What is Fasting? Fasting is the willing, abstinence or reduction from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. The Hebrew word for fast is tsûwm – It means – to cover over the mouth. The Hebrew word for fast is nēsteuō – it means – to abstain from food. Fasting is often used as a tool to make a political statement, to protest, or to bring awareness to a cause. A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt, or to achieve a goal such as a policy change. A spiritual fast incorporates personal spiritual beliefs with the desire to express personal principles, sometimes in the context of a social injustice. Christian fasting focuses on God that produce spiritual results that glorify God – both in the person who fasts and in others for whom we fast and pray. Jentzen Franklin describes fasting as “a choice to break out of the routine in order to draw closer to God. It is a gateway through which God releases His supernatural power into our lives. It is a short season of abstinence that yields long-term rewards. It is a spiritual discipline that “gives back your edge and gives you power to do far more than you could possibly accomplish in your own strength and finite understanding.” Why Fast? Fasting has been promoted and practiced from antiquity worldwide by physicians, by founders and followers of many religions, by culturally designated individuals, and by individuals and groups as an expression of protest against what they believe are violations of social, ethical, or political principles. Christians fast to seek a closer walk with God, to become more attentive to God, to learn self-control, to think more clearly, to open ourselves up to God’s power flowing through us, to confess our sins and brokenness, to experience a spiritual breakthrough, and for physical healing. It is one of the most powerful weapons God has given us for our daily lives. Fasting is a means by which we can worship the Lord and submit ourselves to Him in humility, as stated by Elmer Towns. It is a discipline that is available to the believer to strengthen you spiritually and to give you the BREAKTHROUGH that will help you live a victorious Christian life. In his book Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough, Towns suggests nine (9) reasons why the spiritual discipline of fasting is needed today: o More than ever before, believers are in bondage to demonic powers and need deliverance to stand against sin (The Disciples Fast). o Believers throughout the world need to solve complex problems and threatening situations they are facing (The Ezra Fast). o The Church is in desperate need of revival, and every tribe and tongue and nation are in desperate need of evangelization (The Samuel Fast). o The world in general and the Church in particular are crying out for people of character and integrity – people who have found in Christ the emotional healing and strength to overcome sinful and destructive habits (The Elijah Fast). o The abundance of food has insulated North American believers from the realities of starvation and malnutrition in the two-thirds world (The Widow’s Fast).
o The media has so captured the national attention that even believers are operating according to principles completely alien to God’s will for their lives (The Saint Paul’s Fast).
o Even with the abundance of food and medical technology in North America, people are not necessarily healthier (The Daniel Fast). o Many great believers have become so entangles in economic and social pursuits that they need to be set free to establish their testimonies and to influence others for Christ (The John the Baptist Fast). •
The growing influence of demonic forces and the waning influence of biblical Christianity in North America, believers need protection from the evil one (The Esther Fast).
Additional to the last point, the time is long past when Christians could bask in the warmth of being the largest sect of believers. In 2017, the Gallup's Daily Tracking of religions in the US released statistics to show that 33% of US citizens do not subscribe to any religion. Our culture is little by little losing the influence of Christ and we need to reestablish connection with Him. Do any of these reasons speak to the needs in your life, your family, your church or your community? If so, Isaiah is speaking to you when he tells us in chapter 58:6 that THIS is the fast that God has chosen for us. I encourage you to commit to this 21 day of fasting and praying; and to find a prayer partner that can and will hold you accountable and intercede for you as you seek the Lord. It is our endeavor to draw nearer to God and seek the BREAKTHROUGH from bondage to demonic powers and seek deliverance to stand against sin by incorporating the Disciples Fast based on the scripture Matthew 17:21 when Jesus told the disciples, “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Type of Fasts 1. Absolute Fast (Full Fast) – This fast requires abstinence from all solid foods. It is a LIQUIDS ONLY fast. 2. Selective Fast (Daniel Fast) – This fast involves removing certain elements from your diet. An example is the Daniel Fast during which you remove meats, sweets, and bread from your diet and consume water and juice for fluids and fruits and vegetables for food. 3. Partial Fast – A limited fast consisting of abstaining from certain foods for a prolonged period or abstaining from all foods for a portion of the day. 4. Soul Fast – (Entertainment Fast) – This fast eliminates something other than food from your life for a time. For example, you may choose to stop using FaceBook, Instagram, Twitter, or other social media platforms, watching television, unnecessary phone usage or going to the movies. This is a great option for children, students and people with health issues who cannot abstain from food. The GOAL is to find the place where you feel focused on God and in-tune with spiritual things. This is the place where you feel light and spiritually alert to hear the voice of God. You will experience an increased spiritual energy; these are the effects of the fast working for you.
This is considered your FAST ZONE. Find your FAST ZONE, BE INTENTIONAL, and FINISH STRONG. What Does the Bible Teach about Fasting? In the Old Testament, Israel celebrated certain annual feasts, the most prominent being the Day of Atonement. There were also occasional fasts associated with specific historical events, both individuals and corporate. A few examples of fasting are: during a time of grief (1 Sam 31:13; Neh. 1:4), during time of repentance (1 Sam 7:6; 1 Kings 21:27), as an expression of humility (Ezra 8:21, Psalm 69:10), and as an expression of a need for God’s help and guidance (Esther 4:16). All of these fasts share a common thread – their dependence on God. Fasting teaches us that God’s Word nourishes us: Matthew 4:1-4 records the only example of Jesus fasting, just prior to Him being tempted in the wilderness. He faced temptation with these words, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 8:3-5 which tells about the 40 years Israel spent in the wilderness, depending daily on manna to sustain them. God humbled the Israelites through their hunger in order to teach them to depend on His Word. This is an awesome example of the Word nourishing our hunger for spiritual food. Fasting teaching us that God’s Will sustains us: John 4:31-35 records Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. When the disciples return, they encourage Jesus to eat. He responds by saying, “I have food to eat that you know not of.” He adds, “My food is to do the will of the Father.” Jesus gives us another principle of fasting that food alone is not enough; we are sustained by doing God’s will. Fasting teaches us that Jesus Himself sustains us: John 6:48-50 states, “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.” We see this pictured symbolically in the bread and the cup of the Lord’s Supper. Jesus is the source of eternal life. Fasting is FEASTING ON JESUS. FASTING PREPARATION 1. Prepare your heart: In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God appears to Solomon and explains that if His people are going through a hard time, they should seek Him and follow His ways. Then, He will hear their prayers and heal them. Be willing to hear what God says needs to change and be willing to change. Don’t continue to sin. What are the paths He wants you to walk? How much does He want you to pray and read His Word? Tell God that you surrender your life to Him and that you want more of Him and His way. 2. Prepare your motives: Ephesians 1:3 says that there are spiritual blessings assigned to us. We can never exhaust them! Who knows what God wants to give you or show you? Maybe He wants to bestow gifts such as wisdom, anointing, prayer power, healing power, teaching power, joy, or encouragement. When you eliminate things that are keeping you from focusing on God, He is able to show you things about your life that you never knew. Prepare your body: If you decide to eat only fruits and vegetables for your fast, it will result in cleansing of your physical body. You may feel sick as your body detoxes, but you’ll make it! This isn't a mind game to see if you can survive eating less or not watching ESPN, but about experiencing God. Some people ask, “What does not eating have to do with my relationship with God” Pastor Miles
“Stop eating and find out.” 4. Prepare your schedule: Decide where you will meet with God, what and when you will eat, and how you will spend your time differently. Remember, the fast is about communing with God, so don’t fill your time with distractions that will keep you from feeling hungry. Create a plan and commit to spending more time with the Lord. 5. Purchase a journal: Chronicle all your prayers, expectations, conversations, oppositions, dreams, and MIRACLES that God manifests during your time of consecration. Fasting Guidelines: • Explain to your family in advance what you are doing. • Request privacy from those who want to find out what you are doing. • Ask them not to discuss it with you until your fast is over. • Never complain or brag about your fast and avoid talking about it. • Establish an accountability partner for prayer & encouragement. • Stay away from negative people. • Spend as much time as possible alone in solitude and prayer. • Acknowledge that your flesh cannot be trained but must be crucified. • Journal as you pray and meet with the Lord. Write down the miracles God does in your life!
