Fasting: The Day After
Okay, for all those who are still following this blog even after the fast is done, I would love to hear your comments. What has God done in your life through this fast? If you were at the “Breakthrough Service”, tell me what God did in you or through you that night. I was amazed at the presence of the Holy Spirit last night! It's really hard to put words to it, but the "Breakthrough Service" was nothing less than awesome! I was really touched by seeing many of you on your face seeking God, broken before Him, at the front of church last night. I know that we moved the heart of God. You all really embodied the verse (Mark 12:30) “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
I would love to hear any testimonies or stories that you have from these past 21 days and what you are expecting God to do in your life now that the fast is over. Do you have a sense that He is up to something big in your life? Are you changed because of the fast? I believe that your stories will encourage everyone who reads. I encourage you to keep seeking after God with all of your heart. Remember, in 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NLT) it says, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”
As you keep your heart focused on Him and commit your ways unto Him, He will strengthen you. Rely on Him this day and throughout the rest of the year. As you do that, His hand of blessing will rest upon you and He will give you the power and strength to live up to the calling He has on your life. God bless you…I know He will!
Fasting: Day 21
Verse of the Day: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT) Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! (25) All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. (26) So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. (27) I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
The prize the apostle Paul is talking about is the victory of eternal salvation. This is the goal of the Christian life. This goal can only be accomplished by giving up some of our rights for the sake of others and by separating ourselves from the world.
We are called to be set apart from the world as it says in Romans 12:2 (NIV) (NIV)
”Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” In verse 27 Paul said that we can be disqualified if we do not exercise self control, self denial, do not live a holy life and don’t have love for others. To be disqualified conveys the idea of failing the test or being dejected. It is not how fast you start the race that counts but how well you finish. Every one of you, no matter how old or how young, can finish strong. It just takes discipline, which you have already demonstrated you have.
These past 21 days you have been running the race hard. But this is just the beginning of an incredible year. It is like the start of a long marathon. I am so proud of all of you who have practiced self-denial in pursuit of a Godly goal, the pursuit of Christ. You will reap the benefits of these past 21 days for the rest of the year and possibly the rest of your life. Now, I challenge you to continue running strong. Don’t give up when trial, testing or persecution comes. Keep pressing on and believing God for MORE! Let’s truly believe that we have a God who can “do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” (Ephesians 3:20) Let’s run this race to the best of our ability for His glory.
Personal Word: I can’t believe that this is my last blog for the fast. I want to thank all of you who have been reading it and those that have been commenting. You have all been an encouragement to me. Our conversations over the past 21 days have kept me going. God is truly doing something great in us and in the body of Christ as a whole as I hear of all of the churches that have been doing this fast. Also, If you have not seen the answer to your prayer yet, please don’t get discouraged. Usually you don’t see the answer during the fast. Most of the time you see the results of your fast after it is done. Think of it as planting seeds. You have to wait to see the plant grow and then even longer for the fruit. Your fasting has moved heaven and earth. It will change the course of your year. God will still be honoring your fast in November and December, long after you have forgotten about this fast.
There is part of me that is really excited to eat normal food tomorrow and another part of me that is sad that the fast is over. I have seen real unity in us and there has been such a high level of faith as we have all been doing this together. I want to encourage you to make a post in the comments section of the blog as to what you have learned from this fast and what God has done in and through you. I really look forward to hearing your story. I hope to see you at the Epic Breakthrough service this Sunday at 6:00pm. It should be amazing!
Fasting Tip: If you have been fasting food or even if you have been following the Daniel diet, start back into normal food slowly. Don’t jump back into a burger and fries on your first meal or you will be spending a lot of time in the bathroom. You may want to start with bananas, rice, applesauce and toast or bread. But whatever you do, please go back into it slowly. It takes some time for your stomach to get used to “normal” food again. Oh yeah, you can add soup to that group of food listings so that you can join us for soup and bread after the Epic Breakthrough service this Sunday night. I hope to see you there! God bless all of you...I know He will!
Fasting: Day 20
Verse of the Day: Colossians 1:10 (NIV) And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.
