Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough: A Guide to Nine Biblical Fasts by Elmer L. Towns Page B
Authors: Elmer L. Towns
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money, Ezra did more than protect it from thieves without. He also made each priest accountable for an exact amount of the treasure. Because the human heart is sinful, it might have been easy for one of the priests to keep a portion of the treasures entrusted to him. After all, if a family had a ton of silver, it might be tempting to keep a few earrings. So Ezra took specific measures to prevent this from happening.
Just because Ezra was a spiritual man didn’t mean he was naive or stupid. He understood human nature. Everyone in business knows that people are more likely to be honest when they are made accountable.
P RINCIPLES TO C ONSIDER
The problem-solving Ezra Fast is not an attempt to escape problems, but to enlist the Holy Spirit’s aid in tackling them. As previously noted, we will never escape problems. This does not mean we fast for every problem. Fasting is a serious endeavor, so we fast primarily for serious problems.
In doing so, as Step 6 indicates, practical steps as well as fasting and prayer are required. In turn, the following are some practical principles for problem solving.
Three Causes of Problems
You can deal with your problem better when you understand its cause. There are three primary causes of problems.
----
T HREE C AUSES OF P ROBLEMS
Change
Differences
Circumstance
----
Change causes problems
. The Duke of Canterbury once said what many think: “Any change for any reason for any purpose should be deplored.”
No one likes to change. Changes in the church’s program especially invites problems. Therefore, when facing major changes such as a change of location, changing the doctrinal statement or even changing personnel, call those who are affected to a fast.
The church in Acts fasted when facing a major change in strategy—they planned to send a missionary team to evangelize the lost. Beforethey sent out Barnabas and Paul on the first missionary journey, the Bible mentions twice that they fasted. “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’” (Acts 13:2).
This church’s new strategy was the outcome of fasting, but referring to this once was not enough. Notice the second time the word is used: “Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away” (v. 3).
In the physical world, all motion causes friction. The friction from motion in human relationships leads to breakdown and more problems. When you go through major changes in life, whether marriage, a new job or the threat of losing your present job, friction and stress occur. Therefore, use the Ezra Fast.
Differences cause problems
. When people from different ethnic, doctrinal or family backgrounds come into a church, they often want changes. The solution is to put all people on the same starting line with the Ezra Fast. Fast before any major change. Just as Ezra gathered the people at the river to look into the threatening wilderness, unite all church people in a fast so together they can see their problem, and together they can pray for an answer.
The question is not whether differences among people will cause problems in your church, but rather what you will do and how you will respond to problems that
will
arise because of people’s differences. Although we do not call for the Ezra Fast to give the church a sense of unity, a sense of unified action is surely one of the byproducts of fasting.
Circumstances cause problems
. Whether we are talking about your personal circumstances or those in your group, circumstances cause problems. These problems are not interpersonal or spiritual in nature. The church may want to buy land, relocate, face city zoning or institute a new program that is radically different from the existing program. A bank or business may fail with your money. When you face a problem you did nothing to initiate, call for an Ezra Fast.
When your community faces an extended
Just because Ezra was a spiritual man didn’t mean he was naive or stupid. He understood human nature. Everyone in business knows that people are more likely to be honest when they are made accountable.
P RINCIPLES TO C ONSIDER
The problem-solving Ezra Fast is not an attempt to escape problems, but to enlist the Holy Spirit’s aid in tackling them. As previously noted, we will never escape problems. This does not mean we fast for every problem. Fasting is a serious endeavor, so we fast primarily for serious problems.
In doing so, as Step 6 indicates, practical steps as well as fasting and prayer are required. In turn, the following are some practical principles for problem solving.
Three Causes of Problems
You can deal with your problem better when you understand its cause. There are three primary causes of problems.
----
T HREE C AUSES OF P ROBLEMS
Change
Differences
Circumstance
----
Change causes problems
. The Duke of Canterbury once said what many think: “Any change for any reason for any purpose should be deplored.”
No one likes to change. Changes in the church’s program especially invites problems. Therefore, when facing major changes such as a change of location, changing the doctrinal statement or even changing personnel, call those who are affected to a fast.
The church in Acts fasted when facing a major change in strategy—they planned to send a missionary team to evangelize the lost. Beforethey sent out Barnabas and Paul on the first missionary journey, the Bible mentions twice that they fasted. “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’” (Acts 13:2).
This church’s new strategy was the outcome of fasting, but referring to this once was not enough. Notice the second time the word is used: “Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away” (v. 3).
In the physical world, all motion causes friction. The friction from motion in human relationships leads to breakdown and more problems. When you go through major changes in life, whether marriage, a new job or the threat of losing your present job, friction and stress occur. Therefore, use the Ezra Fast.
Differences cause problems
. When people from different ethnic, doctrinal or family backgrounds come into a church, they often want changes. The solution is to put all people on the same starting line with the Ezra Fast. Fast before any major change. Just as Ezra gathered the people at the river to look into the threatening wilderness, unite all church people in a fast so together they can see their problem, and together they can pray for an answer.
The question is not whether differences among people will cause problems in your church, but rather what you will do and how you will respond to problems that
will
arise because of people’s differences. Although we do not call for the Ezra Fast to give the church a sense of unity, a sense of unified action is surely one of the byproducts of fasting.
Circumstances cause problems
. Whether we are talking about your personal circumstances or those in your group, circumstances cause problems. These problems are not interpersonal or spiritual in nature. The church may want to buy land, relocate, face city zoning or institute a new program that is radically different from the existing program. A bank or business may fail with your money. When you face a problem you did nothing to initiate, call for an Ezra Fast.
When your community faces an extended
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