A Year of Victory

This morning in church ( I go to Grace Chapel in Leapers Fork TN.) our pastor spoke on Fasting.     He spoke of understanding the importance fasting had in the life of Christ.  The depth of endurance, and devotion it showed and the victory over the enemy it led to.

I thought I would share a quick story with you of one of my own experiences with fasting.   I hope that this encourages, and perhaps, inspires the practice of fasting.    I share this not to boast or appear in any way like I have it all together (because believe me I do not)....but because I believe in the power of fasting and in the faithfulness of God for those who obey His word.  And I pray His name be glorified through what He has done in my life.

Over the last few years, since getting married to my husband in July of 2013, we have been living in an apartment.   I own a townhouse in Spring Hill, TN, that I currently rent out so that we can be closer to my husbands son/my stepson Christian in Nashville.   We are hoping and praying to buy a house this year and have been working on saving money and making plans.    I recently decided to fast over the situation and prayerfully chose rather then food, to fast something that for me, was very difficult to give up for a month....shopping.  (Yes you read that right I said shopping lol).   During the month of fasting I would pray over the situation, over the Lord's provision and protection and for His will to be done and His name to be glorified.  
A few weeks ago, I received a text from my renters that the heater was not working.   Since owning the home for the last 10 years it has broken no less then 5 times and so, frustrated, I called a technician out to take a look.    A few hours later I received a phone call and was told that the repairs would cost upwards of $3000, or I could get a new unit for $5300.    I sat there silent for a moment trying to take it all in.   trying to understand why the Lord would allow this...after all I fasted.   I sacrificed something that was difficult for me in order to the show the Lord how serious I was about our future and this is what I get?    How could this be?   Finally I responded that I would get the new unit as I knew that a fix would only last so long.    meanwhile in my mind ..."Why God?   This is not what should be happening right now!   This is the opposite of what we need!"
Later that day a man came over to help me with the the financing of the new unit and after a few hours I was financed for $5300 dollars to cover the cost, with a monthly fee of $89.    As I tried to process this new expense and figure out how we were going to pay for it, I battled trying not to blame God, to get mad at God for allowing this, but my heart knew that He was bigger then any amount of money.   Bigger then any trial that could come my way so I prayed  "Lord I am sorry for jumping to the desperation rather then trusting You.  Please provide, please make a way."    Now I probably should have mentioned this before, but I had a storage unit from when we moved into the apartment containing a baby grand piano.   It would not fit into our apartment but was not something I was willing to give up so for the last few years it has been costing me $89 dollars a month to rent.  Yes....$89, the same amount as the new loan.  Well the Lord reminded me of this and I heard Him say very clearly "post on Facebook to see if anyone would be willing to babysit the piano for the next year or so", I said "no one is going to have an empty room that they just happen to be willing to fill with someone else's piano....but ok God"  so I did.....within minutes a good friend of mine from church private messaged me that they would love to have it in their home.  I could not believe it!  
   That Sunday at church I ran into her and so we chatted for a few minutes and as it turns out, her mom, who lives with them had had surgery a few months ago.   They had to convert an office area into a room for her because the stairs were to difficult.   A few weeks ago her mom recovered enough to move upstairs and her old room was now an empty room in their home.   My friend had been writing a list of bills that they needed to pay in 2016 and the Lord told her to make a seperate list alongside the needs of her wants.   She told God there was no point as they would not be able to afford them but did it anyway.....the first item.....a baby grand piano.   Her husband teaches piano lessons and they dreamed of putting one in that room!    While the piano will one day return to me in the house I continue to pray for, I am amazed and blown away at the incredible answer to prayer we both received through something that began as such a stressful and expensive trial.    I know there is more to come with this story and that God is going to use the piano for His glory in the months to come...I also know that this may be just the beginning of what He will do through obedient prayer and fasting but I want to shout His faithfulness from the roof tops!  


After the 40 days and the 40 nights of Jesus fasting in the wilderness, He was tempted and had victory over the enemy.    I want victory in my life.   This story, is an example to me of the victory God can bring from a hopeless situation....lets make 2016 a year of victory.