Fasting In Preparation for

The General Conference

Dear Saints:

Elmer Towns in his book Spiritual Breakthrough through Fasting outlines these fasts to consider. Please select your area of concern as we approach the General Conference. Along with the Specific prayers for the days, select periods to fast as the Lord directs. We pray his blessings upon the efforts of all in this Zion as we seek the face of God.

Outlining nine different types of fasts, Towns uses Isaiah 58 as the springboard for understanding why we need to fast and how to approach our fasts. He chose nine biblical characters whose lives personified the literal or figurative theme of each of nine aspects of fasting highlighted in Isaiah 58:6-8. "These suggested fasts are models to use and adjust to your own particular needs and desires as you seek to grow closer to God."

The nine fast patterns are:

The Disciple's Fast: Fasting for freedom from addiction

The Ezra Fast: Fasting to solve problems

The Samuel Fast: Fasting to win people to Christ

The Elijah Fast: Fasting to break crippling fears

The Widow's Fast: Fasting to provide for the needy

The Saint Paul Fast: Fasting for insight and decision making

Daniel Fast: Fasting for health and physical healing

The John the Baptist Fast: Fasting for an influential testimony

The Esther Fast: Fasting for protection from the evil one.

In His Name,

Dr. Jerome McNeil

Prayer Coordinator

Christian Methodist Episcopal Church