Tag: Fasting

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Battle of “if’s.”

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.” Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As mentioned before, this is first battle Jesus, as the son of God, faces with the adversary (a descriptor more than a title). Every mention of this evil character never gives this supernatural being the honor of a title. It is a specific insult to remind us, this creature is not worthy of anything! It has many descriptors, all of which designates a single, personal, supernatural being who stands in absolute opposition to God and His redemptive purposes. He is neither a mere force nor an impersonal principle but is consistently portrayed as a conscious, strategic adversary with intellect, emotion, and will. Its bag of title-tricks include, slanderer, tempter, accuser, schemer, murderer, prince of the power of the air & beelzebub (ruler over all other demons, some of which are fallen angels, but also include other spiritual beings, even mythological figures, and malevolent creatures that exist in our world.)

In this first physical, spiritual standoff, Jesus, at what will be his weakest moment, is led by the Holy Spirit to go out into the Judean wilderness. Jesus’ task; to be tempted, tested! This battle had no physical weapons, no swords, spears or slings – just words. It was all a verbal, mental battle of specific questions to be asked by a liar and refuted by absolute truth. All the training and preparation from birth until the pre-launch of His ministry, Jesus would have his moment with the one cast out of heaven and given dominion over this dark planet.

It was only a three question examine, but it would both reveal the patterns and plans of the accuser that had been used since its first conversation with the woman in the garden – undermining the will of God. These three questions did not directly confront God, nor His will or ways. What questions would you ask God’s own son to get him to betray his father and please himself, rather than doing the hard job of fulfilling God’s will? The deceiver didn’t just go after Jesus’ hopes and dreams, his aspirations and future accomplishments. It went after Jesus’ identity!

Three temptations all started with, “If you are the Son of God.” If, if, if… then prove it by: Taking care of your own physical needs. Challenging the true nature of care, love and safety of your Father, by choosing self-harm. And, taking the shortcut to power by accepting a path that does not require suffering. It might seem simple. It might seem silly.

To authenticate his own self perception and purpose, all he to do was make some bread out of stones, leap off the 450 foot, 30 story building to the desert floor below. And, to quickly secure his inheritance in the future, all he had to do was accept the seemingly “generous,” “no-strings attached offer,” from the temporary governor of the planet. Three questions that start with identity, then the attempts at subverting God’s will taking shortcuts to self fulfillment. Sound familiar?

Even in Jesus’ exhausted state of mind and body, he saw through the lies and was not fooled by the veiled threats of God’s ability to keep his promises. The enemy of God and of our soul has not changed its primary motives or methods. The liar still lies, the supplanter still schemes and slanders. And, not surprisingly, we still fall for it all the time.

The tricks of temptation still attack our identity first. “If you are a child of God.” Then the same ol’ process to get us to take shortcuts in our own disordered desires. To buy now, pay later. To click and receive immediate results. To have our physical, emotional and soul’s needs cared for expediently.

We’ve all got our battles of “ifs.” No desert, or forty-day fasts are necessary to reveal the schemer’s real motives. The murderer cannot kill God, nor win THE battle. So the tempter comes after us, to take as many as it can, to ultimately be separated from God forever. Know this; WE choose the lie over truth, we desire the shortcuts of sin – to fulfill the now, forgetting the later. Even though we (all of us) are a created child of God, God still gives us choice, the autonomy of will to walk away from his love instead of living in it.

Prayer

​Dad,
The battle is very real today as it was since the beginning. Even when we see truth, and know truth, we still choose the lie. We can still question who we really are and struggle with what we really desire! But your love, your grace and mercy is stronger, especially when we hide Your Word in our heart and use it as a powerful weapon against the “ifs” and the shortcuts. Help us O’ Lord! Help us to know you, walk with you, trusting you over our own delusions and delights. To resist the lie and the liar so it will flee!

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When family & community fail.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

When I came across this episode several years ago, I was struck by one glaring issue, I had not seen it before. Question: How does a demon get into a child? We are not given the reasons behind several of the demonic possessions throughout the gospels. But most of them are in adults. It is believed that, at one point in their life, they either peddled or meddled in evil realms of spiritual darkness which opened doors for evil spirits to come in and take control over a human body. Another theory is that through narcotics, alcohol or other addictions, their minds are left defenseless and similarly open to demons making themselves at home. The mad-naked-man, in the tombs, was an adult that became infested with thousands of demons and caused mayhem in the hills above the city. The citizens would bind him with ropes and chains trying to subdue him, possibly trying to keep him and the neighborhood safe. Mark’s gospel uses these examples as a way to let the reader know that Jesus has all power and authority over evil spirits, so demon possessions are mentioned about ten times.