The Fast God Chooses Isaiah 58: to loose the bands of wickedness This scripture gives us a model for the way we can gain genuine faith and devotion. God says He has chosen fasts that (1) loosen the bonds of wickedness, (2) undo heavy burdens, (3) let the oppressed go free, (4) break every yoke, (5) give bread to the hungry, clothe the naked and provide the poor with housing, (6) allow God’s light to break forth like the morning, (7) to cause healing and health to spring forth speedily, (8) cause their righteous testimony to go before them and (9) make the glory of the Lord to be their rereward (or “protection”). Elmer Towns states in his book Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough that “God designed our bodies to heal themselves at the cellular level using proteins, carbohydrates, and fats to gain calories and nutrients; yet each of the ways these substances are utilized produces waste products. It is encouraging to know that the same God who designed the discipline of fasting designed our bodies to be benefited by periods of abstinence from food.”
God has spoken to my heart and my spirit that our time of corporate fasting will be designed after “The Disciple’s Fast” which brings about deliverance and BREAKTHROUGH. In Matthew 17:21, Jesus states “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting”. Immediately I began to search the library, the internet, and all sources of information for fasting that produces breakthrough and discovered various resources to help produce the victory that God desires to produce in your hearts, lives, families, communities, and churches. Matthew narrates the story of a man whose son was vexed and tormented with an evil spirit that would throw his son into the fire, and the water. The father brought the son to the disciples, yet they could not cure him. Jesus rebuked the devil (the demon) and the evil spirit left him immediately. The disciples asked Jesus to ask why they were unable to cast out the evil spirit and Jesus replied to them: “Because of your unbelief:” He further states that THIS kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. The Disciples needed to fast in order to release the boy from the bondage of the devil. They were helpless due to, what Paul calls, “besetting sins” in Hebrews 12:1. Besetting sins are not common sins of neglect or momentary lapses in judgment. Nor are they sins of rebellion, in which God says, “Thou shalt not”. Besetting sins are habitual sinful behaviors or attitudes that victimize and enslave people. Some Christians are slaves to things like alcohol, drugs – prescription and street drugs, tobacco, food, extramarital relationships, lying or gossip. These sins make us believe Satan’s lies that: 1. I tried before, and can’t break it
2. I don’t want to do this, but I just can’t help myself. 3. I need an answer but can’t find it. 4. A piece of man (woman) is better than no man (woman). Let me ask you a question: Are you besieged by a besetting sin? More importantly, are you ready to break free? Are you ready to be from the entanglement of besetting sins. The Cross of Christ destroys the power of sin over your life. His blood is the most powerful thing on earth. There is POWER in the blood for you, for your child, your spouse, your marriage, your health, your finances and your faith. There is a way out! For the Bible declares “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” 1 Corinthians 10:13. Your temptation is not unique; it’s common. The Disciple’s Fast can be that very way of escape for you, as a disciple. The Power of the Disciple’s Fast The demon-possessed boy’s father did not understand what Paul taught us in Ephesians 6:12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” He figured his son was sick or had a form of retardation. But Jesus knew that the boy’s
that the boy’s issues came from a demon; that he was being controlled by an external spirit. Yet the disciples were unable to break the boy’s bondage. This type of bondage can be seen in the lives of people today as they struggle with addictions to smoking, drinking or homosexual relationships. Although they sincerely seek God’s hand for deliverance from these besetting sins, they remain in bondage. The Disciple’s Fast deals with these kinds of bondages. Elmer Towns explains how you are wrestling for control of your life when you enter the Disciple’s Fast. By controlling what you eat, you determine that you WILL control your life for God’s purposes. When you make a vow and reinforce it with the Disciple’s Fast, you move into the strength of decision making. You give up necessary or enjoyable food as a manifestation of your commitment of your will to please God. You strengthen yourself to stand against a force that has enslaved your spiritual appetite. You control your physical appetite to strengthen your spiritual appetite when you commit to The Disciple’s Fast. This is what happens in this fast: 1. You make a life-freeing choice to be delivered. 2. You recognize that an external power is responsible for your bondage. 3. You confess your previous lack of faith. 4. You specifically state your besetting sin. 5. You fast repeatedly until you get a BREAKTHROUGH. For those who struggle with a sin that has a grip that just won’t let go, the Disciple’s Fast offers hope. Prescription for Deliverance Paul writes in II Corinthians 10:4-5: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through the God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. These weapons lead us to utilize these spiritual steps outlined in Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough: 1. Renounce Counterfeit Control: discerning reality from that which is counterfeit. Pray audibly, “I renounce (insert those counterfeit influences that are holding you in bondage).” 2. Acknowledge Self-Deception: discerning truth from that which is deceptive. Several biblical principals can be applied to discern these areas of deception. First, we deceive ourselves when we hear and fail to apply the Word of God in our lives (James 1:22). Second, “if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Thirdly, when we evaluate our wisdom by the standard of this age rather than by the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 3:18). Lastly, when we think we can sin and then escape the consequences (1 Cor. 6:9). Pray audibly, “I acknowledge (insert those areas where you have deceived yourself).
3. Forgive to Overcome Bitterness: forgive others so you can overcome bitterness and gain freedom. List the names of those YOU need to forgive; this is a list of names, not sins. You must choose to forgive. Pray audibly, “I forgive (insert the names of those who have wronged you in some way). 4. Submit to God’s Authority: overcoming rebellion in your life by submitting to the authority of God and those He has placed over you. This involves trusting not only God directly, but also the line of authority He has appointed to provide leadership in your life. God has placed ALL of us “under authority.” We are called to submit to the authority of 1) Civil government (Rom 13:1 -7); (2) Church leadership (Heb 13:17); (3)Parents (Eph 6:1-3); (4) Husbands (1 Pet 3:1 -4); (5) Employers (1 Pet 2:13-23); and (6) God (Dan 9:5,9). Pray audibly, “I submit to (insert the specific authority in your life).” ** This step is critical to the success of The Disciple’s Fast because it is evidence of your submission to God Himself. 5. Take Personal Responsibility: confront the problem of pride with a spirit of humility. “Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). This is an active action that you take to experience full freedom in Christ. Pray audibly, “I am responsible for (insert specific sin here). Humble yourself before God and enable Him to bless you with victorious living. 6. Disown Sinful Influences: disowning sinful influences that come from family, friends, and acquaintances. First recognize that you have been crucified, buried and raised with Christ and you now sit in the heavenlies (II Cor. 4:14). Secondly, publicly state that you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal 5:24). Then verbally claim the blood of Jesus over the evil one and the sin that so easily besets you (1 Cor 6:20; 1 Six Steps to Freedom 1. I renounce … 2. I acknowledge … 3. I forgive … 4. I submit … 5. I take responsibility …
6. I disown …
Remember, fasting is not a legalistic adherence to these principles. You must decide to be active and intentional about each step and how each step will lead you to experience the freedom God desires. Beware of the tendency to skip one of these steps and delude yourself. Commit to making each step an honest reflection coupled with honest prayers for your deliverance. (1) Focus on your problem and if you discover all 6 steps are not necessary select those that do apply to your needs; (2) Be specific and intentional in order to receive specific results from your time with God; (3) Pray the prescribed prayer that deals with why you were in bondage. For example, “I take responsibility for having allowed
myself to become addicted to alcohol”; (4) Name your sin and affirm your accountability for your actions as a step to overcoming that besetting sin; (5) Take inner responsibility for your actions; (6) Deal with your sin during your private fast time and be open to possible public confession to others, if the Lord leads you to do so. Aim:
Achieving freedom from addiction, or from a besetting sin.
Affirmation: I believe there is no earthly temptation that can enslave me, but that God has a way of escape for me (1 Cor 10:13). I believe in the power of the blood of Christ and in the strength of the name of Christ (Acts 3:16; 16:18). Therefore, I am fasting because I want the Son of God to make me free indeed (John 8:36). Vow:
God being my strength, and grace being my basis, I commit myself to the Disciple’s Fast.
