THEME: “Impacting This Generation Through Obedience, Prayer & The Word of God”   

Scripture References:  II Chronicles 7: 12-14   &    Ezra  8:21-23

II.  THE 2012 TEN DAY DANIEL FAST: January  3-12 (Tuesday-Thursday)

What is fasting? 

It is an act of self-denial.  When we fast, we give up eating and drinking certain foods and liquids, going certain places, and doing things that we might normally do for pleasure.   Fasting can last for various lengths of time, depending on your needs and goals.    One form of fasting consists of total abstinence from food and drinks.  Some people do a “bread and water” fast; during which they only eat and drink bread and water.  The Daniel Fast consists essentially of a vegetarian diet and water. 

What is a Daniel Fast?

The “Daniel Fast” is a practice that is based on the life Daniel, the Old Testament Prophet.  In Daniel 1:8-14, we are told of how Daniel and his fellow Jews fasted by abstaining from eating the King’s food.    “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you." Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.”

Daniel was one among thousands of Jews who had been taken captive by the Babylonians, under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar, the wicked King.  Daniel and his friends were very brilliant, well-mannered, and very devout in their devotion to God.   They were selected by the King’s assistants to be servants in the King’s palace and to perform other duties for the King.  This would normally require them to eat the food that was served from the King’s dining room.  The meat, along with the other food items that were prepared for such meals, was “dedicated” to the Babylonian gods.  Jews who followed the teachings of Moses were forbidden to eat such foods.  Being a devout Jew, Daniel resolved that he would refuse the King’s food and asked for a diet that consisted of fruit, vegetables and water.   Permission was granted and the Hebrew Boys fasted for ten days, eating fruits and vegetables and drinking water.   At the end of the ten days of fasting, the Hebrew Boys were stronger and more fit than the other servants. 

From Daniel, then, we learn this particular method of fasting that consists of eating fruits and vegetables and drinking water.  It is a voluntary fast that Christians follow as an act of spiritual discipline.

Why are we fasting?  

The purpose of fasting is to exercise discipline and control of our flesh (body) and our soul (mind, emotions, behavior). As you deny you body and soul the things that they need and crave, a true fast also demands that you feed and strengthen your spirit.  This is done as we pray, study, and meditate on the Word of God.  There are some things that God will only release into your life as you spend time in communion with Him.  When fasting is combined with prayer, your spirit communes with God and he speaks to you.  Moreover, we are fasting this year in order to seek God’s face about His will for our church in 2012.  We do not want our calendar filled with meaningless dates and are time spent on “church busy work.”  We want His had upon us and we want to move intentionally into the year with His blessings.  So we will be praying for these things over the next ten days. 

What are Some Key Biblical References on Fasting?  

• II Samuel 12: 1-20   
• II Chronicles 20: 1-30   
• Ezra 8  
• Nehemiah 9  
• Esther 4  
• 1Kings 21:9   
• Nehemiah 9:1   
• Esther 4:3 & 9:3 Psalms 35:13
• Psalms 109:24 
• Isaiah 58:4   
• Jeremiah 36:9   
• Daniel 9  
• Joel 2:12              
• Matthew 4:2     
• Mark 2:18           
• Mark 9:29           
• Luke 2:37            
• Acts 13:2  & 14:23                      

How Might I Join in With Other Universal Members in  Prayer & Study During the Fast?

• Call and join Pastor Johnson & the Intercessors @ 6:00 a.m. M-F: 213.416.6650   Code: 42016.
• Join others who will come to the church each night during the consecration for One Hour of Prayer  @ 7 p.
• Attend Prayer & Bible Study on Thursday.
• Be in Sunday School at 8:45 am.
• Follow Pastor’s Daily Blog @ www.universaloutreach.org and on the Universal Outreach Facebook page.

 How To Pray During the Daniel Fast.

Be Very Specific About What Your Are Praying For.  During our fast, we will be reflecting on specific Scriptures and we will also be focusing on specific needs that the church has.  You should add these to your prayer concerns.

