PLEASE DO NOT FALL INTO IT!

PLEASE DO NOT FALL INTO IT!

Iyade was a hardworking middle aged wife and mother. She was also very enterprising and the works of her hands were blessed. Her children were doing great and her husband too. And all appeared to be going on very well.

And then Iyade began to notice the distant look on her husband’s face when he was not aware of her presence. She wondered what the matter was and was troubled because he had not said anything to her.

One evening, she went to her husband and asked him what was happening. At first, he was evasive but the more she pried, the more his resolve broke. He could no longer hide the truth from her. He told her things were not what they looked like. That he had been secretly struggling and he did not want her to panic or become anxious. But it was not looking good at all. He told her he was broke and was heavily indebted. Iyade asked him how it had all happened and then she encouraged him and promised to be as supportive as she could, reminding him that their marriage was for better for worse.

And thus Iyade began to take on more financial responsibilities in the home while trying her best to remain her calm and cheerful self as she was still supporting some of her younger siblings.

A little while down the line, Iyade herself began to experience a lull in her own business concerns. “Whats going on?” she thought; and she decided to go on an extended period of waiting on the LORD to seek His face and a way out of what was threatening her family.

At the end of her fasting period she was renewed, energised and expectant of great things to begin to happen in her family. And then, suddenly without any warning heavy doubts started to plague her. The “What ifs” began to torment her. “What if things did not get better?” “What if she lost all her contracts?” “What if her husband never came out of this mess?” “What if they couldn’t pay school fees next semester?” She became irritable at every little thing. Anger and tempers began to rise. She felt frustrated. She had not received any good news for weeks. She had not seen any changes. Suddenly she became very afraid. Even more afraid than before.

Then as she lay down one afternoon, after fretting herself to exhaustion, God spoke to Iyade.

God reminded her of Jesus, His only Son who after fasting for forty days and forty nights was tempted by the devil. Jesus overcame the devil as He countered every temptation with the Word of God. God also reminded her of the prophet Elijah who kept praying until there was the manifestation of the rain that had been prophesied after three and a half years of drought in Israel. And Iyade had a light bulb moment. Right after a conference, a fasting and prayer programme, a retreat or any such spiritually uplifting event, the devil is waiting to throw one off balance. How did she miss that? She repented of all the negative thoughts that had consumed her; made peace with her husband and put on her praise and thanksgiving and she did not stop praying. And just like that there was a transformation. And before long, everything changed for the better for her family.

Dear friends, while a lot of denominations have been fasting and praying since January, Orthodox Christians all around the world will be joining in a few days, as they begin the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday. We must not allow the devil to derail us. We must learn to keep our focus on Jesus ONLY whenever we are fasting. It does not even matter what we are believing God for; we must not allow the devil to cheat us out of it with anxiety, doubt and worry.

The devil has not changed he is still looking for whom to steal from, to kill and to destroy. We must be alert. Let him not steal what God has already completed. Even if we have not yet seen the changes we must keep trusting God and stay away from negative thoughts and actions.

Daniel prayed and fasted for twenty one days and though his prayers were already answered, the prince of Persia was resisting the angels that had been dispatched by God to bring the answers to him. Fasting, if and when done properly deepens our relationship with God. In a deep relationship there should be trust. And we should trust God enough to know that He will do exactly what He says He will do.

So whether you have finished your fast, or you are still on your fast or you are about to begin your fast, please do not be distracted.

As much as we can, we must pray, praise, study the word and pray in the Holy Spirit ; that is the recipe that will strengthen our faith.

DO NOT FALL INTO ANY TEMPTATION THAT THE DEVIL HAS SET UP.

And God will help us marvelously.!

OLUYINKA EGO-MARTINS ©