Greetings,
You may be thinking, "that’s a pretty unusual title" but I want to explain the reasoning I chose Highly Exhausted and not Highly Exalted. God truly is highly exalted, above all other gods that may try to take His place or fill voids in our lives, however this title comes from a different approach.
Beginning Monday December 6th I began a fast that I have never partaken of in my life. For 3 days I fasted all three meals, as well as any by products that may have taken the edge off my hunger (except for a mint to satisfy the cruelness of a starved breath). Monday was a bit challenging not being able to eat breakfast; lunch came as a passing aggravating gnat, and supper was an incredible test as I ate from scripture while my family ate physically. I tried to justify reasons for not continuing the fast through Tuesday, however God's convictions pressed me onward.
As I teach and preach on fasting I explain that through fasting there is very little "boom revelations". What I mean by that is that through fasting and praying you are in a great dependency upon God for His strength as you relinquish your ability to strengthen yourself You carry burdens of your fellow brothers and sisters and continue to pursue intervention for them through prayer and supplication. Tuesday was a bit more difficult, but it was incredibly amazing. I felt impressed to dedicate my prayers that day for my fellow brother. He was to deliver His own fathers eulogy and needed great strength from God. I felt a since of Aaron and Moses brotherhood. As he delivered the message it was very humbling to hold his spiritual arms up as his spirit fought unwaveringly through the battle.
Earlier that morning (which I had decided early on - Tuesday was to be my last day of Fasting) I extracted a few dollars from our savings to pursue a transfer into another account. While knowing the balance before hand, I proceeded to request a printable balance- that is when God spoke! Our balance revealed at least a hundred dollars to the greater than what we had originally knew. As tears streamed my face and my voice quivered under the divine intervention and thanksgiving before God, the Holy Spirit spoke almost audibly into my heart and said "If you thinks that something, try me one more day" I quickly made up my mind to fast a third day.
On Wednesday it was especially difficult to fast. My hunger was so intense and overwhelming that my prayers throughout the entire day where for an intervening strength from God himself! Many Christians fast for blessings, or to persuade God's decision- but I am sorely convicted to fast for a selfish ambition for my own blessings. I am so greatly blessed and so undeserving of them that all that my sacrifice comes as a request for God to afflict me with the burdens and passions of others. My desires are in wanting God's desires. I continued throughout the entire day to seek the face of God, to pursue the will of my Father and intervene in prayer. I didn't receive a booming revelation or a supernatural vision as before, but the spiritual high that God placed me on was incredibly exhausting after being removed from that mountain of intervention.
It is my belief that God desires many others to fast and sacrifice on a grander scale, however our middle classed minds are so apprehensive to give up what we think we cannot afford. "How can I give more in tithes and offerings when I can barely pay my own bills" seems to be the on going excuses. What if we just tried God? Do we really trust Him to provide and not own understandings? God revealed the reason of my fast Wednesday night. I have been so burdened by giving more and wanting to help those in need, but I had no clue to what sacrificing really means. By giving up something that I crave daily and view as a great necessity in my life- God was able to show me what giving really means. I was physically deprived of my bodies natural need to eat, but found it so worth the fight to sacrifice. God is faithful to those who are faithful.
