Fasting for What Matters Most
Renewing Our Love for Christ, Our Compassion for People, and Our Hope for Restoration
In the next few days, we will enter a season of fasting before the Lord. Throughout Scripture, fasting is often associated with mourning, repentance, and deep longing before God. As we prepare our hearts, we should prayerfully ask ourselves: What are we mourning? What are we repenting of? And what are we longing for?
The answers are found in the quality of our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and in the quality of our relationships with one another and the people God has placed around us. While fasting may be an expression of mourning over something that has been lost, neglected, or broken, it is also a prayer for restoration. We fast because we long to see God restore what has faded, revive what has grown cold, and return what has been lost. Just as there was great joy when the lost sheep was found, the lost coin was recovered, and the prodigal son came home, we believe there will be great joy when God restores what is missing in our hearts, our families, our church, and our community.
1. Returning to Our First Love
One of the greatest dangers in the Christian life is not open rebellion but gradual drift. Over time, our affection for Christ can diminish even while our religious activity continues. Fasting creates space for honest self-examination and renewed devotion. Itis an opportunity to ask the Lord to rekindle our love for Him and restore the joy of walking closely with Him. “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first” Revelation 2:4 (ESV).
If we discover that our love for Christ is not what it once was, this is not a reason for despair but an invitation to return. The same Savior who lovingly confronted the church at Ephesus also called them back to Himself.
2. Repenting of Spiritual Indifference
Fasting helps us search our hearts before God. Have we become comfortable with spiritual complacency? Have we grown indifferent to the needs of others? Have we lost our burden for those who do not know Christ? When we find ourselves unmoved by the salvation of souls or unconcerned about eternity, that should lead us to mourning and repentance. God desires to soften our hearts and restore a holy hunger for His righteousness and His mission “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” Matthew 5:6 (ESV).
As we fast, may God awaken within us a greater desire for His presence, His holiness,and His purposes.
3. Longing for Renewal, Restoration, and a Harvest of Souls
Our fasting should move beyond personal concerns and extend to God's kingdom purposes. We long to see lives transformed, prodigals return home, disciples made, relationships restored, and communities impacted by the gospel. We mourn what has been lost, but we pray with expectation for what God can restore. Just as heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents, we believe God desires to bring renewed joy through spiritual awakening and harvest “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous person who need no repentance” Luke 15:7, ESV).
During This Week of Fasting, Let Us Remember We Are Praying For:
Concluding Thought:
May this season of fasting draw us closer to Christ, renew our first love, restore our spiritual hunger, and deepen our burden for people who are far from God. As we seek Him together, may He bring back what has been lost and fill His church with the joy that comes when restoration, renewal, and salvation are experienced once again.
Blessings,
Pastor Zhivago Adderley
In the next few days, we will enter a season of fasting before the Lord. Throughout Scripture, fasting is often associated with mourning, repentance, and deep longing before God. As we prepare our hearts, we should prayerfully ask ourselves: What are we mourning? What are we repenting of? And what are we longing for?
The answers are found in the quality of our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and in the quality of our relationships with one another and the people God has placed around us. While fasting may be an expression of mourning over something that has been lost, neglected, or broken, it is also a prayer for restoration. We fast because we long to see God restore what has faded, revive what has grown cold, and return what has been lost. Just as there was great joy when the lost sheep was found, the lost coin was recovered, and the prodigal son came home, we believe there will be great joy when God restores what is missing in our hearts, our families, our church, and our community.
1. Returning to Our First Love
One of the greatest dangers in the Christian life is not open rebellion but gradual drift. Over time, our affection for Christ can diminish even while our religious activity continues. Fasting creates space for honest self-examination and renewed devotion. Itis an opportunity to ask the Lord to rekindle our love for Him and restore the joy of walking closely with Him. “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first” Revelation 2:4 (ESV).
If we discover that our love for Christ is not what it once was, this is not a reason for despair but an invitation to return. The same Savior who lovingly confronted the church at Ephesus also called them back to Himself.
2. Repenting of Spiritual Indifference
Fasting helps us search our hearts before God. Have we become comfortable with spiritual complacency? Have we grown indifferent to the needs of others? Have we lost our burden for those who do not know Christ? When we find ourselves unmoved by the salvation of souls or unconcerned about eternity, that should lead us to mourning and repentance. God desires to soften our hearts and restore a holy hunger for His righteousness and His mission “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” Matthew 5:6 (ESV).
As we fast, may God awaken within us a greater desire for His presence, His holiness,and His purposes.
3. Longing for Renewal, Restoration, and a Harvest of Souls
Our fasting should move beyond personal concerns and extend to God's kingdom purposes. We long to see lives transformed, prodigals return home, disciples made, relationships restored, and communities impacted by the gospel. We mourn what has been lost, but we pray with expectation for what God can restore. Just as heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents, we believe God desires to bring renewed joy through spiritual awakening and harvest “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous person who need no repentance” Luke 15:7, ESV).
During This Week of Fasting, Let Us Remember We Are Praying For:
- Humility, repentance, and spiritual renewal
- A greater heart for outreach and evangelism
- A harvest of souls and effective disciple-making
- Meaningful connection, fellowship, and community
- Healing, health, and wholeness for those in need
- Our nation and its leaders and the mid-term elections
Concluding Thought:
May this season of fasting draw us closer to Christ, renew our first love, restore our spiritual hunger, and deepen our burden for people who are far from God. As we seek Him together, may He bring back what has been lost and fill His church with the joy that comes when restoration, renewal, and salvation are experienced once again.
Blessings,
Pastor Zhivago Adderley
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