Saturday, January 24, 2009

Will you Pray and Fast for Allenni, Andrew and Isaiah? Part 2

The Call to Fasting- You need to read part 1 to understand this post. click here.

As you read in the previous email, Duane and I have felt led by God to call others to fast and pray with us for the passport issuance for Allenni, Andrew, and Isaiah. I began to pray asking God what dates to do this on and how should I go about it. As I sat in the quiet, the dates of February 7&8 came to me. Then I felt God wanted me to open my Bible to Isaiah 58. This of course is one of my favorite chapters. God spoke to me that he did not want us to fast in sack cloth and ashes or deprive ourselves of things but that he wanted us to fast as it is laid out in Isaiah 58. So if you have never read Isaiah 58, I am recommending that you get your Bible and do so. It will all make more sense to you. I will lay out in general in this email what it says. Duane and I believe that when we do this collectively it will cause tremendous breakthrough in the deliverance of our children. Jesus told us in Matthew 18:19-20, “ Again, I tell you, that if two of you will on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them.”
If there are clusters of 2-3 people praying and fasting on the same day all over the world , then God is going to do some showing up and move in a mighty way!
This fasting is probably going to be different than any of you have done before and so I will lay out what I feel God wants us to do and you can either take it or leave it or pray about it. I want to print out some portions of Isaiah 58 and Matthew 6 for those who don’t have a Bible handy. Then after the scripture I will lay out “The Plan”.

“You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen? Only a day for a man to humble himself. Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?… Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen; to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe him and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help and he will say HERE AM I. …. And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun scorched land and will strengthen your frame…. Then you will find your joy in the Lord and I will cause you to ride on heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father, Jacob. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Portions from Isaiah 58)

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ( Matthew 6:16-18)

1. Dates of Fasting collectively: February 7,8, 2009
2. Commit to THANKING and PRAISING GOD for Allenni, Andrew, and Isaiah's passports
3. According to Matthew 6, Wash your face and fix your hair. (Ha! Just kidding)
4. Really, according to Matthew 6, Set your mind, heart and soul to have an uplifting day, worshiping God and praising him for his goodness in your life. Go about your day joyfully. (No disfigured faces here) LOL! (Praise Him that it is US adopting all these children and not YOU!) Sorry, I am on a roll here.
5. Share your food with the hungry (not give up your food or deny yourself but share :) OR
6. Help and satisfy the needs of someone who is oppressed (this could mean anybody who is depressed, going through a rough time or anything not good happening to another person) OR
7. Help a widow OR
8. Clothe someone who needs clothes OR
9. Speak good into someone’s life (vs.9)
10. Start the process to take in an orphan
11. Commit to sponsor a child in poverty
12. Spend two days doing good things for others
13. Spend time with any of the above people
14. Show Jesus’ Love to the Least of these

Do all of the above with the Love of Jesus. Do it with God. God is Love. Jesus is God, so when you Love with the Love of God, You are giving Jesus to them. “Love never fails because Jesus is that Love. If you have never loved someone else with that Love before, try it. It is incredible and unexplainable. Just ask God during this fasting time to let you be the hands and feet of Jesus. To just let you be a vessel to pour out his love onto someone else.

Now, I am going to be honest and tell you that after all this is over, I would be interested to learn about your experiences with this kind of fasting. What did you or your family do? Did anything interesting happen? What did you experience? I believe God is going to move in more ways than one with these fasting days. Not only will my children be blessed but many others. But isn’t that the way God works?

“I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in a pasture; the place will throng with people. One who breaks open the way will go up before them, they will break through the gate and go out. Their king will pass through before them, the Lord at their head.” Micah 2:12,13


“But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7)


5 comments:

Melissa said...

Melissa,
Me and my family will commit to standing in the gap. We will continue to praise our Lord and intercede for these sweet children of yours. Oh, how we will rejoice with you when they are home.

junglemama said...

Awesome list! I hope your kids get to come home soon!

Mama Melissa said...

I will pray about it and would like to participate in the fasting with you all.

Peace.

Holly said...

Wow, what a cool idea! I hope you have a huge response from this!! Count me in! I have committed to praying for your family, and think and pray for you often. Can't wait to see the pictures of those babies home with you!!

Anonymous said...

Carter family,
Dr. Carter has been our doctor since Grace was born 9 years ago and after I found your blog through facebook my heart felt so heavy for your 3 children waiting to come home to their parents. I want you to know that I will fast and pray with you guys on Feb. 7th and 8th. I look forward to seeing what God has in store for you wonderful family. What an amazing family you have and what a wonderful testimony you guys are!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails