Hungering For God
Daniel Fast
“God's glory consists much in the fact that he is happy beyond our wildest imagination.”
Seasons of Prayer and Fasting Important Dates
Week One: July 15,16, 17
Wednesday, Thursday Meetings at the church at 6- 7 PM
Friday meeting from 9 to 11 PM
Week Two: July 18 to 25
Break from Fast
Week Three: July 26 to 31
Fasting and Prayer meetings Monday thru Thursday from 6:00 to 7:00 Pm (Experiencing God Study at Church)
Friday meeting at 9 to 11 PM
WHAT IS FASTING
Fasting is a decision to abstain primarily from eating but also includes other indulgences and comforts. We do it because we are striving for a spiritual breakthrough and an encounter with God. It builds spiritual muscles by teaching us that if we can refrain from the most basic need of the flesh (food) then we can also have victory over the flesh’s more sinister and pernicious needs. “It shuts down the power plant of the flesh” (David Koop) and helps us to align our wills with the will of God.
Fasting is not a hunger strike! Nor is it a detox diet, or a means of dropping some pounds or a colon cleanse (although those may be beneficial side effects).
In Matthew 6:5 Jesus gave some instruction about fasting and said, “When you fast….” Notice he did not say “If you fast”. Jesus expects all believers to fast.
WHAT FASTING WILL ACCOMPLISH
Fasting moves us towards holiness, greater faith and an expectation of the demonstration of God’s glory and power in our midst and through our ministry. It slows down the pace of our lives so that we can take time from the needless hustle and bustle around us to reflect on important matter of our relationship with God and spiritual health. Fasting will help us to break free from routines that have become ruts in our lives that have left our lives powerless and defeated without a sense of spiritual fervor and passion. It mounts an effective assault on the strongholds that Sin, Satan and the World have built in our lives. It will also bring a revival to our prayer lives and the consequent hearing of God’s voice and understanding of His will. It will show our church what we need to do next in order to win souls . And finally, it helps to cleanse our system, improving our health, mental clarity, joy of life and over all spiritual well being. “What’s in you will come out when you are fasting” (J. Franklin).
THE DANIEL FAST
WARNING: What you give up and how you fast is a personal matter between you and God; do not put yourself in the place of judging the sacrificial-ness of other people’s fasts. This is about you and God and no one else! The Pharisees were critical of the disciples for not fasting as they did and Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for it. Avoid being legalistic.
Daniel 10:2-3 give us an example of a biblical fast that Daniel took and resulted in one of the most amazing spiritual breakthroughs of all time:
2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. 3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.
For Daniel, fasting was a time of mourning. Likewise, when fast, we will mourn the way that we have allowed sin to cloud God out of our lives and how we have become apathetic to the things of the spirit because of our worldly comforts.
Daniel gave up choice food. It means that he did not starve himself, he just stopped eating Chicken Cordon Bleu and 16 ounce New York Steaks. Likewise, we will give up the extravagant foods in our lives and stick to whole foods like salads, tofu for protein (if you need meat, eat chicken or fish), and breads without yeast. Put away the sauces and spices. We may also give up cream and sugar in our coffee, or give up coffee altogether. Drink juices and water as well as tea. (see attached recipes).
This time of fasting should include:
Adjusting our diet and other intake (i.e. TV, internet).
Ministering before the Lord corporately (Acts 13:2)
Meditating on the Word of God
Praying with Purpose
Expectation
Journaling
Sharing the gospel
call a sacred assembly.
Summon the elders
and all who live in the land
to the house of the LORD your God,
and cry out to the LORD.
SCRIPTURES TO MEDITATE UPON AND THINGS TO PRAY FOR
Day 1: July 15th (include your own scriptures and prayer needs)
Morning Scripture: Matthew 5:1-16
2 Kings 18:21-40
Evening Scripture : Acts 13:1-12
Psalm 1
Prayer -For strength for self to continue your fast
-Strength for the church to continue fasting
-Ask God to show sins that have been preventing you from progressing in your faith and repent for what He has shown you.
