TODAY BEGINS 40 DAYS OF FASTING What a great day! Today begins our Set Apart Initiative. In scripture there are only three men who completed 40 days of fasting. They are Moses in Exodus 34, Elijah in 1 Kings 19 and Jesus in Matthew 4. What a privilege it is for us to join them in this “Set Apart Initiative” and consecrate ourselves to God for the next 40 days. Jesus said in Matthew 4, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. The next 40 days for us will be about drawing near to God and craving His words more than anything else. First, it is important to understand a few things going in. The point of fasting is not to be miserable. A common misconception goes something like this, “When I fast, God has to answer my prayer because I am so pitiful.” Fasting is not coercion. While it will not be easy because we are denying something we want…we don’t twist God’s arm through self denial. God loves you and is for you…you don’t have to jump through hoops for Him. The point of the fast is to deny the flesh in order to bolster the spirit (Isaiah 58:1-12). The fast isn’t for God as much as it is for us! When we fast, we tell the flesh that it and its appetite are NOT the most important things to us…GOD IS. It is a declaration that the spirit man is more important than the physical man. So, fasting is a way for you to grow in the spirit. That is why the Bible says to fast and pray. If you simply don’t eat but neglect prayer…you’re just dieting! For you and I, this will be a time of strategic prayer. Each week will have a theme and each day will have specific targets for your prayer time. At the beginning of each week you will get an overview of the week in prayer and then I will email you each day reminding you what that day’s prayer target is. Prayerfully choose what you are to fast. For some it will be all food, for some it will be selected foods, for others it will be other things such as the internet or other hobbies. Whatever it may be, listen to the Holy Spirit in choosing your fast but most of all…don’t neglect prayer. Prayer is what changes things! Thank you for joining me in this Set Apart Initiative. God is moving by His spirit and I am excited to see what the fruit of our obedience to Him will reap in the coming weeks. WEEK 1 – PRAYER FOR NEW HOPE LEADERS Day 1- Leadership Team: Please focus your prayers today on Pastors Buck & Rhea Marshall, Misty Gardner, and Joshua Massey and their families
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:29:30 +0000
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