It doesn’t take much too see that the issues of alcohol, moderation, and obedience are very much in our minds. I wasn’t active in the comments at all this weekend because I finally finished paining my house. However, I did read through them all and would like to shift over a little onto a similar topic, but one that spans more than just fermented fruit and the like: A fasted Lifestyle.

There were several of you who commented that the Lord had asked you to give up alcohol and other things. I think that is stellar. I have a friend who drank only water as his beverage for over 3 years. He was on a perpetual fast. This is the exact point that Michaela brought up in her comment:

For some, the Lord asks or requires them to give up some liberties such as alchohol or tobacco. That is the life that John the Baptist lived.

Matt 11:18-19 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.” NKJV

Do I think that some believers who are, like John the Baptist, required to drink no alcohol? Absolutely. Do I think that this is true for every believer? No.

Some of us may have been specifically asked by the Lord to give up certain things that are legit. But we don’t have to wait for God to ask us. In fact, we can voluntarily give up anything we wish as an act of love to God. We can call it a fast, and do it for our whole life if we wish. We can live a fasted lifestyle.

I think Jenn’s comment may be my favorite:

I’ve come across this question and others like it (mostly regarding tattooing and piercing) in my own life. And here is my conclusion: The people that I minister to may very well be wrong. They may be prejudiced and ignorant and I may very well be much more intelligent than they are. I may be living in abundant freedom and their legalism may very well have them trapped, but the resounding question has been, “To whom have I sent you?” Bottom line is that God didn’t plant me in London or Germany or Israel. He put me in the deep south, where alcohol is “demonized.” Disagree with the culture, but respect it. I can’t count the times that God has admonished me, “Love them more… more than your desires, more than yourself. Love them more.” So, I can’t have a drink with dinner (not that my taste buds are complaining) and maybe I’ll never ink my skin, but really, in light of eternity, is it that big of a deal? Is it a question of morality, like say, mixed race marriages or befriending a homosexual, or is a question of selfishness? If it’s a morality issue, then admonish with love. If it’s a selfishness issue, suck it up and crucify your flesh.

The Fasted Lifestyle

I’m not necessarily trying to spark conversation here, but rather give permission to those of you who may have this thought rolling around in your head, “What if I chose to never drink alcohol again?” or “What if I chose to go to prayer meetings every Friday night? or (skipping to the big one) “What if I choose to never get married?

These are all legitimate things. The Bible doesn’t make it mandatory for us to go without them. However, if we choose to do so it is an offering to God. A fast. A lifestyle of hungering and thirsting for God.

Those of you who have those questions rolling around in your head, I say give it a shot. It doesn’t have to be forever. Do 6 months, then a year, then 2 years. If that’s all you do, then you have given that time to God and it will bear fruit. If you do more, then great.

Those of us who may be living another area of fasting should give grace to those who are living differently. Let’s rejoice with those who rejoice as we all seek to love God with our whole heart.

Power

Many will say that drinking or not drinking is for a purpose of evangelising. Although I won’t ask what percentege of people really do evangelise, I will say that the issue isn’t how well we may fit in or don’t fit in or this or that.

The truth is we are barren. We don’t have power on our lives.

If I drink or not that probably won’t lead someone to Christ. But if I heal their cancer and raise their mom from the dead at the name of Jesus? … now that’s what I want.