Are you ready to go on a journey with God over the next 21 days?
As a church each year we give 21 days in January to fast, pray, and seek God for His presence and direction over our year. You can join in with us in person or online to connect with God like never before.

Here are the details of the fast:

Fast Starts January 8, @6pm and ends January 29th at 12pm after church

Sunday Night Jan 8 @ 6pm - Prayer and Kick Off in the Sanctuary

Wednesdays during the fast - Jan. 11, 18, 25 - Corporate Prayer from 12-1pm in the Sanctuary and from 7-8pm in the Fireside Room

Every Morning at 7:30 am(except Sundays) Join us online for a 5 minute devotional and prayer from our 21 Day Prayer Journal. We will hand these out on Sunday during the fast.
you can also download a copy of the 21 Day Prayer Journal right here

This is a spirit led fast meaning ask the Holy Spirit what you should give up during these 21 days to get closer to HIm.

A Basic Guide to Fasting

Biblical fasting is simply abstaining from food and replacing it with prayer. Here are a few of the occasions for fasting we see in God’s Word:

1. While fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke to leaders in the church to send out Paul and Barnabas as missionaries. (Acts 13:1–3)

2. God used a fast to deliver the Jewish people who were about to be killed. (Esther 4:14)

3. The people of Nineveh fasted for mercy from God. We can fast as we pray for people to know Christ. (Jonah 3:5–7)

4. Daniel received one of his most significant revelations from God during a fast. Fasting increases sensitivity. (Daniel 10:2–3).

5. During a fast Cornelius and his family became the first Gentiles to receive salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Fasting makes us available for more of God. (Acts 10:30)

6. When faced with destruction from a superior enemy army, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, declared a nationwide fast. God gave them an unusual yet divine strategy for victory. When we fast and pray, God goes out ahead of us. The victories needed in 2023 will be won by God’s Spirit, not our strength.

7. Jesus fasted for 40 days before His ministry began. We’re giving 21 days to fast and prepare for what God has for 2023.

Fasting teaches us that God’s Word nourishes us. Matthew 4:1–4 records the only example of Jesus fasting before being tempted in the wilderness. He faced temptation with these words, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” By His example of fasting, Jesus reminds us that food alone cannot sustain us. We need to be nourished by God’s Word.

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Fasting teaches us that doing God’s will sustains us. John 4:31–35 records Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. When the disciples return, they encourage Jesus to eat. He responds by saying, “I have food to eat that you know not of.” Then He adds, “My food is to do the will of the Father.”

Fasting teaches us Jesus himself sustains us. In John 6:48–50, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.” Jesus is the source of eternal life. Fasting is feasting on Jesus.

Jesus assumed that fasting would be a part of His disciple’s spiritual life. In Matthew 6:16–18, he says, “when you fast,” not if you fast.

What is the Purpose of Fasting?

As our bodies are weakened through fasting, our dependence on God, and sensitivity to Him, intensifies. As strong natural cravings surface and then fade, we begin to focus more and more on God’s Word and hearing from Him. This process deepens our hunger for God and reminds us that we are sustained “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). In one sense, though we’re physically fasting, our soul and spirit are “feasting” on Christ, God’s living Word who sustains all things. (Hebrews 1:3)

How to Get Started on Your Fast

STEP #1: Clarify the purpose of your fast. Why are you fasting? Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify His objectives for your fast. This will enable you to pray more specifically and strategically. Fasting is God-led and God-initiated. That means that He fuels a desire to fast and pray. He loves it when we fast.

STEP #2: Specify the kind of fast you will do. Jesus implied that His followers should fast (Matthew 6:16-18; 9:14-15). For Him, it was a matter of when believers would fast, not if they would do it. Before

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you fast, pray about the kind of fast you should undertake, then decide the following upfront:

• How long will you fast: one meal, one day, one week, several weeks, certain days? Beginners should start slowly, building up to longer fasts.