As we come to the last two days of this fast I want you to focus on how this fast has affected you spiritually. Has it motivated you to live different and to think different. To really believe that all things are possible through Christ. As you live your life in such a way that those around you see that you act and react differently, biblically, and with supernatural integrity, hope, and courage; you will leave a mark on history. You can change this world and see more happen in your life than you had ever dreamed of, if you will keep your heart and mind daily fixed on Christ.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, you should you should look like a follower of Jesus. 1 John 2:4 says, “He who says, ‘I know Him’, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
No matter where you go in today’s world, if you practice what you preach, you will stand out among the crowd. You will look, talk and act different from the rest of the of the people around you. Don’t let this surprise you; you should expect it.
May this be your goal for this year, that you will “live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way”. Pray today that you will make a difference at work, school, church, among your friends and in your neighborhood. I pray that lives will be changed because of the living Christ inside of you!
Personal Word: Well we are almost there. The last two days have really arrived! During these last two days you may find yourself thinking about food and what you are going to eat when you get done your fast. You may even be planning out your meals. I know I have already bought my first box of “Pop-Tarts” to eat after the fast is done. But try not to let your thoughts get consumed with food. These last two days are important. Keep focused and continue to remember the reason that you are fasting and the breakthrough that God has for you for the rest of this year.
I am anticipating an incredible night, Sunday night at our “Epic Breakthrough Service.” I want to remind you to come out and be prayed up! Bring anyone with you who needs physical emotional or spiritual healing as we believe by faith that God will heal them and set them free. I hope to see you there!
Fasting: Day 19
Verse Of the Day: Revelation 3:20 (NIV) Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
I like this verse because it talks about eating with Jesus. At this point it has been a long time since I and many of you have eaten. I can’t wait to just sit down with my family and friends and eat a real meal. On a normal day, we go out and eat a meal with family or friends to satisfy our physical needs. We eat to provide nourishment for our bodies but we also sit down to eat with friends to build community and spend time with one another.
Since you are either not eating right now or eating a very modified diet it is easy to think about food and hanging out with friends eating food. Take some time today to get alone with the Lord and eat with Him…Not Real Food! But, spiritual food that feeds your soul. Think of it as a real meal of spending time with a friend.
In a fast, when I get into the word of God and talk with Him, it curbs my appetite. This may sound extremely weird to you but it is a very spiritual thing that we are doing. He is our “Bread of Life” and He wants you to sit down with Him so that you can hear from Him and so you can get your spiritual needs met.
God sent Moses to the backside of the desert away from all the distractions so that he might be able to hear clearly the voice of the Lord speaking to him. In a single encounter with the burning bush, God obtained Moses’ attention, and Moses never became distracted again. He lived a life of intimacy with the Lord.
Spiritual neglect will cause you to have an apathetic heart. Intimacy is the remedy for an apathetic and indifferent heart. If you truly desire a relationship of intimacy with the Lord, then make the decision to live a life of intimacy with Him!
Personal Word: We are down to the last three days of the fast! I am very excited for this weekend and our “Breakthrough Service.” I have had a closer walk with the Lord than ever before. It is as if he wakes me up every morning at 5:45 and I jump out of bed in anticipation of the time I am going to spend with Him. It has definitely been a breakthrough in my life. I have never fasted 21 days before and it has been amazing. I believe that God has incredible things in store for us individually and corporately. Let Him increase your faith. Let’s make these last three days the best days of the fast. Set aside that extra time to get alone with Him. Also, plan out your days after this fast to have a regular appointment time with Him so that you may open your heart before Him and hear what He has to say. God desires your attention. You can’t afford not to keep your daily time with God.
Fasting: Day 18
Verse of the Day: 1 Corinthians 6: 19 – 20 “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, (20) for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”
There is a phrase that is very true and it says, “You are what you eat.” If you always eat junk food and fast food and continue to eat that way throughout you life, eventually it will have detrimental effects on your health. Cravings for the wrong kind of food can eventually kill you. The same thing is true for your spiritual life. If you feed spiritually on the wrong things such as tv, movies, video games, gossip, myspace, pornography, foul music, money etc. then you will find out that you have lost your hunger for God.
This fast as you have heard me say over and over again is about more than just food and getting your prayers answered. It is about developing a hunger for God and His presence. When the verse says to "honor God with your body", it means to be hungry for Him and desire a relationship with Him MORE! Hunger is the key element to whether or not you pursue intimacy with God. The definition for hunger is “having an urgent need or eager desire.” Does this describe your hunger for your relationship with God?
