"When you pray, pray first for the Holy Spirit because when you have the Holy Spirit, you have everything."        - Medjugorje April 4, 1985

"You have forgotten that through prayer and fasting you can avert wars and suspend the laws of nature."       - Medjugorje Dec. 2, 1982

Today is the last fast of this Advent season and for all of 2022. Given how special Christmas is, the Christmas and Easter Octaves are the two weeks each year where we do not fast for the Lord – We just feast with Him.  So today is the last fast of the year. 

One last fasting gift we bring to baby Jesus in the manger – our little sacrifice, offered with joy, laid before His crib like the Drummer Boy’s timeless song.

Your gift to Him says you took time and made an effort to thank Him for what He did for you. The Greek Orthodox church says that His incarnation was more of a sacrifice than Good Friday. To transform from God into man was incomprehensible restraint. And your sacrifice of fasting today is a life choice the Bible explicitly shows catches heaven’s attention, consoles and warms the Lord’s heart, and impacts history more than we imagine.  Just think - if that peasant farmer's one prayer averted Hell for eternity for the doctor we wrote about on Wednesday, how much is your fast able to impact those you love?

After another one of our colleagues recently shared some of her spiritual experiences with us we asked her to share with you about what may be the most important issue for believers – sensing the whispers of the Spirit in your life. From the tiniest details to your most important decisions. Hearing the Spirit is like exercising a muscle – If you want to hear Him on your biggest life issues be sure to start listening to His whispers on what may seem trivial. It is so exciting to experience how the God of all creation who has so much to do is so aware of and so willing to help you in even the tiniest details of your life. The youngest member of our staff coaxed and cajoled this writing to share so appropriately as the Last Fast of 2022, from a young mother’s perspective here are some thoughts on The Spirit’s Spark …

When was the last time you were quiet and just listened? Free of noise in your office, busy households, music, the clamor in your mind telling you of all the things that you need to do?  

In today’s world full of noise I believe we fail to find enough time where we are silent and can hear God’s voice. Sometimes I walk through days of my life where I don’t hear anything. When I realize this I ask myself if I have allowed for his presence to be known and for him to speak to me.   I’ve heard God’s voice the loudest when I am alone with him in silence.

His presence is made aware to me in the simplest of ways. I find when I am quiet and do not have daily noise or distractions, I sense subtle nudges. These nudges are typically by no means what I would consider life altering however they are nudges. We are called to have faith like children and to put aside our own will. It is in these moments I find that I have a choice to listen or not.

In a recent experience of His subtle nudging, I was packing a bag for an upcoming trip. As I was going through laundry and deciding which pajamas to bring, I decided on a pair and set them aside. I then continued to go through laundry and as I touched another pair of pajamas the voice nudged me to take a second set. In this instance I was faced with the immediate decision to add them to the take pile or to leave them behind. Now this may sound insignificant however as it turns out that evening as I was at our destination one of the travelers I was with forgot to bring pajamas. Thankfully I listened to the gentle nudge and had the second set to offer.

In packing for this same trip, I encountered a second nudge to bring a small wireless speaker. In this moment I was again faced with the immediate decision to pack it or leave it. In this instance I decided that there was not a need for a wireless speaker on the trip. During our second day the group I was with decided to spend time praying and listening to worship music. The question “Does anyone have a speaker” was posed by another member of the group. In that instant I was reminded of the nudge I heard and failed to listen to.

As I reflect back on the times I have heard His quiet voice I find that in every instance there was a purpose for whatever it is that I was nudged towards regardless if I listened or not. When we are faced with different situations, we tend to do things the way we want to do things. Doing things, the way we want to makes us feel in control. But instead, we should take time to listen for God’s voice and be open to his guidance and remember that he is in control. He will never nudge or guide us in the wrong direction.

In days where we are asking God, “Where are you? Why aren’t you speaking to me?” I encourage you to spend time quieting the noise around you to allow His voice to be heard. Sometimes we look for God in the loud and powerful, but perhaps, God wants to pull us away from all of that and speak to us in the silence.

During the Advent Season we are overwhelmed with noises of Christmas festivities, feasts and family gatherings. The carol “Silent Night” captures the true first Christmas well. Jesus did not arrive with trumpets blaring but instead with lambs’ and donkeys’ silent stares. No other curious onlookers were even aware of this momentous event. The few visitors consisted only of those that God personally invited to the manger. It would seem that God does his best work in silence just as he did that first Christmas...

… So that is our wish for you this Christmas. That you will become more aware of the Holy Spirit in your life for as heaven has told us, when we have the Holy Spirit, we have EVERYTHING.

In closing along this theme if you are looking for an adult church service to watch during your prayer time or with your friends or family, here is a link to a Christmas service that focused on this same theme – receiving the Holy Spirit at Christmas. The music is simply uplifting and the words of the Georgia preacher will be insightful for almost any believer regarding The Power of the Gift God extends to us this Christmas.

Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful Christmas season. Enjoy lots of good food with your feasts and we will see you in 2023 as we continue to impact history more than we imagine. Merry Christmas.

Why We Fast – Our Core Fasting Intentions

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

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

3) 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 Mike Lindell who is putting himself on the front lines suing over the election fraud that has taken place 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 with an understanding of what the Lord wants, courage and the desire to preach what He would have them preach and protection and strength from all evil that comes against them. 

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 by freeing them while enlightening Americans how to bring God's justice back to our nation.

7) For young Megan who has an incurable liver condition @ Duke Hospital - Asking the Divine Physician for a complete healing.

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