Day One

2020 Corporate Fast Logo

Today we kick off our 20:20 fasting initiative and are excited about what God is going to do. In the next twenty days, we are obeying God’s word and pursuing His purpose for our lives.   What we do in these next twenty days will help sustain and keep us the entire year.   This corporate fast starts today, January 5th and will end on Sunday, January 26th.  And while it is not the only fast we will do as a church family together this year, we do believe it is the most important because how you start something determines how you will finish something.  

To get started, let’s dive in and get us all on the same page regarding fasting.  Biblical fasting involves abstaining from food or drink for a spiritual purpose.  It’s important to realize when you begin a fast you will have the most success in sustaining the fast if you have planned and prepared for it.  You might be wondering what you should fast so here are some suggestions.  

  • No processed food (chips, crackers, etc.)
  • No red meat
  • No chicken
  • No pork 
  • No fast food
  • No sugary foods (candy, cakes, pies or ice cream)
  • No soda or sugary drinks
  • No bread or carbs 
  • No coffee or caffeine
  • No food (only water)

You can also fast times you would normally eat.  For instance, fast one meal every day or fast a certain day each week.  And remember, if you’re a beginner, start slowly and build up to more intense or longer fasts.  Don’t think you can’t do it!  God is saying “YES YOU CAN!  It’s a must for what I’m about to do with you and through you!”  Pray about the kind of fast you should undertake. Jesus implied that all of His followers should fast (Matthew 6:16-18; 9:14,15). For Christ, it was a matter of WHEN believers would fast, not IF they would do it.  As you begin this fast, here are some additional things to think about.. will you restrict physical or social activities?  How much time each day will you devote to prayer and God’s Word?  We will dive into these things in more detail in tomorrow’s devotional.  But making these commitments at the beginning will help during the fast when physical temptations and life’s pressures tempt you to abandon it. 

Let’s challenge ourselves during this season.  During these twenty days of fasting, we challenge you to spend time each day reading the Bible, worshipping God in your private time, serving in our church and your community.  We also want to challenge every member of your family (yes, even your children can do age-appropriate fasts) to set aside $1 for each day of the fast and when we break the fast together on Sunday, January 26th we will sow that offering.  We will close our 20:20 fast with a worship night for family and friends that Sunday evening.  We are anticipating what God is going to do in us and through us during these twenty days.