21 Day Consecration Plan

KEY SCRIPTURE
JOEL 2:15

“BLOW THE TRUMPET IN ZION; CONSECRATE A FAST; CALL A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY.”

At the beginning of every year, we have a special time set aside for prayer and fasting. We want to set the tone for the year and be intentional to focus on the Lord and what He is saying and doing. This year our theme is “RISE UP” and our theme verse is Joel 2:15: “Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly.”

We are living in a critical time in history. Our nation, the body of Christ, and our local church are all in a pivotal season. We want to consecrate ourselves afresh to God and prepare for what He has in store. We anticipate and prepare for the Holy Spirit to move and speak in fresh ways during “RISE UP” – 21 Days of Consecration!

21 Days of Consecration Details

We have simplified the definition of disciple to be … 

“Those who are willing to let Jesus change what they care about to match and reflect what matters to Him” (in His Kingdom). 

So for 21 Days of Consecration we want to focus on hearing the voice of God speak to us through His Word and Spirit. This year’s 21 Days of Consecration is set it up in such a way that we don’t have a rigidly prescriptive pathway to “consecration/sanctification” but rather through self-examination with the Holy Spirit as your guide. 

Questions (Take a moment to meditate on these as you pray. Write out the answers so you can refer back to them throughout the 21 days. 

1. What do you hear Jesus saying to you about consecration? 
2. What is he trying to reveal that may be hindering you from flourishing spiritually? 
3. What fruit in your life is revealing a root of unbelief or carnality? 
4. Why should this matter to you? 
5. How are you going to let Jesus use this to harmonize you with His Kingdom? 
6. In what ways do you sense Jesus prompting you out of consumerism and into living selflessly? 
7. How is all of the above vital to your walk with God AND just as importantly, the eternity of others around you?

Fast: 

1 day (full 24 hour period) per week with a 3-day fast somewhere in the 21 days. 

FASTING INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTION
Fasting is abstaining from food, water, or pleasurable things for a period of time for the purpose of consecration of oneself to the Lord. The reason for fasting is to tune out the flesh and focus on the Spirit. Fasting helps us bring our natural appetites into submission so that we can be tuned in to God. Romans 8 tells us that “as many as are led by the Spirit, they are the sons of God.”  Therefore we fast to bring our hearts and minds into focused obedience to the Word and voice of God in our lives. Because of this, during our 21 Day consecration, we will be following a schedule that includes fasting. 

There are primarily two types of fasting:

Fasting Advice

You can choose multiple days in a row or spread them out if you prefer. You are  also welcome to fast as many days as you would like during this time frame.  If, for health concerns, you have to split your time up even more, that is fine. Our goal is to consecrate our hearts to God. Remember Col 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, do it heartily unto the Lord and not unto men.” 

Consecration for Our Walk with God: 

Choose one item in your life to give up for the entire 21 days.  It could be some kind of food. It could be social media. It could be television or some form of entertainment. You are choosing something that you enjoy.  This is being given as a sacrifice from our life to the Lord for the entire 21 Days. 

Consecration for Our Church Body: 

• For the entire 21 days we will all limit our personal time on computers and electronic devices to no more than 30 minutes per day. Since some work on their computer we are identifying personal electronics. 
• Follow the Bible reading plan. 
• Two times per day of focused prayer. Spend 1/3 of your prayer time on personal focus. 1/3 of your time on church-wide focus. 1/3 of your time on missional focus. 

Consecration for Our Mission: 

• Bless one person per week in some way that they don’t necessarily deserve as the Lord leads you. 
• Listen to the voice of the Spirit in your heart and make one contact per week with someone that needs the Lord. 
• Ask one person that you’ve been praying for (during the 21 days) to tell you their story. 
• Invite one person to church with you each week. Bonus points for inviting someone out to dinner or some way to personally connect with them. 

What is Consecration Anyway?

A. Consecration means … to declare something to be holy and/or to personally commit to be completely dedicated to the Lord. The word is similar to the word “sanctify” – meaning ‘to set apart for God alone.’ 

B. Consecration Scriptures  … 

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1 

Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit…and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price…” I Corinthians 6:19-20
“Now the God of peace…make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ …” Hebrews 13:20-21
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

C. Importance of Consecration … The reason this is important for us right now is … the first of the year is a time that we reset/recalibrate our lives with a season of deep devotion/

D. Practical Aspects … The way that we will live this out will be both corporate and personal. There are some things that we need to all consecrate together and then things that we all individually have to be honest and transparent with. The question below will help you identify some places in your life to devote to prayer.