Saturday, January 12, 2013

21 Days of Prayer and Fasting



Tomorrow kicks of a very important and transforming season at my church.  This season, we will participate in a corporate fast called Awakening.  The great thing about this, well, one of the great things is that individually, we choose what our fast is going to look like.  Corporately, we come together as a congregation to pray and worship.  The most common fast is called a Daniel Fast, which is basically a vegan diet.  It consists of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and beans.  There are many variations with juice/water only days mixed in.  The main idea is to give up the type of food that you cling to for emotional reasons and your favorite things.  In this way, you must lean on God and focus on Him.  We feed our spirits instead of our flesh by reading and studying the bible instead of finding solace in a candy bar or french fries.  My favorite things are; chocolate, french fries, bacon, chicken, and macaroni and cheese.



Pastor Stovall Weems has put together this ^ incredible book to help us during the fast.  My first time fasting was in 2008 and it was amazing!  The purpose of fasting and prayer is to put aside the things in the world that take time away from our time with God.  We purposefully focus all of our energy on getting closer to God by disconnecting from the world in whatever way we need to.  Some people give up facebook, video games, tv, etc.  It's how I quit smoking a few years ago.  We have the option to fast one day a week, up to every day for 3 weeks.  My husband and I usually do all 3 weeks, and we will do that again this time!  Our children also fast, not so much from food as from tv, video games, candy, desserts, etc.  Celebration Church puts together a calendar for the kids so they can experience the fast with their parents.

One of the awesome events during the fast is The Revival!  So many influential pastors will be speaking this year with great worship and fellowship should make this 5-day event phenomenal!

  "In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled."  Daniel 10:2-3 NKJV

 “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words."  Daniel 10:12 NKJV