A RENEWED CALL TO FASTING
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A RENEWED CALL TO FASTING
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Father God, may we respond to Your call to a deeper relationship with You.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:8)
As Intercessors for America (IFA) celebrates 45 years of ministry, we feel called to emphasize our founding principles. This ministry was birthed with prayer and fasting—together they have been the cornerstone of our ministry for 45 years. Fasting, some form of depriving your body, adds supernatural power to intercession and your personal walk with the Lord. We have encouraged fasting on the first Friday of every month. Our newsletter and monthly prayer conference call are some of the tools we offer to encourage the Church in this spiritual discipline. In 2019, I am asking you to take up this calling—to supercharge your prayers and encourage your soul by fasting on the first Friday of the month. For those who desire more, join me in fasting every Friday. (By David Kubal, IFA President/CEO)
Is the Lord drawing you to make a commitment to fasting in 2019? Share by leaving a comment.
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I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER. I AM GOING TO COMMIT TO FASTING PRAYING EVERY FRIDAY. PLEASE PRAY WITH ME THAT I WILL KEEP THIS COMMITMENT. PRAY ALSO ALONG WITH ME FOR MY BROTHER KEN. HE HAS JUST BEEN DIAGNOSISED WITH STAGE 4 GILOMA OF THE BRAIN. THE PROGNOSIS IS THAT HE 14 MONTHS TO LIVE. WE ARE PRAYING THAT GOD THE GREAT PHYSICIAN WILL SHOW HIMSELF IN A BIG WAY AND WILL HEAL MY BROTHER COMPLETELY OF THIS HORRIBLE DISEASE. PRAISE GOD THOUGH THAT MY BROTHER IS SAVED. HERE ARE MY MAJOR PRAYERS FOR THE YEAR. GOD WILL DO WHAT IT TAKES TO EITHER CHANGE THE HEARTS OF OUR LEADERS IN CONGRESS OR TAKE THE WICKED ONES OUT. GOD WILL PROTECT AND GIVE GREAT WISDOM TO PRESIDENT TRUMP, VICE PRESIDENT PENCE AND OUR PRESIDENTS CABINET MEMBERS. THAT I WILL DRAW CLOSER TO GOD SO THAT HE WILL DRAW CLOSER TO ME. THAT I WILL BECOME A GREATER WITNESS FOR GOD AND WILL SEE MANY COME TO RECIEVE CHRIST AS SAVIOUR AND THEN DISCIPLED TO GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR. PRAYING FOR THE HEALING OF MY BROTHER. PRAYING FOR THE HEALING OF MY MOTHERS MIND, SHE HAS DEMENTIA. PRAYING 2 CHRONICLES 7:14 MAY GOD’S PEOPLE HUMBLE THEMSELVES, PRAY AND SEEK HIS FACE AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, THAT GOD WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND HEAL OUR LAND.
As I’ve read ea reply to this, mine….I’ve asked and my Father has answered…first Friday it is!
I thank God for His mercy on me and expect mighty clarity and results, obedience has fruit sweet to eat and guidance needed! Praise God!
I was humbled by all of these comments, and agree whole heartedly with the prayers. This has truly encouraged me to hear of churches that are dedicated to fast, and the mighty work that is happening here at IFA. I will be in prayer as to how the Lord wishes me to fast also. “Our Lord God, may it please you to use mightily all the supercharged prayers of your prayer warriors who honor you with fasting, in Jesus name, Amen.”
Thank you, again, to IFA for inspiring purpose, focus and commitment to and in the body of Christ. The discipline of fasting makes a tremendous difference in a person’s level of transformation. I have belonged to a church that regularly fasts, particularly on the first 21 days of each new year. Other churches in our region have also joined in that discipline, as well as days of 24-hour prayer. Kenneth Hagin used to teach about having a fasted lifestyle by ending a meal when he was still hungry. Todd White fasts every other day! Several years ago, GOD impressed upon me to be faithful in obeying the “small things.” He told me that if I would be obedient and faithful in the small things, He would take care of the “big” things. I live 1 block away from a 4-way stop and it was common for “locals” to roll through the stop because it is not a heavily traveled route. GOD made it clear that He wanted me to start coming to a COMPLETE stop at EVERY stop sign, which I do now without even thinking about it. That has lead to my doing the posted speed limit, stopping when signals turn yellow and, yes, even allowing cars to “cut” in front of me at “merging” opportunities (well, not always YET). More than anything this has been effective in helping me to rely upon His direction, inspiration and grace, and, thereby, resting in His work instead of struggling with mine. If I truly want to live FOR Him, I must live BY Him—His Spirit’s constant guidance, counsel and power. One of the fruit of the Spirit is “egkrateia”–temperance =(the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, esp. his sensual appetites). One of the best ways of doing that is through practicing the discipline of fasting in which we tell our bodies that it is our spirit man who is in dominion, not the body with its “natural” desires. How pleased GOD must be that He is seeing the body of Christ come into fuller relationship through this wonderful means of surrender!
