New Year Church Fast | Gilbert

202 s. Gilbert rd,Gilbert AZ 85296

09 January, 2023

Description

In the book of Ezra, the priest, Ezra, is gathering the people together to walk into a new place with a new purpose in front of them. "Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions." (Ezra 8:21 KJV) We're about to start a new year, and a fast is a great way to get things started before we go somewhere new. Fasting expresses humility, saying, "I need you, Lord. I want to go in the right direction, and I need Your protection for us and those who come after us, including our children." We are marching into 2023 with great expectations for success. It will be a year of taking great territory in the Kingdom of God and coming into God's promises more than ever before. So consider beginning the new year with a fast. What do I mean by fasting? First, consult your doctor before making a significant change to your diet. There are many types of fasts. Some suggestions are below, from juice-only fasting to simply cutting out something you love that you know isn't healthy for your body and skipping it for seven days. When you tell your body "no" to something it desires, you are silencing the voice of the flesh and establishing proper authority. It is a lot easier to be Spirit-led when the body is in submission. The old doubts and fears grow quiet, and clarity begins to come. Faith gets louder when you are fasting. ----- Fasting begins on the morning of January 9th and ends on the evening of January 11th. The fast will conclude with a night of prayer & worship . Join us Wednesday January 11th to enter in to praise and worship to our God. We encourage you to write down a list of prayers and goals for 2023 that you are believing God for, and then declare victory in each of these areas daily. ----- Fasting options and resources: Juice Fast: Drink only juice and water. Dr. Cherie Calbom (juiceladycherie.com) is an excellent source of information on the benefits of juice fasting. The Daniel Fast: Drink only juice and water. Eat only fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Find more information at daniel-fast.com. No Refined Sugar or Wheat Flour: Don't eat or drink anything that contains added sugar or wheat flour. Read the ingredient list; you might be surprised to find how many common foods contain one or both. Some of the less obvious things you'll want to avoid are "enriched flour, sucrose, fructose, galactose, maltose, lactose, honey, and cane sugar." Elimination Fast: Give up one or more foods that you enjoy but know aren't healthy for your body. During January, Tiffone Parker teaches a four-week Health Class at Living Word Mesa on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. Tiffone is a registered dietician and CEO at Nutrition Made Simple, LLC, with experience in clinical nutrition and weight management. A registration link with more information will be available soon. Fasting: Releasing the Miraculous Through Fasting & Prayer by our Founding Pastor, Dr. Maureen Anderson, is an excellent resource on the spiritual benefits of fasting. We really do hope you will join us as we enter 2023 with power and purpose. Be sure to complete this registration, and we will share a daily word of encouragement with you during the fast.