Begin:
__________________________________ Date and time I will start fasting
End:
__________________________________ Date and time I will end fasting
Purpose:
I am fasting to ______________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________
Bible Basis: “To loose the bands of wickedness” Isaiah 58:6 Signed:
__________________________________
Date:
__________________________________
Day 1, January 6: To increase in spiritual hunger and holiness as you present your body as a living sacrifice to God; holy and acceptable; which is your reasonable service. Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. PRAYER: Lord, I desire to know you more intimately. Help me to remain focused on You during my physical hunger. You are the bread of life and I choose to eat Your Word for strength. I stand on Your promise in Matthew 5:6 “blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Fill me with your righteousness as I present myself to You as a living sacrifice. As I abide in You, produce a harvest of fruit that brings glory to the Father... In Jesus’ Name. Day 2, January 7: To yield your temple (body) to God and commit to 21 days of fasting. Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
anything that will harm my body. I promise to keep my prayer time during this fast. Father, help me experience the intimacy of Your presence. May I be a testimony to encourage others and may they see You in me. I give all my treasures to You to use them in Your work. I will not give in to my appetite to violate my fast. I will be strong to the end. Father, I need your strength and remind me “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” … In Jesus’ Name. Day 3, January 8: Overcoming the spirit of fear, doubt and unbelief. II Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Matthew 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you. PRAYER: In the Name of Jesus, I loose myself from all fears: fear of rejection, fear of hurt, fear of authority, fear of dying, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of responsibility, fear of witchcraft, fear of being alone, fear of what people think and what they say, fear of commitment, and fear of man. Lord, You are my light and my salvation. You are the strength of my life. I will not fear anything or anyone anymore. You have nailed my rejection, unbelief, and doubt to the cross and I am set free. I declare that I have uncommon, great faith in the power of Jesus Christ, and I will stand strong on His
promise that I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus… In Jesus’ Name. Day 4, January 9: Overcoming the spirit of poverty and restoration of what’s been lost. Joel 2:19 Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people, Behold I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: … Joel 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. PRAYER: Lord I humble myself under Your mighty right hand. I come boldly to the throne of grace that I may obtain mercy and find grace in the time of need. I break all assignments of the enemy against my finances. I break all curses of poverty and lack, debt, failure and anything that would eat up my finances. You are El Shaddai, the God of more than enough and Your blessing upon my life makes me rich. I am blessed and through Your favor I will be prosperous. Day 5, January 10: Breaking the cycle of failure, defeat, and procrastination. Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: PRAYER: Lord, although my life seems to be full of failure, frustration, and setbacks, I still believe Your Word that tells me all things work together for my good because I am a part of the holy nation. Thank you for using my setback as a setup for my success. Break off my life any limitations and restrictions placed on my life by any evil spirits. I receive deliverance and enlargement for my life. Let my increase in strength and confound the enemy; let the years of my life be increased… in Jesus’ Name.
Day 6, January 11: Healing from infirmity. Isaiah 58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. PRAYER: Father, I am healed of all manner of disease such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, sinus problems, migraines, heart disease and chronic pain. You have promised that my health will spring forth speedily and sickness will not sneak up on me because You are my rear guard. I will live and not die, and I will proclaim the works of the Lord. I cast out all spirits of infirmity that try to attack my body. I rebuke and cast out all spirits of diabetes, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, leukemia, arthritis, lupus, Alzheimer’s or insomnia… in Jesus’ Name. Day 7, January 12: Deliverance from the spirit of bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness. Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, will all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. PRAYER: Lord, I give the bitterness of my soul to You. Please look upon my affliction and remember me. I repent of my bitterness and ask for my heart to be forgiven. I became bitter from past trauma and abuses, being lied to and lied on, being offended and being misunderstood. I close the door on the spirit of bitterness, that came from rejection, abandonment, or disappointed. Like the servant who owed the king ten thousand talents, I too have been forgiven much. Therefore, I will go and forgive all those who have hurt or offended me so that I will not be given over to the tormentors.
