“Prayer should be our first response, not our last resort.”
Join us for 7 Days of Prayer and Fasting beginning January 13th and running through January 19th. There really is no better way to recalibrate ourselves spiritually and bring about refreshing in every area of our lives in 2020 than through prayer and fasting.
Daily Corporate Prayer
The auditorium will be open Monday - Saturday from 7 a.m. - 8 a.m. for live worship and corporate prayer.
Night of Worship
*Cancelled due to weather.
There will be a Night of Worship and Prayer on Wednesday, January 15th from 7 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
There will be a Night of Worship and Prayer on Wednesday, January 15th from 7 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
Bible Reading
We will be reading through the Gospel of John together as a church. There are 21 chapters, so that equals 3 chapters per day.
Holy Communion
On Sunday, January 19th, we will "break" the 7 days of fasting together with Holy Communion.
What is a fast?
During a fast, we abstain from eating certain foods or from certain activities for a committed period of time. This time is spent on prayer, reading God’s Word and reflecting on His truth.
Why should I fast?
The main goal of a fast is to connect with God at a deeper level. The key is that fasting draws us into a place of greater dependency on God and closeness to Him. In response to our active pursuit of God through fasting, He draws near to us!
How long is the fast?
At the beginning of every year, we come together for 7 days of prayer and fasting. This year, the fast begins on January 13th. We will "break" the fast together on Sunday, January 19th with holy communion.
What type of fasts are there?
We have listed 8 different types of fasting below:
Food Related Fasts
In the Bible we find various kinds of fasts and lengths of fasts. You can fast one type of food or all food, or some combination of foods.
Specific Food Fast
In this type of fast you omit a specific item(s) from your meal plans. For example, you may choose to eliminate all red meat, processed or fast food, or sweets. Most people can incorporate this type of fast relatively easily. It can also prove to be a great solution for people with specific dietary needs or medical conditions that may cause certain limitations.
Daniel Fast
The Daniel Fast is a great model to follow and one that is extremely effective for spiritual focus, bodily discipline, and purification of the body and soul. It is probably one of the most commonly referred-to fasts. However, within the Daniel Fast there is room for broad interpretation.
In the book of Daniel we find two different times where the prophet Daniel fasted. Daniel 1 states that he only ate vegetables and water, and in Daniel 10, while the passage does not give a specific list of foods that Daniel ate, it does state that he ate no rich (or choice) foods, as well as no meat or wine.
So based on these two verses, we can see that either of these, or combinations of the two, constitute a Daniel fast.
Again, it is important to mention that there is nothing inherently spiritual about one type of fast as opposed to another. The foundation of the Daniel fast is fruits and vegetables. Some starchy vegetables and dairy could be included, but that depends on the individual. Your goal should be to seek God in prayer about this and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do. Just remember...find your personal Fast Zone.
Juice/Liquid Fast
A juice fast is simply consuming vegetable and fruit juices and water instead of solid food. Many people include whey protein in their liquid plan as well. This is one of the most popular and effective fasts. Even if you choose not to make your entire fast liquids-only, substituting one or two meals for liquids is a great alternative.
Water Fast
A water-only fast is the normal fast referred to in the Bible. This is how Jesus and the New Testament church fasted. A water fast is just that—no eating of any food or drinking of any liquids except water. Periodic water fasts can be very beneficial, but extreme precautions should be taken. For some people it is hard to perform effectively at their jobs and have energy for their families while drinking only water.
We recommend consulting your physician first, and water fasting only for a day or two unless you can get away or your job allows you to really disconnect so you can give your best energy to the fast. Remember, when Jesus went on His forty-day fast, He went by Himself out into the wilderness.
Having said all that, there are some people who can water fast and work, and they function fine without much fatigue and are able to work well. You are blessed if you are one of these people!
Total Fast
A total fast is where nothing—neither liquid, solid food, nor water—is consumed for a very short period of time. There are examples of this type of fast in the Bible. It was an Old Covenant type of fast associated with mourning, or deep grief, such as when David engaged in a total fast for a week, hoping that God would spare the child he had with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12).
Under the New Covenant, we do not fast to mourn or to seek forgiveness. God has already forgiven us, and we are commanded to celebrate Jesus because He is alive. Plus, complete abstinence of food and water can be very dangerous to our health. Attempting to go without water for any period of time can be extremely harmful to the body. We strongly discourage the total fast.
Non-Food Related Fasts
While fasting typically refers to refraining from specific food items, you may find that fasting a regular activity or habit works better where you are right now. Non-food fasts can also be good for those who are on very strict diets due to medical conditions and are unable to fast any kind of food or liquid.
