2019
New Year’s Fast
Wednesday, January 2nd – Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019
“The Year of Unprecedented Favor”
MCHCWS
Purpose of Fasting: The purpose of fasting is to loosen to some degree the ties which bind us to the world of material things and our surroundings as a whole, in order that we may concentrate all our spiritual powers upon the unseen and eternal things.
Focus Scripture: Isaiah 61:1-2. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the year of the Lord‘s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn…”
Food: Any variation of fruits and vegetables. Non-Fried Fish/Poultry can be added daily after 5:00 pm. (no alcohol)
3 Areas of Personal Sacrifice & Addition (Examples: No Shopping, limit caffeine, no secular music, social media fast) Can be sacrificed for 3 complete weeks or one week at a time.
- 1. _______________________________
- 2. _______________________________
- 3. _______________________________
….Now add 3 things you WILL Do over this fast (For Example-read additional Bible Scriptures)
- 1. _______________________________
- 2. _______________________________
- 3. _______________________________
Medical Concerns: Please fast as you are medically able. Please consult a medical professional for any physical concerns as MCHCWS assumes no medical liability.
Please note:
- Abstaining from fleshly desires can bring a shift in mood or attitude. Please be mindful of this and pray for a pleasant demeanor.
- Changes in diet can produce a shift in dental health. Please be sure to carry breath freshener at all times.
- Hydrate with water constantly!
- Attend church and special worship services on a regular basis to constantly feed your spirit.
- Fasting is not a diet. This fast is to produce a greater spiritual sense of awareness by limiting our fleshly desires. Read the scriptures, listen to gospel music and watch Christian TV to constantly feed your spirit.
Daily Reading Scriptures from Psalm 119 for our 2019 Fast
| Day 1 Wednesday, January 2nd Psalm 119:1-8 |
| Day 2 Thursday, January 3rd Psalm 119:9-16 |
| Day 3 Friday, January 4th Psalm 119:17-24 |
| Day 4 Saturday, January 5th Psalm 119:25-32 |
| Day 5 Sunday, January 6th Psalm 119:33-40 |
| Day 6 Monday, January 7th Psalm 119:41-48 |
| Day 7 Tuesday, January 8th Psalm 119:49-56 |
| Day 8 Wednesday, January 9th Psalm 119:57-64 |
| Day 9 Thursday, January 10th Psalm 119:65-72 |
| Day 10 Friday, January 11th Psalm 119:73-80 |
| Day 11 Saturday, January 12th Psalm 119:81-88 |
| Day 12 Sunday, January 13th Psalm 119:89-96 |
| Day 13 Monday, January 14th Psalm 119:97-104 |
| Day 14 Tuesday, January 15th Psalm 119:105-112 |
| Day 15 Wednesday, January 16th Psalm 119:113-120 |
| Day 16 Thursday, January 17th Psalm 119:121-128 |
| Day 17 Friday, January 18th Psalm 119:129-136 |
| Day 18 Saturday, January 19th Psalm 119:137-144 |
| Day 19 Sunday, January 20th Psalm 119:145-152 |
| Day 20 Monday, January 21st Psalm 119:153-160 |
| Day 21 Tuesday, January 22nd Psalm 119:161-168 |
| Day 22 Psalm 119:169-176 (BONUS) |
5 Spiritual Benefits of Fasting Taken From Guideposts
Refraining from eating and drinking is an act of worship that is good for your soul
By Brooke Obie
Many of us think of fasting as a spiritual duty to God, depriving ourselves of food and drink for a period of time in order to prove our love for Him. While long-suffering is a part of being human and certainly a part of being Christian, fasting should not be included when we think about “suffering for Christ.”
On the contrary, fasting is less about what we’re giving up and much more about what we’re making room for. When we fast, we exchange what we need to survive for what we need to live—more of God. Here are five spiritual benefits to fasting:
1) A soul cleansing. How often we forget that our bodies are the temple of the Lord—especially when deciding what to eat! Fasting is a great time to remember the spiritual connection we have to our physical bodies. Without the toxins we put in our bodies, we not only give our bodies a break from the digestive process, but we also allow our spirits to be detoxed. Fasting is a faith-move, an expectation we have that God will fill us with His Holy Spirit, just as He promised. But as Christ told His disciples, “[N]o one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” By fasting, we meditate cleanses the soul and makes it new so we can receive the Holy Spirit and become empowered to live for Christ in a new way.
2) A new desire for God. When we acknowledge through fasting that we need God to live, and to live more abundantly, we can begin to desire God in a new way. When we realize we need God more than we need food, we can start to understand what the Psalmist meant when he wrote, “Like the deer that pants after water, my soul longs for You.” God, the sustainer of all life, wants nothing more than a closer connection with us, and through fasting we can quench that new desire for more of Him in our lives.
3) A deeper praise. Because the body does not have to do the work of digestion, it has more energy to focus on other things. In the same vein, since we are not consumed by what we are going to eat next and when, we have more energy to devote to God. While we’re experiencing a new desire for Him through fasting, we should also emit a deeper praise as we think about everything God is to us and all He has done. Once we get caught up in our desire for God and our praise for His mighty acts, we won’t have time to be hungry or count down the hours until our fast is over. We’ll be celebrating the whole time!
4) A sensitivity to God’s voice. The New Testament prophetess Anna is praised in the book of Luke for being a devoted servant to God and His temple. Because she regularly fasted and prayed, she was able to hear the voice of God speak clearly to her the day that Baby Jesus was brought into her temple to be dedicated. She knew He was the Christ and told everyone who would listen about His arrival. When we detox the spirit and become consumed with desire and praise for God, we become sensitive to His voice. Like Anna, when God speaks to us in the midst of chaos, we’ll still be able to pick out His voice and know what He wants us to do because we have trained our ear to hear Him through fasting, prayer, study and praise.
5) A new satisfaction. When you finish your fast, renewed, full of energy, detoxed, with a new desire, a new praise and a sensitivity to God’s voice, you’ll find that the absence of food was small in comparison to what you gained. When Christ’s disciples noticed that He hadn’t eaten all day and tried to get Him to slow down to eat, Christ said, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about….My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.”
Physical food never fully satisfies; in a few hours, you’ll need to eat again. But when you are fed from doing the work of the Lord, you will find a new satisfaction like you’ve never experienced.
https://www.guideposts.org/better-living/health-and-wellness/5-spiritual-benefits-of-fasting