What are you fasting for?

a post by Daniel...

This is something I recently sent to my leaders.  Over the last few weeks in our church's weekend services, we've laid a foundation and precedent for fasting.  In short, the best definition I have for fasting is we remove food or something we crave in hopes that our hunger for this will somehow move into our soul and we’ll hunger more for God.  Specifically, our church has been looking at why we fast and asking three questions: what are we fasting from, what are we fasting for, and what are we feasting on?  These are great questions and my hope is that many of us have something specific that they're seeking God about. 

I believe up until now we've been focusing on fasting for personal breakthroughs in healing, relationships, maybe even addictions and compulsions we want freedom from.  As today marks the beginning of fasting for many of us, I would like to broaden the scope a little for you and give you a more corporate target during your fast.  I want to challenge us to fast and pray for the mission Jesus has called our church to...to continue the works of Jesus.  I break up his works into three different areas because it helps me remember it more easily.

Pray that we would continue his works by:

• Reaching UP (Love God)
• Pray that we would not be lukewarm followers of Jesus, but that we would burn in our desire for Him
• We would be a community that knows the Father's voice, inside and outside of church.  That his "still small voice" is clear
• That we as a church body would have more revelation of who God is and who we are in Him, not just information about Him...that our confidence in Him would rise
  
• Reaching IN (Love Others)
• That we would know how to build a culture that honors and loves one another
• That we would be able to call each other into God's purposes for our lives...to call out gifts, to encourage, to strengthen and to comfort
• That we would know how to challenge each other lovingly and boldly
• Reaching OUT (Live It Out)
• That we as a church body would really grasp why we are here.  That we would be bold followers of Jesus... we would know how to share what he's doing in our life with others
  
• That we would not live in our comfort zones, but continually step into places that if God doesn't show up, it doesn't work
• With that, that we would know how to pray for others in humility and power
  
• That we would not just see renewal, but see revival in our cities, where the lost are saved and the healing power of God is displayed
• That 100 people would begin a relationship with Jesus during our fast

I know that some of these may hit you stronger than others.  I encourage you to pray boldly as we seek Jesus as a church together!  Holy Spirit Come!

Peace,
Daniel