Today, I received a powerful email from a young man in our congregation. He told me all about his journey over the last 19 days.  So many ups and downs and challenges and victories.

He brought up a good point.  At first, the fast seemed like it wasn’t doing anything. It was too minor and there wasn’t really a struggle or sacrifice.  Then, he increased his level of fasting to include many other things and everything begin to shift.

As I read it, something dawned on me.  The fast was working even when it was a ‘minor fast’.  When he felt the conviction of needing to increase the fast…that was God talking to Him!  That was the beginning of the messages that he would receive over the next 18 days.  He had a chance right then to obey the voice of God and increase the level of the fast or disobey God and continue the way he started (or give up all together).

The main point to all this is that God’s voice is a…still, small voice.  It whispers direction to us. It is so sensitive.  It often sounds like our own internal voice.  When we fast and pray, we start discern that voice and recognize that it is truly God speaking and not simply.

1 Kings 19:11-13 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 13And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 

This tells of our Elijah received the convicting/correcting voice of God.  It wasn’t in the BIG things of life. It was in the low whisper.  Prayer and Fasting removes our distraction so we can hear the still small whisper.  Learn his voice. Listen for His voice. When you hear it, Respond to his voice.  Then, follow after his voice.  When this happens it makes all the effort and discipline seem like nothing at all. It rewards far beyond anything we fasted from.

All for now,

Robin