If you're reading this, you're at least interested in what it means to fast and what the benefits might actually be. In the Jewish culture, fasting was a part of their tradition and actually rules of Jewish law that were expected to be followed. Just like so many other rules and laws, Jesus came to fulfill all of them. We are free in Jesus and not under rules or law. However, there are so many benefits that God set up for the Jewish people before Jesus made his appearance as a man that we can glean from today, and I personally have found fasting to be one of them.
In all of my 53 years on earth, I was never once encouraged to fast. I wasn't familiar with it other than reading it in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, but I just assumed it didn't apply to me since I had never learned about it in any of my Bible classes or sermons that were preached. Not once. In 2021 that changed. An entire church had committed to do this together as they prayed specifically for things in their community, their families and individually. I found this inspiring and intriguing as, again, I'd never even considered doing this.
Fasting is an immediate way to point yourself to Jesus. We all know the pang of hunger in some form or fashion. The idea of fasting is to push through that pang and look to Jesus, asking Him to fill you instead of rushing to the fridge, pantry or nearest drive-thru. It's definitely not what we're used to here in America.
If you've made it this far, you may be truly considering it. I'm so so impressed with you! Fasting is an individual decision. However, you must commit to it BEFORE you start, or you will be tempted to change it and rationalize that change as you move forward. Here is what I have done for the last 3 years, and it is what I will do for 21 days starting January 1 of 2025:
Week 1
4 glasses of juice per day. I'm not a juice-girl, so this was already a challenge for me. I bought quite a few small bottles in the produce section at the grocery store the first year and narrowed it to what I can actually get down. Some people also substitute one or two of these glasses per day with broth. That was a line too far in the sand for me. I also drink water all day long.
Read one chapter of the book of John each day. Get to know Jesus by his own words and actions as an adult man. Learn how he interacted with his disciples, his enemies and how he treated those around him. His goal was (and is) to lead us to the Father. Read in His own words how He does that. There are 21 chapters. Kinda perfect.
Watch at least one episode of The Chosen. Start from the beginning. It's on Amazon Prime, but it also has its own app which is FREE to download and watch on any of your devices. Watch it alone the first time if you have not yet started. It's so very personal, and you don't want to miss even a moment of each episode, so don't have your phone nearby. Unplug from everything and everyone for that hour each day and soak in the visual images and audio elements of what Jesus could have been like in real flesh.
Pray. Pray specifically for what God has in store for you over the next few days, weeks, months, year. Watch. Listen.
Week 2
4 glasses of juice per day + a dinner meal of strictly vegetables. Get creative. You can start chewing this week, ha! Water all day long.
Keep reading one chapter of John.
Keep watching at least one episode of The Chosen. (When you get to Season 2, Episode 1, go back and read John 1:1-18 again. You will be moved to tears at how personal Jesus is for you. I can't wait to hear about this from everyone!)
Pray. Pray specifically for what God has in store for you over the next few days, weeks, months, year. Watch. Listen.
Week 3
4 glasses of juice per day, a dinner meal of strictly vegetables, a protein drink at lunchtime. Water all day long.
Keep reading one chapter of John.
Keep watching at least one episode of The Chosen.
Pray. Pray specifically for what God has in store for you over the next few days, weeks, months, year. Watch. Listen.
This is my personal journey. Choose one that is right for you.
One note I'd like to address: Biblical fasting is restricted to food. Others may "fast" from social media, hobbies, alcohol, etc. God set up fasting to include food. If you'd like to "abstain" from those other things, that sounds fantastic, but it's not a fast. Fasting is difficult at best and causes some days of physical suffering, but you will be SHOCKED at how God will pull you along. Some days, and this may sound crazy, you might not even feel hungry, and you will have to remember to go drink that glass of juice.
Days 2 and 5 are usually the hardest for me at first. It's like my body is saying, "ok, i know you probably forgot yesterday, but let's get back to this eating thing..." You'll have a couple of days when you don't think you can do it. YOU CAN WITH GOD! Cry out to Him. Once completed, you will have accomplished something you may have never thought you could. Your body will feel great, your soul will feel refreshed, and your relationship with Jesus will become closer than you ever expected.
