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
Dezy:
I remember saying that I wish I was around in Jesus day on earth to my husband but then we both agreed that it probably wasn’t a good idea. John 11 is so special, I love Jesus, God is so compassionate. It also reminded me that it’s hard to understand Gods plan sometimes. He knew Lazarus would rise but his sisters didn’t, so they grieved and had questions for Jesus about why their brother died. We just have to trust him. Faith is important. I pray for more faith for my family & I. Four of my 5 kids aren’t saved 😭 I didn’t get saved until 9/23 at 44yrs old. Pray for Kyla, bubba, luke and Ellie to be saved please! And that my husband, myself and Anna (middle daughter) would always keep the faith. Thanks missy for the recipe! 10 MORE DAYS 🎉 On the 22nd I shall have my fave drink, a kickstart! Lol
This episode of the chosen is awesome! Why did Jesus weep? 🤔 I think I have an idea. This is Jesus’ super awesome miracle! Could he love me as much as he did Mary, Martha and Lazarus? What an amazing thing to be close friends with Jesus!
Jan 11, 2025
Jenn S:
What a wonderful group of ladies on here! I have been encouraged by all of your comments. I am only on day 7, The road seems so long ahead of me, but I know God will carry me through. I am not sure what is happening to my body and my mind is not as clear today as it was the first 4 days. I can’t seem to focus. I will continue to pray for a breakthrough!
Jan 11, 2025
Melissa Orsburn:
Early morning Day 11
Good morning!! I woke up very early about 4:30 a.m. I lit some candles and opened up the blinds to see the beautiful big fluffy snowflakes falling down. I praised God for such a serene quiet morning and opened up to John 11.
I have to say, I feel amazing both physically and spiritually! 🙏🏻❄️🕯️
Last night I picked up some mini sweet peppers and a container of guacamole.
(If you can find the Wholly Guacamole brand the chunky is delicious!). I sliced up the peppers and used them in place of chips for the guacamole.
I plan to stir fry the rest of the peppers and add some garlic green beans for dinner tonight.
I do have a personal prayer request.
My son (Sonny) is in 2nd grade he has ASD along with some sensory disorders. We have really struggled navigating the public school system here in Indiana. This year however he has made tremendous progress and was recently transitioned out of his special needs class. He has an education plan through the state and he qualifies for a grant into private school.
On January 24, 2025 the local Christian school starts taking applications for enrollment. If anyone wants to pray with me for success and acceptance on this we would be so grateful!
God bless!
~Melissa Orsburn
Jan 11, 2025
Jenn S:
It is day 6 for me and I am doing so much better at this than I could have ever imagined. I know it is all the work of the Lord. I have already seen a big breakthrough in my life with a situation that has been a heavy burden for over 2 years. I am trusting God to see me through the entire 21 days.
Jan 11, 2025
Missy - Day 10 LATE NIGHT:
Today’s reading in John 10 paired with Season 3, Episode 4 of The Chosen went together perfectly. Those who see Jesus as a simple carpenter’s son from Nazareth, knew him as a child growing up or just can’t seem to get past the lack of grandeur they were expecting from the Messiah refused to even consider that He was the One. Their minds would not allow it to even be an option. I often ask myself why. Reading John 10 tonight again, I became so grateful to be on this side of the cross and resurrection. If I would have been in the temple courts at that festival, would I have been like the regular Jewish people going through their rituals? Would I have understood the words Jesus was speaking and started to believe He was sent from the Father to save me? I am so very thankful that I was not put in that place at that time. I am so very grateful that God put me here, now, in this exact time and place to seek Him, find him and reach out to him (Acts 17). He knew exactly where each one of us should be for the greatest possible chance to know Him. Isn’t He amazing?!
Okay, here’s my beans recipe. Mia actually made this for the first time today while she and her roommates are snowed in from school in Nashville. She was super pumped that it was so delicious, just like home ;)
In a 7-quart crock pot, add the following:
1lb dried pinto beans
1 tbsp of each: salt, pepper, Phil’s seasoning (you can use Tony’s but it is VERY salty, so don’t use salt if you substitute this), dried onion flakes and a special seasoning I get from the Dominican (Amazon has this -Sazon Ricompleto Dona Gallina)
1 slice of bone-in ham – cut up into multiple pieces
Fill the crock pot half way with water, turn on high and cook for 8-10 hours.
