IN MOURNING FOR FRIED CHICKEN

My Journey of Fasting Meat for 40 Days

Sundays are my favorite day of the week. I get to spend my morning with other believers praising and worshipping the Lord and then listen to an anointed message from my pastor.

After church, in a long tradition of my household, we swing by and pick up fried chicken for lunch. Out of all the meats that are available, I have to say that chicken is my favorite.

It is day 10 and I am driving home from church. “Lord, it’s Sunday and You know how much I love fried chicken! Do you think I could have Sundays off from this fast? You KNOW how much I fried chicken!

No answer.

Lord, this is some serious fasting. I’ve fasted a meal before, even 2 meals in one day. I’ve fasted soft drinks before, and sweets and Facebook but NEVER MEAT....FOR 40 DAYS!! And I’m only on day 10!

*SIGH*

Okay, I can be just as happy with mashed potatoes and fried okra.🙄

I walk into the kitchen and peek into my husband’s to-go box of fried chicken and take a big whiff. Ahhh!

I mourn for fried chicken.

Hubby chuckles at my dramatics. He gives me a sympathetic smile and says “I brought you some cheese enchiladas.” Gasp! CHEESE ENCHILADAS! Happy dance! My second favorite meal! I shout for joy and hug his neck as I thank him for his thoughtfulness.

I shared with him about me trying to talk the Lord into giving me Sundays off and how I didn’t hear a yes. Hubby laughs and says “I think you got your answer.” as he points to my Mexican food. Why, yes, I did. The Lord knew my weakness before it became my weakness. My strength is renewed! Thank you, Lord.

Day 13: Today is Taco Spaghetti Night. A tasty mixture of Italian and Mexican flavors, minus the ground beef. Yeah...not so tasty.

Day 21 is a Thursday and Thursdays are Praise and Worship practice at church. Thursdays are quickly becoming a tradition of ‘Swing by Dairy Queen and pick up a burger, fries and a strawberry milkshake’ kinda day. Of course, for me, it has been fries and a milkshake. But this week, I went to their competitor, Texas Burger, and discovered they have a garden burger. Hmm…I’m almost excited. The first 2 or 3 bites were delicious but after that....ugh! I couldn’t finish it.

Day 24 is a Sunday and I am having lunch with the “church gang”. My mentor, Betty, shared with me the two words that dropped into her spirit about my fasting. I got excited! It resonated! But for some reason, I didn’t write down our conversation and I quickly forgot about it…until day 39.

Day 25: I am in the sanctuary of my church. Praying. Seeking. And I hear that still small voice “Daughter, I treasure you. Keep going. Keep seeking. Keep writing and sharing. Find the lost. Encourage the broken. You are empowered by my Holy Spirit. Open your mouth and the words of Me will flow. Study. Meditate on My Word.”

Day 27: Tator-tot Casserole, minus the ground beef. Not terrible, but not the same.

Days 33: I meet Jesus at my secret place; at the spot where I dance and worship before the Lord. This time is different, though. I am dancing with worship flags, which I have never done before, and suddenly I am no longer at my secret place. I look up and see a gold vaulted ceiling with different colored stones embedded into the frame of the ceiling and I get the sense that I am warring for the Kingdom. Taking up territory and prophesying over the nations, then ….UGH! I am back on my couch. Where was I, Lord? Holy Spirit, teach me to abide in His presence longer.

My friend, fasting is serious business. I know God has chuckled at my silly antics. Yes, Abba Father has a sense of humor and He loves to LAUGH! I am not being disrespectful; He knows my heart. I am a WARRIOR who is in training.

We are given many examples of prayer and fasting in the Bible. In Matthew, chapter 4, we read about Jesus fasting for 40 days and 40 nights. In the Book of Esther, chapter 4, there is a call for all Jews to fast and pray.

Joseph Prince explains it like this: “When fasting, the Lord Jesus Himself taught us that we are to keep it private between us and the Lord. He said, ‘When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret’ (Matthew 6:17–18). So, fasting under the new covenant is a time of private devotion that you have with the Lord. And like all other areas of your life, the Lord will lead and guide you whether to fast and when to fast.”

I have a few friends that are mighty women of God; they are my mentors. So, I asked them. “Why do YOU fast?”

Lisa says it is letting Him know you are serious about setting aside time for whatever the issue might be. “I have participated in fasts and it is a battle of taming your flesh…perhaps that is part of it too. Getting that flesh tamed.️”

Regina shared numerous testimonies about her journeys of fasting. She recalled doing a 21-day liquid diet fast. “I could ‘eat’ almost anything but it had to be liquid; it was kind of like a hospital liquid diet. I asked the Lord what was I fasting for and He told me He’d let me know as I needed to know. I kept asking if He was sure this was for me as I’d never done anything like that before. So, I fasted and prayed. The grace was there; there was no temptation and I knew I was doing what God was calling me to do.” Regina has studied fasting for years and one of the main things she learned was that “unless God calls you to fast, don’t do it. What applies to one doesn’t always work for everyone as we are each at different places in our walk with the Lord.”

So why did I fast?

Mainly for my beloved country but also to hear from the Lord. For weeks, I have felt like God was calling me to go deeper into the things of the Kingdom. What’s next, Lord, I would ask. I didn’t necessarily feel stalled in my ministry, but I did feel like God had something else for me. The answer never came.

Day 39: Monday finds me drawn to church to worship and pray. I start out with prayer and then move into worship. As the music plays, I feel led to “lay hands” on certain chairs and prophecy over the person who sits there. There is POWER when I speak and I know that Holy Spirit is speaking through me. As I speak and sway to the music that is still playing, I envision worshipping with flags again and my mentor’s two words come back to me:

PROPHETIC INTERCESSOR

I suddenly know that is who I am and what I am being called to do!

Day 40: My last day finds me praying over a certain someone whom God has tasked me to pray over for months now. Holy Spirit is flowing. It is a beautiful thing when you successfully push aside your flesh and allow Holy Spirit to speak through you. I want more of that!

I really love what Regina said about the act of fasting. ‘The grace was there, there was no temptation and I knew I was doing what God was calling me to do.’

I can testify to the truth in that (I don’t think God counts day 10 against me 😀). Overall, the fast was not as bad as I thought it would be. And with the exception of my hubby, mom and a couple of close friends, my fast has been a private thing between my Abba Father and me.

My heart has been filled with love, grace and empathy for others. And now, when I read the Bible, the words penetrate deeper into my soul.

Any time my flesh turned to thoughts of meat, I could feel my spirit rise, within me, and I would quickly refocus and pray for something/someone on my prayer list. I am beginning to see breakthrough in my prayer life. Now, when I pray, there is a certain power, from heaven, that I feel swirling like a tornado, within my spirit. Does that “feeling” come every time? Sadly, no. There are just too many distractions. But remember, I am a student.

So, I have my next assignment: Worship with flags and Prophetic Intercessor. I eagerly look forward to researching both of these assignments further. Lord, I take up these assignments to bring You glory. Mold me. Teach me.

Has God ever called you to fast? I would love to hear your testimony.