Through this time of fasting what are some strong cravings that you have discovered that need to be weeded out in your life? What are things that you think about that crowd out the presence of God? Things that leave you without a passion for Him.
We need to have a steady diet of God’s word and spend time alone with Him. As we get close to the end of this fast, remember to continue what you have started. Don’t forget the things that you have learned on this fast. Remember how throughout this fast you have learned how to honor Him with your body. As you continue to spend time with Jesus this year, daily, you will have intimate times of prayer and spiritual things will come naturally because you have made the presence of the Lord an integral part of your life. Remember, this journey is about a lifetime of intimacy with God. Are you Hungry for MORE?
Personal Word: As we come towards the end of the fast, I encourage you to write down some spiritual goals for when this fast is over. Like, specific times that you will get up and meet with the Lord. Or it could be the amount of time that you will regularly give to God throughout the year. Write down specific bad habits that you had before the fast, which pulled you away from God, that you will not go back to. Maybe your goal will be that you will continue to share Christ with that friend, co-worker or family member. Whatever your goal is, make sure you write it down in a place where you will regularly see it. Read over it on a weekly basis so that you don’t forget as time goes on. Keep up the good work and press in as hard as you can to make this the best week of your fast. Let’s get the maximum amount out of it! I’m praying for you!
Fasting: Day 17
Isaiah 58: 8 – 9 (AMP) Then shall your light break forth like the morning, and your healing (your restoration and the power of a new life) shall spring forth speedily; your righteousness (your rightness, your justice, and your right relationship with God) shall go before you [conducting you to peace and prosperity], and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.(9) Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, Here I am.
When we fast the way that God requires. When there is a true love for God and His ways and a sincere concern for others, then we open up the way for God’s full blessing to come into our lives. The rewards for this type of fast and love are: (1) We will experience the light of God and the full joy of salvation and healing. (2) We will experience God’s protection and His presence in our lives. (3) God will help us in trouble by answering our prayers, (4) He will lift us out of darkness and oppression, (5) We will have God’s guidance, strength and fruitfulness, and (6) true restoration, with the revival of God’s standards.
What areas of your life have you been stuck in a rut? Where do you need God’s light in your life today? Do you need physical, emotional or spiritual healing in your life? Do you need more of His presence? Are you confused over life and in desperate need of His guidance? Well then, one of the greatest promises from this verse is that when you fast in order to seek and pursue Him with a sincere heart, God says that He will say, “Here am I!”
Seek Him with all of your heart today. His presence changes everything! One touch of His presence can change any circumstance and dramatically change the course of your life.
Personal Word: It is hard to believe that we are on day 17! I am amazed at the stories that I hear coming from many of you in how God is working in your life and how you are experiencing more of His presence. Be alert and attentive this week to any distractions that Satan may throw your way. 1 Peter 5: 8 says, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” There is nothing more than your enemy would like to do than to make you doubt God this week or to spiritually trip you up. So Be Alert! It goes on to say, “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (10) And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
Trust completely in God and He will restore you. He will make you strong, firm and steadfast. These are awesome words. Rejoice in God’s power and presence today! This is going to be a great week for you fasting. You have persevered through the toughest part of the fast. Take time to get alone in God's presence today and tell Him how much you love Him and how much He means to you. Enjoy His presence.
Fasting: Day 16
Isaiah 58:6 (AMP) Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every [enslaving] yoke?
Let’s remember the reason that we are fasting. God says that the type of fasting that He requires must come from a heart that is humble. We must humbly strive to know and do His will. To be humble means to destroy power and independence and to be submissive. When we humble ourselves we are saying to God, you are in control of my life. Are you allowing God to guide you and your prayers today? As you humble yourself you learn about His grace, His greatness and you gain His heart.
This fast is not just about you. It is about gaining His heart of compassion for those in need. Who needs your prayers today? Who needs to be set free? Who do you know that is helpless unless you intercede for them? God has place you in your school, workplace, community so that you can intercede for those that are trapped in bondage. You have the power to set them free in Jesus name.
