21 Days of Prayer
WHEN
We do this collectively as a church in January and August through 21 Days of Prayer. These two months are intentional, as they begin new seasons of the year. Together, we faithfully seek God first, trusting in His power alone to create lasting impact in our lives, our church, and our world.
WHY
We believe that prayer connects us to God. As we practice prayer more and more we begin to learn to hear God’s voice. Prayer is powerful in not only changing circumstances, but also in changing our hearts regarding them. Praying together in January and August, allow us to refocus and re-engage at two strategic times of the year.
WHO
If you sense God has more for your life, 21 Days of Prayer is a great place to start believing Him for all that He has for you. As you practice seeking Him first, He will move on your behalf like never before. You will start to see the power of prayer impact your relationships, work, family, and every area of your life. We would love for you to be part of 21 Days of Prayer.
FASTING
4 Types of Fasts
Complete Fast
In this type of fast, you drink only liquids, typically water with light juices as an option.
Selective Fast
This type of fast involves removing certain elements from your diet. One example of a selective fast is the Daniel Fast, during which you remove meat, sweets, and bread from your diet and consume water and juice for fluids and fruits and vegetables for food.
Partial Fast
This fast is sometimes called the “Jewish Fast” and involves abstaining from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon. This can either correlate to specific times of the day, such as 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, or from sunup to sundown.
Soul Fast
This fast is a great option if you do not have much experience fasting food, or have health issues that prevent you from fasting food. For example, you might choose to stop using social media or watching television for the duration of the fast.
Timing of a Fast
Timing of a fast:
At Awaken, we encourage fasting for 21 days each year in the month of January. This is part of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, a season of focused prayer as a church family. You may also choose to fast at other times during the year for your own spiritual development. It’s very typical to fast a single meal, a whole day, or three days or more. The timing of your fast is not as important as the strength of your focus on God as you fast.
Scripture References
- Matthew 6:16-18
- Matthew 9:14-15
- Luke 18:9-14
- Acts 27:33-37
- Nehemiah 9:1-3