JANUARY 13 – FEBRUARY 2
We will be starting the year of 2025 with a season of prayer and fasting. This prayer and fasting will be with an emphasis for Revival FIRE. As a church we will come together for 21 days.
During the 21-day period:
• Spend time in prayer daily – Designate a ‘daily time’ every day – first thing in the morning, during break time, mid-morning, lunchtime or anytime that is best for your schedule.
• Look for additional opportunities for personal prayer. Also, look for opportunities to pray with others; join with friends or get a prayer partner for the 21 days.
• Practice fasting during these 21 days. There are various kinds of fasts listed below.
We are praying & fasting for:
1. Overcoming sin – Breaking the power and consequences of sin in our lives and families. Asking the Lord to create in us a new heart. Asking Him to change our character and everything that distract us from his purpose.
2. Seeking God – We want to draw closer to Him, to hear His voice and see His wonders. (James 4:8)
3. Breaking Free – We can break the power of habits and problems that affect us negatively. We will destroy all the altars and situations that lead us into compromise and sin in our life. Prayer & Fasting is a powerful way to ask for God’s intervention and deliverance. (Galatians 5:1)
4. Decision Making – This time of prayer will bring clarity to our lives. Asking for God’s direction in the decisions we make, seeking the will of God. (Acts 13:2-3)
5. Personal Faith – This will be a time of personal renewal that will build our faith as individuals and as a church. (Jude 1:20)
Different Kinds of fasts for long period of time
| Full Food Fast | Partial Food Fast | Fasting an Activity | |
| No foods for a certain period of time – liquids only. This could be 1 meal in 24 hours or every 2 or 3 days. Also includes staying away from distractive activities. | Recommended for elderlies, nursing mothers, pregnant women, young students-teens, people who take daily medicines that cannot be taken on an empty stomach, people whose work requires physical fitness. | Recommended for children People choose this to replace the time one would use for the activity to seek God. Some people will ‘fast’ watching TV/movies, engaging on social media, or some other hobbies/activities for the fasting period. |
FASTING
Fasting is a Biblical concept. Fasting is often connected to times of extended prayer and can be practiced in conjunction with each other. Nevertheless, fasting is a stand-alone spiritual discipline and ought to be practiced regularly by believers of Jesus Christ. There are many examples of fasting in the scriptures. Here are three…
1. When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. [Matthew 6:16-18]
Jesus described the hypocrites as putting on a ‘display’ without the right heart. Jesus was not condemning public knowledge of fasting – since we read in many other places in scripture that a community of people fasted together, but He was condemning fasting for public admonition only. Notice in this passage, Jesus said, ‘when’ you fast and not ‘if’ you fast. Fasting was not a “if you feel like” or a “only for the super spiritual” discipline; to the Lord, fasting is a practice for all believers. Jesus’ teaching here is that we will be rewarded when we fast with the right heart.
2. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. [Acts 13:2-3 KJV]
The Apostles and early church were in a season of fasting when the Holy Spirit gave an on-time word of instruction with clear direction, guidance, and promotion. There are four major principles to remember concerning fasting to the Lord:
v FAST unto God (Luke 18:11-13)
v FAST for the time has come (Matthew 9:15)
v FAST for answered prayer (Acts 10:30-31)
v FAST for His favor (Psalm 69:9-13)
3. Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? [Isaiah 58:6 NIV]
God’s chosen fast is not one of form or fashion (vs 2-4) but of faith to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo heavy burdens, to set the oppressed free, and to break every yoke (vs 6). Ten blessings are listed in this passage that follow one’s practice of fasting (vs 8-12). In similar fashion, the book of Joel lists nine promises for them who heed the earlier five calls he made to a season of fasting for the impending destruction upon the land. Favor Follows Fasting.
Fasting is not a ‘punishment,’ It is a spiritual discipline that turns our attention and energy unto Christ our Lord.
Grand Haven Pentecostals 