and God had answered my prayer. I read the book and started on my journey. I have learned that what I eat matters. Not that I am under the law; however, I recalled how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego chose to obey the law by eating only vegetables. I have chosen to eat in the manner that the Lord has given me. I asked for something specific, and He gave me a way to improve my health. Therefore, I am obligated to obeying because it has worked for me, along with committing to exercise which I was already doing.
During this time, the Lord has put it on my heart to fast as I pray for myself, others, decisions, opportunities, wisdom and understanding. Prayer has always been a part of my life since my salvation, but fasting from food has not. I love most foods. However, in order to serve the Lord as I desire, I must be healthy. My desires are to eat the Word – the truth of life, and He will supply me daily bread. Luke 4 1-4 "…. Man does not live by bread alone”; Matthew 6:33 “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things will be added to you.” I felt fasting from food was out of my reach, due to my health issues with diabetes. God has shown me that it is within my ability to fast without a spirit of dread. Before fasting, I prayed that the Lord would take away the desire for food and give me a desire to seek Him with a pure heart in prayer; He has answered this prayer. When I go before Him, I can do it with a humble heart of thanksgiving and praise. Psalm 95:2 "Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!"
Finally, as I fast, I will read these words and strive to act on them, as to please the Lord.
Isaiah 58 6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. 13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, 14 then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” The mouth of the LORD has spoken.
When there is a tendency for me to be anxious, I remember Psalms 46:10, "Be still, an know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
I Stand Amazed at the Sovereignty of my God!
by LaJeanne Williams, Women's Ministry Team
Posted in Faith Blogs
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