The Give-Up Season series
Don't Be Hypocritical
This encouragement about fasting is about guidance and instruction. Christians should look happy regardless of their situation. It's not hypocritical to look happy at any time. A smile has healing properties. Most of the time when a person has given something up they look sad or uncomfortable. When fasting we should look encouraged and confident, the joy of the Lord is our strength therefore, we ought to be happy and rejoicing because whatever we giving up for lent should also bring us the remembrance of the sacrifice that Jesus made over 2,000 years ago. In today's Word, we find encouragement with the blessings that come with the obedience of admonishing the Word. Instead of looking for loopholes from fasting, seek to apprehend the act with gladness and a spirit of oneness. Let the Lord reward you openly for what you sacrifice in secret.
Matthew 6:16-18
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
Lord, Master and Relational God (Genesis 2:4), when we thought to look disfigured or uncomfortable we say thank You for grace. For the supernatural anointing that we share and contain, we praise You forever more. We decree and declare blessings for those who yearn Heavenly things, so that as we fast and pray according to Your Word that which we do in secret shall be rewarded openly by Your our Heavenly Father. For the sake of the Kingdom we pray, with an anointing in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.
#DontBeHypocritical #Matthew61618 #Moreoverwhenyefast #benotasthehypocrites #ofasadcountenance #fortheydisfiguretheirfaces #thattheymayappearuntomentofast #VerilyIsayuntoyou #Theyhavetheirreward #Butthouwhenthoufastest #anointthineheadandwashthyface #Thatthouappearnotuntomentofast #butuntothyFatherwhichisinsecret #andthyFatherwhichseethinsecret #shallrewardtheeopenly