Isaiah 58:1-7 KJV — “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. [2] Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.”
[3] “Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. [4] Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high”.
[5] “Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? [6] Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? [7] Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?“
As we prepare to end the Year 2023 and to transition into 2024, there is the need to prepare ourselves for the new dimension God is leading us into. One of the effective ways to prepare ourselves for the coming year is through praying and fasting.
We are therefore embarking on a special 21 days prayer and fasting and I have no doubt in my mind that God will visit us.
To make your fasting effective there are certain things you must do and not do. We want to fast as appointed by the Lord, hence the need to study Isaiah 58. In this chapter of the Bible, the Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah to the people of Israel teaching them how to fast as the Lord has appointed.
Fasting as appointed by the Lord must begin with;
1. An admission that we are all sinned and come short of the glory of God and hence the need to repent before the Lord
In this scripture, the Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah to call His people to repentance and point to them their wrong. He instructed the prophet to cry out aloud, sounding like a trumpet; not mincing words but speaking vividly and explicitly pointing to His people where they have failed and the need to return to the Lord in repentance with sack clothes and mourning.
Many of the things we encounter in life are as a result of things that have happened in in the past, hence the need to confess our sins and the sins of our fathers. Returning to the Lord in repentance and asking for forgiveness of sin is one of the very first things that make fasting very effective.
2. Approach the altar of fasting with faith
One of the key problems the Lord had with Israel was the fact that they sought Him as though they were a nation that obeyed their God. The Lord wanted them to come to Him willing to obey what He tells them and this will require absolute faith in Him; because without faith it is impossible to please God.
So then we must approach the altar of fasting with faith, knowing that whatever the Lord will tell us is all that we need in order to succeed and to be established in the land. Faith is as a master key in all spiritual transactions and doubt is a thief of possibilities.
3. Abstain from food pleasure and exertion
In the season of fasting and prayer we must make time to wait in the presence of the Lord; hence the need to abstain from food, from pleasure and from exacting all your labour.
You cannot engage in all of your labours as you fast and pray. Let us make time 3 times at least in a day to seek the face of the Lord in prayer and Bible study to make our waiting effective.
4. Forgive; don’t fast to smite with the fist of wickedness
In Matthew 6, the scriptures teach that when we fast and pray we must forgive those who trespass against us, this is because if you do not forgive those who wrong you, the Lord will not forgive you your trespasses.
Those who sow mercy and compassion shall reap the fruits of Mercy and compassion but those who are determined to strike with the fist of wickedness shall not be forgiven. Free those who have wronged you and don’t be bitter to make our fasting effective.
5. Loose the bands of wickedness
As we embark on this journey of fasting, let us try to lose the bands of wickedness. Don’t put anybody under any form of oppression. Allow them to go; allow them to go because God is so gracious that He will see you through.
For the kind of fasting the Lord has appointed for us, He wants us to loose the bands of wickedness and to make the burdens of people light. God does not want you to oppress anyone, let people be grateful that they met you.
6. Be compassionate
Let us show compassion in this season of fasting and praying. Give bread to the hungry; if you see the opportunity to do good, to show the kindness to people around you, don’t let it slip!
Stay blessed
