Fasting Part 6

In preparation for the Easter fast coming up this weekend, I am continuing this series on fasting. I hope it will be informative and encouraging for you and that you will join me and others in abstaining from food following the Good Friday worship service and continuing until after the Easter morning worship service. (Coffee and water are acceptable)

Today, I want to begin to speak about moving mountains through fasting.  Day after day we have had this graph placed before our eyes depicting the mountain of cases and deaths of the coronavirus in the United States. And what is the goal here? The goal is to flatten the curve…..level the mountain if you will!

Guess what? As a follower of Jesus Christ, you should know by now that God wants His people, (you and I)  to be mountain movers! Social distancing, washing hands, wearing masks, etc, are all part of the physical strategy to move this mountain, but what about a spiritual strategy?

Jesus said in   Mt 17:20b, “if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.  21 "However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

If you know the story a father had brought his boy to the disciples to be healed of seizures that had plagued the boy since birth. The disciples failed in their attempts to heal the boy, but then Jesus arrived on the scene and the boy was healed. Jesus used the occasion to instruct His disciples on the power of prayer and fasting to remove mountains.

Mountain moving in the Scriptures is not an isolated incident!

 Mr 11:23 says, "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”

And mountain moving is not restricted to the New Testament either! In Josh 14:12, we read of the bold request of 85 year old Caleb, "Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the LORD spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the LORD said."

The Anakim were huge physical specimens, very intimidating. Their cities were “great and fortified.”  The coronavirus may not be a huge physical specimen, but it has proven to be a formidable enemy! Will we shrink back in the spiritual aspect of this battle, or will we be like Caleb and petition the Lord boldly, “Give me this mountain!”

Caleb was 85 years old! Mountain removal work in the church of Jesus Christ is for young and old alike!

Yes, our God is in the business of using His people to remove mountains! In  Isa 40:4, we read, “Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth;

And in  Zec 4:6,7 we read, “So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts.  7 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of "Grace, grace to it!"'"

Mountains cannot be removed without the help of God. This plague will be over when He says it is over! It is not by our might or power but by the power of the Holy Spirit, and when we fast God releases His reward (His power) into the situation. The windows of heaven are opened and grace (which is the power of God) comes down like rain. When we fast, our body shouts to our situation with the words found in Zechariah, “Grace, grace (a double dose of God’s power) to it!

Father, I pray for that you will hear our fasting pleas this weekend and remove this mountain that is before our land.  Release a double portion of Your grace into our situation.