Joel 2:12 (KJV) ¹² Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

“That is why the Lord says, ‘Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning’” (Joel 2:12, NLT). When we look at Joel 2:12, the Lord says for Judah to turn to Him with all their hearts, with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. In this verse, God spoke to Judah through the prophet Joel. The verse signifies that Judah needs to turn to God. This verse also shows that Judah somehow must have turned away from Him God. I don’t know why the Holy Spirit prompted you to fast this season and I don’t know why you obeyed His promptings to fast. Could it be that you are fasting because you too, like Judah, have turned away from God in disobedience? You wanted to do what you wanted to do.

• You had imaginations and high thoughts that were exalted above the knowledge of God.
• You wanted to make your relationship work using worldly tactics.
• You weren’t led by the Holy Spirit in your actions but solely acted in flesh.
• You ran from your relationship or you withdrew out of fear.
• You tried to force your spouse to change. You gave ultimatums.
• You abandoned your loved one during a moment of weakness.
• You were yoked with an unbeliever even after God showed you he wasn’t the one.
• You had idols that you worshiped instead of the one and true living God. You put people (i.e., your spouse, lover, children, family, or friends) before God.
• You worshiped your job and money and considered those things to be your livelihood.
• You spent more time watching television or on social media than you did studying God’s Word and in prayer and meditation.
• You craved sexual gratification and continuously satisfied your desires. Then you became immune to satisfaction from natural sexual activities and left open doors for stronger sexual demonic spirits to trespass in your body. You engaged in sex with multiple partners at one time, and you engaged in unnatural sexual acts such as homosexuality, pansexuality, transgender, sexually fluid, and beastiality.

In Joel, an ominous black cloud plagued southern Judah without warning. Then locusts ate everything and stripped Judah bare. Whatever sin you were in, maybe you suffered some plagues that caused you to finally pay attention to God’s call for you to turn back to Him. If you’re reading this, no matter what plagued you, you are still alive and you still have a chance to turn, fast, weep, and mourn. But what God warned Judah about, and us through the prophet Joel is that there will be a time in which it will be too late to turn. The good news is we’re fasting. We’re weeping for the horrible, disgusting, sinful things we used to do. We’re mourning the results of our sinful flesh. We’re turning back to God now.

Consider what Joel says in chapter 2, verse 13. “Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead. Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish” (NLT). God says, it isn’t enough to go through the motions of tearing our garments, wearing sackcloth, and fasting. These are all external acts which should be symbolic of a repentant heart. God knows whether or not our fasting, weeping, and mourning are superficial, showy, and fake. We have to rend our hearts for Him. We have to turn from our wicked ways and not go back. Because of our fast and more importantly because of our changed hearts and transformed lives, God will restore all that the locust stole from us. Our trees will bear fruit again, but our transformation must be real. Dr.J.