7 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING
With the beginning of the new year, we want to start off by declaring our faith in a bold way and seeking God’s face. We really hope that you will join us during our 7 Days of Prayer and Fasting. Even more - we hope that you will go into it with the faith and expectancy that God is going to work in each of our hearts, in our church family, and in Cheraw and Chesterfield County in some amazing ways.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR CHURCH?
First, that means that we as a church family are challenging ourselves to dedicate an entire week to spend strategic time with God in prayer. But not only are we praying, we are layering in the component of fasting. Fasting is giving up something physical (typically food) in order to feed our spirits. It is about discipline and sacrifice. You can participate in a complete fast (meaning no food, just liquids), a partial or selective fast, or a soul fast. Read this document we put together to help you prepare for your fast, conduct your fast, and break your fast in a healthy way.
Some people may be worried that doing a corporate fast is not secretive (as Jesus talked about in Matthew 6:18). And while that is true, corporate fasts are just as biblical as private fasts, but with a slight difference: we are doing God together. As obvious as that is, the effect for our church will be powerful. This corporate fast is still very personal and voluntary, it is still between you and God, it still requires humility, and it is still for the purpose of seeking do and not impressing others. Someone once said: “There is nothing wrong with being seen fasting, but we should not fast to be seen.”
Secondly, this means that in addition to us individually fasting and spending time with God, we will come together for special 6:00am prayer services in the worship center. During these 1 hour services, we will sing, hear teaching on prayer, and spend meaningful time in both private and corporate prayer. If you cannot attend, you may pray at the church during normal hours or participate through video later in the day.
If you have a prayer request, grab a card Sunday morning, fill it out, and set it on the front of the stage. We will use these cards during our prayer time.
why are we doing this?
The basic answer is: we need it.
We recognize that we desperately need God to move, and we are praying and fasting for him to do just that. We want him to move in our individual lives and in our homes, church, communities, country, and world. We believe that through fasting connected to our praying, we are:
One of the verses we will look at during this time of prayer will be Mark 11:24, when Jesus said “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
There are two keys parts to this verse: asking and believing. We can’t expect God to do great things if we have not asked, nor can we ask and receive great things from God, if we do not believe. And fasting is a way of acting on our belief, that says, “God I believe in you, and I’m giving up things that I enjoy to focus more on you.”
how do we pray?
Many people struggle with prayer because they are unsure how to do it. We can look at the example that Jesus set while on earth to understand how we can best pray:
SCHEDULE A TIME: Make a consistent, daily appointment with God, whether it is first thing in the morning, during lunch, or in the evening.
SET A PLACE: Having a designated place to pray helps us remove distractions and frees us to worship and pray out loud.
MAKE A PLAN: While our prayer time doesn’t have to look the same every time, we can use certain models (such as A.C.T.S., the “Lord’s Prayer,” the Tabernacle Prayer, or the “5 Finger Prayer” to help us stay on track and connect with God regularly. Our plans may also include music, Bible reading, and time of silence.
Prayer is most effective when it is a lifestyle we cultivate, not a hobby we rarely do.
As you pray and fast, be encouraged by the words of Jesus in Mark 11:22-25: “And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
If you have questions or would like to share how God is working through your prayer and fasting, please contact us.
3 STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL FASTING
Watch the video below or read this document for helpful information on fasting.
