30 January 2026

Two-Week Fast – New Wineskins

In early January, Pastor John announced that he and Pastor Sharon felt led by the Lord to do a 14-day fast. The Lord had placed it on their hearts, and they also felt to open it up to the church so that we could join them. We were given a week’s notice to prepare.

What was actually quite funny is that many of us thought the fast was starting that very Monday after the announcement. Because of that, a few of us in the office — myself and some friends — started fasting immediately. Looking back, it’s a moment I’ll always laugh about.

The first week of the fast was very interesting for me. One of the biggest blessings was doing it together with the people I am called with — my family in Christ. There was something powerful about suffering together and knowing that you are not alone. That collective accountability made it so much easier to stay committed and focused.

I did a Daniel fast and also fasted Social Media. From a natural point of view, the Daniel fast was challenging. After a few days, my body really started missing bread and meat, and I quickly grew tired of salads and vegetables. At the same time, it pushed me to learn new recipes, many of which I still want to include in my everyday diet.

One of the most impactful moments of the first week was during Prayer Connect on Tuesday evening, when Pastor Sharon shared that this fast was our “First Fruit Fast” of the year. It was about laying a foundation by giving our first fruit to God.

She shared her own personal and powerful declaration for her fast, that I also took as my own:

Grace for this fast.

I have grace for this fast.

This is my first fruit fast.

It is a restful fast, a rejoicing fast, a praying-in-the-Spirit fast, and a new wine fast.

It is a faith fast and an expecting fast.

We are fasting for the prophetic word — a speaking and listening fast.

This fast is intended to last for the entire year.

Progress will be made through this fast.

This is our new wineskins fast.

Pastor John also shared on the weekend about new wineskins by sharing the Scripture about not sewing an old patch onto new fabric and not pouring new wine into old wineskins. If we do, the wineskins burst and the wine is lost. 

This fast was about becoming new wineskins so that the new wine of the Lord could be poured into our lives.

That became my main focus throughout the fast — seeking God first and putting old things aside. The extra time I gained from not being on social media and not focusing on food was intentionally used to pray, read the Word, and truly get to know Scripture. 

One of the greatest blessings was the half-hour sessions we had in the mornings at the office to read the Word. I began applying this habit not only in that time, but also in my personal mornings and afternoons.

What ministered to me about that was the realization that what you fill yourself with is what will come out of you. As I consistently filled myself with the Word, I found myself speaking more Word. This impacted so many areas of my life — relationally, financially, and beyond — because when you bring the Word into something, you bring life into it. 

This truly was a rejoicing fast. I honestly never expected to have so much joy waking up early and not eating. Choosing joy every morning wasn’t always easy, but the joy of the Lord became my strength. I found myself with more endurance and strength to face the daily challenges of life.

I praise the Lord for that incredible first week. It marked me, changed me, and laid a foundation that I know will carry through the rest of the year and beyond.