Preparing to Fast: How to Get Ready
A practical and spiritual guide for entering a season of consecration

Fasting is one of the most powerful spiritual disciplines we have. It quiets the noise, strengthens the spirit, and creates space for God to speak clearly. But one of the biggest reasons people struggle with fasting is simple:
They didn’t prepare properly.
Before your church begins this 21-day journey, let’s walk through how to get your mind, body, and spirit ready so you can fast well and experience the breakthrough God has for you.
Below are the most important steps to prepare — whether this is your first fast or your tenth.

1. Prepare Your Mind: Know Your “Why”
Before your fast begins, take time to ask:

• Why am I fasting?
• What do I need God to do in my life?
• What am I expecting to hear, learn, or break?

Your “why” becomes your anchor on the days when hunger hits, emotions rise, or fatigue tries to talk you out of it.
Write it down. Put it somewhere you can see it.
A fast without intention becomes a diet.
But a fast with purpose becomes breakthrough.

Scripture:
? “Write the vision and make it plain…” — Habakkuk 2:2

Confidence.

Look up any random article written on confidence, you'll find a plethora of idioms regarding self confidence and how successful you can be in life if you have enough.

"I got this."

"I can do it."

"You do you while I do me."

"I'm living my truth."

"I'm a'ight."

The Word, however, teaches something different. In fact, we are warned numerous times against placing confidence in yourself or any human. Throughout the scriptures, we are repeatedly cautioned against the human tendency to trust in our own ability, strength, energy, and thinking.

I want to highlight three stories from the bible that plainly show where the participants' confidence rested.

Exodus 14 tells the story of how the children of Israel were pinned between the Red Sea and pharoah's pursuing army. Immediately they began to complain of how they were delivered from Egypt only to die. They lacked confidence in Moses. They were gripped with fear. Additionally, they had little confidence in their God though they'd seen His mighty power with the plagues that struck their oppressors.

In Joshua, God gave Joshua specific instruction in preparation for the battle of Jericho. While Joshua was confident in God, some of the children of Israel demonstrated their lack of confidence in God's power and disobeyed Him. Disobedience is a symptom of a lack of confidence.

Finally, Jesus, Himself, revealed His confidence. In John, He had complete confidence both in God's ability to do as He pleases and in His relationship with God.

Put your confience in God as Jesus did. But you must also use that confidence to build a strong relationship with God. Jesus tells us in the scripture that He knew the strength of the Son's relationship with His Father.

Ultimately, you must learn where to invest your confidence. Learn from the mistakes of those who lacked confidence in God. Learn, also, from Jesus who was full of confidence of what God can do. He was a man (a human) like you and me but He honored God in all He did. He did not sin. Let us seek to be more and more like Christ.

Reflection
While you read the scriptures today, prayerfully reflect on the following:
*What is your level of confidence in your relationship with God?
*What about your life with God is similar and different from either of these examples?
*When God tells you "no," what is your level of confidence in His answer?

Prayer
Dear God,
I am only a human and I was born in sin. My parents are also human and were born in sin. You gave us Jesus who was born, as a human into this world of sin but he did not sin. I am confident Jesus can save me! I want to live a life of confidence, not in myself, but in God's power within me. Forgive my disobedience. Forgive my lack of confidence. Forgive my unbelief. Without confidence in You, I can not please You. Teach me to obey Your word as the confidence of my relationship with You. I want to please You.

In Jesus' name,
Amen

Scriptures
Exodus 14
Joshua 6-7
Psalm 118:8
Jeremiah 17:7
John 11
Hebrews 11:1-31

We hope you have found this plan to be nutritional food for your spirit during the first days of the new year. Stay tuned for other bible plans to help you grow stronger in your relationship with God.

Confession.

Confession is not only a crucial aspect of a fast, but it is part of a healthy relationship with God. Confession is paramount for any relationship. Throughout the Bible, God teaches us to confess.

In the book "Just Pray," Pastor John F. Hannah says that "without confession, we have no relationship with God." So, as a mature (or maturing) Christian, you must confess. There is no negotiation. Hannah states that we must "clear the room" because darkness has no fellowship with light. There is no sin in God and refusing to confess sin is a willful act of rebellion leaving us separated from God.

Additionally, leaving sin unaddressed and unconfessed can cause changes in our physical, mental, and emotional health. Read Psalm 32. There, David describes what happened to him during the time he withheld confession of the sin he committed concerning Bathsheba.

Have you wondered why you are still hungry after you eat? What about the nightmares? Some depression can be a manifestation of unconfessed sin. Are you struggling finding a mate? Are your children particularly disrespectful? Without question, any sin you leave unconfessed can harm you. Confession is solely your responsibility.  No one can, confess for you. Nor will God force you to confess.

