40 Days of Prayer and Fasting January 5th - February 14th
THE FAST BEGINS SUNDAY
1/5/25 WHEN YOU WAKE UP!
Why Fast?
The goal of fasting is to draw nearer to God. Biblical fasting always has to do with eliminating distractions for a spiritual purpose; it hits the reset button of our spirit and renews us from the inside out. It also enables us to celebrate the goodness and mercy of God and prepares our hearts for all the good things God desires to bring into our lives. Remember, your personal fast should present a level of challenge, but it is very important to know your body, your options, and, most importantly, to seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.
No Matter which fast you choose the point is to cultivate a lifestyle of DAILY Prayer, Worship and Reading the Word of God. We will provide a daily plan called “Devoted” to be your guide.
Types of Fasting
Complete Fast
In this type of fast, you drink only liquids, typically water with light vegetable juices as an option.
Selective Fast
This type of fast involves removing certain elements from your diet. One example of a selective fast is the Daniel Fast, during which you remove meat, sweets, and bread from your diet and consume water and juice for fluids and fruits and vegetables for food. Download the Daniel fast guide here.
Partial Fast
This fast is sometimes called the “Jewish Fast” and involves abstaining from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon. This can either correlate to specific times of the day, such as 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, or from sunup to sundown. Another version of this would be to fast one meal per day.
Soul Fast
This fast is a great option if you do not have much experience fasting food, have health issues that prevent you from fasting food, or if you wish to refocus certain areas of your life that are out of balance. For example, you might choose to stop using social media or watching television for the duration of the fast and then carefully bring that element back into your life in healthy doses at the conclusion of the fast.
Matthew 6:16-18 (NIV)
16 When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Every day do the following:
1. Worship with your favorite worship song.
2. Pray the Lord's Prayer and then pray through your personal prayer list.
The Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Give us this day our daily bread, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:9-15 (ESV)
Prayer List:
Yourself
Your Family
Your Friends
Your Work
The City of Corpus Christi
Pursuit City Church and its leaders
+ add your own
3. Follow the daily devotional (click here to access the 40 day devotional)
Close by asking the Lord to speak to you throughout the day.
I pray that this time becomes a marker in the history of your relationship with God. During this time you will experience many things, and it is so vital that you take it all to the feet of Jesus. Pray, Read, Worship! and watch God come closer and closer day by day. I am with you and I am praying for you!
| Pastor Matt Gamez |