| Author | Message | ||
| Seekr777 Registered user Username: Seekr777 Post Number: 622 Registered: 1-2003  |
I was reading this today and realize it brings a different dimension to what our prayer life can consist of compared to what I was taught as an Adventist. It is a union of the discipline of fasting with prayer time before God. I believe that God's ideal is for an intimacy of relationship we can not fathom in our human understanding. He wants so much more than we are capable of comprehending. Any comments?? In Him, Richard rtruitt@mac.com Following anouncement posted on the IHOP website in Atlanta.: A monthly global solemn assembly of believers in unified holy abandonment to Jesus for three days. We are calling believers worldwide to join together in unified prayer and fasting for revival motivated by experiencing love for Jesus. This is a time when we are called to listen to God directly, not just the words of man. This is not simply an event but a new lifestyle in the grace of God. Isaiah 60:2ìBehold, darkness shall cover the earth and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you and His glory will be seen upon you It is time for the church to rise up in her bridal identity and abandon herself to Jesus in lovesick worship with fasting and purity in order to more effectively preach the Gospel, heal the sick and serve the poor. Millions of Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims fast and pray with intensity unknown by the Western Church. The Holy Spirit is answering the fasting of the world religions by raising up a globally unified church that fasts, worships and prays to Jesus as a lovesick bride in all purity. When is the Global Bridegroom Fast? The first Monday through Wednesday of every month. Three days each month and seven days in December. The result is a total of 40 days throughout the year of unified worship, prayer and fasting as a top priority in our lives. Global Bridegroom Fast Dates 2006 Jan 2nd-4th, Feb 6th-8th, Mar 6th-8th, Apr 3rd-5th, May 1st-3th, Jun 5th-7th, Jul 3rd-5th, Aug 7th-9th, Sep 4th-6th, Oct 2nd-4th, Nov 6th-8th, Dec 4th-10th Who Should Be Involved? We are calling all pastors, leaders, youth groups, campus ministries, business leaders, moms and dads, students, etc. We encourage all to exercise their option to be wholehearted. All can do this in the grace of God. All prayer models and emphases are welcome from all parts of the Body of Christ. This is an ecumenical, inter-denominational call to a concert of prayer and fasting. What is a ìBridegroomî Fast? It is fasting that is motivated by having experienced the burning desire of Jesus' love. Jesus taught the apostles (Matt.9:15) that they would fast from a place of ìmourningî for the touch of the Bridegroom that they had become accustomed to while he was physically present with them on the earth. They had tasted intimacy with Jesus the Bridegroom and would mourn with fasting for more intimacy with Him after His death. Jesus said that when the Bridegroom is taken away (by His death on the cross and ascension to the Father), mourning for the previous encounters of His presence (or ìlovesicknessî) would drive them to cry out, ìI must have more.î This is the fruit of having experienced even the early stirrings of Divine love. This fast is focused not on earning or deserving more of God but on enlarging our capacity to freely receive more experience of the ocean of Divine love. When we fast we become vulnerable and more receptive to the moving of the Holy Spirit in a whole new measure. Rev 22: 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, ìCome!î And let him who hears say, ìCome!î What are we praying for? Fullness of the Holy Spirit and unity in the Church (John 14:12; 17:2-23) Spiritual breakthroughs in the Church worldwide with unprecedented unity, purity and power The Great Harvest (Matt 24:14) Over one billion souls converted by the power of God Youth Revival Movement (Mal.4:6) Worldwide revival especially among the youth and poor of the earth Revival to Israel (Romans 9-11) Fulfillment of all the promises to the remnant of Israel Houses of Prayer (Isaiah 62:6-7) The release of ìgrace for fastingî with worship and prayer to establish 24 hour a day houses of prayer in the cities of the earth (including Israel) Wealth of the Nations (Haggai 2:7-9) Release of finances for the Harvest, the prayer movement, and the poor The Wall of Fire (Zech. 2:5) Divine protection of all that is birthed through prayer | ||
| Jeremiah Registered user Username: Jeremiah Post Number: 188 Registered: 1-2004  |
Sounds like a reinvention of the wheel... we read about the Christian days of fasting and prayer in the Didache, around 100 A.D. where Christians fasted Wednesdays and Fridays every week. It's a practice continued by Eastern Christianity to this day. I guess that's around 250 million Christians fasting and praying to some extent. It's about time us Western Christians remembered to fast and pray! Jeremiah | ||
| Mwh Registered user Username: Mwh Post Number: 416 Registered: 4-2006  |
'They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking."' Luke 5:33 Interesting verse above, sometimes I think people are going making to much of a deal with this fasting and praying thing. | ||
| Javagirl Registered user Username: Javagirl Post Number: 334 Registered: 6-2005 |
Mwh, I used to think the same thing, till I tried fasting! Give it a shot, see what God does, and what He shows you. You gotta read the next two verses re your text quoted above.... 33They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking." 34Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast." Last Feb, I participated in a 21-day prayer/fast. (not just abstaining from food, we fasted habits, hobbies, attitudes, worries etc, so as to focus on God and prayer). Some others on this forum joined in as well. It was life changing for me. God made it abundantly clear to me, toward the end of the fast time, that I was to leave the adventist Church, and trust in Him alone to save and keep me. My eyes were opened. Thanks Richard, for the reminder. I think we will start another group fast in Jan. Be Richly Blessed, Lori | ||
| Mwh Registered user Username: Mwh Post Number: 417 Registered: 4-2006 |
Lori, yes you are right, but I wonder about how the situation is now when the counselor has arrived. Like: 1. Jesus is there (no fasting) 2. He is taken away (fasting) 3. The Counselor Holy Spirit arrived 4. ??? Anyways I have fasted as well, but never from food, I will try it out. Thanks Lori | ||
| Agapetos Registered user Username: Agapetos Post Number: 658 Registered: 10-2002  |
Richard, thank you for posting that. When I read the verse in Matthew 9:15, something stirred and popped inside of me like a hunger and passion for my wonderful Lord, my Master, my Husband, my Bridegroom. I long to see Him, to know Him more. Thank you for posting this. About fasting ... it is in the book of Acts, too, well after the coming of the Counselor. There are various reasons for fasting, and I haven't heard great explanations of it because somehow it's always seemed "advertised" to me in a way. However last month when praying about whether or not to take a big step by moving into a new and bigger home (which we did last weekend), I fasted truly for the first time in my life, and I was incredibly blessed. It was like a spiritual sensitivity was fostered, and it was wonderful time with my Lord. It was not so much about the "not eating" as it was about what happens to your heart and spirit while you set yourself to seek God. I'll learn more from Him in the future about this, but in His timing. Somehow I think it's meant to be very personal... that *He* is the one who truly "calls" a fast for you, deep in your spirit. There are many people who call for different fasts for this or that, or feel it's a ritual or necessary thing for this or that. But I think it should be like receiving prophecy -- it should be something that you accept and embark upon only if you receive the Lord's witness in your spirit to do so. | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 269 Registered: 9-2006  |
to my understanding the fast is explained in (Isa 58:5 KJV) Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? (Isa 58:6 KJV) Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? River |
