Element's of a Christ Follower

I read a book by Jentezen Franklin on Fasting that truly inspired me in a forceful way. Whenever you can read a book on fasting that will inspire you it automatically becomes a treasure to hold on to. I want to share a simple thought out of the book which impacted me and add a few thoughts of my own to it.

In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus was speaking to his followers and unapologeticly began to list three things that he assumed every Christ follower would be doing.

1. Matthew 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms.... The first assumption that Jesus made was that his followers would be givers. There is nothing that I know that will release the power of God on something like giving. For the church to become what God wants them to be it is going to have to move into a dimension of releasing the resources that God has blessed us with. Notice who gave us the resources to begin with, God! If he has given them to us, then truly He can provide in times of need. I have heard a lot about the thought that possibly we are at a saturation point of giving in the church, but I do not believe that is true. I believe that people will give if they believe in the cause! Resources always follow vision, they do not precede it. Instead of focusing on saturation levels, lets focus on a greater vision! The assumption of Christ was that if you truly wanted to be a follower, you were going to be a giver! The call of God has always been to take up the cross and follow him. It is impossible to pick up a cross without first releasing things in your life! I have learned that the more I give, whether financially, or with my life, the greater the anointing that I walk in, for it becomes an issue of surrender.

2. Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest... It was understood that those who followed Christ would understand the value of prayer. Prayer is the language of the soul. Prayer is nothing more than talking to God. How can we call ourselves followers of Him, without having a relationship with Him? How can we have a relationship with Him if we do not communicate with Him? We must be sensitive to the voice of the spirit if we are going to lead in the 21st century. The only way that the church will be viable in the world that we live in is if we are filled with spiritual potential and unction! We must be led by the Spirit. The way to be led by the Spirit is to spend time in His presence! When we spend time in His presence, His voice becomes very clear!

3. Mathew 6:16 Moreover, when ye fast.... Christ understood that there were certain things that could only be broken by the disicipline of fasting. Jesus exclaimed, This kind cometh out by much prayer and fasting! The disicpline of fasting is in many respects a lost art in our day and age. We live in such a consumeristic mentality that everything revolves around what we want and what makes us feel good. When we learn the discipline of fasting, we are acting out the prayer that John made when he said, more of you and less of me. Spiritual Authority flows through the discipline of fasting. The voice of God is much clearer when we have spent time fasting! Their are deeper dimensions that we can walk in when we learn to value those things that He valued!

Solomon spoke of the strength of a three fold cord not easily being broken. I believe when we couple the three elements that I have spoken of, giving, praying, and fasting, it will create a cord in the believer's life that will not easily be broken down. It will bind a church together that will make it a force that must be dealt with!