Yes, God is speaking to me to discipline myself again in fasting and prayer. As a body, our congregation used to set aside every Monday for fasting and prayer. This was a good practice of discipline for those of us who participated. We saw growth in our individual lives and breakthroughs for us as a body.
It is easy to get complacent and lazy spiritually if we are not diligent in prayer.
I will join in fasting and praying on Fridays.
I’m finishing a 3 day fast today for a friend with cancer. I do appreciate the encouragement from reading about fasting and intercession while on a fast. On this fast I reread Derek Prince’s booklet entitled Will You Intercede?
Have you read David Kubal’s booklet on FASTING? It has a prayer focus for eachmonth of the year based on Isaiah 58. You may order copies by going to IFApray.org/resources
I will join the monthly 1st Fri. Fas. Then I will also continue with the Daniel fast 1/4-1/24. I confess that as an American Christian, I, as many others, am blissfully ignorant of God’s great mercies on our nation, in spite of our slothful efforts in prayer.
God have mercy.
Emma
I too am an American christian. I was at IHOP-KC’s “One Thing” conference this past weekend. There were over one hundred Chinese believers there who had come to the conference from mainland China in small family units so as not to draw suspicion from their gov’t to themselves. These brothers and sisters put us, well I won’t say “us” I’ll say me to shame with the fervency of their prayers. They led during some prayer times, praying in Manderin with an English interpreter. The felt power on their prayers was intense and their testimonies of time spent in jail or being chased by police or having their clandestine services broken up was humbling. Made me very aware of the religious freedom we have here and the laziness it has caused the western churches to have. God help us all when real persecution begins in earnest here in this country. Will the American church be ready for it? Selah
Thank you for the information. Do you have any other information about how to contact this conference, their website?
the Lord called me many years ago to a fasting and prayer ministry but sad to say I have not been very diligent about following the fasting part. A couple of years ago he showed me a scripture in Rev. that I have a reputation for being a prayer warrior but I am not. so that got my attention and I have made a commitment to pray more. the past few months I have put God first in my first hour of the day with prayer and reading the word. I know he is leading me to more fasting as I continue to try to follow his plan for me. I am not young anymore but I am still available.
Two or three years ago I read a testimony of a son telling how his father while alive every morning the first thing he did was to kneel down , I picked up from that. since then in the morning the first thing I do is kneel down, or to read God’s word or to pray. I’m little more relaxed these days though.
Is IFA calling for a certain time period of fasting in January besides the regular first Friday? Many are doing a 10 or 21 day fast. I wanted to do a longer one but wanted to correlate with others for the same time period.
Lynette,
I just got my daily email from Jon Hamil’s ministry, “Lamplighter”. He and Jolene (his wife) are feeling to do a 21 day Daniel fast to correlate with what Daniel did in the third year of Cyrus’s reign. They are fasting Jan 4-Jan 24 so that it would end at the beginning of Pres. Trump’s third year in office.
Could you tell me what’s Daniel’s fast? no meat? only vegetable and water?
It is a 21 day fast w/o meat or sauces or sweets. primarily fruit & vegetables & whole grains. Also simple food & Water of course. The goal is to deny self. Rick Warren has book and teaching which is a bit elaborate but is their recommended lifestyle not simply fast. The key was to “eat no sweetmeats or sauces for health but mostly to stay “kosher”.
18 months before Donald Trump was elected, I was on a self-imposed fast for an issue which I believe was started by IFA. When I decided I would break my fast, the Spirit told me it was a fast for the Lord and He would end it when it was time! It took me into new territory as far as knowing the Lord and working according to His will. I should explain that the fast I was on was what I would call a Daniel Fast. No meat just vegetables to eat, some fish and only water and milk to drink. It was totally directed by the Lord. I wasn’t sure what He was accomplishing through my fast and I assumed that there were many others He was also calling in this way. He broke my fast the week after Donald Trump was elected! Over a year ago, God once again called me to fast and on the first day made it clear to me that the duration would be two years. I have recently learned about the “Anna anointing”. I found a book on this and it totally resonates with my experience with the Lord. Although at times it can be difficult especially with the holidays, I know that God is working and I am so excited to see what He is now “birthing” through our partnership with Him. I am interested in knowing who else God has called to serve in this way. God bless you all!
I began fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays about a month or so ago, because my son and I had some spiritual warfare issues and to be able to listen more closely to God’s voice. I can’t point to one specific miracle, but I do know that my spiritual life and my relationship with my creator have grown exponentially. Thanks IFA for encouraging this very necessary step in our spiritual journey alongside Christ. Blessings.
