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It
is the time of the year when Christians fast. I note that my two earlier
fasting blogs have made it to the top ten read currently.
https://kzlam36.wordpress.com/2016/09/03/queen-esthers-fast/
https://kzlam36.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/fasting-god-wants-nt/
In the two articles I shared the famous testimony of Queen Esther whose three
days’ fast with no food and no water together with her Jewish countrymen in her
city stopped the annihilation of the Jews and Israel as a people. I also shared
what it means for New Testament Christians based on the teaching of Jesus and
the apostles.
I have posted in the following blog about the alertness required in this last
forty days before the New Year, through fasting, praying and reading God’s
words:
https://ghostwriterforgod.wordpress.com/2016/11/22/in-forty-days-what-it-means-in-the-last-forty-days-in-2016/
“This watchman will take heed of what the Lord Jesus has urged His followers
and the apostles’ similar advice:
Nehemiah 4:9: Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them
we set a watch against them day and night.
Matthew 26:41: Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Mark 13:33: Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.
Mark 14:38: Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed
is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Luke 21:36: Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to
escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of
Man.”
Ephesians 6:18: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the
saints—
1 Peter 4:7: [ Serving for God’s Glory ] But the end of all things is at hand;
therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.”
Fasting
makes one more watchful and alert. The war is not yet over in the spiritual
realm which manifests in physical consequences as readers would have noted in
your own political countries and geographical regions. Even in the most
powerful countries in the world. There is no certainty of absolute victory in
the human terms, just as the Bible has declared. Can Christians stop being
spiritually vigilant? The answer is a big NO. The Lord Jesus and the apostles clearly teach us to be vigilant. Fasting is a way to stay vigilant.
Let
us take heed of Nehemiah’s advice and practice as he re-built the Jerusalem
walls:
Nehemiah 4:9: Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them
we set a watch against them day and night.
Nehemiah
4 New Living Translation (NLT)
Enemies Oppose the Rebuilding
4
[a]Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall.
He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, 2 saying in front of his friends and
the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think
they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just
offering a few sacrifices?[b] Do they actually think they can make something of
stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?”
3
Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall
would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!”
4
Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing
fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a
foreign land! 5 Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they
have provoked you to anger here in front of[c] the builders.”
6
At last the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city, for
the people had worked with enthusiasm.
7
[d]But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard
that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were
being repaired, they were furious. 8 They all made plans to come and fight
against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. 9 But we prayed to our God and
guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves.
10
Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and
there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by
ourselves.”
11
Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will
swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.”
12
The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will
come from all directions and attack us!”[e] 13 So I placed armed guards behind
the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to
stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows.
14
Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest
of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the
Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your
daughters, your wives, and your homes!”
15
When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated
them, we all returned to our work on the wall. 16 But from then on, only half
my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and
coats of mail. The leaders stationed themselves behind the people of Judah 17
who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand
supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. 18 All the builders had a
sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm.
19
Then I explained to the nobles and officials and all the people, “The work is
very spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20
When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then
our God will fight for us!”
21
We worked early and late, from sunrise to sunset. And half the men were always
on guard. 22 I also told everyone living outside the walls to stay in
Jerusalem. That way they and their servants could help with guard duty at night
and work during the day. 23 During this time, none of us—not I, nor my
relatives, nor my servants, nor the guards who were with me—ever took off our
clothes. We carried our weapons with us at all times, even when we went for
water.[f]
Footnotes:
4:1 Verses 4:1-6 are numbered 3:33-38 in Hebrew text.
4:2 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
4:5 Or for they have thrown insults in the face of.
4:7 Verses 4:7-23 are numbered 4:1-17 in Hebrew text.
4:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
4:23 Or Each carried his weapon in his right hand. Hebrew reads Each his weapon
the water. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
