Almost There!

-Marcie Gribbin

Well here we are, one day before the official start of the Breakthrough fast.  Today my prayers are with everyone participating, that our hearts will be open to what God is teaching us during this time. I also pray that we will keep our minds and hearts on Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. I know without Him, I am nothing, and all my strivings for anything good are in vain. I pray that we remember that God’s grace (not our willpower) is sufficient for us in all other areas of our lives, so especially, as we strive to fast and pray and seek breakthrough in our lives, His grace is sufficient in our weaknesses.

If you have not had chance to pick up a Breakthrough booklet, take heart, the devotionals from the booklet will be posted each morning on this blog, starting tomorrow. Encouraging posts from the Breakthrough team will also continue throughout the week. A Breakthrough prayer list, including prayer requests made by our church family, are available through the church office.

We encourage you not to overeat today, even if the temptation may be to do so.  And, if possible, it might be best if we, today, finish purchasing food for the “Daniel fast” days, which will be days 4-7 (if you are following the Breakthrough fast schedule). 

As a reminder, if you are interested in following the suggested Breakthrough fast, Day 1 will be (starting Thursday, March 1 at 6:00 PM) a “true” water only fast. Days 2-3 (Friday, March 2 at 6:00 PM to Sunday, March 3 at 5:59 PM), water and juice only. Days 4-7 (Sunday, March 3, at 6:00 PM to Thursday, March 8^th at 6:00 PM), will be a type of “Daniel fast,” which includes water, vegetables, and fruit.

Of course, if you are medically unable to follow this fasting schedule, please contact your physician to find out what you may be able to participate in, if anything. If you are taking medications that require you to eat with the meds, please eat with your meds! If you cannot follow the fast due to medical concerns, we welcome you to fast from other things such as media, etc…, and we encourage you to pray with us and for us!

If you have any questions or concerns, please leave a comment below or contact the church office.

Blessings!

^“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” (Ephesians 1:15-17, NIV).

Welcome to Breakthrough!

We are so excited to be embarking on this journey of fasting and prayer together! Breakthrough, which is what we are calling our dedicated time of fasting and prayer as a church body, will begin Thursday, March 1, 2012, and end Thursday, March 8, 2012. We hope this blog will be a helpful aid in this journey!

What is fasting and why should we fast?

Fasting, which should always be done hand-in-hand with dedicated times of prayer, is an act of obedience, a spiritual discipline, a sacrifice to God, and a humble act of worship. Typically, fasting means abstaining from food.

There are many Scriptural examples of fasting. Moses fasted and received a covenant-- The Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28). He fasted again when he cried for mercy for his people (Deuteronomy 9:13-20). David fasted for repentance and for prayer for the welfare of his child (II Samuel 12). Nehemiah fasted and prayed for the safety of his people in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1). Daniel fasted in confession for himself and his people (Daniel 9). The church in Antioch fasted and prayed for Paul and Barnabas as they were sent off to preach the Gospel (Acts 13). Paul and Barnabas fasted and prayed as they appointed elders for various churches (Acts 14). And of course, Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness (Matthew 4). We cannot begin to imagine the prayers of love, mercy, grief, and blessing our Savior prayed as He fasted there.

In all of these instances, fasting and prayer were done in communication with the Lord. And in all of these instances--and more--a breakthrough was sought, and the Lord answered.

We are emphasizing the word "breakthrough" because, through this concentrated time of fasting and prayer, we seek breakthrough--or direction from the Lord--for our church family, our individual families, our community, and ourselves. We long to see spiritual growth in our church and surrender to God. We long for the Holy Spirit to reveal our spiritual condition. And we long for repentance and transformation.


Who should not fast?

Everyone, of course can set aside this time in dedicated prayer. However, if you have a medical condition in which fasting could interfere with your physical health, we recommend consulting your physician, and possibly refraining from fasting if necessary.

How to prepare for a fast: Spiritually and Physically:

Spiritually, we should prepare for the fast by being in prayer and studying the Word of God. We should come into this time humbly, seeking no accolades or acknowledgement. We should enter this time simply for communication with the Lord.

Physically, we can prepare for the fast by eating a healthy diet of vegetables and protein in the days preceding the fast, and limiting sugar, white flour, white rice, starchy foods, and other forms of simple carbohydrates which our bodies burn up quickly for fuel.

Types of fasting:

We are encouraging a graduated fast, beginning with a "water only" day, followed by two days of water and juice only, and ending with a "water, vegetable, and fruit only" fast. However, other fasting options are available and may be more suitable to your needs. For example, fasting can be done for one meal only, or you could choose to follow the days 4-7 fast the entire week.

Keep checking in daily for encouragement and tips!!

God bless!