I fast from noon to noon, once or twice a week. This works well with various health issues. I can also fast the internet, TV, etc, which acts as a self-discipline exercise but also sharpens my focus on the Lord.
Thank you for this reminder and challenge! I pray God will give me the discipline to devote myself to prayer and fasting consistently. Too much self-indulgence and lack of discipline in my life!
My daughter and I always do the Daniel Fast starting the first Sunday of the month which this year is January 6 to January 26th (21 days). We don’t eat any meat, dairy, yeast bread, or sweets. Yes, there is something left. We eat lots of soups, veggie dishes, rice and pasta. I use onion soup for broth and add frozen veggies and it makes a great soup.
We are fasting for lost family members.
I like that.
I will join you in fasting every first Friday to get started. I want to be a prayer warrior so praying for His help in having the words I need. Thank you for leading.
Thank you IFA for reminding us to renew our commitment to fallow Christ example of seeking the Father’s guidance and counsel through the disciplines of prayer and fasting. I for one am dependent on His Grace to humble myself and again practice this discipline on a regular basis going into the new year. Surely it is the kindness and goodness of God that leads us to repentance of our sins aka wicked ways. The first order of business for me at least is to repent of my sin (wicked way ) of not fasting on a regular basis! Yes fasting is an act of the will, yet grace enables what grace commands! Many in the church today have not been taught that fasting is a commandment taught by and practiced by Jesus Christ who is the highest authority that one can obey, “if you love me you will keep my commandments”… “but you when you fast do so in secret…and your Heavenly Father will reward you openly” !!
Hopefully the fruit of our corporate fasting going into the new year will produce and abundant harvest of souls being birthed into Christ Kingdom in this nation and thus a turning back to the Father’s Word, Will and Ways and restoration of the nation as a whole !
I never really heard much of fasting. I did hear of giving up something for lent. I will try your Friday fasting and try to learn more. Thank you.
Our church Garywood Assembly in Hueytown, AL kicked off a 21 day fast January 1. We are praying for revival for our families, church, community, city, and nation. Our pastor gave out a 21-day prayer guide to those in attendance Sunday. I send out the A renewed called to fasting email to my mailing list this morning.
I desire to join you in the weekly prayer fast on Fridays
I will fast with you on Fridays.
Appreciate all the comments, helps me to keep my resolve!
Thank you for making us (the Body of Christ) aware of what is available to us and what we must have to successfully come against our enemy. Matt 17:21 “But THIS KIND does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” James 5:16 Amp “The earnest, heartfelt, continual prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available.” We are in a WARFARE…BUT…God has given us the armor and the weapons to tear down strongholds of the devil. II Cor 10:3-5 Paul says that although he is an ordinary human being, he doesn’t use human plans and methods to fight my battles. I USE God’s mighty weapons. Praying God will unite us as one mighty army and we will SEE HIM MOVE this year, in answer to our prayers.. II Chron 7:14 OH! That REVIVAL would sweep across our land.
have mercy upon me
And cleanse me of all my sins and
Forgive the sins of our nation
We humble ourselves on this first
Day of 2019 and turn from our wicked
Ways so you will heal our land.
Help me to fast and pray regularly
And thank you for how You are working
Powerful and definitely nails how we need to pray. Thank you so very much for sharing.
In last year or two I developed the routine of fasting, usually when I had prayer meetings that day I would fast all day until after the meetings, that gave me strength and courage to do and say what’s right. My days are more fulfilled when I fast. I love the life when I’m fasting. The only thing is when meetings finished, it usually 8pm, then I ate, later when it’s bedtime, the food still in the stomach not quite digested yet.
I feel if I can last the fast through the night (24 hrs fast), it will be more purer, more Bible reading, more prayer, more communication with the Lord. the only thing is, in the evening the urge to eat is stronger, sometimes my blood pressure goes up due to non-eating for a period of time. Lord help me!
I first because interested in fasting when I heard Jentezen Franklin preach about it. He is a TV pastor who is on the Christian stations early on Sunday morning. Pastor Franklin has utube videos and resources to help me plan a fast that works for me. Although fasting takes discipline, it is not so bad. I often fast now when I have challenges to work out. Fasting clears my mind and helps me focus on the matter at hand. “Dear Father in heaven, in Isaiah 58:6-14 it tells us how U view the power of fasting to fulfill kingdom purposes. I pray that believers will see that in your Word it says “when U fast”! Your Word assumes believers will “fast” in order to humble themselves before U! I pray that this discipline of the Christian life will catch on like a wildfire! We have been remiss in utilizing another powerful weapon that U have given to us! Would U forgive us for ignoring your Word? How badly do we really want our land to be healed? Your Church must wake up. We need U, Lord Jesus. Please do not give up on us. We are unworthy. We are distracted. Thank U for your grace and mercy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”