Fast the First

October 29th, 2020

I love food as much as the next guy. So, why in the world would I invite Redemption City Church to fast on November 2 and pray with me at 12 noon on Facebook Live? (Click here to sign up for an email reminder to join us)

Well, there are a couple of reasons.

1. When you read the Bible, you see people fasting all over the place. Fasting is simply abstaining from food for a specific purpose. A quick look at the 77 times the Bible talks about fasting shows that Moses fasted, Israel fasted, Daniel fasted, Nehemiah fasted, Jesus fasted, and the early church fasted, just to name a few. When you fast, you’re in good company. Fasting was such a normal part of following God that when Jesus taught on it, he didn’t make an argument for it. He simply started by saying, “when you fast…,” not “if…” (Matt. 6:16-18).

The reasons for fasting are many and meaningful. After Moses fasted, he received the 10 commandments (Ex. 34:28). God blessed Israel’s fast with a stunning victory over the Edomites (2 Chron. 20:2-3). Daniel received the guidance he needed during his fast (Dan. 9:3). Before Nehemiah built Jerusalem’s broken walls, an achievement that stunned everyone who understood the situation, he fasted (Neh. 1:4). After Jesus’ fast, he overcame the Enemy behind all the enemies of God in the wilderness (Luke 4:2). As the early church was asking for clarity on who to set apart for ministry, they fasted (Acts 13:2-3). The reasons for fasting are as many as the reasons for praying. Yet, fasting seems to be focused on unusually challenging problems where a special “breakthrough” is needed.

2. We want to be a church that follows what Jesus teaches us to do and ask Him to uniquely bring a breakthrough in specific matters we are praying for as a church. I believe we are in a unique season as a church, and I want to invite you to join me in praying for what I believe will be one of the greatest years in our church’s history. Here are just a few things that I am praying for right now:

That we continue to provide Hope For The Hungry during year two at the farmThat we help so many of those who have attended RCC as a first time guest in the past three months connect in a deeper way
That we will see many take the next step of baptism during our baptism celebration on November 15
That we continue to build both our staff and volunteer teams at RCC to be ready to minister to the many re-engaging on campus each week
That God would do far more than we could ever ask or imagine in the next seven years as he has done in the first seven years of our church

What might God have in store for us if we follow his word and make fasting a regular part of our relationship with him? How might our lives be different? What about the lives of those we’d be praying for? Join me Monday, November 2 at 12 noon on Facebook Live as we come together virtually to pray and fast together.

Want to join us? Sign up here for an email reminder to join us on Facebook Live.