Here, the story is very dark and very sad. A father, in desperation, brings his son to Jesus. Notice, the father identifies this as a spiritual episode, not a physical one. Are we missing something today when we see a person unable to speak, throwing themselves to the ground, writhing, foaming at the mouth and grinding their teeth? We would only see this as an epileptic episode and safely hold them down until it passes. I absolutely believe in medical epileptic episodes and I am not saying that today these are possessions.

This father knew it was more than a physical abnormality! The father also reported that “The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him.“ When Jesus approached the child, he spoke to the evil spirit (that also kept the boy from hearing or speaking) and commanded the demon to depart, “the evil spirit then threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.” Everyone suspected the child was dead. This was something far beyond a physical or mental disorder. Jesus, knowing the difference between a physical problem and a spiritual one, didn’t command healing, he commanded deliverance!

There is enough hints in the story and the cultural background of the city where this took place, Bethsaida, a city known for its lack of faith (Matthew 11:21), that tells me the father and the community knew they were responsible for allowing evil into their town and their own children. The father told Jesus, “Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” Help “US,” “IF” you can. The community not only had become known for unbelief, it had stopped being protective agents against evil – finally affecting even the children among them. This also makes sense why the disciples couldn’t just dismiss the demon. This evil spirit knew it could resist given the fact that the gawking crowd had little reason nor belief to kick it out. Of course, this would take prayer and fasting! Not just for an exorcism, but even more importantly to confront their stubborn hearts for resisting to God.

Do we have families that leave their children exposed to evil, practically inviting demons into the their homes and neighborhoods? Do we have cities with reputations of resistance and unbelief, where it becomes intensely laborious to speak truth and penetrate harden hearts with the gospel? I believe we do.

Ironically, I think our own “city of angels,” Los Angeles has become that. It’s not just that California is a state of known for hard, stubborn hearts, the city itself reeks of crime, corruption, sickness, poverty, and mental illness. Our dear city is a violent place, also filled with lawlessness, desperation, power and greed. It seems as though every attempt to bring healing and freedom takes prayer and fasting because the evil spirits know they are happily welcomed and accommodated in LA. What about your home, your neighborhood, your city? What you accommodate, your children will willingly accept!

Prayer

​Dad,
I get the allure of selfishness to live the “adult” life. Which translates into little to none responsibility for children around us. My parents, all five, mostly did what they wanted. I know my adoptive mother worked hard and sacrificed to provide a good home, food and prompted my sister and I to do well in school. However, spirituality, there just wasn’t much there. I shiver to think of what suppressed or forgotten things we were exposed to! The story of this Father, coming to you, realizing he had messed up is heartbreaking but filled with hope. I can relate to that Father in this; what a powerful prayer to ask you for help in overcoming his unbelief. In agreement with all Dads out there, please help us in our own unbelief and have mercy on our children. Amen.

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Change Orientation.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Once when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t your disciples fast like John’s disciples and the Pharisees do? Mark‬ ‭2‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Mark records an interesting conversation with Jesus that seemed to start with an amazing spiritual discipline, like fasting and end with a couple of object lessons about change. First of all, the NLT (New Living Translation) makes it sound like the disciples of John and of the Pharisees are using the old avoidance phrase, “some people” say. The original language is not so loose. In the Greek, it’s just “they came.” Pastor’s hate these kind of scenarios when “some people” say… who is “some people” we ask?

Jesus answers the thinly veiled question, but then goes for the motivation behind the question. Who does this? How does Jesus do this? Are there always questions behind the question? Jesus then switches to two object lessons about mixing old with new. It never works!

Jesus gives a quick, two-verse illustration, about patches and wineskins. Don’t both object lessons serve the point that old and new cannot exist in the same space? And isn’t it also clear that the old will not allow the new to coexist, but in fact will destroy both? Is this about fasting at all? It seems that Jesus is having a completely different conversation with these disciples.

They aren’t really asking about fasting and Jesus doesn’t really want to talk about fasting, in this context, either. They are both talking about change. Jesus knows that massive change is coming and he also knows that “some folks” are not comfortable with it. Jesus is, in fact, introducing a whole new way of doing everything. He knows that the fulfillment of the Law and everything under the Law will look completely different under a new freedom, and a new perspective on grace and mercy. The entire Old Testament system will go through cataclysmic change now that God has become flesh and that God will fulfill his promises to redeem humanity!

