A Call to Fast

So I'm a procrastinator so I usually have a lot of unfinished business to take care of. I'm easily distracted as well (I have been) so I never get to address the most important issues I wanna address. So I figured that I'll just get to the point right now. So the main point of all my messages is: we need to fast and pray!!!

At the end of Fall Quarter God showed me through His Word the importance and power of fasting and praying. The enemy, the devil, has strongholds in the land (the Kingdoms of the world are heavily influenced by his schemes) and the only way for these stronghold to be overcome is by God himself. So that's what fasting and praying does. It's calling out to God to do what only He can do.

Another thing, I noticed when fasting and prayer occurred in the old testament it was usually corporate (everybody!) for a whole day or three and it always resulted in large-scale revival and defeat of enemies. This Scripture: *1 Samuel 7* keeps playing like a broken record since the end of Fall Quarter (usually when I'm praying/thinking about InterVarsity). Read the whole thing. I'll highlight some verses:

5 Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the LORD for you.” 6 When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” ...8 They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on Israel’s behalf, and the LORD answered him. 10 While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites."

So I went into Winter Quarter with the conviction we need all come together and fast and pray and worship (fixing our eyes on God for He is our only Hope, Help and Salvation). And gosh! I have never faced that much opposition in my life (spiritual warfare)- well I've had a similar experience in the sixth grade but this time it was more intense. Pretty much the devil knows the power of corporate, intentional prayer/intercession, worship and fasting so he tries to bring disillusionment, confusion and disunity to prevent that from happening. So yeah last quarter I was super-discouraged because of disunity and I let that affect my own response to what God was teaching me.

So in Winter God brought up another type of fasting. 40 day fasting. Moses did this when he got the 10 commandments from God and Jesus also did it right before He started His ministry. I noticed they both fasted in the wilderness and identity and ministry was significant. There is a post I still haven't published or typed lol :( called "The Desert"- God has taught me a lot about this Desert season we are in and why we are here and why we need to fast. Jesus fasted yet He was sinless, so yeah we really need to fast too (for ourselves and others).

After last Quarter of lots of spiritual battle, I was determined to not let the devil's schemes keep me from fixing my eyes on God (praying, fasting, worship) so I decided to start off Spring quarter with a fast. I know God had highlighted 40 days but I was like "I'm in school and there's no way I'm fasting for 40 days on water only unless you want to see me passed out on the bike path lol. It might be "easier" if I withdrew to some wilderness to fast but I'm stuck in school." And so I decided to do a 40 day Daniel fast just taking a week at a time. God gave me a lot of confirmation about this decision. I ran into the clip below at the end of Winter and God confirmed to me the urgency of prayer and fasting.

I was planning to just fast by myself since I have been discouraged by my failed attempts to organize people or get them to listen to me. But yesterday God confirmed to me that He is actually calling His bride to fast (Here's the confirmation video).

So yeah, this is not about me. I just want to share the things God has been teaching me and I'll keep sharing whether or not people are listening. So yeah you can stop by my blog for that, better yet, you can use that spare time to seek God for yourself and He will confirm what He is saying (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 "... Draw near to listen..."). We are approaching a time when we won't need to be taught by people anymore (Jeremiah 31:31-34, The New Covenant) because we will allow the Holy Spirit to fully fill us and to guide us. But since we all are not there yet God will use the gifts of the Holy Spirit to train His body. So yeah let's actually listen to what God is saying to us, through each other. *The Holy Spirit lives inside all believers* (You can read: "A Call for Unity in the Body of Christ").

As for the Daniel fast this link is useful: http://danielfast.wordpress.com/daniel-fast-food-list/

Read Daniel 1 and Isaiah 58 to see what true fasting is and what it does.

God bless you all. Pray and seek God about fasting and all the specifics. Everything else that I share will be aimed at this goal: unity in prayer, fasting and worship to Jesus, the King of Kings.

"Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it." =)

(1Thessalonians 5:19-24)

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P.S: I'm the same Charlene you know, I'm just expressing myself more (sharing), so try not to look at me too weirdly when we're back in school lol. Love you guys :) I do and I care a lot for some reason. And I actually wanna get to know you more so let's be friends! Invite yourself over to my place and I'll make you some Kenyan food or we can cook together (a lot of Kenyan food is Daniel Fast approved and it's delicious! haha *spices* is the secret:) and I'll invite you too. This is not a call to be miserable lol it's a call to enjoy God and each other more and in spirit and in truth =) The main goal is LOVE. Loving God and others. There's lots of stuff in the way that keeps us from loving that's why we need to fast and pray. My post: Let Go. Let Love Flow talks about that or just read the book of 1 John. It's a Call to LOVE.

