4th Quarter Consecration – New Wineskins

Harvest International Brea

19 Posts Published

Date

October 1, 2024

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Welcome to the 10 Day refresh consecration. Consecration is not a word that is used in our everyday society, but it should be. Consecration deals with the separation of your heart, motives, and very life for the purposeful use of God. It is a time of surrender, reflection, removal of impurities, and rededication of your heart to God. A major part of consecration is fasting. A time to humble yourself before the Lord where you and I abstain from eating certain foods, certain times of the day, or eating as a whole in an effort to give focused attention to The Lord.

There are several types of fasts that you could engage in:

  • Daniel’s Fast – Focused on Fruit, Veggies, Nuts, Water
  • Juice Fast – Only Consume Fresh Pressed Juice (No juices from concentrate)
  • Partial Fast – Only Skipping 1-2 Meals
  • Sun Down FAst – Breaking the Fast at 6pm Daily
  • Social Media Fast – No Scrolling or Posting
  • Complete Fast – Only Consuming Water

Whatever fast you select, please be sure to select one that is a CHALLENGE To your Flesh!

For those under cre of a physician or doctor; please consult your doctor as to the type of fast you can medically engage in without any adverse affects or interruption of medication or treatment.

This document should serve as a guide to a successful consecration over the next 10 days of your life, but first, a few thoughts on fasting.

  1. Fasting is an expectation:

Jesus, in His inaugural sermon on the mount began to give the disciples and those who heard Him a perspective change about numerous things. Along with instructions about persecution, enemies, identity, and prayer, He gives us some guidelines around fasting found in Matthew 6:16-18:

16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Jesus didn’t say, “If you pray”, however, he stated, “When you pray” indicating that it is an expectation that God has for our lives as followers of Jesus. We must have a lifestyle of prayer and fasting that surrenders our hearts, minds, and lives to Him on a regular basis.

  • Fasting gets YOU out of the way so that God can move.
  • Fasting sharpens your spiritual insight and sensitivity to The Voice of Holy Spirit.
  • Fasting gives you the opportunity to bless others. 
  • Fasting changes YOU, not God. (Malachi 3:6)
  • Fasting Creates intimacy with God 
  • Fasting is to be done in secret (don’t broadcast the fast with the motive of wanting to be “seen” or applauded by others)
  • Fasting is not just a time to shed body weight, but soul weight! (3 John 2) 
  • Fasting should be filled with times of prayer, worship, and reading the Word of God.
  • Fasting is an opportunity for your worldly appetites to decrease, and your godly appetite to increase.

Remember, as you fast, spend time with God through prayer, worship, and listening to /studying the Word of God for yourself or in community.

For best results it is important that you rise between 4am-7am PST to spend quality time in the scriptures and prayer in the key areas This Gives PRIORITY to God and His interests. (Matthew 6:33)

Join us online at 6am for Daily Prayer and Devotion!

The focus of THIS 4th Quarter Fast is “New Wineskins”.

Look at what Jesus Shares about this in Luke:

He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment; otherwise the new will be torn, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new wine, but says, ‘The old is good.’”Luke 5:36-39, NRSV

Jesus was sharing that you cannot “accept the new, while holding on to the old”.

This fast is designed to help you let go of the things that are “behind, in the past, and old” that may be holding you back from moving forward in the purposes and assignment God has for your life. The “old” may represent ungodly habits, relationships, perspectives, paradigms, and practices that you may have gotten comfortable with as a result of just livng in the world. These things are weights that keep us from being as sharp in the ways of the Kingdom of God. Paul writes this in Hebrews 12:1, ” Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”

The time is now, to survey your life…Ask yourself a few questions concerning your life:

  • Who am I holding something against, that I need to forgive?
  • What compormises have I become comfortable with in my life?
  • What are some habits that are keeping me form drawing closely to God without condemnation?
  • Where do I spend my “free time” (Binge watching, eating, being entertained, playing games, etc)
  • Can I be more dialed in with my church and community?
  • Who is someone I can give the money I would be spending on food?
  • Where do I need deliverance?
  • Where do I need clarity?

These are just some introspective questions to help you prepare for your fast.

Also, I have created a Consecration playlist that you can access here in which you can play in the background while you pray and worship our God.

CONSECRATION YOUTUBE PLAYLIST

God desires a close relationship with us! But far too many settle for a shallow one when God has extended an invitation to draw near, so we can all experience greater depths of intimacy with Him. Learn how you can transform a boring and lifeless relationship with God into one that is energizing and exhilarating!

Join us as we DRAW NEAR!!!

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