Fasting to Begin the Year

My church and I are in the second day of a 21-day period of fasting and prayer. Since 1995 we have engaged in an all-church season of prayer and fasting each year. For years our pattern was to fast during the days leading up to Easter. Over the last four years we have called a season of fasting at the beginning of the year and discovered that it is an amazing way to begin the year and consecrate the remaining twelve months to God.

 

My experience has been that most personal breakthroughs and church changes have been on the heals of fasting, prayer and seeking God intensely.

Fasting has been defined as the voluntary abstinence from food and/ or drink for a designated period of time for the purpose of seeking God more intently concerning specific matters.

Abstaining from food creates a physical hunger that is a constant reminder during your fast of your spiritual hunger and prayer pursuits before God.

Church Father Augustine (354-430 A.D) said; "Fasting cleanses the soul, raises the mind, subjects one’s flesh to the spirit, renders the heart contrite and humble, scatters the clouds of concupiscence, quenches the fire of lust, and kindles the true light of chastity."

Fasting is a discipline that God uses to prepare us for our next season.

·       Moses fasted for forty days in preparation for receiving the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28).

·       Daniel fasted for three weeks before receiving his vision (Daniel 10:2-6).

·       Elijah fasted forty days before receiving fresh direction from God (1 Kings 19:8).

·       The Church fasted in preparation to launch into a new season of planting other churches (Acts 13:2,3).

·       Jesus fasted for forty days in preparation for His temptation and beginning of his public ministry (Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13).

Fasting at the beginning of the year becomes a type of “First Fruits” offering of our year to God.

 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).

As a congregation we have committed pursue "first fruits" living. Here are some practical ways we try to do this.

Give God the first minutes of each day (devotions-Bible reading and prayer)

Give God the first day of the week (Sunday Worship)

Give God the first of our income (tithes and offering)

Give God the first priority of your heart (Make God first in every decision)

Give God the first days of the New Year (fasting and prayer for 21 days)

In Matthew 6, Jesus said …when you give (v. 2)…when you pray (v. 5)…when you fast (v. 16). There seems to be an expectation that those habits will be part of every believer’s life.

I encourage you to consider taking some time during the month of January to offer the “first fruit” of your year to God through a season of prayer and fasting.

Andrew Murray described fasting as “reaching out after the unseen…”

“Fasting is reaching out after the unseen: fasting is letting go of all that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepen, confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.”  

  

For more resources on Fasting go to http://www.facebook.com/NewLifeChicagoFast