Pray Specifically for the Following Needs as you Read the Scriptures that are Noted.

• Days One & Two:  Tuesday-Wednesday-- II Samuel 12: 1-20 & I Corinthians 12: 8-12;   David seeks healing for his son and Paul taught the church about spiritual gifts.   Pray for God to impart supernatural gifts in our church that       will manifest in our worship.   Your Prayer needs: ____________________________________________________________________________________
• Days Three-Fiver: Thursday-Saturday—II Chronicles 20: 1-30:  Jehoshaphat seeks an answer from God. Pray that God will answer our personal and corporate prayer requests.  Pray specifically that He will direct our ministries into the center of His will for our lives. ____________________________________________________________________________________
• Days  Six-Seven:  Sunday-Monday--  Ezra 8: Seeking God’s Protection & Supernatural Provisions.  We are tasked with doing God’s work, yet we need His protection & provisions to get His work done.  Pray that the year 2012 will be one of safety for our ministries and that God will touch the hearts of person who will give to the Ministry. ____________________________________________________________________________________
• Days  Eight-Nine  Tuesday-Wednesday —Nehemiah 9:  A time of Confession.  Confess your shortcomings and sins.  Pray for the shortcomings and sins of our members and for God’s forgiveness. _________________________________________________________________________

Day Ten:  Thursday:   Genes 12:1-6; Esther 4, Numbers 6:24-26:  Esther seeks God’s favor.   Pray for God’s hand  to work in our ministry and for the favor of God upon all of our efforts.

What Should I Eat and Drink During the Fast? 

What to eat...

• Whole Grains: Brown Rice, Oats, Barley
• Legumes: Dried Beans, Pinto Beans, Split
• Peas, Lentils, Black Eyed Peas
• Fruits: Apples, Apricots, Bananas,  Blackberries, Blueberries, Boysenberries,  Cantaloupe, Cherries, Cranberries, Oats, Figs, Grapefruit, Grapes, Guava, Honeydew Melon, Kiwi, Lemons, Limes,
• Mangoes, Nectarines, Papayas, Peaches, Pears, Pineapples, Plums, Prunes, Raisins, Raspberries, Strawberries,
• Tangelos, Tangerines, Watermelon
• Vegetables: Artichokes, Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chili Peppers, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Garlic, Gingerroot, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce,  Mushrooms, Mustard Greens, Okra,
• Onions, Parsley, Potatoes, Radishes, Rutabagas, Scallions, Spinach, Sprouts, Squashes, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes,
• Turnips, Watercress, Yams, Zucchini
• Seeds: Nuts, Sprouts
• Liquids: Spring Water, Distilled Water,   100% All-Natural Fruit Juices, 100% All Natural Vegetable Juices

What to avoid...

• Meat, because Daniel wouldn't want to take the chance of eating non-kosher meat or meat that was offered to idols.
• White Rice, Fried Foods, Caffeine Carbonated Beverages  Foods Containing Preservatives or Additives Refined Sugar Sugar Substitutes White Flour and All Products
• Using Margarine, Shortening, High Fat

Now let's be honest with one another - there is plenty of blame to go around.  Unfortunately, pointing fingers will not solve this worlds problems. It never has and it never will because as the saying goes: "every time you point your finger at someone in an effort to blame them, there are at least three other fingers pointing back at you." That's why we always need to refer to God's word for "best practices" for financial wellness and all that we may face in life. 

Please know that this most recent recession did not catch God by surprise like it did many of us.  Neither did the Great Depression of the 1930's nor the tremendous famine recorded in Genesis 47 which impacted entire countries.      

Over the course of my lifetime I've seen our Western society become more consumer driven year after year, with people never being satisfied (content) with what they have but always wanting more (greed) regardless of whether what they desire fits within the budget. That has been the case with Christians as well as non-Christians.  The result has been devastating to our nation and our world as many are now subject to their creditors in ways that they never thought possible (i.e., high interest rates, title loans, foreclosures, etc.) 

