[I] warn you that satan, by every means possible, wants to ruin everything in you; but your prayers prevent him from succeeding. When you fill up all the empty spaces with prayer, you prevent satan from entering your soul. Pray, dear children, and your Mother will pray with you to defeat satan.

                                                                                                         -  Medjugorje March 21, 1988

Please recall that we are fasting Thursday instead of Friday this week as Friday is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart.

Many children in Sunday school are taught St Paul’s analogy of a Roman soldier’s armor with spiritual armor.  Today, let’s examine what the various elements are. Again, please read the passage aloud:

Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from His mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the Principalities, with the Powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to hold your ground.

So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And the the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. With all prayer and supplication pray at every opportunity in the Spirit.

Truth: many people are led so far along the confusing road of relativism that it ends in complete absurdity. We’re not even tempted to go there. 

Righteousness: We need to CONTINUALLY work to be holy. A holy person will be attacked, for sure, but his martyrdom is the seed for more growth. Remember what the centurion said when Jesus died? “Surely, this was a holy man.” A Roman centurion! Converted! Instantly!

Readiness: sowing seeds of faith should be done at any moment that we see an opening.

Faith: It is a shield, a defense against the crazy, AND it goes back to the beginning of the verse. Draw strength from God’s almighty power. We’ve got nothing. He’s got all the power. Remember that!

Salvation: We know that this is not our home. We will be saved if we follow the Way, the Truth and the Life.

The Word: We never have to say “Well, the Bible says…such and such” We just have to say the words of God, and because the truth is written on every man’s heart, it penetrates without our having to convince. As an example of readiness and faith, consider this testimony from the World Champion Oklahoma Sooner student athletes. How different and evident their joy is from so many of their peers who do not know The Eternal Word …

Oklahoma Wins 3rd National Championship As Athletes Credit Jesus

Perhaps your own meditations can add to this. We might wonder why Paul did not mention fasting as a weapon.  Could it be that perhaps it is not an article of armor for defense? It is an offensive tactic!

Have a blessed fast day and remember to think spiritually!

Why We Fast – Our Core Fasting Intentions

1) We add the new fasting intention of taking back the church from evil. We submit the three-step process to achieve this victory is 1-Repent, 2-Prayer & Fasting and, 3-Imitate our Savior by throwing the evil leadership from the church. We will seek to emulate the Savior in our effort to End The USCCB, an organization that has been devastating to the church.  (“You shall know the spirit by the fruits” - Matt. 7:16)

2) For the Holy Spirit to reign down upon America, renewing our land as the Christian, capitalist meritocracy we were founded to be.

3) For the protection of our police, firefighters, military and their families from harm and that the Lord bless their courageous generosity on our behalf.

4) For the protection of the families who fast with us, and for God’s blessings of abundance upon them and that true to His word, we will be able to witness that He prospered us in famine.

Would you like to learn more about fasting?

We maintain a repository of ideas and information we have learned over the last decade while fasting weekly for America. From scientific studies on the benefits of fasting, to the differences between intermittent dieting vs intermittent fasting, to scriptural references regarding the power of fasting to the history of first century Christians who stated believers are obligated to fast weekly, we hope you will find numerous insights with our free resource located here.

Together let us also implore Heaven while fasting for intentions you have highlighted:

4) For all patriots who put themselves on the front lines in combatting evil and for all of the warriors who are stepping up around the nation to fight for the gospel – May The Father cover them in the blood of our savior,  protect them and their families from evil and bring victory to their endeavors.

5) For priests, ministers and all who aspire to lead others to the Lord, that the Holy Spirit will reign down upon them as at Pentecost filling them to overflowing. 

6) For the Americans jailed after January 6th who were admitted to the Capitol building by the police, and who were not found to have destroyed any property at the capitol yet who have been held captive ever since on our own soil - That God's Spirit will move quickly to bring justice back to this land and free them.


Who We Are
St. Joseph Partners is a for-profit business that has funded Fast for America for over ten years. To the extent you support our work to renew America and if you understand why gold and silver protect believers' wealth in this world, please consider us or recommend us when you or someone you know buys or sells gold and silver. From our website www.StJosephPartners.com you can buy and sell dozens of types of precious metals. We close on Sundays to honor the Sabbath. Click here for a link where you can view a brief video about our firm and a brief video about why all investors and families should have some gold and silver in their portfolios.