-Ask God to revive our church
Day 2: July 16th
Morning Scripture Matthew 5:21-28
Exodus 3:1-10
Evening Scripture Philippians 2:1-18
Proverbs 8:1-36
Prayer -For the leaders of the church
-For Unity in the Spirit among believers (not in the flesh)
-For God to draw seekers to our church
Day 3: July 17th
Morning Scripture Mark 8:11-38
Isaiah 6:1-10
Evening Scripture Revelation 1:1-18
Joel 2:25-32
Prayer -Revival
-Passion in worship
-Freedom from debt and materialism
-More workers to join us in the harvest at Gateway
Post comments, recipes, links, prayer requests and praise reports to this site
Links:
Desiring God
Piper's Book on fasting
Labels: Fasting
posted by Rick @ 10:43 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Here are some from Teresa's whole foods cookbook:
Lemony Lentil Soup
3 cups water
1 cup dried lentils (brown, green or red)
1 large oinion, finely chopped
3 & 1/2 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
freshly grated peel of 1 lemon
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Bring water, lentils, onion, broth, oil garlic to a boil in a 3-quart pot. Reduce heat, partially cover and simmer 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in lemon peel and juice. Serve promptly or refrigerate up to 3 days. Serves 4.
French Lentil Soup
2 cups lentils
1.9 litres water, plus more as needed
2 onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground cumin
2 cups tomatoes, chopped or 1 cup tomato puree
4 pepperoncini peepers, diced
salt, to taste
Bring lentils and water to boil. Simmer 1 hour on very low heat. Add remaining ingrdients, except salt. Add water as needed and simmer over very low heat 1 more hour. Add salt to taste.
Note: ordinary green lentils take longer to cook and have less subtle flavour. This soup can be made in approx. 1 hour if cooked at high temperatures, but the lentils will lose their shape. Serves 12.
Spicy Black Bean Soup
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 14.5 oz. cans (~870g) diced tomatoes, undrained
3 15 oz. cans (~1.4kg) black beans, drained, rinsed and pureed
1 & 3/4 cups vegetable broth
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
2 tsp cumin seeds
1.4 cup green oinion, finely chopped
cilantro leaves, for garnish
In 4-6 quart saucepan, combine oil, onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until onion is tender. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, chile, cumin seeds. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes, or until flavoursare blended. Stir in green onion. Ladle into bowls, garnish as desired. Serves 8.
Coucous Salad
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup couscous
1 & 1/2 cups cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup radishes, sliced
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1.2 cup red peppers, chpped
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
5 tbs safflower oil
4 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tbs fresh mint
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tarragon
Boil water, add coucous and reduce heat. Simmer for 5 minutes. Let stand until cool. Mix coucous with vegetables. Prepare dressing with oil, lemon juice and the 5 herbs. Pour over salad and let sit 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4.
Black Bean Salad
3 cups black beans, cooked
2 cups corn, cooked
1/2 cup red onions, minced
1 cup red peppers, cut
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup parsley
1 tsp chile peppers, cruched
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup flax seed oil (or olive oil)
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt
Combine beans, corn, onions, red peppers, cilantro, parsley and chile peppers. Mix garlic, lime juice, oil, cumin and sea salt. Pour dressing over salad and mix. Serves 7.
Lord, we offer you our small sacrifice of denying ourselves some food and entertainment. We offer no act of a work to you, Lord, for all is done through our Lord Jesus Christ, but we do deny ourselves, desiring, no pleading, for you to reveal more of yourself to us, and bless our church body - your bride!
Chris Tomlin - How Great is our God:
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=7314016
"But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.'" (1 Cor. 2:9)
"May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." (Rom. 15:5-7)
It was such a blessing to see so many people come out to the prayer meeting - undoubtedly the most people we have ever had for any of our prayer meetings since we have started in January. I encourage and urge others of you to come together tonight at 6 pm at the church so we can all share in the blessing and worship and pray together.
May our God of peace and love richly bless His people.
Rod Stokes
The Lord blessed our first meeting together during our fast Wednesday night with 9 people seeking his presense. We sang and prayed and the Holy Spirit was there in power and love. Afterwards 3 people went out and ministered door to door in our neighbourhood and the Lord was glorified.
I encourage more of the body of Christ to come and let us all fellowship together.
Rod.
Post a Comment
<< Home