Waiting For The Fulfilment Of God's Promise

Hello Readers & Followers,

Thank God It's Friday! 

In today's post, we shall look into the importance of pleasing God whilst we wait for the fulfilment of God's promise. 

Let's briefly look at the story of Abraham and Sarah (known at the time as Abram and Sarai).

The Son of Promise

As Abraham and Sarah were waiting to bear children, God promised Abraham that he would have a son, a son of his own flesh and blood (Genesis 15:4-5).

Abraham's Implementation of God's Promise

As Abraham and Sarah were yet to have children, Sarah suggested to her husband that she had a maidservant whose name was Hagar and she asked Abraham to sleep with her maidservant as she may be able to conceive for Abraham. Abraham heeded to the voice of Sarah and went in to Hagar and she conceived and bore a son (Ishamel) for Abraham (Genesis 16:1-5). 

Did Abraham ask God if the son he was promised was meant to come through Sarah's maidservant?

Did Abraham seek God's view about Sarah's suggestion? 

God's Implementation of His Promise

God reiterated His promise of giving Abraham a son and asked Abraham to walk blamelessly before Him. Even though Sarah was very old, God made her conceive and she bore a son for Abraham in their very old age (Genesis 17-18).

Lessons to Meditate On

1) When God has promised you something, rest assured that He will bring the promise to pass. The time God will bring the promise to pass will be the perfect time for you (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

2) You do not need to help God to bring the promise/prophecy to pass. Nevertheless, if God would like you to undertake a task that will support in bringing the prophecy to pass, the Lord will direct you on what to do.

3) Do you know that God will not allow you to sin or lead you to engage in wrongdoings before His promises for your life can come to pass? In the story of Abraham, God did not lead Abraham to commit adultery with his wife's servant, he followed his wife's suggestion.

4) God is concerned that some people are helping themselves by engaging in things that are ungodly to expedite the prophecy that He has promised them. Engaging in ungodly things to expedite God's promises to come to pass in your life will not please God.

5) God is saying to you, come back to me, repent.

To repent is to: 

Change your inner self, your old way of thinking (Matthew 4:17 AMP version)

Regret past sins (AMP version)

Seek God's purpose for your life (AMP version)

Change your mind for the better (AMPC version)

Heartily amend your ways with abhorrence of your past sins (AMPC version)

Change your hearts and lives (CEB version)

Turn away from your sins (NLT version)

Turn to God and change the way you think and act, because the kingdom of heaven is near! (GW version)

Be sorry for your sins and turn from them (NLV version).

Christian Attitude to Fasting

Hello Readers & Followers,

It's a new week! I hope you had a lovely weekend. In relation to this topic, last year January (2021), I taught extensively on Christian fasting. Head over to January 2021 to read the articles. 

It's another January where most Christians are engaging in prayer and fasting. So, I thought to equip you with this topic. Actually, the Holy Spirit asked me to share today's article with you. I hope you will gain new insights as you read.

Do you know that people fast for different reasons? Some fast as part of their religion, some fast because they want to lose weight, some fast for medical or experimental reasons. As Christians, we also fast for several reasons. When we are fasting as Christians, Christ expects us to have the right attitude towards fasting. We need to fast in line with God's desires and purpose.

Matthew 6:16 (NKV version) says: “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward." 

The CEV version of Matthew 6:16 says "When you go without eating, don’t try to look gloomy as those show-offs do when they go without eating. I can assure you that they already have their reward."

The GNT version says "And when you fast, do not put on a sad face as the hypocrites do. They neglect their appearance so that everyone will see that they are fasting. I assure you, they have already been paid in full."

In summary, Christ is saying:

1) Be cheerful when you are fasting.

2) Do not neglect your appearance when you are fasting.

3) Do not fast out of reluctance or grudgingly. Christ said, whatever you are sacrificing or giving to Him needs to be done from a place of love and not grudgingly or reluctantly 2 Corinthians 9:7. 

4) Do not announce to everyone that you are fasting as it is between you and God (There might be a genuine reason for you to inform someone or a group that you are fasting, the most important thing is for your motive to be pure).

5) Note down what you will be praying for or trusting God for during your fast. However, it is important to ask God to show you how you should pray during your fast.  You need to create time to pray and meditate on His Word. Let me share some tips with you. You could set reminders or set an alarm on your phone to remind you to pray or read your Bible. Remember, you will need to block out distractions when you are praying or reading your Bible as this will help you focus on God. 

6) Be sensitive to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. As well as being sensitive to the Holy Spirit, you need to be sensitive to the strategies that the devil may want to employ during and after your fast. He will want you to displease God during or after your fast. Remember how he tempted Jesus Christ after He had finished fasting. Satan tempted Jesus at the time He was probably vulnerable, when He may have been hungry. You can read more about this in Matthew 4:1-11.

7)  Rely on God to strengthen you as your body may feel weak when you are fasting from food. Please note that feeling weak is not a sign that God is not with you. It is human for your body to feel tired or weak when you are abstaining from food. In fact, David acknowledged in Psalm 109:24-25 that his knees were weak during fasting. 

8) Fast and pray in line with the right application of the Word of God. Don't fast because you want something contrary to the Word of God or evil to occur. An example is found in Acts 23:12 when a group of people made a promise that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul. God will not honour such a fast. God also said in Isaiah 58:4 that when you keep fighting and quarrelling, such fasting will not get anywhere with Him. 

If this article has blessed you — would you like to share it with someone? Send it to a friend, on your social media platforms, family members, and many more.

I ask that the Holy Spirit will give you more insights into this topic in Jesus' name. 

Have a lovely week!

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

It's the Year 2022! Happy New Year!

I would like you to know that God owns the Year and He has gone ahead of you. His presence is in the Year 2022. Therefore, relax and walk with God in this new year.

Have a fantastic Year!

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download on Google Drive for free, click here.