Preparing to Fast (Part I - Purify Yourself)

If you have a problem with someone try to make things better, and if you have been a stumbling block for someone please ask them for forgiveness. The Bible says that God is not far from us and His ears are not deaf, but our sins keep us away from Him. If you want to pray but have sinned, your prayers will never be answered. Think about whom you have offended and those you have talked ill against. Ask for forgiveness and start praying. If the person you have offended is not with you then phone him or her and ask for their forgiveness, if they are not there God knows your intentions and will forgive you. If the person is with you go and talk with them.

Remember the people who wanted to go into the Holy Place? They had to purify themselves and be clean. When I fast I think of being a priest, who wants to go into that Holy place? I must be ready accordingly. If a priest entered the holy place impure he would die! Because we have Jesus Christ in us, the Holy Spirit is like a bell. He is there to show you whether you ring or not. If the Holy Spirit tells you that you have a problem with someone, you must fix it.

If you have 500 fish and one of them is rotten all of the fish will be affected. We must be careful. We must practice what Jesus did. What did Jesus do with His disciples? He said, “The time is up so manage and watch”. Take your time; think of your life and if you have a problem with God or someone else fix it and then you will be ready to pray.

The first thing we must talk about is how we must pray. Sometimes we must forget who we are and forget about the world around us to concentrate on what we are doing. When I pray I find it better to kneel down, stand up or lift up my hands, but if you can’t do it find a position that is okay for you.

Our sins separate us from God and when this happens we cannot see His glory. The very first thing I do is to ask God for forgiveness. When I do this I do what Jeremiah did in chapter 32:17-27.

‘Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You. Who shows loving kindness to thousands, but repays the sins of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The Lord of hosts is His name. Great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds. Who has set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and even to this day both Israel and among mankind: and You have made a name for yourself to this day. ‘You brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with signs and with wonders, and with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with great terror: and gave them this land, which You swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. ‘They came in took possession of it, but they did not obey Your voice or walk in Your law: they have done nothing of all that You commanded them to do: therefore You have made all this calamity come upon them. ‘Behold, the siege ramps have reached the city to take it: and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldean who fight against it, because of the sword, the famine and the pestilence: and what You have spoken has come to pass: and behold, You see it. ‘You have said to me, O Lord God, “buy for yourself the field with money and call in witnesses”-- although the city is given into the hands of the Chaldean. Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is anything too difficult for Me?”

These verses encourage me a lot. When we ask for forgiveness we must acknowledge how great God is. Don’t ask the Lord to forgive me you without acknowledging who He is and why you are asking for His forgiveness.

Tell Him, “Lord, You are the sovereign God, You are my creator and the wonders You have done in my life are really great. Your loving kindness in my life is something special to me but I carry on sinning against You, I do not respect the commands You have given me. I know that You look very carefully at what I do and I know my behaviour was wrong, so please forgive me. You promised me a country where there is milk and honey. This country is Your word because it gives us life and strength. We need this word in our lives so please forgive me Lord because I haven’t acknowledged what You told me and now I have to bear the consequence of my sin. Satan also is moving towards me and I can fall into sin at anytime, I can offend You at anytime. I have leprosy and the one who is a leper was always cast out of the camp. Lord, You would heal those who had leprosy so heal me today so that my sin (leprosy) will flee from me so I can dwell in the same camp as You. I want to be very close to You because nothing is difficult for You”. This is what we tell the Lord and then we ask God to purify us with His precious blood because His blood gives us life”.