God's word speaks of this in Proverbs 22:7:

"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender's slave."  (NASB)

Whenever we do not practice self-control in our spending, live within our financial means, and operate with fiscal integrity, we end up with what we currently have - a society teetering on financial ruin - trying to maintain a very delicate balancing act with its' future. 

Over the course of the next several weeks I'll be sharing biblical principles to help us achieve financial wellness as we seek to come out of financial slavery and become a society that is not intent on living beyond our means (greed) but within them (being content) so that God can be glorified and we have the necessary resources to expand His kingdom and not our own. 

Realistically speaking, the kingdom of those who have allocated billions of advertising dollars in their budget to tempt us to spend beyond our means have been expanded tremendously.  Now, it's our turn to follow God's financial plan found in Deuteronomy 28:1-2 to not only recover but increase:

"Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.  All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God."

Know this - God has been known to use difficult times to turn His people back towards Him (note the book of Judges).  I firmly believe that this is one of those seasons.  His word is still true and He has not turned His back on us.  2 Chronicles should be a focal point not just for financial healing but also for a nation that, in many ways, has turned it's back on God - the very same God that our financial currency proclaims 'In God we Trust.'  Let's take heed to the words found in 2 Chronicles 7:14: 

"...and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 

God bless,

Pastor Garry

        Our thought for today centers on Genesis 28: 10-22.  In these verses, a couple of key ideas are being raised and we will refer to them in our messages, during Bible Study and during our daily impartation sessions.   The Genesis passage tells the story of Jacob’s life-changing dream, the dream in which he saw a vision of Heaven.   He saw the doors of heaven being opened, a ladder that extended from heaven to earth.  Angels descend from Heaven’s doors and they ascended back up to Heaven.   When he awakened from the dream, Jacob made a wonderful declaration:  “What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to Heaven!” (Gen. 28:17).

        This verse is pregnant with challenge for the Body of Christ.   The church must strive to be the kind of place where every worship service becomes a “gateway to Heaven.”  In his book, The Gate Church, Frank Damazio talks about what it means for the church to see herself as a “gate” church.  He challenges leaders and members to become intercessors and accept the call to create a climate in our churches where the very “gates” of Heaven open for all to receive of the richness of heavenly anointing, gifting, miracles, and life-altering power.  There must be the sense that the worship service has opened the very gateway of Heaven and Heaven itself must come down to visit with us.  We must see, feel, and hear, the voice and presence of God. We need the visitation of angels, and we need the miraculous to come upon us afresh.   Just as the case with Jacob, our churches must be places where people have such powerful experiences of God until their destinies are transformed.  The experience changes Jacob, the young Trickster, into Jacob the Patriarch of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.   Jacob was on the run; you see, he had tricked his father and stolen his brother’s blessing, and he had swindled his brother’s birthright at a time when his brother needed him most.  So he left home because his brother was threatening to kill him.  Ahead of him was a life of uncertainty; he was on his way to live with relatives, but it was an uncertain time in his life. He did not know this place and these people as he did his immediate family and the region where he lived.  He was rich, young, and single. There were no children to take care of and other such things.  But there was so much fear in him because of his past; there was so much uncertainty about what would happen to him in this strange land.   There were questions about how long he would stay and whether or not he would be successful in this new place.  Would he like his relatives?  Would they like him? 

        In the midst of all of this uncertainty in his life, Jacob got a word from the Lord; he had a life-changing dream.  He spent a place in a regular place that was transformed into the “house of God.”   This experience changed his life.   His vision of God’s heavenly gateway made him a new person.  It changed his name and in changing his name, it changed his destiny. 

This is the challenge to us today; will we become a “Gate” church?   Will we be the place where people can have a life-changing experience of God? Imagine the difference there would be among us if we lived with the expectation that God was going to show up in a miraculous way every time we gather together. Imagine what will happen among us as men and women who have been used to doing things their own way, of carniving, scheming, taking advantage of others, cheating, and being toxic persons.  

3.We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.                 (II Corinthians 10).

