Seasons: 2022 Fast
“The seasons of the year created by the powerful hands of our heavenly Father speak of the need to slow down, stop, and reflect. Times of reflection create space for God’s Spirit to speak, helping us remember what he has done, making us aware of what he is doing, and stirring our hearts for what he wants to do next. God loves to use a change in season to remind us to center our lives around his pervasive works. Whether it be a change in jobs, weather, moving, or the approaching of a new year, it’s crucial that we make space for God to speak to us and prepare us for the wonderful things he has planned.” - Craig Denison
FASTING THEME
As we begin a new year, we take time to both reflect on the past and prepare for the future. Reflecting on last year gives us the advantage of learning from what we experienced, and preparing for a new year gives us an opportunity to focus our lives on the will of God in Christ Jesus.
One of the best ways I have found to slow down, stop, and reflect has been to incorporate the discipline of fasting. Fasting is a way to entrust ourselves to the Lord by voluntarily reducing/eliminating something (usually food) for a specific time and purpose. Fasting provides space to create new habits and rhythms with spending time with God. And I can think of no better way to start 2022 than with Jesus.
21 DAYS OF FASTING & PRAYER
Through our 21 days of Fasting (starting on January 10th) we will explore the seasons we all, at some point, will find ourselves facing. God is the creator of all things, including time, cycles, rhythms, and seasons. He is our past, present, and future. And He deeply desires to reveal more of Himself to us in all those ‘seasons.’
Weekly devotionals will be provided, each exploring seven different seasons that we face. They will follow three general themes of ‘Seasons’ – Evaluation, Embrace & Encourage – and consist of a thought to consider, a passage to remember, and a declaration to speak over your life and others each day.
WEDNESDAYS AT 6:00 PM
Our mind, soul, and spirit become more open to His Word, the Holy Spirit, and God’s Will when we fast. God says He will give wisdom to those who seek it and fasting gives us a path towards that goal.
During our 21 Day fast, we will be hosting 3 powerful corporate worship and prayer nights focusing on the themes of each week. These will be held on Wednesdays (January 12th, 19th & 26th) from 6:00 pm – 7:45 pm at 11376 5th Street, Rancho Cucamonga CA 91730.
We are believing that our time with God, both individually and corporately, will be filled with His loving presence, and His voice into our ‘seasons’ for 2022.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR FAST…
How you begin and conduct your fast will largely determine your success. By following these seven necessary steps to fasting, you will make your time with the Lord more meaningful and spiritually rewarding.
1. Read: the Fasting Information Booklet written by a good friend of CCF named Dani Falcioni. This booklet is an excellent resource as a general overview, refresher, or reminder of fasting basics.
2. Set Your Goal: Ask yourself what breakthrough you need in your life? Is it spiritual renewal, guidance, healing, resolution of problems, career choice, special grace to handle a difficult situation, or relationships? Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify His leading and objectives for your fast. Goal setting will enable you to pray more specifically and strategically.
3. Determine Your Commitment: Pray about the kind of fast you should undertake. Jesus implied that all of His followers should fast (Matthew 6:16-18; 9:14,15) For Him it was a matter of when believers would fast, not if they would do it. Before you fast, decide the following up front:
● How long will you fast? All 21 days, one day a week (Beginners should start slowly, building up to longer times of fasting.)
● What type of fast God wants you to undertake? Such as water only, or water and juices; one meal a day, an item, entertainment, etc.) If you have questions about what too fast, please speak to others to help with discernment and accountability. Reach out to us through info@ccflive.org if you’d like and a Pastor will follow up with you.
● What physical or social activities you will restrict
● How much time each day you will devote to prayer and God’s Word. Having a schedule is vital.
Making these commitments ahead of time will help you sustain your fast when physical temptations and life’s pressures tempt you to abandon it. Let us know how you will be participating!
4. Set your place: A place is more than a physical location where you will go to sit and listen for the voice of God. It is the place of rest and peace of mind. It is where your mind can be renewed, your heart changed, your emotions prepared, and your spirit behind. It needs to be a place where there is no or minimal interruptions.
5. Prepare yourself spiritually: The very foundation of fasting and prayer is repentance. Unconfessed sin will hinder your prayers. Here are several things you can do to prepare your heart:
● Ask God to help you make a comprehensive list of your sins.
● Confess every sin that the Holy Spirit calls to your remembrance and accept God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9).
● Seek forgiveness from all whom you have offended, and forgive all who have hurt you (Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4; 17:3,4)
● Make restitution as the Holy Spirit leads you.
● Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit according to His command in Ephesians 5:18 and His promise in 1 John 5:14,15.
● Surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Master; refuse to obey your worldly nature (Romans 12:1,2). Meditate on the attributes of God, His love, sovereignty, power, wisdom, faithfulness, grace, compassion, and others (Psalm 48:9,10; 103:1-8. 11-13).
● Begin your time of fasting and prayer with an expectant heart (Hebrews 11:6).
● Do not underestimate spiritual opposition. Satan sometimes intensifies the natural battle between body and spirit (Galatians 5:16,17).
6. Prepare yourself physically: Fasting requires reasonable precautions. Consult your physician first, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic ailment, or pregnant. Some persons should never fast without professional supervision. Physical preparation makes the drastic change in your eating routine a little easier so that you can turn your full attention to the Lord in prayer. Do not rush into your fast prepare your body by eating smaller meals before starting a fast and by avoiding high-fat and sugary foods.
7. Expected Results: If you sincerely humble yourself before the Lord, repent, pray, and seek God’s face; if you consistently meditate on His Word, you will experience a heightened awareness of His presence and spiritual insight (John 14:21). Your confidence and faith in God will be strengthened. And you will feel spiritually, and physically refreshed.
As you prepare for, participate in and conclude your fast – don’t hesitate to reach out to us with feedback, questions or prayer requests! You are not alone in this fasting journey!
REFLECT ON THE FASTING SCRIPTURE
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace." - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NRSV)