40 Days of Prayer & Fasting
“Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.”
Joel 1:14
Together, we seek God’s best and listen for His direction for our future. Commit to pray daily for 40 days, and fast as God guides.
MESSAGES IN THIS SERIES
FASTING INSIGHTS
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To draw closer to God through prayer, to seek God’s best
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Fasting is biblical, and Jesus fasted
Fasting is “assumed” as a spiritual practice for believers (Matthew 6:17-18, Acts 9:9, Acts 13:1-3, Acts 14:23)
Fasting honors God and facilitates & strengthens prayer
Fasting is used to seek relationship and direction in important or even desperate circumstances
Fasting humbles us (1 Kings 21:27-29), helps us submit, helps us listen to God, shows our dependency on God
Fasting helps facilitate prayer breakthroughs (Ezra 8:23), soul-searching, expressing love for God (Luke 2:37), sorrow or mourning (1 Samuel 31:13, Nehemiah 1:1-4), seeking God’s wisdom or direction (Judges 20:26, acts 14:23), preparing for a season of ministry (Nehemiah 1:3-4, Matthew 4:1-17), confession & repentance (Jonah 3:10), deliverance (2 Chronicles 20:3-4, Ezra 8:21-23), resisting temptation (Matthew 4:1-11), seeking needed change, and deep intercession for others (Isaiah 58:3-7)
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Not a way to gain God’s favor (we already have it)
Not about calling attention to ourselves, not a “competition” (it’s about God, not us)
Not a punishment or penance payment (no need, Jesus paid it all)
Not a diet, or something that should endanger our health
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Item descrThankful Attitude: Seeking & Glorifying God: Core motive must be to glorify God (Matt 6:16-18, Luke 2:37, Acts 13:2, Zech 7:5
Humble Posture: Fasting help us submit, gets our attention, can reveal things that have a hold on us or control us: Psalm 69:10, 1 Cor 6:12 (Paul: “I will not be enslaved by anything”) 1 Cor 9:27 Paul: “…subdue my body”, Psalm 35:13 (David: “I afflicted myself with fasting”)
Intentional: Seeking God, listening to God’s word, using daily reminders, getting encouragement from other believers
Free: Fasting is an ancient spiritual exercise to seek God, not a legalistic requirementiption
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Item Seek a clear purpose behind your fast: Connection to God, Direction, Decision, etc.
Commit up front to what you are fasting from (i.e. food, or types of food), when (i.e. one day a week), and duration of season (i.e.40 days)
Keep primary focus on connecting with God through prayer (not on the fasting itself)
Fasting most commonly involves food, but can include self-deprivations of things that please, distract, or create dependencies, such as sugar, alcohol, forms of entertainment, phones & screens, social media, etc.
Stay hydrated (if fasting food)
Utilize fasting to get in touch with your brokenness and deep need for God.
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Item descriptionNo need to advertise that you are fasting (Matthew 6:16)
Don’t see fasting as a way of raising your “spiritual status”
Don’t forget to ask for God’s guidance in your fasting plans