            If Paul is describing here the power of the new, transformed mind of a believer, we might ask what the condition of that mind was before Christ was received.  To begin with, it is a mind that is dominated by sin. Romans 3:23 says: "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard."  The thoughts, emotions, and behavior of sinners are bent on and dominated by things that emerge from toxic thinking.  Romans 1 provides a laundry list of the thoughts, emotions, and behavior that sinners have.   

         28. Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. 29. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. 30. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. 31. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. 32. They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. 

As you examine this list of deplorable actions, so much of what is said is based in human thought and harbored in human emotions.  Dr. Caroline Leaf’s book, Who Switched off My Brain?, subtitled: “controlling toxic thoughts and emotions,”   places the actions that are described in Romans 1 under the category of  toxic thoughts.  These are: “Thoughts that trigger negative, anxious emotions, which produce biochemicals that cause the body stress,”  (Caroline Leaf, Who Switched Off My Brain? p.19)

Toxic thoughts and emotions are natural for sinners, because they reflect the sinful nature that exists among human beings.  But the problem is that they can also dominate the lives of believers.  This is why Paul warned so strongly against the “works of the flesh” that manifest in the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors of weak Christians.  When you examine some of his descriptions of these things, you see that they are similar to what he describes as the characteristics of sinners.  Look at Galatians 5:   

19. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20. idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21. envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. 

     Again you see that the actions are very similar, and the key is that each passage describes how sinful human nature is compounded with negative thoughts, emotions, and behavior.  The problem is that too many Christians do not see the connection between their negative thoughts, emotions, and behavior and the sins that God despises.  You cannot take authority over negative thoughts and emotions if you do not understand what they are, why they need to be changed and how. 

On tomorrow we will go one step deeper into this process as we continue to talk about renewing your mind. 

 1. And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.  2. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

 The Dual-Action Activity that is entailed in fasting is manifested is in this text.  The believer is called to “give your bodies to God. . . Let them be a living and holy sacrifice. .”  Giving your bodies to God is another phrase for self-sacrifice, which is the essence of fasting, extended praying and in consecrations.  The body is “sacrificed” as you deny it the things that it craves and desires.  But this is only one part of the dynamic actions that are called for in the text.  There must also be pursuit.  This takes place as you “let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”   When the Holy Spirit changes the way that you think, He is literally transforming you into a new person.  Notice that the language here is written in the passive voice, you must “let God transform you.”   

        Until recently, I did not fully understand exactly how much scientific truth was contained in these words.   Scientific research on the human brain has emphatically proven their worth and truth.   Although some of the scientists who are doing the research are not devoutly religions, they have stumbled upon profound spiritual principles.  The work of Dr. Caroline Leaf comes to mind in this regard.   As a medical researcher, she has amassed volumes of research on how the human brain functions and the way that human being s can change their brain.  You can view her work in two critical studies:  Who Switched off My Brain? and the other entitled The Gift.   In these books, she argues that bad habits, negative thoughts, hurtful emotions, jealousy, anger, traumatic experiences and other such things can actually “Switch Off” the human brain.  These things can cause the brain to produce negative chemicals in the body and reproduce cells that can literally destroy the brain.  Feeling as if you are in a “Funk” is more dangerous than you might have thought; because if these feelings are allowed to linger, they only compound themselves.  As such, they render you more incapable of coming out of that blue place.  The book goes on to offer specific suggestions on how to “Switch your brain back on.”    Interestingly, fasting, praying, meditation, and reading the Bible are all spiritual disciplines that help to switch your brain back on.

         Dr. Daniel G. Amen, who is a medical doctor, is also doing some very powerful work on the subject of the human brain.   Two of his more fascinating books are: Change Your Brain Change Your Life, and The Brain in Love.   In the former of the two, he says the following about the studies that they have done on the brain: 

“We have looked at brains on medications, drug and alcohol abuse, supplements, prayer and meditation, gratitude, and a wide variety of psychological and biological treatments.  We have looked at the brain in love, lust, commitment, divorce, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and loss.” (p. 10, Amen)

The conclusions that he draws from these extensive studies are that it are not only possible to understand the brain, but it is also possible to change it.  Changing it, however, requires that we understand that a brain that is jacked up by negative experiences, thoughts, and feelings, will never produce a wholesome, happy person.   On the other hand, when the brain is working right, it has unlimited potential.