Day 8, January 13: Victory over anxiety and depression Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you will all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. PRAYER: In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, by the authority given to me to bind and to loose, I loose my emotions from every evil spirit that has come in as a result of experiences of the past. I loose myself from all hurt, deep hurt, pain, sadness, grief, anger, hatred, rage, bitterness, fear, and bound and blocked emotions. I command these spirits to come out, and I decree freedom to my emotions. I bind all spirits of madness and confusion. My life is good, and my days are good. I will live is peace, I will walk in peace, and I will seek peace all the days of my life. because Jesus is the God of peace in Jesus’ Name. Day 9, January 14: Breaking free from a painful past. Philippians 3:13…but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. PRAYER: Father, I loose myself from this prowling demon that tried to steal, kill, and destroy my body, my sexuality, and my worth. I loose myself from any hatred, bitterness, and unforgiveness. I loose myself from blaming myself for the traumas of my past. I loose myself from any soul ties, spirits of infirmity, or other evil spirits that would try to latch on to my life. I loose myself from the effects of all the bad memories, painful memories of my past that would hinder me in my present or my future. I declare the days of my mourning have past and I have found favor in the sight of God. I declare there is hope for my future; for the Lord has plans to give me a peaceful and hopeful future. This one thing I will do: Forget the past and reach forward to things that are ahead. I will press toward the goal of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus… In Jesus’ Name. Day 10, January 15: Breaking free from drug and alcohol addiction
Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit. Romans 13:13-14 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. PRAYER: Father, help me to listen to the warning in Your Word to “take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life.” Keep me focused on living for You because I only want to do only what You want me to do. I want to honor and serve You in everything I do. Fill me with Your Spirit and help me to walk after the Spirit so that I do not walk after the flesh for drugs or alcohol. I renounce all addiction to legal or illegal drugs, alcohol that has me bound. I break off addiction to tobacco or illegal substances that destroy my health… In Jesus’ Name. Day 11, January 16: Overcoming Guilt
Romans 14:22 Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he allowed. PRAYER: Father, I loose myself from all guilt, shame, condemnation, self-condemnation about things that happened years ago. Forgive me for allowing any fear, guilt, or condemnation to fester in my life. Let your anointing flow to destroy the yoke of bondage from guilt and condemnation off my life and my children’s lives… In Jesus’ Name Day 12, January 17: Breaking the spirit of pride Psalm 34:13 But as for me, when they were sick, y clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned unto mine own bosom. 1 Peter 5:5-6 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble
yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: PRAYER: Lord, I break the spirit of pride and I rebuke the shame the comes from the spirit so that I will not fall and be destroyed. I will have a humble spirit. I will not be puffed up with pride and fall like Satan; nor will pride rule my life. My heart is not haughty, and I am not puffed up to think more highly of myself than I should. I will not talk proudly and will let no arrogance come from my mouth. Lord, You resist the proud. Let me be humble and receive Your grace… In Jesus’ Name. Day 13, January 18: Breaking the spirit of carnality & double mindedness. Romans 8:6-7 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 1 Cor 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? PRAYER: I bind and rebuke every spirit that would attempt to distort, disturb, or disintegrate the development of my personality. I take authority over the strongmen of rejection and rebellion and separate them. I bind all spirits of insecurity, inferiority, inadequacy, fear of judgement, self-pity, depression, hopelessness, suicide, unworthiness, loneliness, timidity, possessiveness, distrust, paranoia, and suspicion. I cast out the spirit of double mindedness and I will let this mind be in me that was also in Christ Jesus. I will think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report; those things have virtue… In Jesus’ Name. Day 14, January 19: Breakthrough in marriage Mark 10:9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. PRAYER: Father, I take authority over my thoughts and bind all spirits of lust that would break covenant, all seducing spirits, and all curses of divorce and
