21 Days of Fasting Completed – Dare to Believe

DAY 21 – “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Praise the Lord! We have completed our 21 days of fasting together.

A wonderful realization: you will continue to receive benefits from your time of fasting in the weeks and months to come. Something you prayed during this fast will be answered in August or September–or next week. A tremendous deliverance for your family will be evident as a result of something you prayed through the other day. In other words, you will receive future blessings as a result of your last three weeks of fasting. Isn’t that amazing?

Prayer and Fasting Births Revival and Reformation

Enjoy the quick video below. It’s stirring!

Revival in Scotland–I learned from our friend Pastor Jentezen Franklin that the revival that swept the Hebrides in Scotland from 1949-1952 was often credited to evangelist Duncan Campbell’s preaching.

However, he was quick to give credit to two elderly ladies who had a burden for the people of their town, especially the young people who ignored anything to do with God.

The two women received a vision from God and shared it with some of the young ministers there, encouraging them to join in prayer at least two nights a week.

After three weeks, one of the ministers became convicted in his own heart that God would not use men without “clean hands a a pure heart” (Psalm 24:4) to reach others.

As the men in that prayer meeting repented and cried out to God, His Spirit swept the entire town with mighty conviction.

A Spirit-born revival shook that area for the next three years, and nearly everyone on the island was born again, young and old, most before they even reached the church building!

Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ (now known as Cru), was a man who understood the power of fasting and prayer. He wrote about a personal conviction to fast that hit him in the early 1990s:

“In the spring and summer of 1994, I had a growing conviction that God wanted me to fast and pray for forty days for revival in America and for the fulfillment of the Great Commission in obedience to our Lord’s command.

“At first I questioned, “Is this truly God’s call for me?” Forty days was a long time to go without solid food. But with each passing day, His call grew stronger and more clear. Finally, I was convinced. God was calling me to fast, and He would not make such a call without a specific reason or purpose. With this conviction, I entered my fast with excitement and expectancy mounting in my heart, praying, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”

“I believe such a long fast was a sovereign call of God because of the magnitude of the sins of America and of the Church. The Lord impressed that upon my heart, as well as the urgent need to help accelerate the fulfillment of the Great Commission in this generation.

“As I began my fast, I was not sure I could continue for forty days. But my confidence was in the Lord to help me. Each day His presence encouraged me to continue. The longer I fasted, the more I sensed the presence of the Lord. The Holy Spirit refreshed my soul and spirit, and I experienced the joy of the Lord as seldom before. Biblical truths leaped at me from the pages of God’s Word. My faith soared as I humbled myself and cried out to God and rejoiced in His presence.

“This proved to be the most important forty days of my life. As I waited upon the Lord, the Holy Spirit gave me the assurance that America and much of the world will, before the end of the year 2000, experience a great spiritual awakening.” — Bill Bright

There is MORE!

Pastor Jentezen goes on to say that American did in fact experience a great wave of awakening, revival and evangelism during the 1990s–perhaps you were a part of it! And there is more the Lord wants to do–so much more! Do you want to be a part of it?

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

When we, as Ambassadors for Christ, really take hold of prayer, fasting and intercession not only as a once-in-a-while or once-a-year (or once-in-a-lifetime) event, but as a regular, normal part of our relationship with the Lord and this world, we will see miracles take place and the REFORMATION that desperately needs to happen before Christ’s return.

What are some of the benefits you have noticed?

Here’s what some have noticed:
– closer relationship with God
– answered prayers – and quickly!
– addictions, bad habits and bondages broken
– divine revelations has been flowing
– hearing God’s voice more clearly
– improved health and energy
– food less important than it was before
– amazing opportunities and favor granted
– increased prosperity
– divine guidance
– divine appointments with amazing people

I have news for you. It NEVER has to stop! Continue to feed on the Word every day. The great evangelist of the last century, Smith Wigglesworth once said, “All lack of faith is due to not feeding on God’s Word.”

Physically Speaking

Come off the fast slowly (sounds like a play on words, doesn’t it?). Tomorrow is not the day to “pig out” for goodness’ sake! Let us exercise the fruit of the Holy Spirit – the fruit of Self-Control. Start adding foods back in slowly–foods you have been off the last 3 weeks.

Stay off some food you know are “triggers” to addictive behavior for you. Things like sugar, caffeine, processed foods, high fructose corn syrup, “junk” food, etc. And some behaviors you know God has delivered you from (anger, self-pity, jealousy, greed, gossiping, guilt, regret, etc.). He who the Son sets free is FREE indeed!!!

Lastly, I’d like to share with you a word I received in prayer at the end of a 21-day fast we did last year. I pray this for you, too — that you will DARE TO BELIEVE:

“Dare to believe! Live so far out into the realm of faith that you will FAIL — horribly — if God doesn’t catch you and take you the rest of the way. This way, He gets ALL the glory!” Amen. You will not fail because “With God ALL things are possible!” (Matthew 19:26).

Thank you for sharing your precious journey with Jesus with me, too! I am grateful for you. With Love, Laurette