Our Goal is to Grow in Our Hunger for God.
Starting at sundown on Jan. 5th to sundown on Jan. 26th, 2025, the Vaughn Forest family will participate in a corporate 21 Day Fast. The goal is to grow our hunger for God and His Word. Jesus said: “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God,” — Matthew 4:4 ESV.
Take a few minutes to watch this overview from Pastor Jim.
Follow Jim’s Daily Video at: Facebook.com/vaughforestchurch
What is Fasting?
Biblical fasting is refraining from food for greater spiritual focus. Biblical fasting means saying “no” to food in order to say a bigger “yes” to seeking God.
Yes to Prayer
Prayer and fasting go hand in hand. Through fasting you will become more aware of God’s presence. The hunger in your body will remind you of the hunger in your soul, which can easily be turned into prayer. Every time you feel hunger pangs, turn them into prayers.
Yes to Scripture
During your fast, you’ll be reading through the Bible. While fasting, God’s word will speak with powerful clarity to your heart and journey. Time normally spent on food can easily be turned into time feeding your soul with the scriptures.
Yes to Nudges
Fasting sensitizes you to God’s presence and God’s voice. As you fast, you will become alert to God’s nudges and promptings to obey Him in the moment. The more you respond, the greater God’s leading, the more amazing your experience.
Why Fast?
Below are three big reasons to fast:
- For God to do something big THROUGH you He must first do something big IN you. God uses times of fasting to do His deepest work in our lives.
- Jesus Christ fasted in preparation for being used by God. The Same necessity holds true for his followers. The work of God can only be done by the Power of God.
- According to Jesus, Christian spirituality involves a lifestyle of prayer, giving, and fasting. In the “Sermon on the Mount,” He taught His followers When you pray (Matt. 6:5)…When you give (Matt 6:2)…When you fast (Matt 6:16).
Vaughn Forest 21 Day Fast Options
Fasting can be done individually (as Jesus mentioned in Matthew 6:16-18) or it can be done corporately (as in many Old Testament examples — 1 Kings 21:9, Joel 2:15, 2 Chronicles 20:3, Ezra 8:21, Esther 4:16, Isaiah 58:5, Jeremiah 36:9, Jonah 3:5 — demonstrate).
Skip-a-Meal-Fast
This fast is perfect for those brand new to fasting. It involves skipping 1 or more meals per day and using that time for reading scripture and prayer. The hunger experienced between meals is turned into prayers seeking God in that moment.
Daytime Fast
This fast is another option for those new to fasting. It involves refraining from food from sunup to sundown. Food is only eaten moderately after sundown each day. It is a more challenging option than #1.
Juice Fast
This moderate fast involves taking in only fruit and vegetable juices and water for the full 21 days. You can research various types of juice fasts and choose one you like. This option is much more challenging than #1 and #2.
Daniel Fast
This fast is great for beginners and involves a limited diet of only simple foods. It follows the biblical example of Daniel in the Old Testament. Click here to read a good introduction to the Daniel Fast, and be sure to read the Daniel Fast food guidelines.
Absolute Fast
This fast is for experienced fasters only. It involves taking in no food, only water, for a full 21 days. Only do this fast under a doctor’s supervision.
Three Rules for Fasting:
- Water is your new best friend. Whichever fast you choose, remember to drink plenty of water! Water relieves hunger pains and a whole host of other physical issues.
- Feel free to modify as you go. Fasting is not about legalism or rule keeping. You are free to switch options and adapt along the way. Our goal is to seek God by turning hunger into prayer, NOT to beat ourselves up for failing to perfectly perform a religious act.
- Eight is the magic number. The 1st day is the worst day as hunger is one wand headaches occur. The 1st 3 days are the worst 3 days. And the 1st week is the worst week. We are in this for 21 days, but day 8 marks the beginning of the amazing part.
Questions or Concerns?
Send me an email at [email protected]