separation. Teach me to honor my spouse, my marriage, and the sacredness of our intimacy as husband and wife. Help us to lead our children into Godly marriages and to teach them the consequences of becoming unequally yoked in marriage. Keep me pure in my marriage. Cast out the spirit of division from my home, my heart, and my marriage… In Jesus’ Name. Day 15, January 20: Breakthrough from generational curses Isaiah 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste place: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Paths to Dwell In. PRAYER: Father, In the name of Jesus, I loose myself from all evil inheritance, including inherited weaknesses, attitudes, thought patterns, sickness, disease, witchcraft, lust, rebellion, poverty, ungodly lifestyles, and strife. I cut the cords of ungodly pride that makes me think more highly of myself than I should, witchcraft that includes sorcery, astrology, fortune telling, palm reading, hypnosis, and New age spiritism; secret covenants with occultic organizations; lust that produces unwed mothers and fathers, divorces, adultery, and perversion in my blood line; familiar spirits of alcoholism, drug abuse, rape, and incest. I loose myself and the anointing of Jesus Christ destroys the yoke that has been passed from generation to generation in my family. Today, I take authority over the enemy and declare all spoken curses, negative words that have spoken over my life, generational curses that came into my life during conception, in the womb, in the birth canal, and through the umbilical cord void. I command all ancestral spirits of poverty, sickness, disease, freemasonry, idolatry, witchcraft, false religion, lust, and perversion to come out of my life… In Jesus’ Name. Day 16, January 21: Breakthrough in the lives of your children Isaiah 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. Psalm 103:17 But the mercy of the Lord is from
everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children. PRAYER: Father, I thank You for my children; they are a heritage from You. I stand in the gap and pray for their protection, salvation, healing, deliverance, restoration, success, and appetite for godliness. I ask You to dispatch Your angels that have charge over them so that no danger will come near them. I believe Your Word that tells me You have a plan for them, a hope, and a future. Draw them nearer to You Lord and bring them to the full measure of salvation and teach them Your ways. Lord, give me spiritual eyes to see them and help me to stand fast on Your Word that my children WILL know Your Word, they WILL obtain wisdom and understanding, they WILL tune their ears to You and seek Your wisdom all the days of their life. Fill them with Your Spirit for increase, promotion, and expansion. Bless my children’s children to walk in Your favor and let it surround them like a shield. Satan will NOT triumph over my children because of You… In Jesus’ Name. Day 17, January 22: Salvation of unsaved loved ones 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Colossians 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: PRAYER: God, You are the faithful covenant-keeping God. I have a covenant with You through the blood of Jesus, which provides salvation, forgiveness, and blessing to my life. You promised Abraham that through his seed all families of the earth would be blessed. Jesus is the promised seed, and through Him my family and loved ones can be blessed. I ask for Your salvation, protection, deliverance, and healing to manifest in the life of my family and loved ones who is not in relationship with You to be drawn by Your Spirit and accept You as Lord and Savior. Father, draw them with Your lovingkindness and save my family and loved
ones. Let Your Word come to every member of my family member and my loved ones. I bind and rebuke every demon that has been assigned to my family and loved ones to prevent them from receiving salvation… In Jesus’ Name. Day 18, January 23: Breaking Strongholds in my church, my city, and nation Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Luke 13:29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south; and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. PRAYER: Lord, we lay our Pastor on the altar for Your provision, protection, wisdom, counsel, obedience and vision. Open their eyes and their ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. Lead and guide them into all truth and give them the boldness to preach the truth with power for conviction, transformation, sanctification, and glorification. Guard their time against time killers. Guard their vision against dream killers. I bind the enemy off their family, their mind, their will, their emotions, their finances, their passion to serve You, their righteousness, their communication, and the leadership. Guard, guide and govern the leadership of YOUR church: The Clergy, the deacons (deaconess), the staff, the elders, and the trustees. Teach them to lean not to their own understanding but in all their ways to acknowledge You. Knit us together in unity and help us make disciples that we may be the Citadel of Hope that You are calling for in this hour. Father, we pray for our city. You told us in Proverbs 11:11 “by the blessing of the upright the city is exalted; but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.” Raise up the righteous in our city to bless it: to bless the city government, the school district, the police and sheriff’s department, judges, and citizens. Let the churches be revived and awakened to spiritual matters.