Fasting Tip: We are down to the last week of the fast. I encourage you to make this the strongest and best week of your fast. Set new goals spiritually and write them down. Pray greater prayers and increase your prayer time. Don’t limit your prayers or your faith by what you can see in the natural. We have a God that does the supernatural. James 5:16 says, “The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].” I Believe that this is going to be the best year of your life spiritually.
Personal Word: This Sunday evening was very powerful and amazing. I was amazed at the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. If you were not there, at the end of the service I invited people up to pour out heir heart before God and seek His face and to be filled with His Spirit. What followed was and hour of people at the (alter) front of the church on their knees praying and some worshipping and crying. Worship continued throughout that time. Even after worship stopped there were groups of people praying over one another and sitting in the presence of the Lord, just soaking it all in. God moved in a mighty way. I believe that God is going to do even greater things in our near future. I want to remind you to invite your friends and loved ones to the “Breakthrough service” this Sunday the 27th. Let’s believe God for MORE!
Fasting: Day 15
Yeah! We have made it to the final week!
Verse of the Day: 1 Thessalonians 5: 16 – 18 “Be joyful always; (17) pray continually; (18) give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
This is a day to rejoice and celebrate! We are in our last week of our fast and God will bless you this year for seeking Him and placing Him first. When you worship today at church be joyful and celebrate Him with all of your heart. Let’s commit together to make this the best week of the fast. We will press in more in prayer, declare His greatness and expect greater things this year.
This verse tells us that we should pray at all times. Prayer is not just you talking to God but it is also God communicating with you. Prayer is not a monologue, but a dialogue. God desires to have a two way relationship with you, continually!
My wife Josie can give me one look and I will know exactly what she means without her saying a single word. I can write a paragraph from that one look. When you get close to someone, you know how they communicate without them having to speak words. Many times it is easy to take that kind of relationship and communication for granted.
This is how God wants to communicate to you. You need to be so close to Him that you know when He speaks to your heart. He wants you to draw near to his heart. He wants to be intimate with you. Make sure that during this fast you take time to slow down and listen to what He is be saying to you. Don't speak so much in prayer that you leave Him no time to talk to you.
Fasting Tip: Take some time today or this week where you get alone with God and you praise Him for who He is and His greatness and then you sit silently before Him. You could be alone in your room or taking a walk outside with Him, but make sure you are free of distractions. Allow Him to guide your heart and your thoughts. Be still and know that He is God. When you are fasting, all of your senses are more in tune with your Creator.
Personal Word: Today is a day to Rejoice! We are down to the last week! Let’s really celebrate tonight at Epic! Let’s rejoice in How great our God is. If you have made it this far in your fast, I know you are serious about your relationship with Him. Let’s make this the best week yet!
Fasting: Day 14
Today we are going to focus on the same verse as yesterday, just the second half of it. In 2 Chronicles 7: 14 it says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
When the four conditions for revival and restoration are met then God gives us three of the following promises:
1. God will turn away his anger from His people, listen to the cry of their heart and be attentive to their prayers. The first sign of revival is that God will begin to hear and answer prayer.
2. God will forgive His people, cleanse them from their sins. He will give you favor today. He will fill you with His presence and give you peace and you can experience His power today.
3. God will heal you by pouring out rain (physical favor and blessing) and the Holy Spirit. People’s eyes will be open to who Jesus is and will turn their hearts to God.
Thank you for fasting with me. This will be the results of our fast individually and collectively. Do you want to see God heal physically and emotionally? Do you want to see him restore the broken and damaged pieces of your life and the life of others? If you do, then this is how it is accomplished. Turn your heart to Him this morning and thank Him for what He is going to do at our Breakthrough service on the 27th and what He is going to do for you this year in 2008.
Personal Word: Today I am going with the youth and a few adults and we are going to feed the homeless in Philly. We do this every month, but today is extra special. Not only are we feeding them, but we are not eating. Mike Ricchini put out the challenge for the youth to buy a Wendy’s gift card and give it to one of the homeless people, with the sandwich bags and clothes, instead of us stopping to eat afterwards. I was excited when I bought those gift cards. I am excited to see what God is going to do through these young people. Today we are not only distributing sandwiches but we are distributing Jesus Christ. I believe that God will honor this Fast and He will set free the people stuck in addictions like alcohol and drugs. He will break a curse of poverty over some of these people. We will see many turn their hearts over to Jesus Christ. Today I am exited for MORE!
