Read Luke 5:33-35
A Time To CELEBRATE Or A Time To FAST And PRAY.
The Pharisees and the teachers of the law continue to question Jesus saying, “John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees often fast and pray, but your disciples go on eating and drinking.” Jesus responded by comparing himself to a bridegroom and compared his disciples as the friends of the bridegroom. He said, “You can’t make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he’s with them. But a time will come when the bridegroom is taken from them, then they will fast.” So while Jesus is with them, they don’t fast. It’s a time of celebration. Jesus is in their midst: The Son of God, the Messiah! But a time will come when Jesus will be taken from them (death/departure), then they will fast.
I wonder what the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were thinking when Jesus compared himself to the bridegroom. They had to think that Jesus was making himself a “big deal”. Or as someone that’s “very important”. In reality, Jesus truly is a big deal – very important. He is the Son of God. The Messiah. The chosen one. The Savior of the world. He was in their midst and so it was a time of celebration, not fasting. But one day, Jesus will be taken, and he will give up his life for the world, and then a time of fasting will occur.
Today there are times to celebrate and there are times to fast. When God is on the move and working in people’s lives, there should be a time of rejoicing and celebrating. It should be times of worship, and singing, and sharing testimonies. Then there are times when we face hard and difficult circumstances. It’s times like this we need to isolate ourselves in prayer and fasting as we pour our hearts out to God for a breakthrough. If you are going to fast food then I recommend getting an okay from your doctor. But I find fasting is not just “not eating.” You can fast anything that you value a lot. For example, I value my time of exercising. So I could fast my time of exercising and use it as my time to get alone with God and pray for a breakthrough in my life or in the lives of others.
Where are you at spiritually? Are you coming off a mountain top experience! Then let that be your time of celebration and a time of worshiping and praising God. Let it be a time of sharing testimonies.
Or are you in need of a breakthrough? Is there a person or event coming up and you want to see the hand of God at work? Then take the time to get alone with God to pray and fast.