"When the brain works right, it helps you to be thoughtful, playful, romantic, intimate, committed, and loving with your partner.  When the brain is dysfunctional, it causes you to be impulsive, distracted, addicted, unfaithful, angry, and even hateful. Thus ruining chances for continued intimacy and love.” 

Tomorrow’s Blog will be a continuation from today, it will focus on the techniques that you can combine along with fasting and praying in order to “take authority over the negative, thoughts, experiences, feelings, and trauma that have shut your brain off. 

          In the early days of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), as with other holiness-Pentecostal, Charismatic, and evangelical denominations, having overnight, 48-hour and 72-hour shut-ins were very common.   Sometimes these “consecrations” would last even longer.  Bishop Charles Harrison Mason always began the COGIC International Convocation with a shut-in.  Many miracles took place among the saints during these times.  This should be expected because in these times, the self-denial and disciplining of the body makes the person’s will much more submissive to the will of God.  The flesh and its entire works, such as doubt, fear, hate, jealousy, lust, anger, are weakened and held in check as the body is being disciplined.  Moreover, perhaps the most important thing about the self-denial component of fasting is that it closes many of the “gateways” into your spirit.   When you refuse to eat certain things, stop engaging in activities, limit what you focus upon; you limit the ways that the Enemy can come into your spirit through your senses and emotions.   You are on guard about what you let in.  This simple action alone, though it is really a complex action, helps to significantly increase the intensity of your experience of fasting and praying.  Again, the same is true to an even greater degree with corporate fasting, praying, shut-ins, and consecration.  When large groups of people come together with this same mindset and with the same determination to guard the gateways into their spirits, an incredible level of intense spiritual power is released. 

          With the release of this level of spiritual power, the anointing takes place because of the other component of the Dual-Action Activity that happens when we fast, the “pursuit.”  In the pursuit of or chase after God, believers intensify their fasting experience with increased and extended prayer and study times.  Again, this might involve shutting-in in a church and praying for an hour every three hours for several days; or it may involve increasing your personal prayer time at home or at work.   In any case, the pursuit is made effective by the fact that there is an effort to be more intentional about reaching God through extended praying and studying.  During these times great miracles happen in churches because people are brought together and bonded by a higher experience in the Holy Spirit.  Divisions, envy, jealousy, the spirit of witchcraft, rebellion, lust, and other sins of the flesh and spirit are again brought under subjection.   During these times of corporate fasting and praying, just as with individual fasting and praying, the individual or the group is continually reminded to “keep first things first” in their walk with God.  It brings you back to the primary need that each individual and each church has to maintain intense, daily fellowship with the Lord, to be Spirit-led at all times.  When we fail to pursue this, we limit God’s ability to move us to greater levels of anointing and gifting, and we limit the flow of miracles into our lives and ministries. 

          When you read our texts for today, Acts 2:41-47 and Acts 12: 11-18, you will see the kind of great manifestation of the anointing that takes place when God’s people come together in intense pursuit of Him and in denying themselves of certain pleasures.  Be blessed! 

           On tomorrow we will examine how fasting and praying can actually change your brain and switch on your mental capacities in ways that will amaze you.

 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2. where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.

Corporate fasting and praying is what took place when Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther called all of the Jewish people together to fast and pray for the nation.  As a believer, you may have your personal fast and prayer days that you pursue for your own purposes.  In the Church of God in Christ, we have historically done corporate prayer and fasting on Tuesdays and Fridays.   Some fast until noon, some until 3 p.m., others go until 6 p.m., and then there are those who go until after their evening worship.                                                                                                                    

        While individual and corporate fasting and prayer are both designed to bring deliverance to those who are fasting, they may differ in a couple of areas.  To begin with, when an individual is fasting and praying, he/she draws primarily on his/her own spiritual strengths, knowledge, and resources.    Also, the individual fasting and prayer are focused on that person’s prayer agenda and focus; it may or may not address the corporate needs of a church, community, nation or even the entire world.   Corporate fasting and prayer, even when it is for a particular individual, always draws on the strengths, knowledge and resources of the group.   It is based literally on the biblical principle:  Deuteronomy 32:30:

How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?