• The type of fast God wants you to undertake (See Types of Fasts section below.)

• What physical or social activities will you restrict?

• How much time each day will you devote to prayer and God’s Word?

  Making these commitments ahead of time will help you sustain your fast when physical temptations and life’s pressures tempt you to abandon them.

  STEP #3: Prepare your heart, mind, and body for fasting. Fasting
  is not a spur-of-the-moment thing. We must prepare. The very foundation of fasting and prayer is repentance. Unconfessed sin can hinder your prayers. There are several things you can do to prepare your heart.

• Fasting requires reasonable precautions. Consult your physician first, especially if you take prescription medication or have
  a chronic ailment. Some people should never fast without professional supervision.

• Do not rush into your fast; prepare your body. Eat smaller meals before starting a fast. Avoid high fat and sugary foods. Eating raw fruits and vegetables before your fast is also helpful. Physical preparation makes the drastic change in your diet a little easier so that you can turn your full attention to the Lord in prayer.

• Prepare your heart and mind. Remember that God is your Father, and He loves you and is for you.

• Confess every sin that the Holy Spirit calls to your remembrance and accept God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9). Seek forgiveness from

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all whom you have offended, and forgive all who have hurt you (Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4; 17:3–4). Make restitution as the Holy Spirit leads you.

• Surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1–2). Meditate on the attributes of God, His love, sovereignty, power, wisdom, faithfulness, grace, compassion, and others (Psalm 48:9–10; 103:1–8, 11–13).

• Begin your time of fasting and prayer with an expectant heart (Hebrews 11:6).

• Do not underestimate spiritual opposition. Satan sometimes intensifies the battle between body and spirit (Galatians 5:16–17).

  Types of Fasts

  Biblical fasting almost always concerns food.

  1. SelectiveFast(Daniel10:3)

     You could abstain from something like bread, sweets, sodas, coffee, or even red meat. Perhaps spend some time reading through Daniel’s fast in Daniel chapter 1 and chapter 10. Stick to only fruits and vegetables or something similar. Determine the timing and duration of your fast. You may choose to go without a specific type of food only on certain days, or you may go without during the weekdays only or perhaps every day. Finally, choose the duration of your fast. This fast is 21 days (January 8–29), but that does not mean you must go without for 21 days. Determine the timing and duration ahead of time and stick to it.

  2. Partial Fast

     This fast is sometimes called the “Jewish Fast” and involves abstaining from eating any food in the morning and afternoon. You can choose to correlate to specific times of the day, such as 6:00 am to 3:00 pm or from sun-up to sundown.

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1. Complete Fast (Esther 4:16; Acts 9:9)

   A complete fast seems to be the most prevalent of the fasts we see in the Bible. It is also the most intimidating, but refuse to let
   it scare you. Fasting from all food is not scary if you determine beforehand when you will do so and for how long. The complete fast is going without food and only drinking water or juice. An example could be a three-day fast, or one meal a day, or eating only dinners.

2. Soul Fast (Daniel 6:18)

   The king’s voluntary “fasting” from entertainment in the time of Daniel helps us further understand yet another fast. This fast is
   an excellent option if you do not have much experience fasting food, have a health condition, or wish to refocus certain areas of your life that are out of balance. Fasting from entertainment (TV, social media, etc.) can be beneficial and accessible to kids and teens. Fasting entertainment can be a powerful decision, even as a supplement to food fasts.

Choosing your fasting plan is a very personal decision. We are all
at different places in our walk with God, and our spirituality should never be a cause for comparison or competition. There is nothing more “inherently spiritual” about one type of fast as opposed to another. Your fast should present a level of challenge, but know your body, know your options, and most importantly, seek God in prayer about this and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do. It is also important to not let what you eat or do not eat become the focus of your fast. Fasting is a time to disconnect enough with your regular patterns and habits to connect more closely to God.

No matter what kind of fast you choose, or if you choose not to fast, seek God with us in prayer during these 21 days.