Thursday, January 16, 2014

FIRST FRUITS/DANIEL FAST DAY 16

Today's devotion from The Fasting Edge -

"When you draw closer to God, He draws closer to you. In the same way, when you get serious with God, He gets serious with you. There are two powers at work when you fast: the human will and the supernatural power of God. When you decide to exercise your will and put your flesh under submission to the Spirit of God. His supernatural power kicks in and helps you fast according to the level of commitment you have made. You can do far more in the anointing of God than you can in human zeal. God's anointing is not for thrills - it is for battle. When you go into battle, you fight to win. The anointing that comes through fasting and prayer gives you a fresh strength to fight for you family, for your kids, for your marriage, and to win! It gives you the ability to hear God's heart and pray forth those things that He desires to release in the nations.

You cannot do God's will with human zeal any more than you can effectively chop down a huge oak tree with a dull ax. Most of the time you will cause more damage than good by not waiting upon the Lord for His way, His direction, and His anointing. Our zeal can become a stumbling block based in our own pride. God needs empty vessels - not ones so full of themselves that He can't pour Himself out through them."

I have struggled with this for a long time. Being fiercely independent, I want to do everything on my own without help from anyone. God has really been working on me the last few years. It has not been easy! I have had to learn to put my pride aside. I have had to learn to be obedient to Him. This may sound crazy to some of you, but I have argued with God so much the last few years. I am an extreme introvert. I used to go to church. Sit on my pew and go home. I rarely talked to anyone and if I did they had to approach me first. I did not like going to church fellowships. Too many people and you were expected to talk and be friendly. I didn't like and being friendly. But my husband does! God began this season of growing by telling me to start going around and speaking to others at church BEFORE they spoke to me. What?! But, God you know I don't do that. That is very uncomfortable for me. He kept prodding me and I gave in. It is still not comfortable for me but it's getting easier. And when He told me to start a blog, I really argued with Him.There's no way I could blog. That means putting personal stuff out there for the whole world to see. I'm a very private person. I can't do that. Well, you can see what happened. Being obedient and putting my flesh aside has not been easy, but I am so glad that I did. I have a relationship with God now like I never had before. An elderly man at our church used to always say "Get self out of the way". That is what we have to do. Get ourselves out of the way, so that God can do His work through us.

Have a blessed day!
Lori

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