DAY 1
Nehemiah 9:1-5
“Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God. On the stairs of the Levites stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani; and they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God. Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.”
When we fast, it's important to know that it isn't merely the abstinence of a thing. Rather, fasting is the abstinence of a thing so that we can abide in Christ with greater intensity. Essentially, fasting is abstaining AND abiding working together for greater spiritual maturity and spiritual power. In the above scripture, the Isrealites finished the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls. They just celebrated with reading the Torah and 7 days of feasting. In this text, they are now gathered for a solemn assembly that includes fasting. In their fasting, they abstained from food. But their fasting went beyond just abstaining, it included 5 different practices as they abided in God.
Their fasting included 1) separation from foreigners. This was to keep them holy and separate unto God. Although today we don’t separate from other people while fasting, we practice a separation from indulging in what we normally would.
Their fast included 2) confession of sin. As you fast, the Holy Spirit may convict you of sin in your life. As He does, confess that sin to a brother, sister or trusted mentor.
Their fast included 3) the reading of the word. Throughout the fast, practice a more intense pattern of scripture reading. Not to fulfill a religious obligation but because through it we draw closer to God Himself.
Their fast included 4) worship. Worship is crucial during our fast because when we worship we are in a posture of gratitude and thanksgiving to God. Although, abstaining from food or whatever it may be for you in these 21 days, gratitude will keep you in a place of joy before God.
Finally, their fast included 5) prayer. In Nehemiah, it says, “they cried out in a loud voice to the Lord their God.” Fasting is the time to pray with focus, intentionality and intensity.
Remember, fasting is abstaining from a thing for a time so that we can abide in Jesus with greater intensity.