Gospel Fast Description

What exactly is a

Gospel Fast

Roger and Eileen Himes

www.ThePracticalGospel.com

Paul talks about '10,000 instructors in Christ' as opposed to apparently very few 'fathers of the gospel, (I Cor 4:15). Paul also says we should all say the same thing (I Cor 1:10). This can only be accomplished if we are totally tuned into the gospel of the finished work of Christ (John 19:30).

Too, often we hear so many voices, we don't know what is truth and what is fiction -- what is spiritual reality and what is religious fantasy. This is the case with '10,000 instructors.' This is because we don't 'rightly divide the word of truth' (II Tim 2:15). Paul says that God wants all people (1) to be saved, AND (2) to come into a knowledge of gospel truth (I Tim 2:4). The only way to do this is to 'separate ourselves unto the gospel' -- for at least a certain period of time, where all we hear is the gospel.

What fathers of the gospel do, who all speak the same gospel language, is to simply show people what the testimony of God is about who he is, who we are in Christ, and what he has done for us. It's not about US, but about GOD IN US. Thus, we try to accomplish what Paul says about himself in Romans 1:1: he is 'separated unto the gospel.'

The design of this gospel fast, over the next 40 sessions, can be done in 40 days, or at any rate you care to read them. But give them time to sink deeply into the good ground of your heart. Don't just read them superficially. At the same time, for the period of time you partake of these sessions -- 'fast' anything that is NOT the gospel truth (i.e., what is preached by those 10,000 instructors, who are all saying something different).

Paul says the gospel is the power of God because it is a revelation to our heart of what Jesus Christ imparts to us (he refers to this as 'righteousness'), which is like a 'buzzword' for all Jesus has done for us in his finished work. But if we mix it with everything else we hear, it doesn't get into our hearts. Thus, we must 'separate ourselves to it.'

Paul did it for 3 years, and then for another 14 years to some degree (Gal 1:18, Gal 2:1). Forty days is really NOT that long a time.

Roger and Eileen Himes