When a group engages in corporate praying and fasting, everyone is called upon to sacrifice and commit to reaching the prayer objective.  In corporate praying and fasting, you bear each other’s burdens.  Corporate praying and fasting take on the responsibility of interceding for all people and nations.  2 Chronicles 7:14

14. Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

            Corporate prayer and fasting focus on getting God’s miracles, deliverance, and healing into the lives of as many people as possible.  It takes seriously its role as the “gatekeeper” of the spiritual, moral and socio-political destiny of their communities. As Jeremiah says in Ch. 29: 

7. And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” As you continue to grow spiritually and participate in a ministry, you should become a part of the corporate prayer ministry of your church.

Find out what the vision of the church is, pray that God will supply all of the necessary provisions to support this vision.  If your church does not offer any suggestions on some of the pressing prayer  needs for your community and the broader society, work with them to develop one and ask others to join with you in corporate prayer and fasting for these needs.  Look for opportunities to join with other believers in praying for these areas of needs.  This will strengthen you and it will enrich the prayer ministry of your group. 

    What are the dangers of not being involved in any form of corporate praying and fasting?  Can you reach your full potential as a believer if you do not covenant with others in prayer and fasting?  On tomorrow we will "raise the roof" and turn up the heat in our fasting and praying.   

    These things aside, Isaiah 58 and Romans 12 should always be in central focus as you fast:    Isaiah 58:

6. “No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
   Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
      lighten the burden of those who work for you.
   Let the oppressed go free,
      and remove the chains that bind people.
7. Share your food with the hungry,
      and give shelter to the homeless.
   Give clothes to those who need them,
      and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

8. “Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
      and your wounds will quickly heal.

Here we clearly see that God wants the fast to change our character and prompt us to do seek justice for those who are depressed, oppressed, hurting and in need.   As to your need for inner-change, Romans 12 tells you the goal: 

 1. And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.  2. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

            So, in an attempt to answer the question that we started with, I would suggest that the length of your fast should be driven by your goal, the thing that you want to accomplish or experience, or what you are expecting from God.  This same principle will apply for a corporate fast or an individual fast; which will be the focus of tomorrow’s Blog.

 15. Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16. “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” 17. So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Esther needed a great miracle, yet she only fasted for 3-days.   This leads us to the question, How long should a fast last?  In the passages that we have read this past week, David fasted for 7-days, others fasted for an unspecified number of days; Esther fasted for 3-days.   Examine some of the following biblical references to the length of time that people fasted:

  1.   One night: Daniel 6:18                         

  2.   One day: I Samuel 7:6; II Samuel 1:12;                                       

  3.   Three days and three nights:  Esther 4:18;  Acts 9:9, 17-19

  4.   Seven days: I Samuel 31:13;  II Samuel 12:16-23

  5.   Fourteen days: Acts 27:33-34;                     

  6.   Twenty-one days: Daniel 10:3-13

  7.   Forty-days:  Luke 4   

  8.   Fasting During Seasons:  Many Christians fast during the entire Season of Lent,   which extends from the end of Epiphany, representing the early days of Jesus’ life and ministry, up to Easter, Resurrection Sunday. 

Did the number of days really matter in each of these cases?  Tune in tomorrow as we look at a couple of other passages and address these questions more deeply.   

The books of Ezra and Nehemiah record two parts of the same story.   They describe how the Jews returned to Jerusalem and how they rebuilt their Temple and the Walls of the City.   Ezra and his companions rebuilt the Temple; Nehemiah’s group rebuilt the Walls of the Jerusalem.   Chapter 9 of Nehemiah describes how Nehemiah led the Jewish people into a time of “national repentance and fasting.”    As such, it introduces an important element into our reflections on fasting.   Together they fasted, prayed, confessed their sins and repented before God.  Listen to these words from Nehemiah:

 1. On October 31 the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads. 2. Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors. 3. They remained standing in place for three hours  while the Book of the Law of the Lord their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God.

