Sermon on the Mount

Many people across our nation are entering into a 40-day "Daniel" fast starting today, eating no meats or "pleasant food" from March 1st to April 9th. The Lord has given us an invitation to focus our prayers on Matthew 9:38, asking the "Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest", specifically to the college campuses of our nation.

I've been examining my own motives for entering into this fast, specifically related to the posture of my heart and the expectation I have for it. I've come to this major conclusion:

Fasting itself is not what moves God's heart. Our humility in fasting is what does.

The difference is subtle but very significant, and the way we respond to that statement sets us up for either great gratitude or great offense towards the Lord. I feel like I've always approached fasting as a "tool in the spiritual warfare toolbelt" to affect change on the earth. With this mindset, I slowly and subtly became religious about my fasting much like the Pharisees were, believing that if I broke a fast that I was letting God or my fellow intercessors down. He wouldn't move with as much power because I had "failed". The accusation about not fasting as "intensely" as others also was a constant condemnation. The lie I heard from the enemy was: "you're more spiritual and you shift more things in the heavens if you do a water fast instead of a Daniel fast". But I am slowly beginning to realize why fasting is so important to the life of a believer. It all boils down to one word alone:

Humility.

I came across this amazing quote from Thomas Dubay's book "Happy Are You Poor" and wanted to share it with you all.

“Plain honesty requires that we assert that the New Testament teaches an unblushing and uncompromising asceticism [simplicity], a hard road and narrow gate, a carrying of the cross every day, a renouncing of all that one possesses, a being rid of superfluities, and a dying with the Lord (Matthew 7:13-14; Lk 9:23; Lk 14:33; 1 Tim 6:7-8; Rom 6:3-5). But it also teaches a rich, abundant human living, a complete and intense joy beyond understanding, a joy no one can take away, a rejoicing in the Lord always, a tasting of the very goodness of uncreated Beauty (Jn 10:10; Jn 15:11; Jn 16:22; 1 Pet 1:8; 1 Pet 2:3; Philippians 4:4).

Did you know that “striving” is a biblical concept?

In the church today there’s much talk about “striving” and how not to do it. We wrongly interpret striving as effort to earn God’s love, acceptance, forgiveness, and affection. Rather than fasting and praying out of love and longing to receive more of His presence, we fast and pray to earn His acceptance. We must remember that His love and forgiveness has been freely given to anyone who would accept it because of Jesus’ work on the cross. We were once dead, and it was only because of His kindness that we’ve been made alive and seated with Christ as sons and daughters of God. We should never strive to earn His acceptance.

This idea is often taken too far to the extreme and is expressed when someone says “Don’t strive, just love Jesus”. What they’re really saying is “Don’t be so legalistic, because your intensity is causing conviction in me. If you relax a little bit, God’s grace covers it all.” If you’ve been following my blog at all for the past while you’ll know how dangerous I believe that statement is. We must cooperate with God’s grace, not assume it will come as we live in passivity. God will not do our part and we cannot do His part. We must make quality decisions to deny ourselves, feed our spirit on the Word, ask God for help through prayer with fasting, embracing godly activities and service, and walking in pure relationships. God’s part is to release supernatural power and influences on our heart, body, circumstances, and relationships.

A friend the other day asked me an interesting question – “Do you think you have the right eschatology to be saved?” It’s a genuine and very real question to ask because of Jesus’ own words about deception coming at the end of the age. But I responded:

“My eschatology is definitely wrong in areas, but the way to be saved is not by having the perfect understanding of all of the end-time events.”

In pondering and searching out my answer a bit more, I came across Luke 13:22-30 where Jesus answers a pretty loaded question from someone He meets in His journeys through the cities and villages on His way to Jerusalem. The follower asks boldly “Lord, are there few who are saved?”

I’m certain every one of the people following Jesus on that day had many assumptions about Jesus’ answer, but the way Jesus responds totally blindsides them all. The Jews in Jesus’ day held to the vast collection of Old Testament prophecies that Messiah would come, restore all things, destroy Israel’s enemies, and bring her back to a place of prominence among the nations once again. They believed their ticket or entrance into Messiah’s kingdom was based on their ethnicity as children of Abraham and their adherence to Moses’ law.