Fasting Tip: Today take some time to go out of your way to do something kind for someone you ordinarily would not do something for. Let God place someone on your heart this morning in prayer. It may mean a phone call, driving over to their house, or giving someone a ride. When you focus on someone else, you become the hands and feet of Christ. You will begin to forget about your stomach and focus on building someone else up. I believe you will see God’s power activated in their life and yours.
Fasting: Day 13
Verse of the Day: 2 Chronicles 7: 14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
This is a powerful verse which was originally given to Israel, but applies to us as well if we desire to see spiritual revival and God’s blessing on our life. This verse lists four conditions for revival and restoration:
1. “We must humble ourselves” – During this fast, come clean before God. Repent and turn from your sin and renew your commitment to do God’s will. Remember James 4:17 says, “So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin.” This means not only confessing sins that you have committed against others but also when you knew you should have followed God’s will and didn’t follow through a do it.
2. “Pray” - During this fast cry out to God and trust him to intervene in your life and your biggest prayer need. Don’t give up if you haven’t seen the answer yet, keep praying.
3. “Seek my face” - Turn to God with your whole heart. Make sure that you heart is set on Him. Don’t allow any distractions. Go after His presence today, He wants to spend time with you.
4. “Turn from their wicked ways” Make the commitment that you are not going back to the way you were. You are different now. When this fast is done, you will live a changed life. Romans 12: 2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
I hope that this verse is the prayer of your heart today as you persevere in this fast. If you do these four things that God requires of us then He says that we can gab a hold of the three promises listed in this verse, which we will focus on tomorrow. Allow God to search your heart today.
Fasting Tip: During your fast you may want to set different “payer stations” throughout the day. In other words, in the early morning I hang out with God and pray for my family, ministry and needs. In the middle of the day I lift your prayer requests up before the Lord and in the evening I spend some time focusing on God and praising Him and listening to His voice. By splitting up your prayer time it may help you to concentrate on Him more.
Personal Word: It is amazing how God can energize your body when you trust Him. Yesterday when it snowed, Zachy wanted to go outside and play in the snow. My initial thought was, oh no, I am going to be so drained. I won’t be able to do anything. But we got all bundled up and had a snowball fight, built a huge snowman, and went sledding. I wasn’t tired the whole time and we had a blast. I was really shocked. I want to encourage you to trust God with your body, spiritually and physically. He will sustain you. He can give you the strength you need.
Fasting: Day 12
Personal Word: I think I will start out with a personal word today. I will do it backwards just to keep you on your toes.
Here we go! We are on the way downhill now as we have passed the half-way mark. Let me encourage you to keep persevering. I know many of you have had a few tough days this week. Keep pushing forward; I have had a few tough days as well. Remember to keep your eyes fixed on Christ. He is honored when you make a commitment like this. Remind yourself why you are fasting. Remember the prayer request that you wrote on your card and the freedom and victory that you are fighting for this year. Remember the benefit is worth the sacrifice. There are some thing that will only happen if you are willing to pray and fast. fight for it! Keep it up, God has MORE in store for you this year!
I am going to take one devotional from Joel Osteen today. Sorry, this one is not mine. It meant a lot to me yesterday when I read it and I thought, I couldn’t say this any better myself. So here you go…I believe it will speak to your life, especially if you are struggling with your fast.
Verse of the Day: Hebrews 12:1 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith…”
Are your eyes fixed on Jesus today? It’s so easy to let the distractions of the world and the cares of every day life to change your focus. And whatever you fix your eyes on, you open your spirit to. You can choose to fix your eyes on Jesus no matter what distractions of life are going on around you. You see, when you fix your eyes on Jesus, you are opening yourself to the Healer. You are opening yourself to the Deliverer. You are opening yourself to the Prince of Peace, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Provider, the Redeemer, the Strong Tower of refuge. What do you need in your life today? Peace? Fix your eyes on Jesus. Do you need healing? Fix your eyes on Jesus. Do you need a safe retreat? Fix your eyes on Jesus. And you may have to turn off other things that you’ve been watching so that you can fix your eyes on Him. But remember, He is your source of life and the Author and Perfecter of your faith. Fix your eyes on Him and allow Him to work in your life so that you can experience the victory He has in store for you!