Prayer and fasting are not just about connecting to God but also about disconnecting from the world. Try to tune out some of the regular distractions from your day as much as possible. Replace that time with things that will nourish you spiritually.
Media or Entertainment Fast
A Media or Entertainment Fast is a specific kind of non-food fast that involves abstaining from any kind of media or social media. This might include abstaining from Facebook, internet, TV, video games, and/or related media except for those required to carry out your job-related duties.
Any one of these items or all of these items could be chosen to fast. Again, the decision is between you and the Holy Spirit and the goal of fasting is not just to do without food. The goal is to draw nearer to God.
Food Related Fasts
In the Bible we find various kinds of fasts and lengths of fasts. You can fast one type of food or all food, or some combination of foods.
Specific Food Fast
In this type of fast you omit a specific item(s) from your meal plans. For example, you may choose to eliminate all red meat, processed or fast food, or sweets. Most people can incorporate this type of fast relatively easily. It can also prove to be a great solution for people with specific dietary needs or medical conditions that may cause certain limitations.
Daniel Fast
The Daniel Fast is a great model to follow and one that is extremely effective for spiritual focus, bodily discipline, and purification of the body and soul. It is probably one of the most commonly referred-to fasts. However, within the Daniel Fast there is room for broad interpretation.
In the book of Daniel we find two different times where the prophet Daniel fasted. Daniel 1 states that he only ate vegetables and water, and in Daniel 10, while the passage does not give a specific list of foods that Daniel ate, it does state that he ate no rich (or choice) foods, as well as no meat or wine.
So based on these two verses, we can see that either of these, or combinations of the two, constitute a Daniel fast.
Again, it is important to mention that there is nothing inherently spiritual about one type of fast as opposed to another. The foundation of the Daniel fast is fruits and vegetables. Some starchy vegetables and dairy could be included, but that depends on the individual. Your goal should be to seek God in prayer about this and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do. Just remember...find your personal Fast Zone.
Juice/Liquid Fast
A juice fast is simply consuming vegetable and fruit juices and water instead of solid food. Many people include whey protein in their liquid plan as well. This is one of the most popular and effective fasts. Even if you choose not to make your entire fast liquids-only, substituting one or two meals for liquids is a great alternative.
Water Fast
A water-only fast is the normal fast referred to in the Bible. This is how Jesus and the New Testament church fasted. A water fast is just that—no eating of any food or drinking of any liquids except water. Periodic water fasts can be very beneficial, but extreme precautions should be taken. For some people it is hard to perform effectively at their jobs and have energy for their families while drinking only water.
We recommend consulting your physician first, and water fasting only for a day or two unless you can get away or your job allows you to really disconnect so you can give your best energy to the fast. Remember, when Jesus went on His forty-day fast, He went by Himself out into the wilderness.
Having said all that, there are some people who can water fast and work, and they function fine without much fatigue and are able to work well. You are blessed if you are one of these people!
Total Fast
A total fast is where nothing—neither liquid, solid food, nor water—is consumed for a very short period of time. There are examples of this type of fast in the Bible. It was an Old Covenant type of fast associated with mourning, or deep grief, such as when David engaged in a total fast for a week, hoping that God would spare the child he had with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12).
Under the New Covenant, we do not fast to mourn or to seek forgiveness. God has already forgiven us, and we are commanded to celebrate Jesus because He is alive. Plus, complete abstinence of food and water can be very dangerous to our health. Attempting to go without water for any period of time can be extremely harmful to the body. We strongly discourage the total fast.
Non-Food Related Fasts
While fasting typically refers to refraining from specific food items, you may find that fasting a regular activity or habit works better where you are right now. Non-food fasts can also be good for those who are on very strict diets due to medical conditions and are unable to fast any kind of food or liquid.
Prayer and fasting are not just about connecting to God but also about disconnecting from the world. Try to tune out some of the regular distractions from your day as much as possible. Replace that time with things that will nourish you spiritually.
Media or Entertainment Fast
A Media or Entertainment Fast is a specific kind of non-food fast that involves abstaining from any kind of media or social media. This might include abstaining from Facebook, internet, TV, video games, and/or related media except for those required to carry out your job-related duties.
Any one of these items or all of these items could be chosen to fast. Again, the decision is between you and the Holy Spirit and the goal of fasting is not just to do without food. The goal is to draw nearer to God.
Last Thought...
Don't allow guilt or obligation lead you to which fast to do. Prayerfully consider which one is best for you. Again, the decision is between you and the Holy Spirit and the goal of fasting is not just to do without food. The goal is to draw nearer to God.