If you believe there is sin within you that lies unconfessed, stop here and pray Psalm 51. After all, when you compare what you have to lose with all you have to gain, the decision is really a no-brainer.

Here are some other hazards associated with failing to confess your sins listed in Hannah's book "Just Pray."

"Without confession, the door remains open for the adversary."

"Without confession, we sit in our sin."

"Confession is more than mindless rhetoric. We must be uncomfortable in (down on your knees, honest) heartbreak.""

Prayer:
Dear God,
"Against You, You only, have I sinned." Open the eyes of my heart so that unknown sin is revealed to me. Forgive me for my failure to quickly confess my sin. I want to withhold nothing from You. Let my life bring You glory.  Let me live a life worthy of Jesus' sacrifice for my salvation. Because I am Your child, I desire to be honest and forthcomingwith You. I hold my sins in the light before You and beg for Your mercy. Grant me the courage to resist the urge to abscond (to secret away) any thought, word, and deed that is not like You. I can hide nothing from You. I want to hide nothing from You. My sin is embarrassing and humiliating. I recognize that embarrassment is not of You. I freely admit my shortcomings to You.

In Jesus' name
Amen

Scriptures.
Numbers 32:23
2 Samuel 12
Psalm 32:
Psalm 51
2 Corinthians 6:14-15
James 5:16
1 John 1:5-9

Consecration.
Thank you, Pastor Fields for your timely wisdom.

 As we march into the subject of consecration, let's begin with two definitions.
Consecration - to make or declare sacred; set apart.
Isolation - the complete separation from others; quarantine

We must allow God to "clarify" the difference between consecration and isolation. Because God says in the book Genesis that man being alone is "not good." Read it. He says a lot of things are good. But man alone is not good. The idea of consecrating yourself for God's service is a good thing. But, isolating yourself for any reason is "not good."
Sometimes in life, we meet with difficulties.The loss of a loved one can be incredibly difficult. During that time of tremendous pain and grief, we must remember that isolation is a trap set for us, not a tool to aid in healing us. Again, as in Crucifixion, isolation is the way the enemy can overtake us (Revisit Daniel Fast: 2023 - Day 4). We must instead seek consecration. We must clean ourselves from things that are dishonorable - disobedient, sinful (Revisit Daniel Fast: 2023 - Day 1). We seek and keep on seeking to grow into the person God wants us to be. We belong to God. He is our creator and we are His. As stated earlier in this Bible plan, Jesus is our best example of consecration. He gave everything, His dignity, His blood, His very life to God and all while being fully God. Additionally, scriptures in today's plan, offer other examples of how people consecrated themselves.

Consecration is a way of giving ourselves to God in a new way. Choosing consecration shows God just how much we want to be completely and unquestionably His precious possession. Consecration deepens the level of the relationship and clearly demonstrates your desire to please God for no other reason than to see Him happy. As you read His love letter to you (the Bible), let your consecration become an endearing love letter to Him. What a wonderful consumation of your relationship with the Master! Give yourself to God and live a life filled with His joy! Let that joy be your strength!

Reflection
While you read the scriptures today, prayerfully reflect on the following:
* Am I allowing the devil to isolate me?
* What can I do to change that?
* What is God's plan for my life?
*Is my life a reflection of His plan?

Prayer
Dear God,
Teach me how to clean myself from dishonorable, disobedient, sinful things. Make me a vessel of honor, sanctified, set apart for a special purpose and, useful to You, Master. Prepare me for every good work You plan for my life. I call to You with a pure heart and pursue Your righteousness, faith, love, and peace with others who believe as I do. Deliver me from foolish and ignorant speculations. I want nothing to do with them. Rescue me from unedifying controversies. I want a life free of strife and quarrels. Make me Your servant. You know what me as Your servant looks like, acts like, lives like. I want to be kind and even tempered. Help me preserve peace, to be patient and tolerant even when someone wrongs me. Finally, I repent for my ignorance and immaturity. Lead me to the knowledge of and the accurate understanding of truth. I welcome Your truth. If I falter, bring me, quickly, to my senses so that I may escape the trap of the devil, isolated in captivity to do his evil will.

In Jesus' name
Amen

Scriptures
Genesis 4:4-7
Genesis 22:9-12
Judges 11:30-31, 34-40
1 Samuel 1:11
2 Samuel 23:16
1 Corinthians 6:20
2 Timothy 2:20-26
Hebrews 7:28, 9:18, 10:20

Communication

Loosely defined, communication is the movement of ideas. We have ideas, then share them with family, friends, colleagues, viewers, etc. hoping those individuals will share them with others. And who knows? Maybe those ideas will go viral.