*Oh and if you're interested in doing the 40 day Daniel fast let me know so we can encourage each other, share recipes and just be better friends :)

*Oh yeah if what I've shared has filled you with fear or worry, don't be afraid/ worried. A lot of spiritual truths tend to be overlooked by the Western church leaving people in ignorance hence fear creeps in. But God wants to change that- He wants to change what we think is the normal (=revival). What we call "normal" Christianity now is not what the actual normal is (look at the whole Bible, look at the book of Acts- that's the real normal). For some of us, through individual, cultural experiences or experiences with different churches we have seen the real normal being lived out. God has let us go through those experiences for times like these so that we can share them. That's what God is calling us to do -share our lives. Acts 2. So let's be free to be ourselves- who God calls us to be, free to share, free to fellowship :)

*Another thing! lol If 40 days seems too much to commit to then start small. Start with a day, then make it 3, then make it 7, see how that goes then make it 21, then 40 :) Let's take a day at a time. The focus is God - let's seek Him for wisdom, peace and strength :) Let's find rest in His great Love :-)

*And if you don't feel ready for this fasting business, that's okay (no condemnation) just seek God and be in His Word and He'll prepare you for what He is calling you to :)
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Update: 4/5/2013

Dear friends lets fast and pray and seek God with all our hearts. His love is all we need. And His Spirit will guide us into all truth and prepare us for the times we are going into.  A 40 day fast has been called starting April 8th, 2013. Here's the video if you wanna see it {the messages are in a series so you might want to watch the previous videos if you don't get that one. If you want. It may not be your style so you can take it from me. And please seek God for yourself about everything you hear from others). I know it sounds intimidating but there's various fasts you can do, like the Daniel fast I described above. And God really does sustain you - His Word becomes like food. Let's be set apart. God is singing over us: Come away with Me! He is calling us to deeper intimacy. To seek Him in the secret place :-)

(Hosea 10:12)

"Sow righteousness for yourselves,

reap the fruit of unfailing love,

and break up your unplowed ground;

for it is time to seek the LORD,

until He comes

and showers his righteousness on you."

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Update 1/4/2014: JanNEWary Fast!

Hey all =) Happy New Year!! I'm doing another Daniel Fast! I started on the first. Sorry I didn't invite you to join in. I'm fasting for breakthrough in my life, my family's and everyone else's. I'm just hungry for MORE, ALL of God.. I've been really scattered of late and I also want to get together with people to organize a united fast. But feel free to join in whenever (let me know if you have any questions! :)  I saw some other people who were fasting on facebook which was cool and encouraging to see: 

Torie Hoopii

December 29, 2013 near Wailuku, HI via mobile

Again this New Year, I've committed myself to a 21 day time of fasting and prayer. I want to hear clearer from God about my purpose, plan and goals of what HE requires of me as individual, wife, mother and servant of Christ! I'm not fasting any foods, being that I've already being living completely on a Daniel fast of only fruits and vegetables! God has called me to sacrifice something that would really affect me daily! Say goodbye to social networking: Facebook, Instagram & Twitter! I don't know how I'm going to do this being I manage and promote a band who's constantly on tour, but where God calls, He always provides! Jan. 11-31st, I'm excited for this time with God! #vision #newyear #God #inspired #family #church #work#intercessor #Deliverance #2014

Fearless Daughters Ministries

January 1

Start off your year by dedicating the first of the month to God, a #danielfast!! This is the most important month, as it governs the rest of your year. Join #fearlessdaughters in a 21 day daniel fast. All first's belong to the lord, first month, first 10th of your tithe, first in the am for devotion and prayer, firstborn, etc., If you are joining, comment below with "lets go 2014"! Let's make God a priority, seek Him, pray earnestly for your specific breakthrough, and fall in love w/ God, and see favor and blessings!

Here is some background on the fast:The Daniel Fast is a 21-day partial fast with a biblical background tied directly to the prophet Daniel. In Daniel 1:8 (ESV) it states: "But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself."

In Daniel 10:2,3 (ESV) the prophet states: “2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. 3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.”

The prophet Daniel's fast was not only good spiritually, but it also had significant health benefits. Daniel knew the importance of consecrating himself and being holy before God. The purpose of participating in the Daniel's Fast today is not to do exactly as Daniel did, but more importantly, to do it in the spirit in which he did.

Check out this song!! SO POWERFUL! The Cry of my heart right now =) Related post: Fall Fast. ("If My people, who are called by My name would humble themselves and pray....)