21 days of fasting and prayer.

Fasting is a removal of something in the physical to make room for something in the spiritual. 

As a church we take 21 days in the month of January to pray for things collectively and personally. We will be starting January 7th and concluding on January 28th.

On Sunday, the 28th, we will end our fast with a worship night @ 6:00pm.

Fasting brings us closer to the heart of God. It hits the reset button on our souls and renews us from the inside out. When we take a break from something important—like food or technology—space opens up for God to move and us to notice.

This type of fast involves removing certain elements from your diet. One example of a selective fast is the Daniel Fast, during which you remove meat, sweets, and bread from your diet and consume water and juice for fluids and fruits and vegetables for food.

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

In this type of fast, you drink liquids—typically water—with light juices as an option.

This fast is a great option if you do not have much experience fasting food, have health issues that prevent you from fasting, or if you wish to refocus certain areas of your life that are out of balance. For example, you might choose to stop using social media or watching television for the duration of the fast and then carefully bring that element back into your life in healthy doses at the conclusion of the fast.

God asked Solomon what he wanted (which is a crazy thing for God to ask). And Solomon answered that he wanted wisdom to fulfill the purpose God had given him. Maybe this coming year you need wisdom to navigate the complexities of your life/wisdom to make good choices/wisdom to accomplish hard things.

1 Kings 3:3-9

David was hyper aware of his own propensity to do things that God didn’t want him doing. He knew how easily he could run to sin. So, he prays this prayer asking God to help him avoid sin and live a life pleasing to God. Maybe this coming year you need to reclaim a closeness to God…or maybe you want to draw closer to Him than you ever have before.

Psalm 19:13-14

When Elijah was nearing the end of his life he asked his successor, Elisha, what he could do for him. Elisha asked for a “double-portion” of Elijah’s spirit. This is a huge ask. Elijah was the most powerful prophet to ever live. But Elisha boldly asked for a double portion of that power. Maybe this coming year you need God’s spirit to move mightily through you.

2 Kings 2:9

King Jehoshaphat and the people of Israel were surrounded by enemy armies. The attack came faster and more powerfully than they ever expected. Jehoshaphat goes to God and lays out the situation—admitting that he does not know what to do. He turns to God for guidance and provision. Maybe this year…you don’t know what to do and you need God to show up and show you the way.

2 Chronicles 20:6-12

The name Jabez means “born in pain”. So, we can assume Jabez had a rough beginning to his life. He prays a prayer asking God to expand his territory and keep him from pain…and God said yes. The request is simple and the answer is simple. So simple it’s almost shocking. Maybe this year you desire an area of your life to expand, or for an area of pain to stop.

1 Chronicles 4:10

Shortly after Jesus ascends to heaven Peter and John are arrested for sharing the Gospel. They are told to stop. Their response is to pray…for boldness. Not for protection. Not to stay out of jail. Not for political power against their enemies. Boldness. Boldness to do the thing that God had called them to do no matter the cost. Maybe this year you need to pursue what God is calling you to despite resistance, pain, or consequences.

Acts 4:29

Jesus told a parable of a Pharisee and a tax collector praying. The pharisee prayed telling God how good he was. The tax collector simply prayed “be merciful to me, a sinner”. Jesus held up the tax collector as the example for us to follow—to know we are sinners in need of God’s mercy. THAT is the right disposition before God. Maybe this coming year you are very aware of the distance between you and God…and you NEED His mercy.

Luke 18:13

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