Fasting and Prayer
As part of seeking God in the new year as a church, we set aside time to pray and fast. Everyone can participate in our church-wide time of fasting and prayer. Fasting is when you abstain from food or a specific type of food for a period. Abstaining from food could be for one meal a day or more. There are also other ways to fast, all with the potential to help you grow spiritually. You could also fast television social media, etc. We want to encourage you and your family to fast in some way. Your children could fast something appropriate at their level.
Fasting is an ancient practice that prepares us to focus our attention on God and His priorities. The true focus of fasting is always God Himself, and His presence and purpose in us.
All of us need a few solid disciplines to pull us back from the busyness of “doing” to a more contemplative environment, a space where we meet God and experience His glorious presence.
Everyone can participate in our church-wide time of fasting and prayer. We would like to encourage you to involve your children, read God’s word with them and pray as a family. Explain what fasting is and decide together what would be an appropriate fast at their level.
Below is information to help you as you pray and ask God what He would have you do. We have a daily scripture and prayer for you to use in your personal time of devotions. We look forward to hearing the testimonies of what God did in your life during your time of fasting and prayer.
What is fasting?
According to the Bible, there are three duties of every Christian: give, pray and fast. Fasting is a powerful spiritual discipline. Through fasting and prayer, the Holy Spirit can transform your life. Biblical fasting takes a lot of discipline and strength – strength which you can only receive from God. Jesus himself spent time in fasting and prayer during his life on earth. Most commonly, fasting is when you abstain from food or a certain type of food for a period of time. However, there are multiple ways to fast, all with the potential to help you grow spiritually.
It’s important to ensure you’re listening to both the Holy Spirit and your own body in the way you fast. Instead of abstaining from food altogether, you may fast from a particular type of food or even something other than food, such as social media or TV. You might decide to fast until a certain time in the day or skip a certain meal. There are many ways to ensure you’re getting the physical nourishment you need while still enjoying the spiritual nourishment fasting and prayer offer.
Fasting and prayer can also bring about more than just personal transformation. When God’s people practice biblical fasting and prayer, God hears from heaven and can heal our lives, our churches, our communities, our nations, and our world. Fasting and prayer can bring about revival—a change in direction.
Why fast?
Fasting is biblical. We see examples of biblical fasting in the lives of figures like Moses, King David, and then, of course, Jesus fasted. Daniel made a commitment to abstain from fancy foods (known as the Daniel fast)
Fasting and prayer can restore or strengthen your intimacy with God. Many longtime Christians find that fasting helps them rediscover their “first love” for God again.
Fasting is a way to humble yourself in the sight of God (Psalm 35:13; Ezra 8:21). King David said, “I humbled my soul with fasting” (Psalm 69:10). You may find yourself relying on God more fully for strength when you fast.
Fasting and prayer can help us hear God more clearly.
Fasting and prayer can transform your prayer life into a richer and more personal experience of God.
Fasting enables the Holy Spirit to reveal your heart. When you see your own brokenness more clearly, you’re able to move toward repentance.
Most Common Types of fasting
Regular fast: A regular fast is when you abstain from all food and drink except for water (Matthew 4:2).
Partial fast: This is a type of fasting that involves abstaining from a particular type of food or meals. Daniel’s diet, while he was in Babylon is an example (Daniel 10:3). A partial fast is also abstaining from one or two particular meals each day.
Other Fasts: If fasting from food or drink isn’t a good option for you, you can still practice fasting. Choose something else in your life to fast from instead. For example, consider fasting from TV or social media. Or use your free time to care for those in need and fast from your normal activities.
Safe Fasting Tips and Guidelines:
Fasting until a specific time of day or skipping a specific meal each day is safer and more sustainable than a complete fast. For a fast that will be longer than 1-3 days, this is often a good option.
Consider fasting from a specific type of food instead of all food, especially if you want to fast for a long period of time or have health concerns.
A complete fast should be very short; it should not last longer than a few days.
Do not abstain from drinking water for long and only do so under your doctor’s supervision. The effects of dehydration are serious, and your body may begin to experience them more quickly than the effects of hunger.
Spiritual Preparation for Fasting and Prayer
In preparation for this special time with God, Ask God to help you see your brokenness clearly so that you can confess your sins and repent. In Scripture, God frequently calls upon people to repent of their sins before listening to their prayers. You can look to King David’s example in Psalm 66:16-20:
Your motive in fasting should ultimately be to glorify God, not to have an emotional experience or attain personal happiness. God will honor your seeking spirit. As you spend time in fasting and prayer, God will shape your heart and draw you closer to Christ.
January 13-24 – Prayer and Fasting – as part of seeking God in the new year as a church, we set aside time to pray and fast. Everyone can participate in our church-wide time of fasting and prayer.
January 21 – 24 Hours of Prayer
Sign up for a 1-hour prayer shift at the church or your home/office. We will start at 7 pm on Tuesday, January 21st, and end at 7 pm on Wednesday, January 22nd.
*If you pray at the church, there will be a few others you can pray with. (No one will be at the building alone.)
*We will provide a list of things you can pray for.
January 22, 23 & 24th - Join us for three nights of powerful worship, inspiring guest speakers, and a time of seeking God as we step into the New Year! Children’s Ministry will be open.