Since Adam, God has demonstrated His desire to have open, honest, faithful communication with us. We, on the other hand, struggle with consistenly, humbly, and earnestly communicating with God. Yet we talk with each other, sometimes multiple times a day. We are often too busy, communicating with bosses, children, spouses, and friends, to spare a few sleepy moments before we fall asleep and toss two or three words in God's direction. How sad.

Challenge:
Talk to God once an hour (when you are awake) every day for the rest of this fast.

Remember: Endeavor to achieve a hunger for dialogue. That means, you listen, then you talk, and then listen again. Because I am certain God has things He wants to tell you. Keep a journal nearby. Write down what God says to you. Write down what you want to tell God. That way, you will not forget to tell Him something important. And you will remember any direction, correction, or guidance He provides.

The goal: To create a habit of seeking God's thoughts on everything on your mind and in your heart.

Success!
Success in this challenge will be a maturation of your spiritual man or woman. Bonus: Spending more time with God who is love will overflow into all your relationships.

Prayer
Dear God,
I am so sorry for neglecting my relationship with You. Please forgive me. Please help me forgive myself. I know the price You paid for me and I want to show You how much that means to me. I make a vow to you this day to keep my relationship with You first. I will set alarms. I will post reminders to my bathroom mirror. I will put notes on my computer monitor. This year and for the rest of my life, I will consult you on things I believe are mundane and the things I believe are massive because I know you want to be included in every facet of my life. I love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength!

In Jesus' name
Amen

Scriptures:
Psalm 55:17
Psalm 88:13
Isaiah 44:6
Mark 11:24
Luke 18
Romans 8:26-27
1 Thessalonians 5:17
James 5:13-16

Clarification.

Wow! Look at you! You're totally rocking this plan.  Let's move on to clarification.

Imagine this:
You are blindfolded, riding in what sounds like a helicopter. After a swift decent and the thud of a landing, your blindfold is removed. You are in a lush, green meadow that goes on for miles in all directions. On the distant horizon, a lone tree stands. The pilot hooks his thumb at you. Issuing the order for you to "get out." Once you disembark, you immediately notice that the wild grass is as high as your knees. The pilot leans toward you, and places a small earbud and a battery pack in your hand. Though the pilot shouts, the rotor wash muffles him.

He says to you:

1. This is a mine field. I am leaving momentarily without you.
2. Insert the earbud and turn on the pack. You will receive further instruction via the earpiece.  Listen carefully for directions and follow them exactly.
3. You will die if you step in the wrong place.
4. The only safe place in this meadow is where this helicopter and you, now stand.

Tossing you a half-hearted salute, the pilot directs the craft skyward. The wind from the exiting helicopter bends the grass flat and leaves the entire meadow rising and falling like the waves of a big green ocean. Alone and panicked, you clumsily insert the device into your ear.

Silence.

What do you do now? Do you dare even move? What is going through your mind?

You attempt to slow your breathing and heart rate. Because you do not want to miss a single syllable from the, now silent, voice of instruction.

"Pick up your right foot." The voice instructs.

You pick up your right foot. Then consider where to place it.

"Stop!" The voice scolds. "Look over your right shoulder. Tell me what do you see."

"Grass. I see grass every in every direction," you respond.

"Look again!" the voice now booms.

Long minutes pass as you strain to find something, anything other than grass. Then as if it were mocking, your eyes find the lone tree standing there for years.

"A tree. I see a tree." you resist the urge to celebrate this revelation.

"Good. Walk to the tree."

Gripped anew by fear and terror, you feel your heart rate increase. A question of "How do I do that without dying?"pops into your head.

The voice continues, "Without bending the knees or excessive leg swing, place the ball of your right half a shoe length and just to the left of your left foot. Shift the weight of your body to the ball of your right foot and the heel of your left foot. The position of your feet should not change. While the direction of your body will change."

You wipe sweat from your brow. Taking a deep preparatory breath. You quickly complete the instruction.

"Lift your left foot. Touch the toes of your right foot with your left heel. Then ttouch the toes of your left foot with your right heel. Do not waver. Do not stop."

"Yes! Yes! Please don't let me die. I will follow your instruction." You respond.

As we continue this fast, listen carefully for the Voice of Instruction, God. For the days, weeks, and years ahead, God knows all of the danger, every hazard, in what we can see and what we cannot. Like the author of a thrilling adventure novel, He is our only infallible resource. And ignoring his guidance can cost your present and eternal life. We know the bible calls this life warfare. Well, here is a newsflash: It is called warfare because we are at  W A R! God will direct you if you will listen.