Fasting Tip: I want to encourage you to go for a walk alone, with God while you are fasting. Most of you know that I like to pray while I am walking outside. Now, you may not want to pick the coldest day, but if you are brave enough it will keep you awake in the early morning hour. (who needs coffee to wake you up when you have 20 degree temperatures. LOL)
There is something about walking outside and praying. There is a freedom to it. I like to talk out loud to God while I am walking, and that may be new to you as well. Take time to observe the clouds, trees, sun, moon and stars. These are the expressions of God to you--His creation, and as you fast, your five senses will become sharp and clear, allowing the greatness of God in all that He has made, to impact your soul. Go for a long walk, (and bundle up!) and invite Him to come with you. Experience the beauty of what He has made to. Feel the quality and vastness of His universe. Stand in awe of Him and His power. This same God that created the universe wants to communicate with you today.
Fasting: Day 11
As you fast it is important to remember your authority in Christ. As you are taking this time to set the course of the year, remember to confess what you believe. Matthew 12:29 Says that I bind the strongman and I am able to rob his kingdom.
Matthew 16: 19 says that as a disciple of Jesus Christ I have the keys of the kingdom in heaven; and whatever I bind on earth is bound and whatever I loose is loose.
Matthew 28: 18 – 19 says, Jesus has all authority and power in heaven and in earth and whatever is His is also mine. He gives me authority to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Someone once said, you cannot defeat Goliath with your mouth shut. We all have enemies or giants in our lives that need to be defeated. How have you been spiritually defeated this past year? What has been the weapon of the enemy that has caused you to live depressed, filled with anxiety, angry, or trapped. You were not created to live that way. Make a point to use the most powerful weapon ever provided: The Word of God! Take offensive steps this year instead of living defensively. During this fast use the Word of God like you mean it. Speak it out loud and live it out! What you confess declares what you believe. As you do it you are setting the course for your entire year!
Fasting Tip: Here is another web site that gives you everything you need to know about prayer and fasting.
http://www.billbright.com/howtofast/
Check it out! This site gives you tips on how to fast safely, how to come off a fast, how long to fast, physical & spiritual side effects of fasting, making the most of your spiritual fasting experience and much more.
Personal Word: Yeah! We are now officially at the half way point of the fast. I want to encourage you to continue to persevere. Continue to press in for MORE! God has a great year in store for you. For those of you whom it has taken a while to get your fast going right…don’t give up. End this fast on a high note. Get the most out of this fast spiritually by spending as much time with God as you can. I am proud of you and excited to see what God has in store for us.
Fasting: Day 10
Luke 11: 10 (NLT) For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
God told the prophet Jeremiah, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”. (Jeremiah 29:13) Three words (ask, seek & knock) combine to emphasize the truth that when you bring their needs to God, you can trust that you will be satisfied. All three actions are metaphors for praying. Sometimes God does not answer prayer immediately; sometimes you must keep on knocking and awaiting God’s answer. But if you continue to trust God through prayer, Jesus promised that you would receive, find and have a door opened.
Remember, it’s not just about getting a prayer answered. By being persistent and pursuing God, you are stating your complete dependence on him. Through this fast and through your persistence you are seeking Him with all your heart. God says that not only will your prayer be answered but most importantly that you will find Him. He wants to give you a greater revelation of who He is and what He wants to do with your life. He wants to fill you with His Spirit. He alone can give you the strength to face the battles ahead.
Here are four things that prayer will do for you. It will make you:
• Eager to grasp life, to seize the day.
• Ready to face challenges.
• Courageous to expand your dreams.
• Passionate to share God’s love.
When you feel worn out, prayer can energize you and motivate you to continue your fast.