Christianity is not a patchwork, nor an old-wine way of life. Christ did not come to patch up the Law to keep it limping along, forever failing to change our hearts. He also did not come to allow a flat, fervent-less wine to try to express the exuberant joy of walking with God. The Law was a temporary stop-gap, a burden! When we grab the ethos, thinking or application of the Old Testament Law into the new and better experience of Christ’s efficacy and efficiency for our salvation, we are trying to patch God’s plan. When we keep trying to introduce the effervescent, actively expanding grace and joy of new life into the forms and confines of the Old Covenant, it will blow up!

Jesus couldn’t wait to introduce the fresh air of living by the Spirit but folks wanted to keep living in the caves of the law, breathing staleness of dead air! No wonder people would give up everything to follow Him! Jesus brings life to the fullest, no longer dimmed or dinged by our sin! Who doesn’t want that? I’ll tell you who. Folks who desire the guardrails of the Law, because a life in the Spirit feels like a lack of control. And it is. It’s a surrendering of faith to the control of the Spirit. I’ll take the new clothes of Christ and the bubbly joy of the new wine thank you!

Prayer

Dad,
I love your Law as instruction and to know you better. But I also love living by Your Spirit! The fresh, exhilarating wind of hope, mercy and grace is intoxicating. I will gladly give up control of my will to accomplish Yours. I will gladly walk in the Spirit, rather than my own flesh. Getting my way not only brings death it means crushing disappointment! It’s Your way now. Thank you for freedom to do what is right, and not just anything I want to do.

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Compelled to go?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him. Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I have read this story, and these words, dozens of times. Mark’s gospel is gritty and filled with gut-wrenching reality checks – if we slow down and read it without the preconceived, sermonized pictures in our head, it’s powerful. Mark’s short, punchy delivery is what makes it so shocking! Just a couple verses ahead of the Spirit compelling, Mark has Jesus being baptized, heavens splitting, the Holy Spirit descending and a voice from heaven declaring the Father’s love for his son! Whhhhhaaaattt? Then… the Spirit says GO!

Of course, the other gospels take much more time to develop the details of these moments. Matthew gives the baptism five verses, with a lot of background on John the Baptizer. Luke gives us two verses on baptism, but thirteen verses on Jesus temptation in the desert. John has six verses about Jesus baptism, but none on his desert experience. All three Spirit compelled journalists write about Jesus’ being led (anagó or agó), but Mark chooses a different word to describe what the Spirit of God did to lead Jesus’ to His missional, next steps. Mark writes, the Spirit compelled (ekballo: I throw, cast, put out, banish) “ballo” to throw or cast and “ek” is just out. Obviously, the Spirit “leading” is so much more gentle, even delightful.

Mark wanted us to know it was much more forceful, kind of like God kicking the first couple out of Eden and facing life with their newfound “knowledge” of evil! No more walks with God in the cool of the good and gorgeous environment of Eden, it’s the hard knock life of toiling and the reality of facing a formidable enemy! Jesus was banished to the wilderness by the Holy Spirit.

Why I am being so dramatic about Mark’s brief, but powerful word-choice picture? Hello! If we think for one moment that God would take His own Son and banish him to face the struggles and challenges of a wilderness experience. Then leave him to have a world-class showdown with Satan himself at Jesus’ weakest moment in body, soul and spirit. Why would we believe that God would not or will not do something similar with us? The Spirit of God pushed Jesus out there!

For those who know God, listen to God, and choose to follow Him there could be a Spirit-compelled invitation to walk with Him in a wild-wilderness, even a sifting, shaking temptation season of our life! It seems, this experience was the first step on Jesus’ agenda to be on mission! Go out and begin to RECLAIM Eden for all of us! For Eve, the tree was beautiful, delicious and would give her wisdom. For Jesus, the bread loaves were beautiful. The ideation of his indestructible durability was irresistible. And, the promise of ultimate control and power was palpable. The snare of taking a shortcut was set – there was a better way, a less painful way, an easier path if Jesus so desired. The good life on this planet could be his and humanity would be lost forever.

God sent Jesus out there, would I go? Would you? Because Jesus faced those temptations, we will too. However, because Jesus won those battles, we can too!

Prayer

Dad,
Whew! What a powerfully deep thought for the day. I can’t say that I have been compelled or pushed out into a wilderness to purposefully be exposed and exhausted. Then to face the lures and snares of Satan, designed specifically to my longings and desires. I certainly don’t remember a season like that. But I do know what it’s like to hear, see and feel the glitter of those shiny-lights of promise to just have my own way and yield to, give into, whatever my flesh (as Paul puts it) wants. I am definitely aware of those battles! It gives me hope that Jesus willingly accepted the challenge to reclaim Eden and win back even the ability for me to say “NO” and walk away. I am thankful for your mercy! Amen.