ROCK CHURCH October FAST
Fasting and Prayer Focus: Every morning, as soon as you rise out of bed, pray for 15 minutes or longer. This is your fast time as well. Don’t eat anything, don’t drink anything, just pray! If this is something that you already do, then, choose a meal, snack, or drink to fast sometime during the day. After you pray, do a morning devotion (study/read the Word)
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35
FASTING WITHOUT PRAYER IS JUST HEAVY DIETING!!
What you put first will order the rest. When you put your spirit first, you serve the things of the Holy Spirit rather than the desires of the flesh. As a result, your mind, will, emotions, as well as your physical body and health will fall in line according to the Spirit’s leading.
Indeed, you should fast for a specific purpose. However, as you continue on a prolonged fast, the true cry of your heart becomes, “More of You, God, and less of me.”
Fasting, praying, and feeding on the Word of God puts that sword (Heb. 4:12) in your hand and positions you to discern the difference between your thoughts and God’s thoughts. There is no higher authority than to know the heart of God for a situation you are facing. His Word is final!
The greatest thing fasting will do for you will be to break down all of the stuff that accumulates from this world that blocks you from clear communion with the Father. Fasting in and of itself is a continual prayer. If you are fasting, you are praying. It is good to be very specific in your prayers during a fast.
When you fast or pray, your appearance should be normal, and you should not draw attention to yourself through your actions, your treatment of others, or your temperament.
Extra Reading on Prayer and Fasting:
Matthew 6:5-8 Pray in secret
Matthew 6:16-18 Fast in secret
Luke 18:1 Always pray and not give up
I Thes. 5:17 Pray without ceasing
ONE PERSON FASTING IS POWERFUL, BUT WHEN A GROUP OF PEOPLE BEGIN TO FAST, IT IS MULTIPLIED STRENGTH! IT IS MULTIPLIED POWER!
Excerpts from “Fasting” by Jentezen Franklin
