Breaking the Fast: From Devotion to Mission
As we come to the final entry in this month of devotionals centering on prayer and fasting, I want to first say thank you for joining us in this walk with our Lord Jesus and sitting in a posture of surrender as we sacrificed in many different aspects of our lives to refocus and step into this new year with a heightened sense of His Spirit and a clarified view of our calling. You may notice that today’s reading is longer than the others. That’s intentional. Rather than rushing to a conclusion, we want to take time to linger and trace a thematic bridge through Scripture to allow God to speak into our walks with Him. This final entry invites us to reflect and respond. - Ryan Lynch
Isaiah 58:6–9 — What True Devotion Looks Like
Isn’t this the fast I choose: To break the chains of wickedness, to untie the ropes of the yoke, to set the oppressed free, and to tear off every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your house, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to ignore your own flesh and blood? Then your light will appear like the dawn, and your recovery will come quickly. Your righteousness will go before you, and the Lord’s glory will be your rear guard.
Context:
Isaiah 58 is addressed to God’s people during a season of fasting and prayer. God confronts the people of Israel’s disconnect between outward devotion and inward transformation. Through the prophet, He redefines true fasting—not as religious performance, but as alignment with His heart. True devotion results in justice, generosity, compassion, and restored intimacy with God. The blessings promised in this passage flow from obedience and alignment, not ritual alone.
Luke 4:18–21 — How Jesus Fulfills It
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.”
Context:
In Luke 4, Jesus stands in the synagogue and reads from the prophet Isaiah in the very same section of scripture we just walked through, proclaiming good news to the poor, freedom for captives, and healing for the broken. When He declares that this Scripture is fulfilled “today,” Jesus identifies Himself as the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan. What Isaiah described as God’s desire for true devotion, Jesus embodies fully through His life, ministry, and mission. He does not merely teach justice and restoration—He brings it.
2 Corinthians 5:17–20 — How His Work Continues Through Us
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come! Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”
Context:
Writing to the church in Corinth, Paul explains the result of Christ’s finished work. He claims that those who are in Christ are made new and are fully reconciled to God. We must remember that reconciliation does not stop with personal renewal, ultimately it leads to a transformed heart, mind, and purpose that should move us to become ambassadors of Christ. God entrusts those who have been reconciled with the ministry and message of reconciliation. What Jesus fulfilled is now carried forward through His people as they live as ambassadors of His grace.
Reflection Questions to Consider
As I come out of this season of fasting, where have I noticed God gently re-aligning my heart?
What has God exposed, healed, or invited me into during this fast that I’m tempted to rush past?
In what ways has Jesus felt more present to me rather than distant or theoretical?
How has this season reshaped the way I understand true devotion—not as discipline alone, but as obedience flowing into compassion?
Where might God be sending me now?
Practical Application
Carry the fruit forward: Continue in prayerful dependence, not just disciplined habits.
Live reconciled lives: Seek forgiveness, peace, and restoration in your relationships.
Step into everyday mission: Look for simple, faithful ways to reflect Christ’s love through generosity and compassion.
Final Encouragement as we break this fast
Crossroads Church, let us remember our hope does not rest in how well we fasted, prayed, or stayed disciplined. It rests in Christ alone. Jesus has already fulfilled the heart of true devotion, reconciled us to God, and now lives His life through us. As we move forward, we do so not striving for God’s approval, but walking confidently in the new life Christ has already given. You are sent!