Doing the Wrong Thing

Over the past couple months, several of us have had the distinct impression that something isn’t right. We’ve felt depressed over it, we’ve felt like quitting. We’ve questioned if the whole ‘Christian thing’ is worth putting as much energy into it as we have.

However, over the past couple weeks, I’ve had so many messages from God enter my life. As Darlene and I recognize and discuss these messages, we are certain that they are of God. These messages say:
1. it is worth the it
2. God is working in hearts
3. Satan fights in the place where God works
4. let go of pride, and recognize God’s hand in everything
5. there are many others who are fighting the same fight
6. many are looking to us as an example

In my cry to God for help and direction, God placed in my path the book, “The Lord, The Devil, And You”, subtitled, “The way to victory over the world, the flesh and the devil.” The main passage in this book is Isaiah 58, which talks about fasting.

We’re going to explore the idea of ‘fasting’ in a couple weeks, but first, I’d like to show you some things that have changed my outlook on life in recent days:

Verses 1-5 lay the foundation.
v. 1 – God states that there is sin among the His people
v. 2 – notice the word “as”. They were doing the motions of Christianity as if they were right with God, but they were not.
v. 3 – the people complain that although they were doing all this ‘stuff’ for God, God didn’t acknowledge it as pleasing to Him.
v. 4-5 – God attacks the way they serve Him. He says in 5b, “wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?” …slam!

THEN, in verses 6-7, He sets them straight. Notice the 6 things to which He says “Is not this the fast that I have chosen?” For a moment, let’s put aside any pre-conceived thoughts about fasting, and listen to what God is trying to say here:
1. to loose the bands of wickedness
- ‘bands’ are referring to things that have you shackled...wicked things that have control of you.
- John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
2. to undo the heavy burdens
- these are things that you are carrying that you don’t need to
- 1 Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."
3. to let the oppressed go free
- to be oppressed is to be miserable
- Psalm 35:9, "And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation."
4. that ye break every yolk
- in light of Matthew 11:29-30, this is obviously talking about breaking evil yokes
- "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
- What evil things are you yoked to? BREAK THEM so you cannot go back to them.

NOTICE 4 OF THE 6 THINGS HAVE TO DO WITH FIXING BAD STUFF…NOW YOU’RE ABLE TO SERVE:

5. to deal thy bread to the hungry
- look for opportunities to meet the needs of others
- John 6:35, "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."
6. that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house
- read the rest of verse 7…this is sacrificial
- this is where you make a difference in the lives of others!

Next time, we’ll look at the rest of this chapter. We looked at 6 things that God asks us to do. In return there are twice as many things He will do for us. See if you can find (verses 8-12) them before we meet next week.