Fasting Tip: Here is a very interesting article on the effects that fasting has on your body. When you get time read over it and let me know what you think. There are amazing physical benefits to fasting. Here is the link: http://www.freedomyou.com/fasting_book/Healing_through_Fasting.htm
Personal word: I am not sure about you but yesterday (Monday) was one of the toughest days of my fast. I just felt wiped out. This past weekend I worked all day Saturday cleaning the garage and putting stuff in the basement. Then, I took Zach to see “Alvin & the Chipmunks” at the movies. The smell of the popcorn was amazing! (No, I didn’t cheat for all those who are wondering, but Zachy may have been nervous with the way that I was watching him as he ate). Then we had church all day on Sunday and I felt like I was on a spiritual high. Both morning and night services were amazing! Then I think it all caught up with me today. I felt as if I had to work hard just to walk up the stairs. Josie felt wiped out as well. Man, I don’t know if anyone else felt the same way, but my warning for all those fasting food is to be careful not to overdue it. It will catch up with you. The only thing that kept me going was by putting that goal in front of me of pursuing God with everything I have. I really believe that God has a breakthrough in store for all of you fasting. Keep pursuing God and I will do the same! Let’s watch and see what he does this year as a result of our fasting.
Fasting: Day 9
Luke 11: 9 – 10 (NLT) “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. (10) For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
God will answer the Christian who will persistently ask, seek and knock. The verbs picture a faith that is willing to ask for something that only God can provide; to seek something that has been lost or whose location is unknown; and to knock on a closed door in order to gain admittance.
What is something in your life that the only answer is God? The only way that you can get where you want to go is by His divine intervention.
What has been lost in your life? Is it your spiritual passion? Is it the weight of your busy schedule? Is it bitterness from the past that has crushed your dreams? This year, God wants to bring back lost dreams. I believe that you can have a vibrant and powerful relationship with Jesus this year.
What types of closed doors have you experienced in your life? Has it been an opportunity for advancement at work? A door has been closed in a relationship? Or maybe it was something you really thought would happen at school or home? Whatever it is, God can open those doors if it is his will for you.
In all of these cases, God is accessible and willing to respond. Remember, God is honored when we ask for MORE. He is honored by your persistence and boldness. Make this a year where you are persistent and bold in your pursuit of God and believing for greater things.
Fasting Tips: We are at the beginning of week two. You may need to press in to get closer with God today. The enemy wants nothing more than for distractions to come in your way so that you don’t have the quality time you need to spend with the Lord. Realize that distractions will come and you need to have tunnel vision for your goal. Pray relentlessly and dig deep in the Word of God. That is where you will draw your strength and your renewed vision for a new week.
Personal Word: I was really impressed on Sunday night at Epic, when I asked to how many people were fasting and the majority of you raised your hands. This is definitely a God thing. I have never been involved with a group this big that is fasting together. Expect big things to happen as a result of this fast. God desires MORE for you!
If you just heard about the fast on Sunday morning and you have decided to jump in, let me know. Let me know what you have committed to and what you are fasting. I would love to hear it!
Fasting: Day 7
Verse of the Day: Romans 15:13 (GNT) May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.
God is our source for hope and life itself. If you have doubts and times of discouragement on this fast turn to Him. It says in this verse that He wants to fill you with joy and peace by means of your faith. When you think of filling, think of filling a glass of water till it overflows. That’s how God wants to fill you. He wants to give you joy and peace until you are so full of it that you don’t need anymore. You are demonstrating your faith in Him by fasting. Now, allow Him to fill you with hope. What was the prayer request that you listed on your sheet of paper? What is the prayer request that is so big that you are even afraid to mention it? Right now allow God to fill you with Hope. He wants to grow your hope by the power of His Spirit who lives in you. He wants to remind you that your Hope is in Him to answer that prayer request and not in your own abilities. Psalm 25:5 says, “guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”
Fasting Tip of the Day: Yeah! We are at day 7! You have just completed one full week of the fast! You are 1/3 of the way complete. I want to emphasize for those who are doing the Daniel fast, not to get caught up on the food so much that you find yourself thinking about it all day long. Don’t get legalistic about it. Don’t worry if someone else is doing it a little different than you. The fast is meant to draw you closer to God, not think about food and what you can or cannot eat. If the diet gets messed up a little, who cares, It’s not like God is going to say, “Oh well, you almost received their breakthrough until you ate that food that had wheat flour in it.” So, relax and focus on Christ and prayer.
Personal Word: I want to thank all those who are fasting and tell you how proud I am of you. I have heard so many stories about your fast and I am overwhelmed with the amount of people that are in on this fast. I can see God building our faith for MORE! If you get time, write down what you have learned about this fast at this point and how it has helped you get closer to God. I would love to read it. Keep pressing on!