Family,
Blessings! As we begin our third week of the Daniel Fast now is the time to let it all go. Pursue the Lord with reckless abandon. Let your hunger for Him overshadow all other appetites and longings.
In his book, A Hunger for God, John Piper writes, “If you don’t feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Your soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great.”
Allow the disciplines of fasting and prayer to become powerful tools in your life that assist you in placing anything that entangles you to the darkness and passions of this world in proper perspective. Envision yourself intentionally walking away from the table of the world and being seated at the table of God where you can drink deeply of the wonders and satisfaction found in restored relationship with our heavenly Father. It is at His table that you become nourished by the light, life and love of Christ Jesus, which have the power to transform you into His likeness.
Letting it all go means that you relinquish control and allow God to get all the GLORY! The psalmist writes in Psalm 115:1, “Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” My prayer for you during this last week of the fast is that you die to self and live for the glory of our heavenly Father.
How to End Your Fast Well
1. Expect Results – You are seeking God earnestly and have consistently meditated on His Word over the last couple of weeks and now:
- Expect to experience a heightened awareness of His presence.
- Expect the Lord to give you fresh, new spiritual insights.
- Expect your confidence and faith in God will be strengthened.
- Expect that you will feel mentally, spiritually, and physically refreshed.
- Expect to see answered prayers.
2. Breaking Your Fast – You began your fast by intentionally preparing and you should take a similar approach in ending your fast.
- Prepare to begin eating gradually. Do not eat solid, heavy, greasy foods immediately after your fast. Reintroducing these types of foods to your stomach and digestive tract will likely have negative, even dangerous, consequences if you do so quickly.
- Try several smaller meals or snacks each day. If you end your fast gradually, the physical and spiritual effects will result in continued good health.
- Remain prayerful and focused on God beyond the fast.
3. Maintaining Personal Revival
- Study the attributes of God.
- Refuse to obey your sinful nature.
- Read, study, meditate on, and memorize God’s holy, inspired, inerrant and authoritative Word daily.
- Plan on fasting and praying one 24-hour period each week. Make a bold commitment to pursue God beyond the Daniel Fast.
- Seek to share Christ daily as a way of life.
- Prayerfully consider how you can serve at Abounding Grace Ministries in 2019.
Week 3: Prayer & Scripture Guide
The first four days of this week we will pray and believe for revival at Abounding Grace.
January 23 – God finds lukewarm churches detestable. Pray that the church will be hot for Christ and His mission. (Revelation 3:14-22)
January 24 – God wants to revive His church. Pray for that we return to our first love. (Revelation 2:1-7)
January 25 – God wants to give us more of His Holy Spirit. Pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the church. (Luke 11:9-13; Joel 2:28)
January 26 – God wants us to get rid of all idols and hindrances. Pray that God alone is the object of our worship and praise. (Matthew 4:8- 11; Colossians 3:5-10)
Over our last three days of the Daniel Fast we will pray God’s promises over our church and community.
January 27 – God has promised he will heal our land. Pray that our turning to Him will bring healing to the Lower East Side, NYC, the United States of America and the world. (2 Chronicles 7:13-14)
January 28 – God has promised that he will answer us if we ask according to His will. Pray that our prayer life will focus on God’s will, word and purposes and not our feelings, fears and agendas.(1 John 5:14)
January 29 – God has given us the victory. Pray that we will live from a place of victory and confidence as overcomers in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:37-39)
Make this your best week yet of 2019. Love you all and look forward to seeing you Sunday at service.
Bendiciones,
Pastor Lou
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