Let the people of God humble ourselves and pray, seek Your face, and turn from our wicked ways so that You will hear us and forgive our sins in THIS city, and heal our land. Lord, we pray for our President and his protection, his cabinet and the leaders in Congress. You told us to pray for those who have rule over us, so we ask You to keep them, guide them, and lead them to the Rock that is higher than them. We call on Your name for our economy, our educational system, our judicial system, our law enforcement, and human resources system. Help us to never look away from the poor, the widow and the orphan. Help our leaders strive to be a nation that lets our light shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify You, our Father… In Jesus’ Name. Day 19, January 24: To be filled with God’s glory John 11:40 And Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God. Revelation 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power. PRAYER: Lord, my heart longs for You like a deer pants for the water; my soul hungers for You. I ask You to fill me to the point of overflowing with Your glory. Let Your glory overtake me, let it overtake my peace, my joy, my hope, my salvation, my finances, my family, and my faith. Let Your glory come into my heart and my home. Let Your glory reign over me in the grocery store, on my job, in my church. Father, fall fresh on me and show me mighty things that I knew not. Come into every place the enemy has been cast out of in my life! Let Your glory rest over my home, over my car, over my children, my emotions, my past, my mind, and my heart, over my life and fill me with Your glory in every place… In Jesus’ Name. Day 20, January 25: To experience intimacy with God Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.
Psalm 63:1 O God, thou are my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. PRAYER: Father, I thank You for Your presence during my time of prayer and consecration. Thank You for giving me the strength to nearly complete my time of separation and consecration. Thank You for meeting me each time and in so many ways. Thank You for searching my heart and delivering me from things in my past. I am humbled by Your presence God. My heart and my flesh cry out for the Living God. For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. Draw nearer to me Father. Teach me how to wait on You. So today, I wait. I wait because I want to know You better. I wait because I want to know You more intimately. My soul waits silently for You just like David… In Jesus’ Name. Day 21, January 26: Praising God for breakthrough, deliverance and victory 1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the victory! Thank You that I am more than a conqueror through Him that loved us. Thank You that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Father, thank You for binding my wounds and the wounds of my family, my church, my Pastor and their family, my community, and my nation. Thank You for filling me with Your Spirit and reviving the work in my hands. Thank You for saving my family and loved ones! Thank You for miracles of healing, deliverance, restoration, and restitution; and I eagerly await the manifestation of my prayers. You invited me to taste and see that You were good, and I must declare that YOU ARE GOOD! Your mercy endures to all generations. Thank You for the Victory… In Jesus’ Name… Amen.
FINAL FASTING TIPS •
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Create a fasting calendar that fits the type of fast that God has ordained for you. Determine what each day and week will look like. Keep your fridge and pantry stocked with the items you need. Being unprepared to fast sets you up to give in to temptation. Choose well when selecting products, stick to raw food as much as possible, and limit artificial ingredients. Make church attendance a priority. Being around other Christians will encourage you to keep going when it becomes difficult. If you “mess up” during the fast, don’t get discouraged. Just get right back on track and keep it moving. God’s mercies “are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23). His desire is for you to finish; and He will give you the grace and strength to do it for His grace is sufficient. Read your Bible consistently, prayerfully, and expectantly Use the SOAP METHOD to journal your daily devotionals S – Scripture – Read prayerfully and take notice which scripture(s) catch your attention and mark it in your Bible. Read and Re-read the verses that speak to you and write them in your journal O – Observation – Focus on that scripture, tune in and listen to what God is saying to you through His Word. What is it about the scripture that stands out? What is God revealing to you through His Word? Write them in your journal. A – Application – Think of how this verse(s) applies your life right now. Write them in your journal P – Prayer – Wrap up you SOAP time in prayer. Talk to God about what you just read and ask Him to open the eyes of your understanding to hear what the Spirit is saying. Remember, prayer is a relationship; it’s a two-way conversation. Please be sure to LISTEN to what God has to say.
Beloved, Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and He shall bring it to pass! God be with you as you begin your 21-day appointment with God!
**This Fasting Guide and 21- Day Prayer Guide was used as a template by Minister Cheryl Williams of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Beaumont, TX. It is my prayer that this will be a blessing to you, a sweet fragrance to our God, and a helpful tool during your 21 day appointment with God.
