This evening is the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Day, Yom Kippur, the day of atonement and the LORD has been speaking to me about HIS CHOSEN FAST. There has been so much that our world has experienced already in the year 2020, many of those things have compelled believers in Yeshua to times of prayer, fasting and repentance. The prayers of 2 Chronicles 7:14 are resounding in the heavens and all for good reason. His word is true and faith acts upon the word of the living God, Yahweh. And yet, on this day I hear the LORD saying, "have you inquired of me on the fast that I have chosen for YOU?".
Many times, most times, we fast what we think the Lord wants in presumption...our food and our sorrow but what about the fast that Father has "chosen" for us? After pondering this, I want to suggest that His chosen fast for each of us is not what we think. It probably looks different for every person because it is dealing with the "heart of a matter". Our hearts are always the issue; our fasting is about our hearts. Abba is always after our hearts, individually first, then corporately, and finally nationally.
So on this day, a few hours before the beginning of Yom Kippur, a day of solemn fasting seek the LORD for His chosen fast for you. As I inquired of the LORD, the answer I received from the LORD was very different and it made me realize just how religious my fasting had become. It has been what I wanted to present to the LORD, not really what He wanted to receive. It is hard to express something so personal, but Isaiah 58 gives us revelatory insight into what a chosen fast looks like to Abba. Our breakthrough is hinged on the chosen fast directed of the LORD and not our religious strivings. His chosen fast for us will break the bonds of wickedness, starting with our own. It will cause us to see how we try to manipulate God in our religious works which only indicates that we really don't know HIS heart on the matter. Our obedience is important, but our listening to His voice should always be the catalyst for our action. Listening and intimacy, not striving or manipulation for our own purpose.
Isaiah 58 sets an important standard for our chosen fast and worship of God in spirit and in truth. Scripture instructs us that our faith without works is dead. Isaiah 58 tells us what the works of the chosen fast look like. Again, I don't think my chosen fast is exactly the same as your chosen fast because the issues in our hearts may not be the same, but Isaiah 58 tells us what the heart of the Father is and we must use that as the plumbline for where our hearts are misaligned with his.
Having fasted many days since the beginning of 2020, through mandatory quarantines and social distancing, remote school days and virtual church fellowship I believe that my fasting in 5781 is shifting to His Chosen fast for me, as He speaks His heart to mine, and it will look different every day. My reason for sharing this is only to encourage you to seek the LORD for His chosen fast for you on Yom Kippur and every day in the rest of 5781. There are many seeking the LORD in fasting and prayer as the times and seasons do require it, but I admonish each of us to meditate on what the LORD is really asking of us individually first, then corporately and finally nationally so that our fasting is rooted in His heart and His desires. Then His promises of light, healing and glory will spring forth in our homes, our communities and our nation.
His promises are true. The plumb line of Isaiah 58 is full of what He promises to do when we choose HIS fast...and as the final words of Isaiah 58 declares...for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.