Week of Prayer and Fasting

Good evening everyone,

As I mentioned this morning we are moving our Fasting and Prayer week from the end of the month to this week. We just completed our first prayer time together and it was very encouraging and exciting. God led us through Nehemiah 1 and the prayer recorded in that chapter. We took some time to pray privately as we started then we prayed through the principles of prayer that are embedded in Nehemiah 1. For those of you who were unable to be here I encourage you to go to this chapter and pray through in the following manner:

1. Praise God for who He is! A good way to begin this is to speak out the words that describe God; kind, compassionate, gracious, faithful are examples. Let God lead you and soften your heart as you acknowledge Him and consciously ‘enter into His presence’. Be open at this time to sing out whatever worship/praise song (or parts of a song) that is brought to your mind.

2. Having acknowledged Him it is important to be humble before Him. This is a good time to ask Him to search your heart and see if there is anything to confess or release to Him. (Psalm 139:23-24, 1John 1:9). Close out this time with praise and adoration.

3. Drawing from Nehemiah 1:5 Prayerfully acknowledge these truths about God

4. Follow the model from v6 & 7 and humbly confess our sins as citizens and as a nation.

5. Next recognize and pray through His Word, His promise to His people. V8,9

6. Remember His faithfulness to our nation. V10

7. Request (petition) for His leading and provision to continue and even be increased. V11

I ask that you pray this week, specifically for the next 24 hours, for our nation in similar fashion as instructed above. Beginning Monday evening I ask that you shift your ‘prayer focus’ to praying for God’s healing touch upon our physical bodies. Myself as well as many others have need of divine healing upon our bodies. Also pray on this day for God to free people from fear and panic. May these time of near hysteria be turned into times of trusting and relying upon God.

Prayer points from Scripture: Nehemiah 1, Psalm 51:1-13, Luke 11:1-4,

For Tuesday I ask that your prayer focus be for relationships; families, marriages, siblings, neighbors…

Prayer points from Scripture: Psalm 25, Ephesian 3:14-20

On Wednesday make your primary prayer focus to be for those who are not yet believers; in your circle of influence, in our community, in our nation, around the world. Pray on this day for missionaries and the efforts to extend the gospel into all of the world. Pray that God would use the current fears that are sweeping the globe to remind people of their mortality, leading them to repentance and relationship with the Living God!

Prayer points from Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:23-27, Acts 13:2-3, Colossians 4:2-4, 2Thessalonians 3:1-3

Thursday please focus your prayer time upon Calvary Chapel Mountain Home; our leadership teams, our ministries, our opportunities. On this day also pray for the body of Christ here in Mountain Home; the other Pastors, leaders, believers that gather here in Mountain Home. Extend your prayers on this day to include the body of Christ globally.

Prayer points from Scripture: Daniel 10:12, Romans 15:30-33, 6:18-20, Titus 1:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-25

On Friday I ask that you make this a day of praise and thanksgiving! Give this day to God, praying throughout the day, praising Him and thanking Him for all that He is and all that He is doing.

Prayer points from Scripture: Praise-Exodus 15:1-18, 1Chronicles 16:34, Jonah 2, Psalm 138, Jude 1:24-25

I am asking that you spend 1-2 hours a day of uninterrupted prayer throughout this week. I have found it is beneficial to take a prayer journal with you at this time to express your prayers as well as to record what God is speaking to you.

I have included our scheduled times to gather together for group prayer and look forward to praying with you. For those of you who are unable to attend these meeting times please join us in prayer from wherever you are.

We live in exciting times and it is my prayer that we are encouraged by God to walk in love as we shine His light in this ever darkening world. Remember light is the most noticeable when it is dark!

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

 

In His loving grace,

Pastor Dan


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