If your crock pot is smaller, adjust the water level. Mia’s is 3.5 quarts, so she filled hers all the way up.
Jase likes a spicy sausage so he cooks that along with the rice to be served at the same time.
If anyone else has a favorite veggie recipe, please share! I cooked brussell sprouts, black eyed peas and tomato slices tonight and it was filling and delightful. We are also doing our bodies a great service with the layering of this fast. Starting the year off with clear heads, hearts AND bodies will be so rewarding! I feel like our group may have shrunk a bit from the start, so if you’re still with us, let me tell you that I am super impressed with you! This is NOT EASY! Great job, Ladies!
Jan 10, 2025
Kimberly:
Day 10: I love reading all your comments.
It seems like a lot of us are praying for career move guidance. I’m no farmer, but things need to change for my husband and I too for various reasons. We’re raising our grandson who is 5. My husband has recently been diagnosed with a medical condition that ended his career as an electrician. After 24 years as a paralegal, I’m done.
I really just want to feed the hungry and pray with them, share Jesus with them. Like, as a full time job. If only. Haha
I love John chapter 10. My Lord is so good.
This is fast is one of the best things I’ve ever done. I have so much to say!
Thanks flr the thrive recommend, Missy, and yes, we want to know what’s in your beans.
Jan 10, 2025
Patricia Maynard Flood:
Day 10! It snowed here in Oklahoma. I was so ready to have a hot cooked meal for lunch, but I told my husband I was sticking with juice until supper. Looking forward to beans again though! I’m so thankful that the Lord is providing. I prayed before I found Missy’s post about this fast that He would help me with my “attachment” to food. It’s been a crutch for me since I quit smoking several years ago as an excuse for living right by eating at each meal time. Sounds crazy, but it’s true. The weight piled on and I just kept thinking if I start smoking again I would lose the weight. Through prayer, I knew He was telling me that was never the answer. I need Him over anything on earth. The scripture we’ve all been reading along with prayer has reminded me of the Truth only found in Him.
Jan 10, 2025
Kimberly:
Day 9, went just fine. Continuing to read through the great book of John. Chapter 9 is a picture of how messy people are, how much of trainwreck, without Jesus. You have a blind man given sight, trying to make sense of what happened and at the same time he’s seeing everything for the first time ever – never seen a face, a fruit, the sky, a road – nothing. Meanwhile, he’s being drug into court like a criminal and grilled about what’s happened to him, which is a blessing, but everybody’s making it out to be some wicked thing – and he really doesn’t have any answers. All the while, his parents are standing there shrugging their shoulders going, “We don’t know,” because they don’t want to get in trouble, and if somebody is going to get kicked out they think their son should be the one, since it happened to him after all, and not them, so that’s heartwarming for the poor guy.
And then he met King Jesus, the Messiah, the Savior, the One who gives him everything he was missing his whole life which was so much more than just the ability to see.
Jan 10, 2025
Dezy :
Day 10- no doubt about it, John 10 made me go, yeah he’s the son of God, the messiah! It’s amazing how delicious food is when you barely have it ha! Thanks missy for the thrive recommendation & also if you share the bean recipe, we would be so grateful! 🥹
P.S. I miss caffeine more then food 😜
Jan 10, 2025
Amy:
Kristina – THANK YOU for sharing your farming story. My husband and I are a few steps behind you and are currently in the “separating fields and buying out equipment” stage. The weight of the debt load is at times overwhelming. Satan has definitely crept in with doubts and worries, your story is exactly what I needed to hear, thank you! We are in that exact stage, considering other careers, we love farming and know that if God wants us here He will make a way. Praying so hard for “what’s next” and asking for His grace to trust Him more.
I, like Missy am going through the house speaking tha name of Jesus everywhere, and pleading the blood of Jesus over all of us.
Father, thank you for this group, this challenge, Your Words, the Chosen, and for connecting us all in the divine way that only You can. Praise God.
Kristina- if you’d ever have time to chat, I would love to learn more (adwarner@atcjet.net) 🤍
Jan 10, 2025
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