Celebrate Your Extreme Makeover
Now that you’ve been through the 21-day fast, take the time to celebrate your extreme makeover. Then, consider making it a lifestyle. You can fast around special events, birthdays or when trying to make difficult decisions.
What does fasting have to do with an extreme makeover? Everything. God said to Samuel—“For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). It doesn’t matter to God how good things seem on the outside, if we don’t have an intimate relationship with Jesus on the inside.
As you know, fasting cuts through all the junk that builds up throughout the year. Fasting opens the door for the Holy Spirit to come in and do surgery on those weak, withered areas of your spiritual life, replacing them with life and power.
When we don’t feel like we measure up, it drains our confidence. Satan would like nothing more than to get us to quit the race by stealing our confidence.
Ever since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, mankind has been in need of a makeover. There were no worries prior to sin entering into the heart of man. Adam and Eve were naked before each other and before God—with no concern regarding their appearance. The first thing they did after sin entered the picture was to attempt to cover their nakedness with leaves.
When you begin to feel the least bit of bondage or sin creep back into your life, run to Jesus in fasting and prayer. God sees who you are, and who He wants you to be.
The more Jesus healed, the more the crowds followed Him. Luke recorded, “But so much the more the news spread abroad concerning Him, and great crowds kept coming together to hear [Him] and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. But He Himself withdrew [in retirement] to the wilderness (desert) and prayed” (Luke 5:15-16 AMP). Jesus knew how important it was to “come away” regularly and be with God in prayer.
When you fast, it is a time to come away, to set yourself apart from the routine of life, the business, the mindless entertainment and sink deeply into God’s Word. When you are empty, quiet and broken before Him, you can hear His voice more clearly. Jesus invites you to come away throughout the year, and be persistent.
On the TV show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, once the crew has inspected the house and figured out just how bad the situation looks, they move on to the next step—demolition. One of the highlights of the program is sending the family live footage of their house being totally demolished while they are away on a fantastic vacation.
You may have just been through a fast where the Holy Spirit took a sledgehammer and a bulldozer to your spiritual life—the broken walls, the leaking roof and the saggy floors all had to go. God replaced them with a firm foundation! It is a process called brokenness. And it can happen over and over throughout the life of a Christian.
No matter when you fast, be encouraged. Journal, surround yourself with praise music and spend extra time in prayer. Write down fasting goals before you get started and keep them with you at all times! If you get discouraged, you can use the fasting goals to keep you going.
God honors the power of persistence in fasting and prayer.
Congratulations on your extreme makeover! Regular maintenance is required.
Share
