This year at Harvest, we are starting the New Year with 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting.
Why? Because prayer and fasting are the most powerful weapons God has given us for our daily lives. As you take these steps in your spiritual journey, we believe you will experience more of God’s presence and growth in your relationship with God!
And just as we give God the first 10% of our earnings, we want to give God the first days of 2024. By participating, we are tilling the ground in preparation for the harvest to come.
The goal of fasting is to draw near to God.
You may have heard of fasting before, but what exactly is it? Simply put, fasting is giving up food or entertainment (the things of this world) in order to spend time seeking God. The time you would've spent on the things you give up can now be dedicated to spending time with God by praying and reading His word.
Fasting hits the reset button of our soul and renews us from the inside out.
As we set aside time to seek God in prayer intentionally and believe for Him to move in powerful ways, we raise our spiritual focus and lower our secular focus. This shift in focus prepares our hearts for all the good things He desires to bring into our lives.
During these 21 days, Harvest we will provide a one-hour prayer experience each morning, including worship, personal prayer time, and corporate prayer. Whether you join us in person or online, we would love for you to take part in 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting.
Types of Fasts
When deciding on a fast, we encourage you to seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do. The goal is for everyone to commit and stick with it for the entire 21 days – regardless of the type of fast you choose.
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.
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.
COMPLETE FAST
In this fast, you drink only liquids, typically water with light juices as an option.
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, or 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.
The timing of your fast is not as important as the strength of your focus on God as you fast.
Scripture References About Fasting
How to Pray
PRAY SIMPLY
Sometimes we get in our own way with complicated prayers. We begin to pray and give God specific instructions on how to solve our circumstances. But God doesn’t need your instruction. Instead, the Bible tells us to ask Him and then have faith to trust the process.
Here are a few easy bullet points to guide you when you are praying:
- Ask the Holy Spirit for help – He is your guide.
- Trust the process – it is part of your journey.
- Declare God’s Word over your circumstances.
- Have faith that He hears you, that His Word is powerful, and that it never changes. He will do what He says He will do!
- Anticipate and expect clarity, peace, courage, and- most importantly- breakthrough!
READ THE WORD
You cannot battle the plans of the enemy and pray powerful prayers if you do not know what God’s Word says. It is vital to know the Bible. Every single answer you need is in God’s Word. It provides you with all the instructions you need to walk through your circumstances in victory and joy.
PRAY EXPECTANTLY
Faith plays a key role in your breakthrough prayers. You must trust and believe what God says. Praying with expectancy is a way to activate your faith. Faith doesn’t go by feelings, and it doesn’t go by circumstances that are contrary to what God says. Stand on God’s word, and expect that He will move the mountain for you if you believe.
Want to dig deeper?
Here are two resources to help you learn more about prayer and fasting.
