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Real People Doing Life Together...
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Gateway Church 21 Day FastFor Spiritual Breakthrough - Jan 8-29Fasting is one of the most powerful weapons God has ever given us for our daily lives. We all go through times when we feel like we are not living up to our full potential. Sometimes we lose our energy and our spiritual sharpness. Going through our daily routines in our own strength wears us down. Little by little, we lose our closeness to God. Without that closeness, we become ineffective for the purposes He has for us. Fasting can help you get back your passion! It can recharge you! Although fasting lasts for a short season, it brings long-term results, which sharpens us, enabling us to face the challenges of life in His strength. Through fasting, you can experience spiritual renewal and direction for your life . . . restoration of relationship . . . healing . . . release from bondages . . . and so much more! Fasting can help you Recover Your Passion, Recapture Your Dream and Restore Your Joy! Fasting is a principle that God intended for everyone to practice. It is not a punishment; it is a privilege! The Basics of Fasting: Simply stated, Biblical fasting is refraining from food for a spiritual purpose. According to the Bible, there are three duties of every Christian: give, pray and fast. Biblical fasting takes a lot of discipline and strength —strength which you can only receive from God. Your private discipline will bring you rewards in Heaven according to Matthew 6:33. When you give God your first through fasting, prayer and giving at the beginning of the year, you set the course for the entire year. Why should I fast?
We want to encourage you to target your prayers during the fast. Two specific areas we will be focusing on together are leadership and finances. The Bible instructs us to continually pray for our leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-2). When we lift up our leaders, here in the United States and around the world, we can expect God's peace in our lives and in our nation. Another great promise, from the book of Isaiah, proclaims that the chosen fast will "undo the heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free." We are living in tough economic times and we know that so many people are under a financial burden. As we come together to fast and pray, we believe that your burdens will be lifted and that financial blessings will be released into your life!
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We encourage you to seek the Lord in prayer and let your decisions about your biblical fasting come from Him. Ask the Lord to show you areas to target during your time of fasting and prayer. We believe that, as we pray and seek God and give Him our best at the first of the year, He will bless our ENTIRE year (Matthew 6:33)! Tips for Fasting How to Begin: Start with a clear goal. Be specific. Why are you fasting? Do you need direction, healing, restoration of marriage or family issues? Are you facing financial difficulties? Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. Pray daily and read the Bible Preparing Spiritually: Confess your sins to God. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of weakness. Forgive all who have offended you and ask forgiveness from those you may have offended ( Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4; 17:3-4 ). Surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ and reject the worldly desires that try to hinder you ( Romans 12:1-2). Deciding What to Fast: The type of fasting you choose is up to you. You could go on a full fast in which you only drink liquids, or you may desire to fast like Daniel, who abstained from sweets and meats, and the only liquid he drank was water. Remember to replace that time with prayer and Bible study. Deciding How Long: You may fast as long as you like. Most can easily fast from one to three days, but you may feel the grace to go longer, even as much as 21 to 40 days. Use wisdom and pray for guidance. Beginners are advised to start slow. What to Expect: When you fast your body detoxifies, eliminating toxins from your system. This can cause mild discomfort such as headaches and irritability during withdrawal from caffeine and sugars. And naturally, you will have hunger pains. Limit your activity and exercise moderately. Take time to rest. Fasting brings about miraculous results. You are following Jesus' example when you fast. Spend time listening to praise and worship. Pray as often as you can throughout the day. Get away from the normal distractions as much as possible and keep your heart and mind set on seeking God's face. How to End: Don't overeat when the time comes to end your fast. Begin eating solid food gradually; eat small portions or snacks. There are several types of fasting. The one you choose is between you and God. He will honor your best sacrifice.
Remember that it is the attitude of a heart sincerely seeking Him to which God responds with a blessing (Isaiah 58 , Jeremiah 14:12, 1 Corinthians 8:8 ). May God greatly bless you as you fast! Let’s plan to celebrate January 29, 2012 on Sunday evening with a Break-Fast soup/salad potluck followed by a night of worship and celebration (5:00 – 6:30 p.m.).
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