One of my good friends in California and I have been keeping in touch through email, sharing life together. Recently, she was sharing about her time of fasting and praying.
I told her how I was inspired by the revelations she had experienced in this discipline, and that I desire to be a person/Christian more like this.
Confession:
Upon going to bed last night, I decieded I should actually do as I said. I picked up “Life Together,” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I turned to the portion of the book entittled,
“Confession and Communion,” and immediately I was was underlining and
agreeing with an “Amen!” as I read what Bonhoeffer was expressing. The pages were opinion, however, laced with Scripture. In fact the opening line read,
“Confess your faults one to another,” (James 5:16) He went on to explain we will only be alone in our sin if we do not confess to our fellow brothers and sisters in the faith. So true!
We will only live a life of lonliness, and pain living that life. So as I read, I asked myself, what about the fasting? How can fasting and prayer help?
I said a simple prayer last night and asked God to help me become more disciplined, so I can be a more affective person, volunteer,
Christian and member of society. I asked God for the motivation/desire to pray more, to be more disciplined to pray and have time in the word. (I do not always get
excited to read the Bible. Often I am unsure where to begin and then how to stay motivated) Starting off last night in prayer and in reading “Life Together,” by Dietrich
Bonhoeffer I was struck by the words he used to describe confession as a practice, and something we cannot live without. With assurance, I know the life of a sinner
is changed when we have the Gospel of Christ in our lives. We need to rely on God and our Christian community to uplift us and
help us out of our sins.
…
This morning I woke up with two significant dreams. First, I distinctly remember seeing two girl friends, who might claim Christianity, yet their lives are very much
living for the world. (Parties and the like) Another part of my dream was a man turning over his life to Christ. He just said, “Ok, I just want to live better. I know I cannot do
it alone, but with Christ, I can live…” Waking up, I made it a point to thank God for waking me up and later when I rememberd these dreams, it might be more clear why the
message at church was about prayer and fasting.
Scripture Message: Fasting and Prayer
Today I attended Chilamoni Living Waters Church where preacher kept repeating “today is going to be a good day, we are going to learn about fasting and praying.” (I was thankful
they preached in both English and Chichewa for me…as you can assume, I was interested in hearing THIS message.) On he went, saying, we as Christians need to be bold for God,
and for the sake of others to know God fully as well as the Good News. However, we cannont be bold without the annointing of God. 1Samuel 17:55 explains part of the story ot David a youth and
Goliath the Giant and enemy. Verse 55-58 sets the scene where David was noticed for doing something unthinkable. Saul is a man wondering and asking Abner, the commander of the Army,
“who is this young boy, David?” When Saul sees David set out from the crowd as an ordinary person, with extraordanary strength he replies, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”
(David stood there, in front of the commander of the Army with the head of the slayed giant, Goliath. David was able because he was anointed.)
Action Steps:
The preacher reiterated we need to STEP OUT OF the CROWD! He was very passionate about this statement. Not only step out, but know that we as Christians
are not just ordinary people. The scriptures say David was a young boy, and no one expected him to kill the giant. The preacher reassured us, that because we are born again
in Christ, we are anointed and he urged us again and again to STEP OUT of the CROWD and BE BOLD for the Lord, and for His kingdom. With this anointing, we can slay a giant…or the
giants in our lives.
Anointing:
The preacher made us look to Luke 4:18 where Jesus says, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent
me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners…”(free those captive by sin.) The preacher advised us to become annointed by fasting and prayer. My understanding of anointing is “a call”
God will reveal to you about your life and your life’s purposes. All christians are anointed, yet we must actively partake in the relationship God desires with us.
We must confess and turn from our sins, and then, when we fast and pray God will annoint us. God will reveal ways for us to serve Him, and ways for us to be BOLD in His
Love in order to spread the Good News to those who do not know about it.
Tie it all together:
Perhaps my first dream was revealing through the others sinfulness, that I must confess and turn from the worldly life. Once I repent, and begin to change, God will reveal how
the second part of my dream can happen.
If you are not a Christian and are not sure about this life, please know transformation is possible if you so desire. God sent his only Son, Jesus to be a living sacrifice for us, and
to die for all our sins, so we can live on eternally with God the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
He too wants you to be anointed, and know your life’s purposes for God has a plan for each and every life, yet, you
must turn from your old life and become new in order to live free, and eternally. (2 Cor. 5:17)
God had all of this planned and I am greatful. I am hoping to be washed clean of my sins, and begin to fast and pray more dilligently. I too, need anointment
so I can know my call, and also so I can be Bold for the sake of Christ.
mollytomalawi 