Reflection
While you read the scriptures today, prayerfully reflect on the following:
* Am I listening carefully for direction from God.
* Do I act immediately when God instructs?
* Do you trust God to give you clear direction in every matter of your life? If not, why not?
* When has God told you not to do a thing and you decided otherwise?

Prayer
Dear God,
Your Word says that if I do not trust You, I am not Your sheep. I want to be Your sheep, Lord. I want to hear Your Voice and follow only You. Lead me by the still and quiet waters. Lead me in the paths of righteousness for Your name's sake. Help me to listen for and listen to Your voice. Instruct me. Correct me. Lead me through this dangerous, life threatening mine field.

In Jesus' name,
Amen

Scriptures:
Esther 4:14
Proverbs 20:24
Psalm 32:8
John 10: 26-27
John 14:6
2 Corintians 10:3-5

Crucifixion.
* How much time to I spend on social media?

Prayer2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Commitment
What is commitment? Jerry Flowers describes it as the "transportation method that takes a surface level relationship to unknown, surprising, and satisfying depths; the glue of a relationship; a demonstration of your level of  investment in a relationship." The bible clearly teaches in Amos that commitment is required of both parties in a relationship.

God wants us to fully commit to Him. His Word plainly describes His level of commitment to us. His commitment to us is Christ!

Let's compare our relationship with God to our relationship with our parents, our siblings, our friends, or any relationship. What is it that keeps you there? Consider your level of commitment to them. What would you do for your spouse if your he or she fell ill? Would you advocate for your child in the classroom? Of course you would because you are fully committed to that relationship. How committed are you to your relationship to God?

Reflection
While you read the scriptures today, prayerfully reflect on the following:
* What does my commitment demonstrate in God's eyes?
* Am I loving God the way He wants to be loved?
* Would I stay in a relationship where I was treated the way I treat God?
* If my commitment is transportation, where is my relationship with God going?

Prayer
Dear God,
My relationship with You is my most important one. Please forgive my half-hearted commitment to You. From this moment, I want to show You with my humility, my prayer life, my worship, with my everything just how committed to You I truly am. I want our relationship (Yours and mine) to go from surface level to depthless, from occasional to constant, from sporadic to steadfast and unmovable.

In Jesus‘ name
Amen

Scriptures
Amos 3:3
Joel 2:12-14
2 Chronicles 7:14
Romans 5:6-8
1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Overview.
As we begin this new year, we are reminded to examine our commitment to God, the crucifixion of our flesh, the consecration of our souls, our communion with God, both as individuals and Life Changing Word's contribution as members within the body of Christ. For the next seven days, we will explore the Word and hold it up to our walk. The Word is our mirror. May it reflect truth with your life and compel change, correction, and repentance.  

Today we are reading in the book of  Daniel. In our scripture, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were faced with a decision, to defile themselves in the eyes of God by obeying the rule of the evil  king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar or to remain faithful to God's law.  Keep in mind, that the Babylonians had Jerusalem under seige, which meant the consequences for noncompliance were high. Ultimately, though, these men resolved to obey God at any cost.

You are encouraged to use this time of sacrifice to connect or to reconnect with God. Every relationship needs to be rekindled from time to time. You, not God, have strayed in your walk. You, not God, have grieved Him. You, not God, have demonstrated faithlessness.  We have all sinned and fallen short of the beautiful glory of God.

Reflection
While you read the scriptures today, prayerfully reflect on the following:
* What is my goal for this fast?
* How can I succeed in this fast?
* What does a successful fast look like to me?
* What does God think of my contribution to our (His and my) relationship?

Prayer
Dear God,
You know my motives. I offer no excuses for neglecting my responsibility in the relationship between You and me. You know where I need to grow. Teach me what you want for me and from me. Ignite in my heart, my soul, and my mind, a hunger and a thirst to learn, then live, the requirements for a relationship with You that pleases You. Break up the ground of my heart so that the seed of Your Word can take root and grow, unrestricted. God, help me to discover the root of my shortcomings. I know You can, You will, and You want to uproot the strongholds in my life and those of my family. I humble myself before you. I repent for not allowing you to do what You want with the roots in my life and those of my family. Thank You for continuing to be so faithful even when I am not. I desire to be a much more obedient child of God in 2023 than I was in 2022.

In Jesus' name,
Amen

Scriptures
Daniel 1:5-21
Psalm 69:10
Romans 3:10-23