ALSO, please comment on this blog each day or any day you feel encouraged or discouraged. Let's share together what verse hit you directly or how God revealed something to you. Some days will be harder while some days will be easier. Let's encourage each other. This is your personal fasting group! Welcome!
Get ready to fall in Love with Jesus in 21 days!
Comments
Missy - wrapping it up!:
Tomorrow is Day 21! Congratulations to all of you who made it. This is a huge accomplishment! I apologize for being silent this week. I have been in Nashville with my grown boys and grand babies and just celebrated our little David Silas’ 2nd birthday today. I cut a piece of Brighton’s homemade chocolate cake and am saving it for tomorrow night.
Oh yes, tomorrow night!
The first year I did the fast with Church of the City in Franklin, TN, I attended a praise and worship service on the last night for those who participated in the fast. After the service was over, the pastor stated that the fast was officially over and welcomed everyone to break the fast that night, starting slowly so your body won’t go into shock.
I truly hope you have benefited from this fast. Please don’t be discouraged if you feel God has not shown you answers in your prayers as of yet. God is always working, especially in our quiet times. Keep watching and waiting on Him. For those of you who have seen big breakthroughs, I am so very happy for you. It is quite amazing when you’re constantly in communication with your Father and able to see things more clearly. He wants a relationship with each of us, and we are so better for a closer relationship with Him. Keep studying, keep praying, keep stepping out in faith.
Be Blessed!
Missy
Jan 20, 2025
Melissa Orsburn:
I found this prayer in a reading plan and I knew I had to share with my sisters!
Take the authority Jesus gave us in Luke 10:19, when He said, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” Stand in that authority now—rebuke the enemy from your life, and renounce any access you’ve given him.
Heavenly Father,
thank You for the victory we have in You. Thank You, Jesus, for the authority You have given us over this present darkness. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for fighting in our place when the enemy comes against us. Today, I come against the enemy and claim victory over my past, my hurts, my sin, and my failures. I call for restoration in my home, in my marriage, in my relationships, and in my church. Lord Jesus, rebuke the enemy on my behalf, so I may once again walk in Your presence and align with Your will. Thank You, Lord, for freeing me. Today, I will make things right with You and with others, so that victory will be mine. In Jesus’ name,
Amen!
Jan 20, 2025
Rebecca Grice:
Good evening! Day 19 is coming to an end and oh boy I had a heavy heart today as I read John 19 and watched the last couple episodes of Chosen Season 3. As I read chapter 19 things popped out to me that I’ve never paid much attention to before. Like when they put the crown of thorns on His head and clothes Him in purple and then Pilate kept trying to free Him and give Him back to high priest and all they were worried about was staying clean for Passover. It’s so sad that their hearts were so hardened that they were doing these things. When Jesus was hanging in the cross and He looked at His mother and then at the disciples He told them she was now their mother and after then they all took her into their homes… what a blessing to them all but at the same time my heart ached so heavily for His mother. I can’t even imagine what heaviness and mixed emotions she felt as her Son and her Messiah hung on the cross with a sinless life He lead…as I read accounts of our Savior during times of His anguish I always pray that if I had been alive during that time that I would have been a follower of Him through and through and not a hard hearted wicked person .. all I know is He is so good to us and everyday gives us new grace to know Him more. Praise be that we serve a living Savior.
Peace be with you all dear sisters in the Most high. Good night.
Jan 20, 2025
Keshia:
Wow! Definitely spiritual warfare going on in our house the last few days. It’s Day 19 for me and I have been feeling hangry lately. I have been trying to workout (not strenuously), I wonder if that’s why. I am praying for you ladies, Lord give us strength and wisdom according to your will!
