Prayer, Fasting, and the Course of History

PASSAGE OF THE DAY:
Acts 13 (click the link)


KEY VERSE:
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. (Acts 13:2-3, NIV)


REFLECTIONS:
Today, we read that Saul and Barnabas and some of the other leaders in the church in Antioch were worshiping and fasting. Judging by what happened we may assume, I think, that the burden that drove them to fast was this: "Where do we go from here as a church?" They were fasting to seek the leading of the Holy Spirit in the direction of their mission. 

They were hungry enough for God's leading that they wanted to say it with the hunger of their bodies and not just the hunger of their hearts. "We want your leading, O God! O Holy Spirit, what is your will for the mission of this church?"

This time of worship and prayer and fasting became an occasion in which the Holy Spirit spoke forth divine inspiration and guidance.

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. (13:2-3)

In reporting it this way, it seems to me that Luke wants us to see a connection between the worship, prayer, and fasting on the one hand, and the decisive guidance of the Holy Spirit on the other.

Without evidence to the contrary, I would say that this teaches us the value of worship-fasting-prayer in the earnest pursuit of God's will for our lives and the life of our church.

This moment of prayer and fasting changed the course of history.

It is almost impossible to overstate the historical importance of this moment in Antioch in the history of the world. 

Before this word from the Holy Spirit, there seems to have been no organized mission of the church beyond the eastern seacoast of the Mediterranean… Before this, Paul had made no missionary journeys westward to Asian Minor, Greece, or Rome, or Spain… Prior to this, Paul had not written any of his letters which were all the result of his missionary travels beginning here.

This moment of prayer and fasting resulted in a missions movement that would radically alter the makeup of the Roman Empire within two and a half centuries… This moment of prayer and fasting eventually led to Christianity becoming the largest "religion" on the face of the planet, with roughly 2 billion people from virtually every country of the world claiming to be of Christ… Thirteen of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament were the result of the ministry that was launched in this moment of prayer and fasting.

I think it is fair to say that God was pleased to make worship and prayer and fasting the launching pad for a mission that would change the course of world history.

Is there not a lesson there for us?


POINT OF ACTION:

In this Lenten season, which puts a strong emphasis on worship and prayer and fasting, consider setting aside some time today to seek after God's heart for your personal life and the life of PRF.

As we individually and corporately deny ourselves in an effort to feast upon his goodness, surely God will not only sustain us but fill us with his power and wisdom. And, who knows… Maybe the Spirit of the living God might lead us on a great adventure to revolutionize and transform the community of Spicewood for his glory.


WHO AM I?

Howdy, y'all. I'm Tres Sansom and I love to wear dumb t-shirts. I have a whole collection of them. I have my Crap shirt (pictured), my Stud Muffin shirt (purchased by my wife), my Balloon Animal shirt (featuring a worm, a snake, and an eel), and a whole host of other corny t’s. If you happen to know of a dumb shirt out there, I'll wear it. I prefer size Large.