The New Year Fast
Beginning at Sundown on Sunday, January 5th*
- There is no hard rule for when to start the New Year Fast. Most often, the fast begins at sunset on the first Sunday of the New Year. However, if you or your community choose another day, then that is 100 percent ok. Allow the Lord to lead you on when you can be most successful for your fast.
Now is the perfect time for you to begin preparing your spirit, soul, and body for the upcoming New Year Fast. You’ll join hundreds of thousands of followers of Jesus Christ as you dedicate the coming year to your Lord. Plus, you’ll enter into one of the most influential spiritual experiences as you commit yourself to the 21 days of extended prayer and fasting.
Create Your Secret Place
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.”
Psalm 91:1-2
Your Daniel Fast is a consecrated time to meet with God. It’s entering His presence and quieting yourself before Him. It’s calming yourself and waiting upon Him so you can hear His voice and receive His messages for you.
Spiritual fasting is your invitation to enter into a sacred place with your Lord.
So, where will you meet with your Lord?
I encourage you to create a “secret place” that is appointed with everything you need for a lovely and calm meeting. Review the post I wrote about “gathering your resources.” I have a basket that holds my supplies. In it are my bible, my journal, pens, my devotional, and any other books I’m using at the time.
Establish a comfortable and quiet place. It may be in a cozy armchair, or at your kitchen table. For me, it’s on my couch. Simple. And I have everything I need.
Create a pleasant atmosphere for our secret place. You might burn a candle or include a flower or plant. You also might have a place where you can have a glass or bottle of water to sip on during your quiet time.
Your secret place doesn’t have to be fancy or ornate. But you do want it to be a place where you can have your private time to explore with Jesus. He is so good at talking with His people. Remember what He declared in John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
Create a simple and unique place so you can meet with Jesus and hear His voice. Now is the time to prepare. And even in the preparation, you will begin to sense the awesome spiritual gifts of fasting. You are in for a life-changing adventure.
Only Believe
Jesus says, “I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Unlike how we operate in the world where we “believe it when we see it,” Jesus calls us to enter into a partnership, level of trust, and position of faith with Him to believe that He will fulfill the requests we have for our needs and desires.
Sadly, most Christians are told “to believe,” however rarely are we taught “how to believe.”
That’s the focus of our Daniel Fast course for 2020. A series of online teachings that you can access from your computer, tablet, phone or other digital devices, will lead you on a path where you will learn how to ask the Lord for your desires and needs. Then how to enter into a place of trust and assurance, so you do “only believe.” And then how to receive from the Lord as He fulfills your requests.
Check out the course using this link: Daniel Fast – Only Believe
Enter into a life-changing experience with your Father. Allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you as you learn how to increase your faith, deepen your trust in God, and discover how to “only believe.”
Your Next Steps
- Decide that you will not indulge the flesh during your Daniel Fast. Instead, begin thinking about your spiritual life and what you want for your faith.
- Consider your upcoming fast. Start thinking about when you will begin. Examine your heart and what the purpose of our fast will be. Think about how you can lighten your load during your fast so you can receive more from the loving Father.
- Start to collect recipes and meal plans for simple, nutritious, and easy meals, so you don’t spend so much time preparing meals, but instead focus on God.
What do you do to keep your meals simple so you can avoid stress, focus on God, and grow in your faith? Please, share your thoughts below.
We always value your thoughts and insights. Please leave your comments below and be blessed on your fast.