2022 DANIEL'S FAST by Paul M Hanssen

2022 Daniel’s Fast

Seven Pillars Church of Praise

The Lord has called upon us to embark on a Daniel’s Fast as a spiritual family. For some, the fast commences today, January 10th, 6pm, until January 31st, 6pm. Others will be be joining the Central Church as we begin on January the 17th, 6pm, until February 7th, 6pm. Unfortunately, the Central Church had to delay beginning the fast due to many in our church having contracted the Covid-19 virus and our inability to gather in person.

The object and focus of this fast is fourfold:

· We are crying out to God for revival. Revival in our own hearts, first and foremost, as well as an awakening and a revival in our communities, and countries. Always remember, revival is a response to God’s call. Revival is not something that we can demand and ‘make happen’ through works or even through a fast. Revival is a response to God calling His people. Therefore, as we fast for revival, we do so in response to God’s call for His people to humble themselves, repent, and bow before Him as King!

· We will be calling upon God for the expansion and growth of the spreading of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. At present, we are using every possible media that we can in order to “get the word out”. However, the Lord has laid upon our hearts to double our efforts. Fulfilling this command begins with prayer. We need you all to join us as we seek God to open doors for the Kingdom Word to be taught to a broader audience in order that more people may hear, choose, and claim their inheritance in God.

· We need to cry out to God for His army of worshipping warriors to arise. This, too, is a response to God’s call and prophetic Word. The dry bones in the Valley of Ezekiel had to first of all ‘hear’ the Word of the LORD. Once His voice was heard, the response could begin. Therefore, the burden of this prayer request is that God’s people will begin to hear the prophetic call of God’s Word and respond by arising out of obscurity, dryness, and spiritual death in order to be filled with the breath of the Spirit of God!

· Fourthly, is the call to resist the “New Age” demonic powers that are flooding the earth. You cannot resist these powers without climbing the watchtower and becoming alert!

Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God. Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come (Joel 1:13-15).

Through the Spirit of prophecy, the prophet Joel called upon the people of God to do four things during a period of fasting that was proclaimed as the people were gathered together. The call was made to the priests, the ministers of the altar, the ministers of God, and the solemn assembly. Each and every one of us fall into this fourfold category of service before the LORD. We are all priests and ministers unto the LORD within the gathering of God’s Holy people. This call is to you! The call to this season of fasting is for all of us. We need to take this seriously and become part of that which the LORD is requiring of His remnant people to do in these somber days.

Joel told the people to:

1. Gird Yourselves

2. Lament

3. Howl

4. Lay before God in sackcloth

Gird Yourselves:

To gird means to tie something onto yourself like a belt or armor. It means to appoint, and to be restrained. It also means to be locked in from every side.

It is not possible to embark on a serious fast before God and be unrestrained. If we are not willing to be “locked in”, as it were, on every side and in every aspect of our lives, then the fast is in vain. Fasting is not just about being restrained from food. Ask the Lord to show you that which He is demanding of you to restrained yourself from as you enter into this fast. Gird up your natural and spiritual life with spiritual armor, with the Word of God, and with purpose.

Lament:

To lament means to tear the hair and to beat the breast (as the Orientals do in a display of grief). It also means to wait and to mourn.

There is a problem in the Land. God’s people, in general, have lost the seriousness of their walk with God, and as a result have lost the reverence that accompanies the seriousness. In general, there is no anguish and depth in the cry of God’s people in this generation. This fast will be accomplished with “lamenting”, grieving the condition of the Church world, as well as the condition of our own hearts and spiritual lives.

Howl:

To howl means to yell with a boisterous tone. Some may say, “Is that really necessary?” Howling demonstrates the sincerity, the depth, the intensity, and the longing. So, yes, it is necessary. How sincere are you about this journey? How deep is your ‘cry’ for God? Are you willing to demonstrate that inner longing with an outward ‘howling’ unto the Living God?

Our Land needs a touch. Our personal lives need a touch. How desperate are you to see that touch actually transpire in your life? There should be, and there needs to be, an outward demonstration of our inner longing and desire. Howl!

Lay Before The LORD in Sackcloth:

The Prophet Joel called upon the people to lay in sackcloth all night. Sackcloth was very uncomfortable. It was made from course fibers and was rough upon the skin. To lie all night with sackcloth upon the flesh could not have been an easy thing to do. Sleep would have been difficult.

This speaks to us of ‘humbling’ ourselves, humbling our flesh, and causing the flesh to feel the sting of mortification as we bow before the LORD and bring our ‘appetites’ under His authority.

As we enter these 21 days of fasting, keep the words that you have just read in focus. This is not a time to feast, it is a time to fast. Many miss the whole point by creating lavish ‘Daniel’s Fast’ dishes and hence overindulge and miss out on God’s blessing and purpose for the fast. If you truly gird yourself, lament, howl, and bring your flesh into subjection, you will possess a conscious knowing of that which pleases the LORD during this fast as opposed to that which delights your flesh.

I plan to teach on these verses this coming Sunday, January the 16th. Make sure to tune in as you seek the Lord to give you further insight into the matter of our 2022, 21-Day Daniel’s Fast.

I love you all

Apostle Paul M Hanssen