7 Days of Prayer and Fasting
As we begin 2023, our vision as a church is to keep our focus on proclaiming the gospel and making disciples. Yet, we must never forget that our mission must be preceded by our devotion. When we consider what God has called us to, our first thought ought not to be, “I can do that.” But rather, our thought ought to be, “O God, I need you!” Both in our personal pursuit of God and desire to see God grow our church, we need the Spirit of God to strengthen and sustain us, to empower and embolden us. Nothing expresses our need and desire for God to work in and through us like fasting and praying. As we begin these 7 Days of Prayer and Fasting, I want to encourage you to prepare your heart and mind. Read through fasting tips below and how to make the most of your prayer times. To guide us through this week, you can find a daily blog post with Scripture reading, a brief devotion, and prayer points. Let your prayer be at the start of this week simply be, “God have your way in me!”
Fasting Tips
There are no special fasting rules. The Bible doesn’t give us a step-by-step guide on how to fast, but give us some Biblical principles and examples that guide us through fasting.
Here are a Few Examples:
Plan Your Fast
The Bible has examples of one-day, three-day, seven-day and forty-day fasts, as well as fasting certain foods, doing only liquids, or water only fast. Before you start, pray and see what type of fast the Lord would lead you to.
Daniel Fast: No meat, sweet foods, or strong drinks (see Daniel 10:2-3). This can be done for an extended period of time. This could also be considered a vegetarian diet because there is no meat or animal products eaten.
Partial Fast: This would be not eating one main meal you would usually eat on a daily routine, such as breakfast, or lunch, or dinner. This meal would be skipped until the fast was over. You can also from something like entertainment (evening shows) or social media.
Half-Day Fast: Fast from sundown the previous day until 3 p.m. This is commonly called the John Wesley, which he practiced weekly on Wednesday and Friday during his ministry. see (see also Acts 10:30-31).
Complete Fast: This would require you to abstain from all solid foods, consuming liquids only. When Jesus fasted in the desert, the Bible says, “After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry”. This verse does not mention Jesus being thirsty (see Luke 4:1-2).
Please note that if you have any medical conditions that could make fasting dangerous, please do not fast until you have cleared fasting with your medical practitioner.
Pull Away from Media and Entertainment
Disconnecting from TV, music, social media, and the internet can help you stay focused on the reason for fasting. You will be able to focus and hear the Lord more clearly as you disconnect from culture, constant noise, and world distractions.
Pray and Get in God’s Presence
Fasting is dedicating more time to pursue the Lord. If you can get away more than normal, to be with God, it will give you strength during your fast. Fasting is a time to study God’s Word, meditate, and pray. To help with this, use our Bible plan or choose a topic you want to study during your fast. Look for verses you want to memorize and meditate upon. When Jesus and the disciples fasted, it was always accompanied by prayer. Spend time talking to God and allowing Him to reveal Himself to you in His Word.
Making the Most Out of Your Prayer Times
Have a Place
Jesus often retreated to a secluded place to pray. The point of retreating to such a place was the removal of distractions and enabling greater intimacy with God. Whether your place stays the same or needs to change throughout the week, aim to find a place that helps you focus on God and enjoy being in His presence.
Have a Time
If you are fasting throughout the week, seek to replace your times of eating with prayer. The same would apply if you’re fasting from social media or entertainment. At a minimum, pick one time slot throughout the day spend extended time in prayer and Bible reading, whether it’s first thing in the morning, at lunch, or at night.
Have a Plan
Every person will have different preferences, but we would encourage you to have your Bible and a journal. As you pray, you may choose to call to mind the Lord’s Prayer as a guide or perhaps consider using the A.C.T.S. prayer method (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication). You may already have a Bible plan you are using or you may want to use the 7 Days of Prayer Guide to direct your Bible reading for the week. Begin your time with prayer, read God’s Word, read the day’s entry from the 7 Days of Prayer Guide, and reflect and respond through prayer and journaling.
Three Scriptures to Memorize
As we pray and fast, God’s Word will be central to this time. We not only want us to reflect on God’s Word and allow it to prompt us to pray; we also want to challenge ourselves to memorize God’s Word. As Psalm 119:10-11 says, “With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandment. I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Join us in storing up God’s Word in our hearts by memorizing these passages. Three passages may seem like a lot, but we encourage you to give it a try. The goal is less about being able to quote it to others and more about it saturating your heart and mind.
Psalm 96:1-3 - Rejoice in the Glory of God
Mark 8:34-38 - Following Jesus
Colossians 4:2-6 - Living on Mission
Two Helpful Resources for Memorization and Meditation: Fighter Verses & Look at the Book