WHAT IS FASTING?

Fasting is intended to prompt you to spend more time with God, realign your heart with his and realize in greater ways how dependent we are on him.

 

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?

At the beginning of each new year we take 21 days to consecrate ourselves to God through fasting and prayer.  We believe God wants to do big things in 2020 in all our lives and through our church, and fasting, combined with prayer, has a way of centering our souls on Him! Whatever fast you choose, please pray about fasting something for 21 days, and you'll be amazed at what God does in your life!

 

HOW DOES FASTING HELP?

1. To prepare for ministry. Jesus spent forty days and nights in the wilderness fasting and praying before He began God’s work on this earth. He needed time alone to prepare for what His Father had called Him to do (Matthew 4:1-17; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-14).

2. To seek God’s wisdom. Paul and Barnabas prayed and fasted for the elders of the churches before committing them to the Lord for His service (Acts 14:23).

3. To seek deliverance or protection. Ezra declared a corporate fast and prayed for a safe journey for the Israelites as they made the nine-hundred- mile trek to Jerusalem from Babylon (Ezra 8:21-23).

4. To repent. After Jonah pronounced judgment against the city of Nineveh, the king covered himself with sackcloth and sat in the dust. He then ordered the people to fast and pray. Jonah 3:10 says, “And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”

5. To gain victory. After losing forty thousand men in battle in two days, the Israelites cried out to God for help. Judges 20:26 says "Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.” The next day the Lord gave them victory over the Benjamites.

6. To worship God. Luke 2 tells the story of an eighty-four-year-old prophetess named Anna. Verse 37 says, “She... which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” Anna was devoted to God, and fasting was one expression of her love for Him.

 

WHAT ARE WAYS I CAN FAST?

1. Partial Fast. This is a fast where you can choose certain times throughout the day to fast. Maybe from sun up to sun down you only drink water. Or you skip lunch. You can even choose only certain foods to abstain from, like coffee, sugar, or soda. 

2. Full Fast. This is where you fast all foods, but water. 

3. Daniel Fast. The Daniel Fast is based on the fasting experiences of the Old Testament Prophet. It’s a partial fast where some foods are eaten while others are restricted. (for more information visit: http://daniel-fast.com/ )

4. Soul Fast. This fast is a great option if you do not have much experience fasting food, have health issues that prevent you from fasting food, or if you wish to refocus certain areas of your life that are out of balance. For example, you might choose to stop using social media or watching television for the duration of the fast and then carefully bring that element back into your life in healthy doses at the conclusion of the fast.

 

WABC DAILY PRAYER FOCUSES

DAY 1 - PRAY FOR THE YEAR AHEAD

DAY 2 - OUR CITY

DAY 3 - OUR NATION

DAY 4 - OUR WORLD & THE GLOBAL CHURCH

DAY 5 - MARRIAGES & RELATIONSHIPS

DAY 6 - GUIDANCE & WISDOM

DAY 7 - SUPERNATURAL HEALING

DAY 8 - CULTURAL & SOCIAL INFLUENCE OF THE CHURCH

DAY 9 - GOD’S PROVISION

DAY 10 - CHURCH GROWTH

DAY 11 - EVANGELISM

DAY 12 - LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

DAY 13 - YOURSELF

DAY 14 - WABC MISSIONARIES

DAY 15 - MINISTRIES

DAY 16 - WABC MEN

DAY 17 - WABC WOMEN

DAY 18 - WABC KIDS 

DAY 19 - WABC STAFF & LEADERS

DAY 20 - SALVATION & LIFE CHANGE

DAY 21 - FELLOWSHIP

 

USE S.O.A.P.

SCRIPTURE

Take time to read scripture and allow God to speak to you. 

OBSERVATION

Pay attention to what God is saying. 

APPLICATION

Ask yourself how can you apply this to your life right now. 

PRAYER

Communicate with God and ask Him to help you apply the scripture to your life.