Standing Firm in the Fight - On Fasting, Part 3

A warning on fasting - as you start to fast, particularly for yourself, sometimes it can create a stirring in the heavenlies as a bond is about to be broken.  Satan longs to keep us in bondage, so to have a believer on their knees, seeking to have that bond broken goes against his plan.  He'll make it very hard for the one longing for freedom.  Discouragement will be on the doorstep.  Conflict might be at every turn, especially if your marriage is what you are fasting about.  If Satan can discourage you or make it appear like there is no hope, then he's got a better chance of keeping you in bondage.


I believe the conflict and discouragement is actually part of the process of having the bonds broken.  In a way, it means that freedom is around the corner.  Think of it like labour.  I've had several births without drugs and each time I hit transition, I'm begging the nurses (if I'm in the hospital) for pain relief.  No, no, no....you are about to deliver a baby!  I DON'T CARE!!!  I NEED DRUGS!!!  We can't give you any.  You are too far along!  I DON'T C....oh, there's the baby!!  Yeah!  Isn't that kind of how it is?  The pain of delivery hits its peak right before the birth of a beautiful baby.  In our spiritual lives, too, I think it is always the worst right before the calm.  It is Satan's way of holding on to that person in bondage right up until the end, but he cannot win.  Christ came to bring FREEDOM.  When a person is praying in Jesus' name, freedom will come in some form.


Do not let this final battle hinder you!  "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial."  (James 1:12)  The Bible promises that if you "resist the devil, he will flee from you."  (James 4:7)  "The truth will set you free."  (John 8:32) 


We must not be shocked when the battle rages, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." (1 Peter 4:12).


This passage is a great encouragement and yet frightening at the same time,


"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that AT THE PROPER TIME he may exalt you, casting ALL YOUR ANXIETIES  on him, because HE CARES FOR YOU.  Be SOBER-MINDED; BE WATCHFUL.  Your adversary the devil prowls around LIKE A ROARING LION, SEEKING SOMEONE TO DEVOUR.  Resist him, FIRM IN YOUR FAITH, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood around the world.  And after you have suffered a little while, the God all of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself RESTORE, CONFIRM, STRENGHTEN, AND ESTABLISH YOU.  To him be the dominion forever and ever.  Amen."  (1 Peter 5: 6-11)


So many awesome truths in this passage.  Fasting humbles us as it acknowledges we can't do anything on our own.  It is allowing the "mighty hand of God" to work in our lives.  It can be months or years, but the Bible says, "at the proper time he may exalt you".  The proper time, not our time.  As time passes, anxiety will creep in.  Right away, Peter doesn't say, you won't be or your can't be anxious.  He says, take that anxiety that, no doubt, is there and cast it on him - isn't that an encouragement to know he acknowledges our fears?  He wants them!  He simply cares for us, Peter says.


But then, the warning - be sober-minded, watchful.  Why?  We have an adversary.  He literally is "seeking to devour."  What an awful image!  You just have to picture one of the BBC nature shows that we've all seen where the lioness is laying in the grass, watching the sweet little antelopes eating their yummy food, when suddenly, out of hiding, the lioness races to the naïve animal and after chasing it until it can no longer outrun the lion, jumps on its bare neck and bites with huge crushing jaws.  The antelope struggles briefly, but soon it is lifeless.  We cannot be that simple-minded antelope, only focused on food.  We must be looking around for all the various forms of attack, lying in wait all around us....




Sober-minded?  What does that look like?  I think it means, among many other things, that we must not be naïve to think we are not in a spiritual battleground.  I know it can become so cliché when we blame Satan for everything, but really, doesn't this verse show us that Satan really is trying to ruin us?  We must be watchful.  We must not panic when the trial comes.  Knowing that Satan is often behind the trial, oddly encourages me. It helps me see I am probably right in the center of God's will when Satan is opposing me at every turn.


Resisting Satan is standing firm in our faith.  Clinging to our faith is resisting him.  Understanding that suffering is part of the process is resisting him.  Knowing it is "for a little while" reminds us there is an end.  It cannot go on forever.  My favourite part of the passage says "the God of all grace...will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."  That is what we all need - restoration - in our marriages, our families, wherever there is loss - Lord, bring restoration!  We need confirmation - that we're on the right path, doing the right things, in his will - Confirm us, Lord!  Strength.  We are so weak!  We need a strength that is beyond us as we are unable to go on sometimes in our suffering.  Strengthen us, Lord!  And finally, establish us.  Make us firm in our walk with you.   Take the offerings we are giving, the plans that we are making, the patterns that we are trying to change in our lives, take them and make them last, forever, into the future generations - make them solid, real changes in our habits.  Establish us, Lord.  To your glory.


Fasting can change your life, but it can also bring a battle at first.  Fight with all your weapons of the faith.  Stand firm.