Sunday, November 3, 2013

"To Let the Oppressed Go Free..."

"Sometimes you are so hungry that the only way you can be fed is to fast." -Susan Gregory

So this month I am trying something new, the Daniel Fast. While this particular concept of fasting is new to me, it has been around for thousands of years, namely, since the time of the prophet Daniel in ancient Babylon. In a nutshell, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attached Jerusalem and took many young men of Israel back with him as captives, including Daniel and his three friends, Hanahiah, Mishael, & Azariah, (the three dudes of fiery-furnace fame). As these guys were being prepared to appear before the king, they were served the same food as the royal court. But Daniel and his friends asked to only be given vegetables to eat and water to drink, in order to avoid being made ritually unclean by the richer foods offered to them. God blessed these young men, and they found high favor in the king's eyes, and became members of his court.

The notion of a "Daniel Fast" has become more popular lately, largely due to Susan Gregory's book/devotional on the subject. I have always loved studying the spiritual disciplines, especially the different types of fasting that were observed throughout history, and I had been looking for a significant way to observe the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, (Nov. 3). It has been heavy on my heart to spend more time in intentional prayer for persecuted believers around the world, as the number of attacks on Christians grows by the week.

So for the next 21 days, I will be fasting and praying for the church around the world. In week 1, specifically for believers in Asia & South America, week 2, Africa, Australia, & Antarctica, and week 3, North America & Europe. All continents experiences universal persecution from a world that stands in direct opposition to Jesus Christ, and each region faces challenges unique to that cultural and political system.

From a fast inspired by the prophet Daniel, to the words of another great prophet, Isaiah, I truly want this time to be consecrated to seeing the Lord work in a powerful way in me personally, and around the world in the lives of believers everywhere. I want to hunger for their deliverance and their encouragement.

"Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am'.
....
Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In."
{Isaiah 58}

This is the fast that I have chosen - one of power and of promise. Can you imagine what would happen to our world if Christians just in the United States put aside a period of time to really pray for other believers? To fast for their provision and protection? To intercede for their families and their churches? Can we dust off the foundations that previous godly generations laid for us, and actually rebuild a strong, selfless, power-filled Church?

Will you join me?