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Wednesday, October 20

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Following a twenty-hour fast, I was pleasantly surprised when I went to the kitchen in the late afternoon and noticed a clean sink.

There were no snack crumbs anywhere, no leftover lunch dishes – just a clean sink. The coffee cups that held black coffee in the morning had been put in the dishwasher and our glasses of water were still at their spots next to our La-Z-Boy seats.

Why Were We Fasting?

We were fasting for the missionaries and their children who have been kidnapped in Haiti.

Our home church had called a fast because of our support for Christian Aid Ministries, because one church member has a cousin among the kidnapped, and because a minister friend and his wife are parents and grandparents to one of the women and her children who have been kidnapped. Their son-in-law is in Haiti but was not with those who were kidnapped.

The father has often preached in our church. We talked to them last night – Oct. 31. They were visiting our church due to special revival meetings. We were encouraged to hear of their faith and how God is giving them strength during this ordeal.

We fasted for the missionaries – because Satan is at war in Haiti – especially against those who are there to share the message of Jesus.

We prayed for the safety of these missionary families – those captured and those left behind. Those we know and those we don’t know.

We often wonder where they are, how they are doing and what God is doing. One thing we know: any missionary who is serving in Haiti right now is not a wimpy Christian and we believe they are staying strong in the Lord.

We came close to having family there during the kidnapping, but they had COVID, which kept them from flying to Haiti at the end of September.

We prayed for those who did the kidnapping – that God would soften their hard, cruel hearts. That they would come to know the joy and peace of serving Jesus.

We prayed for one of our church members, a friend, who is also a missionary in Haiti – with another ministry.

We fasted for our family – because Satan is at war against our family.

Satan is at war in every Christian family – in relationships, in their walk with Jesus or lack thereof, in health, in emotional peace and rest.

Our family is no different. We fasted for each one.

We fasted for our church family – because Satan is at war against every preacher who is teaching truth and every congregation who choses to love God and follow Jesus Christ.

There are those in church congregations who are discouraged because of family relationships, struggling because of health issues, and in emotional pain due to the death of a loved one.

People are sometimes unkind because we choose to follow Jesus and love those with whom we worship. We fasted for those who cause unrest in our church – in any church.

We fasted for our government – because Satan is at war against our country.

We prayed for our leaders – especially those who believe in God and are fighting to keep the wisdom of God’s Word alive in our rules and guidelines.

We prayed for those who are ungodly and trying to separate people.

We fasted for our schools, colleges and other places of learning – because Satan is at war against our schools, teachers and professors.

Oh, how we need God-fearing teachers and professors.

We prayed for those who homeschool their children.

We prayed for each student who is serving the Lord – and each one who is not.

We fasted for every Christian who is struggling in their job – because Satan is at war against godly employers and employees.

This is often where the “rubber meets the road” and frustration happens and faith is tested.

We fasted because we know without a shadow of a doubt that God can do anything and responds to the prayers of His people.

We know He can change the cold heart of a kidnapper.

We know that God can raise up any leader He wants in power and remove those He wants removed.

We also know that God’s plan is not always our plan because He has a BIG plan – beyond anything that we can think or imagine.