Spiritual Health
First Fruit Fast, Week OneHappy New Year, friend!
I am so VERY glad you’re here. We are well into the first month of the year and the first week of our corporate fast journey together. I openly share how grateful I am to be part of this journey with you.
This first week we will focus on the condition of our spiritual health. Now, as we journey along, you will see that each week has a different focus but all point us to the ultimate goal of holistic health. It isn’t enough to know the benefits of spiritual health, we have to practice spiritual health. We practice spiritual health by taking inventory of what is feeding our spirit.
Let’s begin with identifying what fasting truly is.
In Matthew chapter 6 we find Jesus speaking about three practices that ought to be lived out by those of us who profess faith is Jesus. We are to give, pray and fast. These are the fundamental practices of our faith. Jesus isn’t really giving us much wiggle room when He speaks of these practices in Scripture. In fact, He tells us, “When we give. When we pray. When we fast.” So, the very act of offering our “first fruit” (where we give the first of our time and resources) unto the Lord, not only are we activating an act of worship, we are activating obedience. We are following what Scripture teaches us about being a follower of Jesus.
Interestingly enough, when we consider fasting, we may plug in our own idea of what fasting can look like. And although there is freedom in our faith walk, we must also consider how scripture teaches on fasting. And when we do, we will find that fasting as a practice, for those who have gone before us, fasting always centered around the refraining of food or drink.
Okay, don’t fight me if fasting for you includes giving up social media, media or the like. In fact, in our First Fruits of 2023 we will have weeks that we fast from these two in particular. But, I wouldn't be a Bible girl if I didn’t highlight the fasting stories of the Bible all centered around food. The other areas of focus that we will engage in releasing for a week or two isn't so much a fast, but rather disciplines.
“These other areas of life are disciplinary matters of the mind, body and even spirit. Although fasting is indeed a discipline, it is important we not call all matters of discipline a fast.”
- Michael Dow, Fasting- Rediscovering The Ancient Pathways
Our goal for our RT First Fruit Fast isn’t to complicate the thing. Our goal is to offer our first month of the year unto the Lord as an offering and dare I even say, a proclamation that we mean business!
If you’re anything like me, you are ready for more. Perhaps, you’re desiring deliverance from something, or peace and direction over a certain area in your life. Perhaps you are desiring to hear the voice of God more clearly and His plan for you. Or maybe, you just want to return back to your First Love.
Whatever your goal, you are in good company! And as always, we are better when we do it together.
Here for you, sis. We got this!
Love,
Mónica
How can we pray for you this week? Comment, like and/or subscribe.
