Told our congregation during the sermon that I was setting aside today, August 31, as a day of prayer and fasting for revival, repentance, and awakening. Invited everyone to join me in some way. Nothing magical about tomorrow, and to be honest, if a different day is better do it then. The goal is for us to start seeking God in prevailing prayer together. You can use this guide to help as a guide in your prayers.
Fasting is a wonderful and very Biblical exercise. On many occasions in the Bible, the leaders of God’s people called them to times of fasting and prayer. Most of the time this was a response to the gracious and merciful grace of God. The people realized their utter and desperate need for God, and would respond by spending a period of time denying their physical appetites in order to pursue satisfaction in their spiritual appetites.
- A one meal fast – If the idea of fasting is completely new, you might start by choosing to skip a single meal and spend that time praying, reading the Bible, and pursuing God. You might try getting up early and spending an hour or so with God during your breakfast time. Or take a lunch break in a park and spend the time with God.
- A morning to evening fast – This is a very good way to incorporate fasting into life tomorrow. Choose not to eat anything until dinner tomorrow night. During normal meal times, instead of eating, spend the time with your Bible open, maybe using a prayer journal, and pray for the needs and people in our church. Furthermore, each time you feel hunger, see this as a reminder that your spiritual hunger for God is so much more important, yet too often, we don’t even feel it.
- A day fast – Spend the entire day fasting, skipping all meals.
- A fast from media or other appetites – You may incorporate fasting from TV, movies, internet, video games… as part of your experience. This might be a good idea, especially if you tend to be a person who has addictive tendencies in some form of media.
A couple other thought and reminders before you join us in fasting. First, if you have some medical concerns or issues, check with a doctor before trying a food fast. And if you cannot skip meals like this, that is OK. Find other ways to dedicate yourself to God and join th experience. Second, if Monday does not work, no big deal. Try another day. The day is not the issue. The key is that we as a church (and those who are partnering with us in other ways) are seeking God deeply and calling on him to make us aware of our spiritual need and fill the hunger with his goodness and glory. God bless.