We are fasting to hear more clearly from God about what He is saying to us for this coming year and season. We are wanting spiritual renewal, guidance, healing for our homes, our families, our beloved nation. We are wanting wisdom for the days ahead and direction for the part that we have.  Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify His leading and objectives for your prayer fast. This will enable you to pray more specifically and strategically.

Through fasting and prayer, we humble ourselves before God so the Holy Spirit will stir our souls, awaken our churches, and heal our land, according to 2 Chronicles 7:14. Make this a priority in your fasting.

We have elected to do a church-wide Daniel fast. This begins during the evening of Sunday, January 8th, and ends on the evening of Saturday January 28th.  

Before you fast, decide the following up front:

1. The type of fast God wants you to undertake (such as the Daniel Fast, fasting certain activities/items, water only, or water and juices.) We recommend and are electing to do the Daniel Fast as a whole, but if that is unsafe for you, we encourage you to find a method that will work for you. 

2. What physical or social activities you will restrict

3. How much time each day you will devote to prayer and God’s Word

Making these commitments ahead of time will help you sustain your fast when physical temptations and life’s pressures tempt you to abandon it.

The very foundation of fasting and prayer is repentance. Unconfessed sin will hinder your prayers. Here are several things you can do to prepare your heart:
 

- Ask God to help you make a comprehensive list of your sins.

- Confess every sin that the Holy Spirit calls to your remembrance and accept God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

- Seek forgiveness from all whom you have offended, and forgive all who have hurt you (Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4; 17:3,4).

- Make restitution as the Holy Spirit leads you.

- Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit according to His command in Ephesians 5:18 and His promise in 1 John 5:14-15.

- Surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Master; refuse to obey your worldly nature (Romans 12:1,2).

- Meditate on the attributes of God, His love, sovereignty, power, wisdom, faithfulness, grace, compassion, and other attributes (Psalm 48:9,10; 103:1-8, 11-13).

- Begin your time of fasting and prayer with an expectant heart (Hebrews 11:6).

- Do not underestimate spiritual opposition. Satan sometimes intensifies the natural battle between body and spirit (Galatians 5:16,17).

Fasting requires reasonable precautions. Consult your physician first, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic ailment. 
***Some persons should never fast without professional supervision.

While You Fast

Your time of fasting and prayer has come. You are abstaining from all solid foods and have begun to seek the Lord. Here are some helpful suggestions to consider:
 

- Avoid drugs, even natural herbal drugs and homeopathic remedies. Medication should be withdrawn only with your physician’s supervision.
- Limit your activity.
- Exercise only moderately. Walk one to three miles each day if convenient and comfortable.
- Rest as much as your schedule will permit.
- Prepare yourself for temporary mental discomforts, such as impatience, crankiness, and anxiety.
- Expect some physical discomforts, especially on the second day. You may have fleeting hunger pains, dizziness, or the “blahs.” Withdrawal from caffeine and sugar may cause headaches. Physical annoyances may also include weakness, tiredness, or sleeplessness.

The first few days are usually the hardest. As you continue to fast, you will likely experience a sense of well-being, both physically and spiritually. Should you feel hunger pains, consider increasing your liquid intake.

For maximum spiritual benefit, set aside ample time to be alone with the Lord. Listen for His leading. The more time you spend with Him, the more meaningful your fast will be.

Begin eating gradually. Do not eat solid foods immediately after your fast. Suddenly reintroducing solid food to your stomach and digestive tract could have negative consequences. Try several smaller meals or snacks. If you end your fast gradually, the beneficial physical and spiritual effects will result in continued good health.

Here are some suggestions to help you end your fast properly:

- Break an extended water fast with fruit such as watermelon.
- Gradually return to regular eating with several small snacks during the first day or so. Start with a little soup and fresh fruit, such as watermelon and cantaloupe. Advance to small amounts of solid foods such as raw fruits and vegetables or a raw salad and baked potato.

If you sincerely humble yourself before the Lord, repent, pray, and seek God’s face; if you consistently meditate on His Word, you will experience a heightened awareness of His presence (John 14:21). The Lord will give you fresh, new spiritual insights. Your confidence and faith in God will be strengthened. You will feel mentally, spiritually, and physically refreshed. You will see answers to your prayers.

A single fast, however, is not a spiritual cure-all. Just as we need fresh infillings of the Holy Spirit daily, we also need new times of fasting before God. A 24-hour fast each week has been greatly rewarding to many Christians.

It takes time to build your spiritual fasting muscles. If you fail to make it through your first fast, do not be discouraged. You may have tried to fast too long the first time out, or your may need to strengthen your understanding and resolve. As soon as possible, undertake another fast until you do succeed. God will honor you for your faithfulness.

We encourage you to join us in fasting and prayer, making it a normal part of our lives, until we truly experience revival in our homes, our churches, our beloved nation, and throughout the world.