One Desire Fast is HMCC’s annual fast so we can start off the year hearing from God, both individually and as a church. This year’s theme is Saturate.
Galatians 5:22-23 ESV – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Have you ever tasted a fruit that looks good on the outside but is rotten on the inside? It’s a terrible feeling – you feel scammed and disappointed. Much like this, when the fruits of our lives don’t match what we think we believe inside, it is easy to feel frustrated, discouraged, or even jaded. As we have been fasting for the past 4 days, have you observed any unhealthy fruits being exposed (self-condemnation, avoidance, shame, pride, etc.)? If fasting is supposed to bring us closer to God, why do we still fall short?
When we saturate ourselves in God’s Word and deepen our knowledge of the glory of God, we expect it to translate into fruits evident in our lives, such as those listed in Galatians 5:22-23. However, often we do not observe these fruits. Instead, we see anxiety, fear, pride, insecurity, discouragement, anger, etc. Why is it that sometimes even though we think we know the Gospel, it doesn’t show through our lives?
The gap is the ability to relate that knowledge of God’s goodness into our everyday lives. This is often known as “Gospel fluency” – being able to “speak” or apply the Gospel (that is, the truth of who Jesus is and who we are in Him) in different situations. This is not something we can try harder on our own, but we can prayerfully posture ourselves and intentionally practice. Sometimes, it’s hard to relate the Gospel because we are unaware and apathetic toward the unbiblical fruits in our lives. Other times, we deny them or try to cover them up. But only by acknowledging them and digging deep into the roots of unbelief and sinful desires would we be able to see change. And ultimately, only Jesus Christ can help us to bear these fruits (John 15:4-5), but we have to turn to Him.
One tool to help us to become more Gospel fluent is the Fruit-to-Root. It helps us to identify unhealthy fruits and dig into false beliefs we may have about ourselves and about God. Once we are able to admit these, we can choose to repent. To “repent” means to “change one’s mind”. So when we realize the false beliefs we have been living by, we can choose to repent and believe the truths about who God really is and who we are according to the Bible. Finally, we can identify appropriate responses to these truths for fruits of the Spirit to be borne.
Click to this link to learn more about the Fruit-to-Root tool in-depth and practice it! It is often easy to make excuses for not practicing or deepening our understanding of the Gospel, especially due to different things going on in life. The One Desire Fast is a good opportunity for us to be intentional and put aside excuses that hinder us. Share your reflections with your accountability partner or LCG to seek prayer. Remember, the purpose is not just for self-improvement. It is for love. We want to love God and love people, because God’s love motivates us. Then, as these fruits of the Spirit are borne, we can draw nearer to God and people will see Christ in us. This is what we want to see as part of the “Foundations” in the FILL for the Saturate vision – for us as individuals and as a church together.
Reflection and Application
- Are there any aspects of the Gospel that you find challenging or difficult to fully grasp or live out? What are some ways you can think of to deepen your understanding of the entirety of God’s redemptive plan and apply it to these aspects?
- Use the Fruit-to-Root tool – what unhealthy fruits are you bearing? What does this reveal about your view of God?
Prayer Topics
- Pray for the Gospel to break idols and strongholds in this One Desire Fast.
- Pray that we will be able to apply the knowledge of God into their lives and not just be Biblically fluent.
- Pray for faith for God to work in your life and in your campus/life-stage, and for testimonies of His transforming power this coming year.
Click here for full devotional link and for PDF version