 Notice the specific reference to the Book of the Law, the Books of Moses.  The Law was God’s covenant with Israel; which they later rejected as they rebelled against God.   Nehemiah knew that the nation had sinned against God and needed to repent.  Without repentance, they would not succeed in the enormous task of rebuilding the Walls.  Fasting alone could not restore them.  Fasting is a great spiritual discipline, for all of the reasons that we have noted these past two weeks.  However, if repentance is needed, it must be done if individuals and groups are to experience true deliverance.   II Chronicles 7:14 comes to mind here:

14. Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

Questions to Ponder:   Does our nation need to be led into a time of national, prayer, fasting, and repentance?   How can this be done?  What role should the church play in this process?  What is the role of the politicians? 

21. And there by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled. 22. For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen  to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king, “Our God’s hand of protection is on all who worship him, but His fierce anger rages against those who abandon Him.” 23 So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and He heard our prayer.

      There are times when we must fast and pray simply because we need to hear a word of assurance from the Lord.  This was the case with Jehoshaphat, Judah’s young king.  He was faced with a grave and dangerous situation, as his nation was under attack by a very large army from the surrounding regions.  His army was greatly outnumbered and unprepared to fight.  When Jehoshaphat heard of the oncoming attack from the invaders, he was immediately driven into action.   He called for the entire nation, men, women and children, to go into a time of fasting and praying.   This fast was for one purpose “to seek the Lord,” v.3.  In seeking the Lord, he expected that God would speak to them and help them to face their enemies.  Notice, this fast and their prayers were not about repenting for personal or national sins, nor were they fasting and praying for a bigger army or more weapons.   Instead, they simply wanted to hear from God about how to handle their situation.  They prayed for God’s help, v.4.    The words of v. 12 make this point rather clearly.     “O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”  He did not tell God how to help them, but had the confidence to believe that He would. 

    Today’s Word of Empowerment:   As you fast and pray, do not become consumed with simply asking God for “things”; He knows what you need.  Let God know that you want to hear from Him, you want more of Him.  Tell God, and remind yourself that “my help comes from the Lord.”   The things that confront us have many names and causes:   armies, physicians, lawyers, depression, divorce, loneliness, crime, unemployment, fear, and so much more.  The source of your problem is irrelevant and the source of your deliverance is unquestionable:  the Lord is my “light and my salvation.”   When you get His favor, you can expect Him to answer you and come to your rescue (Matthew 6:33).  This is what happened for Jehoshaphat:  v. 15. He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. . . . v.17. . . .Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!”

    Why are we fasting? The purpose of fasting is to exercise discipline and control of our flesh (body) and our soul (mind, emotions, behavior). As you deny you body and soul the things that they need and crave, a true fast also demands that you feed and strengthen your spirit. This is done as we pray, study, and meditate on the Word of God. There are some things that God will only release into your life as you spend time in communion with Him. When fasting is combined with prayer, your spirit communes with God and he speaks to you.

This is the beginning of our year and we want to hear from God afresh and have received His blessings upon our lives.

The daily Bible readings for this week focus on examples of why people fast. As you enter this second week of your fast, focus on some specific things that you want God to do in your life daily. Keep a daily journal ofyour thoughts and experiences. This will help you to measure your progress.

Monday-- II Samuel 12: 1-20: David seeks healing for his son.

Tuesday-Wednesday—II Chronicles 20: 1-30: Jehoshaphat seeks an answer from God.

Thursday—Ezra 8: Seeking God’s protection.

Friday-Saturday—Nehemiah 9: A time of Confession.

Sunday-Esther 4: Esther seeks God’s favor.

This week's scriptures are written below for your convenience,  please leave a comment of your journey.

Monday and Tuesday: Daniel 1

Wednesday and Thursday: Daniel 2

Friday: Daniel 3

Saturday and Sunday: Daniel 5

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