By Mark Siverling
“And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.”
Luke 2:36-38
Fasting is for preparation.
Anna worshipped and fasted and prayed. She expected a miracle from God, even though she didn’t know when it would come or what it would be like. She had waited for probably close to 60 years, trusting that God would show her something amazing in her lifetime. And He did – she got to meet the baby Jesus.
As a church, we are preparing also. We haven’t waited 60 years, and we already know who the Messiah is, but we too are expecting God to move. We pray and hope for the Lord to act, because God is good, He is present, and He delights to move among those who are humble and trusting. Revive Us is an opportunity to come humbly before God and ask for His renewing power and vision in our church family.
How to fast.
You don’t have to fast on and off for 60 years like Anna, or for 40 days like Jesus (Matthew 4:1-4), or even three days like the Jews in Esther’s time (Esther 4:15-17). If you’re not used to fasting, it’s best to start with a single meal. If you have some practice fasting, a one-day fast from sundown to sundown is good.
Fasting means going without food. You should still drink water during a fast, and juices if needed. (Some people should not fast, such as pregnant women, those with medical conditions or those with a history of eating disorders.) But consider going beyond food, to focus your heart on the Lord. It’s a good idea to also fast from things like social media, the internet, or your phone – either the whole time you are fasting, or during meal times.
What do you do when you fast? You pray. Set aside the time you would be preparing and eating food, find a quiet place (I like to go for a short walk), and talk to your heavenly Father. How exactly fasting works is intentionally mysterious – God wants us to trust in His supernatural power and demonstrate our trust with our bodies.
What to pray for.
As we prepare for Revive Us, we believe that God will do mighty works in and among us as we humbly bring our hearts to Him.
Pray for our church body, that people will come and worship and bask in God’s love and goodness.
Pray for our guest speaker, John Onwuchekwa, that God will lead him and prepare him to engage our people with truth and love.
Pray for our community, that the effects of God working in us would radiate out from our three campuses with Gospel power, sparking revival in southwest Florida.
Family of Summit Church, let’s humble ourselves, delight in God more than in food, and prepare for Him to move among us at Revive Us this year.