The New Covenant

The New Covenant 

By Apostle Felix

16  No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.
17  Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. 

Matthew 9: 16, 17

John, the Baptist’s disciples came to Jesus and asked a question regarding fasting. It had been a great concern among the religious people why Jesus, and especially His disciples were not fasting. The Bible only records one incidence when Jesus fasted. It was only at the beginning of His ministry. Fasting was part of religious activities, which was observed by the Pharisees, John, the Baptist and his disciples. In the Old Testament way of doing things, fasting typically took place during a time of mourning or repentance. Fasting would take place because the person or people who were fasting wanted to feel close to God, they needed His presence, they needed to experience Him.It was also regarded as a sign of holiness. Therefore, Jesus’ disciples not fasting was a sign of worldliness. It displeased John, the Baptist and his disciples. We have to understand the angle of understanding from which they approached Jesus. It was the angle of the law. Under the law, fasting was a solemn time in Israel. It was a time to display outward humility, such as throwing ashes on oneself and rending of clothes. It was not a time to be merry. Jesus came and changed the narrative.

16  Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:17  But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18  That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. 

Matthew 6: 16 – 18

Jesus’ response was one of changing the way of doing things. The people fasted with gloominess in the Old Testament because the Messiah had not yet come. They were looking forward to His coming, hence fasting in ashes and rending of clothes. The system demanded that people express gloominess during the time of fasting. The disciples of Jesus did not live that kind of life when they were with Jesus. The reason was because the bride groom was with them. You cannot expect people at the wedding ceremony with gloomy faces. Jesus said, a time will come when the groom shall be taken from them, only then they shall be gloomy. Mind you, Jesus was only away for three days and He came back in victory, having defeated satan and his cohorts forever. He has never left us since then.

20  And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.”

Matthew 28: 20

Since Jesus is with us everyday, the way of fasting has to fit in Jesus’ system. He does not expect us to fast according to the old pattern. In order to emphasize His point, Jesus gave the parable of the old wine skin and the new wine. It is not wise to pour new wine into old wine skin, and when the wine ferments may cause the old wine skin to burst  losing both the wine and the wine skin. Jesus introduced the new covenant that will require a new way of doing things. One cannot maintain the old way of doing things and yet expect the new covenant glory. It cannot be the old the way. This is because Jesus’ teachings cannot fit into the old way.

The Lessons, we can learn:

1. God’s presence is always with you, before you decide to fast. It is not the fasting that draws God to you but its His love which was demonstrated in Jesus.

2. Fasting is not to be done religiously as a means to appease and please God.

3. Jesus did not come to patch up the old ways of religiosity but to introduce a new system. Therefore, He does not encourage mixture.

4. The Spirit of Christ testifies of the finished work of CHRIST, which is the new wine skin.

5. Jesus is not against fasting, but the fasting should be done in the light of redemptive work of Christ. It has to be based on relationship, not on legalism.

Some Old wine skin Practices: 

1. Give to be blessed. Instead, give because you are blessed. Give in order to be blessed is the old wine skin.

2. Breaking of generational curses. You are from the family of the living God. God has no ancestors and there are no curses in God. Searching for generational curses while you are in God is an old wine skin.

3. Stolen destine. Your destine is in God. You and your destine can never be separated. Your life is in God.

3  Your crucifixion with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ.
Colossians 3: 3

4. Praying at Midnight. This is a fallacy. It is an old wine skin doctrine. The Bible only tells us to pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5: 17 . That is to remain in constant communion with the Holy Spirit by being conscious of His presence and talk with Him as you go about with your daily businesses. However, you can pray any time of the day or night but avoid to consider a specific time as more spiritually concentrated than the other times.