ACTING IN FASTING King Jehoshaphat called a national fast when facing difficulty and uncertainty. Surrounded on all sides, Israel was in dire need to see the Lord move on their behalf (2 Chron. 20: 1-2). Although afraid of his enemies, Jehoshaphat “set his face to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah” (v. 3). The rest of the chapter explains the attitudes and actions of the Israelites when facing apparent defeat and the subsequent victory of the Lord on their behalf. For our purposes, we will look at four applications from this chapter to apply when seeking the Lord through fasting. These biblical principles will give us a launching pad to move in a direction that both honors God and offers wisdom when needing stability in uncertainty. 1. Rely on God’s promises( vv. 6-9). In his prayer, Jehoshaphat spends most of his time recalling the powerful works of the Lord to preserve His people. Jehoshaphat is not trying to psyche up himself or the Israelites by declaring what great things the Lord has done. Rather, he is relying on God’s unshakable promise made to Abraham (v. 7). God promised Abraham that all the families of the earth would be blessed through him (Gen. 12:3). Jehoshaphat knows this. And so when the neighboring nations surround Judah to overthrow them, Jehoshaphat calls the people to trust in God’s trustworthy promises. 2. Realize your limitations (v. 12). Because Jehoshaphat had a sound understanding on the nature of God—namely, His trustworthiness and power—he then had a healthy view of humanity. Jehoshaphat realized that he and Israel were “powerless against this great horde that is coming . . . .” (v. 12). He knew that without the intervention of the Lord they would not get anywhere, because without the strength of the Lord all people are incapable of accomplishing anything. Fasting may aid in bringing out our human weakness, which will in turn cause us to realize that we are not God and that we desperately need Him in every situation. 3. Remember the Lord through worship (v. 18). One of the most beautiful pictures of Israel is given in v. 18 when they humbly worship the Lord in the midst of apparent destruction. A few verses back, Jehoshaphat prayed to God and confessed that they had no idea “what to do” (v. 12). After God spoke through the prophet Jehaziel, telling the Israelites they will conquer their oppressors, the king “bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshipping the Lord” (v. 18). For whatever reason we are fasting for, it’s always important to take time to worship the Lord. Not only should we rely on God’s promises in His Word, but we should act on those promises by showing devotion through worship to the God who made those promises. 4. Run in the direction God has for you (v. 22). The next morning after God had promised to deliver His people from the hands of their enemies, they “rose early and went out in the wilderness of Tekoa” to meet the challenge before them (v. 20). Instead of running away from their difficulty they ran to it, believing that what God has currently promised them He will fulfill (v. 20). This is especially important for us to remember today. It’s important to remember that God calls us to action. Whether facing difficulty, suffering, uncertainty, ease, prosperity, and/or blessing, God calls His people to believe in Him and move in the direction they feel like He has given to them. Moving in the direction we think will best honor God will take courage and reliance on His Spirit every step of the way. Fasting can bring greater clarity to our situation. When fasting may we be people who rely on God’s promises, realize our weakness, remember the Lord through worship, and run in the direction God has for us.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Aug 2013 03:10:26 +0000