Day 1 | Fasting
Excerpted from Jentezen Franklin's 21-Day Fasting Bible Study
It all starts here, and I want to congratulate you for embarking on such a daring adventure. For many, the first three days of a 21-day fast are the hardest. Day one is filled with excitement and enthusiasm, but that can wane when lunch time comes and the hunger pangs begin to kick in. That is why the most important lesson to LEARN, if this is your first time, or REMEMBER, if you are a veteran faster, is that this is not just a PHYSICAL challenge. It is a SPIRITUAL journey. This battle will go on day after day, and each day you will be confronted with a choice for where you will place your focus. Will you focus on your physical hunger or on your spiritual thirst?
The theme for week one is Your First Love. What does this mean exactly? A quick study of the different commentaries seems to agree on one central issue as it relates to those who have lost their first love. That issue is a shift in focus, attention and intense love for Jesus. If you remember, when confronted by the Pharisees in Matthew 22, Jesus was asked to identify the greatest commandment. He responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (vs 37).
FOCUS. This is where our journey begins. If you are like most people you are right in the middle of about five things that are continually demanding your attention. Satan is the master distractor, and he knows exactly which string to tug to get you to stop everything you are doing and jump through a hoop. But as you fast, allow each hunger pang and each thought of food to be a reminder to shift your focus back to the Lord rather than a distraction from your purpose. He is your Living Bread.
Think About it
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What has your relationship with Jesus been like over the last year? What factors during the year played in role in your relationship with Jesus being where it is today?
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What would it take for this relationship to be closer to ideal?
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Are you willing to create space in each day over the next 21 days for time alone with your Savior? Are you willing to make these moments of consecration a priority? If yes, what is your plan?
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