“Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes to rain
righteousness on you… “
Hosea 10:12
As we begin our 7 day fast and consecration, let us focus on the condition of our own heart. Throughout this year we will ask the Lord to do many things in our city, nation, and world, but it all begins with us. Often times people are quick to notice the flaws or shortcomings of others, to even pray for the areas in other people’s lives that need fixing. As we fast, we must first focus on ourselves. The Lord spoke through the prophet Hosea that Israel’s biggest issue was their heart. The worship of idols, the burning of incense to foreign gods, the rampant sin and disregard for the holiness of God were merely fruits of the real issue, which was their heart. You see, the world or our individual “worlds” are simply the manifestation of what’s in our hearts. It’s easy to point to the things which we can see, but those are just symptoms of the problem. The problem in America and in the church isn’t found in the white house, the supreme court, city hall, or even the media, the problem is much deeper, the problem is us. Below the surface of our hearts, there brews a caldron of iniquity, of sin, of greed, of perversion, of lust, of selfishness, and all manner of evil capacity.
The term “fallow ground” is a term which describes a particular type of soil which was once fertile and soft, but over time has become hardened. Before a farmer can plant new crops for the new season, he must plow the land. Such is the case with our hearts and the work of the Holy Spirit. This is the case for multitudes of believers today, who once loved Jesus but for some reason or another have lost their passion. The good news is that you can be restored. I believe that as we seek the Lord for the healing of our nation and the church that we first seek Him to show us the error of our own ways. In order to break up the fallow ground of our hearts, there are simply 2 things we need to do in order for God to fulfill the promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14 which states “If my people who are called by my name, would humble themselves and pray and seek my face, turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and heal their land”.
1. Recognize: In order to be revived we must first recognize our sinful condition and also the specific things we are guilty of. Often times people will confess they are a sinner, but that alone doesn’t change anything, it is just the beginning step. In order to recognize sin, we must read the bible and see what God’s word has to say about sin. Many people are spiritually blinded by the reality of their sin. We pray for the Holy Spirit to convict us and read God’s word to see just how far we have fallen.
2. Repent: The word means to “turn away” to make a 180 degree U-turn. Repentance is the step after confession. When we repent, we are naming the specific sins we are guilty of. If you are a liar, a thief, jealous, sexually immoral in thought or deed, prideful, a lover of money, bitter, whatever the sin you are guilty of, in addition to turning from the sin nature, turn from specific sins of the spirit and of the flesh. Their is power in naming things we are guilty of, it demonstrates a genuine desire to be free from those snares. Repentance at times may be painful, as we name the specific times, places, locations that we have done evil, the conviction of the Holy Spirit may lead us to weep. If this happens, it is a good sign. Every believer has had a moment of Godly sorrow, if indeed they have been born again. Without godly sorrow there will be no true power of the Holy Spirit at work in our life.
In conclusion, as we do these things the fallow ground of our heart, the once soft, the once fertile places in our spirit will be revived and the Holy Spirit will wash over us with healing restoration and joy. – Pastor Brian
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