THE FAST OF AGREEMENT

Fasting is perhaps one of the most misunderstood practices of our faith. The primary reason for this misunderstanding is rooted in the many ways in which we misunderstand God.

Many see fasting as:

• Our pathetic appeasement of a frustrated and angry God
• Our aggressive arm-twisting of a reluctant and unwilling God
• Our amplified demands to a remote and unresponsive God

Whereas, in reality, true fasting is our humble and sacrificial agreement with a good and loving God who faithfully fulfills His promises and desires His Kingdom to prevail on earth more than we ever possibly could. God is looking for partners with whom he can collaborate, sons and daughters who have taken ownership of the family business and are willing to put father’s purposes above all things. The foundation of this kind of relationship is AGREEMENT.

When Jesus was baptized by John, the Heavens were opened and Father affirmed His love for Jesus and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove. Immediately, Jesus was led into the wilderness for 40 days, to fast, pray and be tested by the wicked one. This was a testing of agreement. Would Jesus budge at all in His absolute agreement with the Father? Would he ever so slightly compromise the Word of God? Would he yield to the seduction of the enemy and drift from full agreement?

Fortunately for us, in spite of the enemy’s best efforts, Jesus passed the test with flying colors and the frustrated enemy departed from Him. It was in this agreement that Jesus launched His ministry to bring all things back into agreement with the Father.

When we engage a season of CONTENDING PRAYER AND FASTING, we are not contending AGAINST God. Rather we are contending with God against the forces of complacency, compromise and evil that exist within us and within the world around us. We are standing in prayerful and sacrificial agreement with a loving and willing God and in partnership with the perfect prayer, “Let Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

I invite you to join with tens of thousands of believers around the globe who will be dedicating the next forty days to fasting and prayer. Some will be fasting completely from food. Others will be doing a partial fast or fasting other pleasures of life. As we fast, let’s AGREE with God for Revival in the Church, Righteousness in our Land and a Great Awakening throughout the World.