Great things happen when people earnestly trust God. Look at the Bible's examples. Moses communed alone with God on Mount Sinai for forty days and received the Ten Commandments....Daniel came out of the lion's den with his life as a result of prayer and fasting....a widow named Anna spent her life in the Temple praying and fasting and was one of the first to recognize the Messiah....Jesus conquered temptaions in the wilderness and set the course of His earthly ministry during forty days of prayer and fasting....Cornelius sought salvation with prayer and fasting and became the first Gentile convert to Christianity.
Your church's call for Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting is a special opportunity for you to draw nearer to God. Fasting is the hand with which we let go of our plans — prayer is the hand with which we take hold of God's. Together, they are a means of experiencing the wonder of His presence.
Prayer is simply talking with God, listening to His Word and His Spirit as you do. Prayer does not change things, so much as it changes us — making us more open to the power and plans of God. During the next forty days, give concentrated time and effort daily to seeking God's mighty acts and blessings for yourself, your family, church, community and world.
Fasting is the spiritual discipline of giving God priority over something else in your life for the pleasure of having more time with Him. Usually, this involves not eating for a certain period of time, such as one meal a day or one day out of a week. Persons who should not go without food for health reasons may choose to fast by giving up an hour of sleep, television, or recreation. The main point is to commit yourself to an act of self-denial that frees time for spiritual purposes. Fasting creates a mood of seriousness about prayer. It increases sensitivity to God's Spirit....strengthens our resolve to do God's will....heightens our desire for His presence....purifies our motives....reminds us to pray without ceasing.
Fasting is not a way to make yourself more “religious.” It is not a “hunger strike” to make God pay attention to your prayers. It is not a duty to be done just to get it out of the way. Fasting is an expression of a deep longing to honor God and draw closer to Him. It is a way to humble yourself before Him....to identify more closely with the hurts of lives that are empty without Jesus Christ....to increase your hunger and thirst for righteousness....to say to God, “I am Yours, Lord. Nothing is more important to me than putting You first in my life.”
The prayer calendar will help balance and deepen your devotions. Use the suggested Bible readings to discover praises and promises that will enrich your walk with God. Add your own requests to the daily prayer reminders and boldly take your needs to the Lord. May the next forty days be filled with spiritual delight as you experience God's wonderful presence.
Read “Planning Your Daily Time With God” by Clicking Here.
Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting
An emphasis of the Wesleyan Church Evangelism and Church Growth Department
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