Jan 20, 2025
Dezy :
Day 20- almost done! Good job guys, I know we’ve been making God smile 😊 Full disclosure so far in this fast I’ve had 4 weak moments ( all involving caffeine) but I decided after reading the word that God wants full obedience and that’s what I want to give him. Everything got much better after that. I’m very thankful for you guys and will continue praying long after this ends! 🩵 Last night at home church all we had to drink was sweet tea and soda. Lemme tell you, it was hard to have coconut water to drink instead. Ha! I told my husband this doesn’t hit the spot lol 😂 lastly, the bad dreams have stopped. Praise God!
Jan 20, 2025
Tina :
Thank you sweet sisters for your prayers. Day 6 for me. I dreamed about eating food last night and woke up feeling guilty having to remind myself it was just a dream. Yesterday was hard. I stayed in my bible almost all day. I love reading everyone’s post daily. Please keep sharing. It helps. The devil keeps getting in my head telling me that I am doing this for nothing. I just say Jesus over and over until the thoughts pass. I just hate that devil. He stays on me like white on rice. I pray all these intrusive thoughts would just go away. They are constant. I couldn’t even focus in church yesterday. I just keep saying that I can do this and Jesus don’t leave me.
Jan 20, 2025
Diane:
The fast has been a challenge and a reminder to focus on God. Praying for the many prayer requests above 🙏. God is good and in control. No matter what happens remember He will never leave you nor forsake you . Humans are weak but He is strong . Trust Him, he loves you! ❤️🙏
Jan 20, 2025
Amy Warner:
Day 19 for me, This morning I watch The Passion of Christ movie from 2004. It depicts the final 12 hours and f Jesus’, very closely following the book of John. I found myself holding my breath several times at different moments.
I am praying for all of you beautiful women, as we seek to draw nearer to Jesus. At supper time (vegetables) I find myself wanting to eat as much as I can, bahaha. Almost like I want to store reserves. Goodness gracious!!
Seek Jesus, asking for His fullness to sustain us.
Jan 19, 2025
Dezy:
Tina- check out the sheepfold.org
Praying for you sister girl 🩵
Amy- what a comfort it is that the father already knows our needs, the Holy Spirit prays for us with groans and Jesus himself intercedes on our behalf! Just spending time in prayer even if you ask God to be your voice or repeat the Lord’s Prayer is wonderful! 🩷
Day 18- this will not be the only time that I’ll fast I think. I’ve experienced spiritual highs and spiritual warfare .Self- control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that I’ve been praying for more of and this has helped! 😊
Jan 19, 2025
Kimberly:
Day 18: My beautiful sisters. I have not posted in a few days. Tonight after arguing with my husband, I decided to come and see (get it?) your comments. Boy, am I glad I did. It’s been a weird couple of days and I’m actually encouraged because it seems like the spiritual warfare has increased with most of you, too. I’m feeling off and a little flat, if that makes sense. I’ve not had a decent night’s sleep since we started this fast. I’ve been very uneasy and anxious at night which is uncommon for me, and I’m having anxious dreams that I can’t remember. Howeverrrrrr…..I do not regret it and I will not stop, I will continue through the power of Jesus.
Tina – That’s alot to handle, but I commend you for coming back to the feet of your Saviour. I will be praying over your home, your children, your husband, and you, sweetheart. Do not let the enemy keep you from doing this fast. You cry out to Jesus everytime you feel like breaking, and He will get you through it. You need this, girl.
Dezy- I’m glad you got that Kickstart fix handled! Haha!
Melissa O – Yes, the spiritual warfare is intensifying it seems. I’ll be praying for you. Please do the same for me! I snapped my husband’s head off earlier for nothing and that got out of hand. I let my guard down. Now I have to go apologize which is…ugh. Fine. Lol
Toni – I hope you get better soon, honey! Also, I’m adding your husband to my little list of non believers I keep in my prayer book. (Whats his name?) I know that you are doing the Lord’s work with him. It takes a strong woman. Never give up!
I am so thankful for all of you.
I hope and pray you all have a great at Sunday. God bless.
Jan 19, 2025
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